This short format piece targeting impact investors and social entrepreneurs provides real-world examples of impact investing for social return based on author-developed cases derived from their work and research.  It covers two overarching themes of impact investing with cases and supporting evidence. Coverage includes: MISSION FIRST AND LAST Summary of Theme:  Myth: Impact investing is either financial-first or impact-first, where either financial returns or impact are prioritized across each stage of a funds or organizations lifecycle.  Reality: Impact investing involves weighing financial and impact objectives differently throughout fund lifecycles. A clearly embedded strategy and structure for achieving mission is at the core of enabling a financial process of investing and in outperforming funds, this happens before any investment is made, and then again in the assessment of mission at the end of the investment. In between, most funds act very much like other investors, and financial concerns dominate.