Who believed in you?
The answer, in Dina Powell McCormick and Sen. Dave McCormick’s case, is a very long list of people.
The couple’s new book, “Who Believed in You?” taps into their vast Rolodex — spanning politics, technology, entertainment, finance and fashion — to share how instrumental mentors have been in the lives of the people running the world today.
“We wanted people to see that, whatever your profession, someone helped you get there,” Powell told me. “Americans today can be that person for someone else.”
The book’s index is the ultimate list of name-checks. Tory Burch, David Chang, Condoleezza Rice and Brian Grazer all make appearances, as do presidents. (Powell worked for two: George W. Bush as Sr. White House Advisory, and Donald Trump as Deputy National Security Advisory.)
Lloyd Blankfein, who Powell identifies as one of her most important mentors, is even quoted — jokingly referring to himself as Powell’s “tormentor” for the challenging feedback he gave her.
The book is worth a read for the inside accounts of how the rich and powerful got where they are. (Microsoft’s Satya Nadella credits Doug Burgum for helping him become a CEO — who knew?) But it also highlights just how pivotal it is to build deep relationships, to find success and meaning.
Powell acknowledges it sounds “corny.” But she sees a real American crisis in terms of how many young people are lonely and lost — in large part because Gen Z hasn’t been challenged to get where they are supposed to go. This book is her and her husband’s effort to spark a movement of adults who will mentor and believe in the next generation.
“One of the most transformative experiences of my life has been building deep relationships with mentors and mentees,” she told me. “This could be the moment to ignite a mentoring movement where people truly believe in the power of investing in one another.”
It seemed to strike a chord with attendees at a packed event — hosted by Mary Erdoes, CEO of the asset and wealth management division at JPMorgan — celebrating the book earlier this week.
More than 300 women from firms all across Wall Street — including BDT & MSD Partners (where Powell is Vice Chairman), Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan — were on hand. Franklin Templeton’s Jenny Johnson, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser and Goldman Sachs’ Asahi Pompey joined Powell to candidly describe the self-doubt and tears (even in the office bathroom) it took to get to the top of their game.
It was a powerhouse crowd, with JPMorgan’s Kristin Lemkau, PR maven Desiree Gruber, Jessica Seinfeld, Wendi Murdoch, Amy Griffin, and Margaret Anadau.
Jamie Dimon also made a cameo, praising Powell as “a better banker with more and better relationships than many big finance CEOs. She’s the full package — doing it all at the highest levels, in an industry where women were historically disadvantaged, especially when she started out.”
What struck Powell most about the event, she told me, wasn’t the attendees’ focus on climbing the corporate ladder. “These women weren’t asking about their next promotion,” she said. “They were hungry for purpose — meaningful lives, not just successful careers.”
Powell herself immigrated to the US from Egypt with her family at age six, not knowing a word of English, and went on to work in the White House, become a partner at Goldman Sachs and, now, serve as vice chair at Byron Trott, Gregg Lemkau and Michael Dell’s investment firm.
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McCormick attended West Point and served in the first Gulf War. He later became CEO of hedge fund behemoth Bridgewater Associates for more than a decade before being elected as the junior senator from Pennsylvania.
At the event, it was remarkably hopeful to hear from five different women about how they created their American dream at a time when more than three-quarters of respondents believe the next generation will be worse off than they are, according to a Pew Research Center study. More than half of Generation Z also say they are either pessimistic or feel unprepared for the future, according to a Gallup and Walton Family Foundation report.
The deep relationships with mentors and mentees that Powell helped her launch initiatives including Goldman’s 10,000 Women and 10,000 Small Businesses which provide entrepreneurs business education, mentorship and access to capital. Colleagues who launched the program with her spoke at the event along with some of their mentees.
Powell adds, “We hope people will … ask themselves three questions: Who believed in you? Have you thanked them? And who will you believe in and invest in? If we all ask ourselves those questions, we can make a huge impact in the country.”
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