MercadoLibre (MELI) have taken flight—giving credence to Zevenbergen’s long-held investment philosophy. The best way to build wealth, she says, is to invest in founder-led firms early, stick with a concentrated portfolio, and hang on even when the road gets bumpy. “People underestimate the length and duration of these really exceptional growth companies,” she says. Zevenbergen, 61, was working as a portfolio manager in the trust department of a regional bank when two unrelated events inspired her to strike out on her own. First, Microsoft (MSFT) went public in 1986. “Back then your large institutions, your banks, your trust departments, were very value biased, so they weren’t interested,” she says. “I thought it was a missed opportunity.”