Carey Davidson

Managing Director - Head of Capital Markets, Monroe Capital LLC

Biography:

With an over 17-year track record in middle-market lending, Carey is a key figure in the middle market. Since joining Monroe Capital and initiating the Capital Markets function, she has worked to deepen the firm’s relationships across the lending community, driving partnerships and creating value through collaboration. Carey is responsible for Monroe’s buy-side club originations, relationship management, and marketing as well as Monroe’s sell-side syndications. She also serves on Monroe’s Investment Committee.  Prior to Monroe, Carey was a senior deal professional at The Carlyle Group, where she focused on originating, structuring, negotiating, executing and managing middle-market loans.  Prior to Carlyle, she was a founding professional and senior vice president at Churchill Financial and an assistant vice president at GE Antares Capital. Carey is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth, the Women’s Association of Venture & Equity, and serves on the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America. Carey earned her B.A. in communications with a Certificate in Business from The University of Wisconsin – Madison and her M.B.A. from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. 

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

First and foremost, you must believe in yourself and believe that you are going to be successful.   As a woman, you have a lens that differs from male colleagues, and that should be celebrated.  It is important to acknowledge that being a woman is an asset and provides an element of diversity and differentiated thinking that can bring real value as an investor.  Always believe that you will succeed based on merit, ability, and hard work.  Additionally, I would encourage women just starting out to focus on networking and expanding relationships early in their career.  Oftentimes the value of a deep, expansive network is not evident until later on, but growing that network from early on can lead to expanded opportunities throughout your career.  Every new contact should be considered a valuable resource as you advance.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

I wish I knew that it would all turn out great.  Earlier in my career I would stress over things that were out of my control, and I would have what I affectionately call “success anxiety,” or a focus on the need to be a superstar.  Over time and through experience, I now realize that I should spend my energy celebrating my successes and invest my time in the people that support me.  Rather than seek people’s respect, earn it by being your best.  In addition, while work is called “work” for a reason, it is important to try to have some fun and enjoy yourself along the way.  

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

Mentoring has played a very meaningful role in every step of my career as it still does today.  My mentors have provided a safe place, a support network, and been a confidence builder in an environment where the stakes are high.  I have enjoyed mentors both inside and outside my firms and my field, and I have relied on my mentors to be both a sounding board and a resource for honest and constructive feedback and advice. A strong mentor will tell you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it, and can help guide you through both large and small decisions.  My most meaningful mentor relationships have developed organically and expanded naturally over time.  

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

I think our industry should take a page out of the tech handbook and know that talented, skilled people can take their skills anywhere, so the way to attract and retain top talent is to allow people to maintain flexibility.   A career doesn’t have to follow a linear path. We should give people an open field to innovate, try new things, forge forward and grow at their own pace.