Meet an Investment Banker Who Hustles and Flows

Madelaine O’Connell is a multihyphenate banker whose interests go beyond the world of finance. A vice president at Goldman Sachs in New York City, she oversees origination and distribution of private placement debt. It’s meaningful work that finds her engaging internally with bankers and externally with investors on the buy-side.

A self-described go-getter and academic achiever, O’Connell, who was raised in Sound Beach, NY by her middle-school librarian mom, maintains a challenging day job and juggles a long workday with two side hustles: she teaches early-morning online training classes for obé Fitness and co-runs Sweats and Balances, a company focused on combining fitness and networking through events for women.

Moving her body in the early hours of the day helps her feel centered, provides energy and positions her to face the day. She believes extracurricular endeavors allow her to operate at peak performance as an investment banker.

“The to-do list is always going to be there,” she muses about her hectic schedule, “and the list gets longer the longer I’m in banking.”

The beneficiary of advice from mentors along the way, O’Connell is passionate about paying it forward. In fact, she helps young women in finance be their best selves at every opportunity.

“I think being yourself, working hard, owning your voice, making sure you have a seat at every table you’re at and making an impact – that’s how I built my career to this point,” she says.

In the video interview below, produced as part of our Women IN series, O’Connell discusses her professional evolution and offers advice for women looking to follow a similar career path.

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