Today on the show, we’re highlighting an asset class that we haven’t talked about much in the past. Our host, Luke Roush will be joined by Trevor Hightower to talk about investing in agriculture.The two will talk about how this unique industry brings a ton of potential for positive returns and redemptive impact. They’ll also discuss how God has worked in Trevor’s life through setbacks, mentors, and unexpected opportunities.

Reflection is a key part of investing, and in this special Christmas edition of Marks on the Markets, host John Coleman is joined by Jake Thomsen and Ross Roggensack to give us a year in review and a look ahead at what’s ahead for 2024. They look back on major trends and topics like Artificial Intelligence or inflation and offer their reflections on what the Christmas season means to them.Learn more about the ministry at Faithdriveninvestor.org

Our ministry receives tons of questions around angel investing. What is it? How does it work? How can I get started?In this episode, experienced investor and advisor, Mark Klopp, joins our host John Coleman to answer these questions and more as he provides us with a basic overview of Angel Investing. For more, check out this page:https://www.faithdriveninvestor.org/angel-networks

What does it look like to lead in the midst of chaos, brokenness, and division?The recent events in Israel and Gaza have made the brokenness of the world even more acute and visible. There are a lot of thoughtful places where you might go to find perspective on politics, faith or even breaking news, but we wanted to bring something different to the table.We’ve brought on two friends of the Faith Driven Movement, Mordechai Wiseman and Bader Mansour, to talk about what it’s like to lead businesses in the face of tragedy.Bader Mansour is the founder of NAZDAQ, a company that develops data solutions in Nazareth. He comes from a unique perspective as both a Palestinian and an Israeli citizen. Most importantly, he identifies a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. As an executive for a network of 17 churches and one of the founders of a local seminary, Bader is also a recognized national leader within the Arab-speaking Christian community. Mordechai Wiseman runs an investment fund and a consulting firm, and is the founder and chairman of Israel Firstfruits, an economic development agency for the local community of faith in Israel. He is also founder of the Messianic Business Fellowship, which is the only national network for marketplace believers in Israel, both Jews & Arabs. The two have worked together for many years, have a deep relationship that transcends ethnic roots, and are rooted in their love for Jesus.  They graciously joined the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast for a conversation about how their faith has informed their perspectives on leadership, identity, and the current conflict. Find out more about the work they’re doing in this video that premiered at the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySOzMWsSc3U

What does Faith Driven Investing look like for a global firm dedicated to bringing prosperity across the world?Today’s guest, Mark Stoleson, has wrestled with this question before as the CEO and Partner of Legatum, a global firm that wants to improve people’s lives by increasing prosperity across the world. He joins us to talk about their approach, the power of building frameworks, and what it’s like to think globally about Faith Driven Investing.

John and Luke are joined by David Erickson, the Chief Investment Officer of Ascension Investment Management for this month’s edition of Marks on the Markets.Ascension Investment Management helps their clients reach socially responsible investment goals without sacrificing returns. They do this by delivering high-quality comprehensive investment solutions that enable clients to better carry out their mission by allowing them to focus on the big picture.In this episode, David unpacks their approach in more detail, gives an overview of what he’s seeing in the market, and helps us understand the value of thematic investing. If you like this episode, be sure to follow, review, and share the show.Relevant Links:https://ascensioninvestmentmanagement.com/

Most entrepreneurs dream of a successful exit. For many of us, it’s the reward for a job well done. But is there a way that Faith Driven Entrepreneurs should think differently about exits than our secular counterparts? How do we exit well? Are there ever times where God calls us not to exit and to continue our work instead?In this episode, we wrestle through these questions and more with 1 Flourish Capital’s Neil Ahlsten.

How can Christians thoughtfully approach the topic of artificial intelligence?How should we use it? What are the ethical considerations? Is it good or dangerous?These are relevant questions for Faith Driven Investors as AI continues to be a topic for conversation in both the business world and the broader culture. That’s why we’re excited to feature James Cham on the podcast. James is an early-stage venture capitalist and a partner at Bloomberg Beta, a Silicon Valley-based firm that invests in the “new world of work.” Conversations about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are a big part of his day-to-day life. In this crossover episode, he talks with the Faith Driven Entrepreneur hosts about wrestling through the ever-changing landscape of technology with wisdom, discernment, and a redemptive vision of the world.

In this edition of Marks on the Markets, we’re joined by frequent collaborators, Justin Speer and Phil Jung.Justin is the Principal and Senior Analyst at Sovereign’s Capital where he focuses on Private Equity. Phil also works with Sovereign’s as a Venture Capital Partner.The two join John to give an overview of private and public markets as we head into Fall.

Despite the size and scale of the continent, there aren’t many female fund managers in Africa.Today’s guest is trying to fix that.Adesuwa Rhodes launched her firm, Aruwa Capital, because she saw untapped investment opportunities in West Africa in the small to lower mid-market. Aruwa has a specific goal to close the gender gap in Africa and become a case study that shows the business value of investing in women as fund managers, entrepreneurs, consumers and stakeholders in society.She joins the show from her home in Lagos, Nigeria.

Looking for a quick summary of recent market trends in various industries?We’ve got you covered with our monthly Marks on the Markets series on the podcast.This week, Finny Kuruvilla of Eventide Asset Management joins us to talk about public equities with a specific focus on biotech and healthcare.

What does it look like to invest in emerging markets around the world?Today’s guest, Patrick Fisher has been working to provide profitable solutions to difficult social and environmental challenges since 2007. At that time, he left a successful career at JPMorgan to start Creation Investments, a global impact investing firm focused on developing economies.He joins us today to talk about the state of emerging markets across the world and to provide a vision for others to get involved. You may recognize Patrick from episode 100, which is linked here: https://www.faithdriveninvestor.org/podcast-inventory/episode-100-patrick-fisher-and-the-big-deal-with-microfinancingWant to learn more about how Christians can invest in emerging markets? Check out our series “Building Growth with Room to Magnify” here: https://www.faithdriveninvestor.org/video-library#building-growthIf you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to follow, review, and share the podcast.

Sometimes you just have to flip the script and shake things up, and that’s exactly what we did with this episode.On a special edition of Marks on the Markets, we play a little musical chairs and put John Coleman, who usually hosts the show, in the hot seat so he can field questions about the state of the markets so far in 2023.He joins Richard Cunningham to talk about venture, the debt ceiling, AI, public markets, and more. Plus, Richard gives some exciting updates about what’s happening across the movement. If you like this episode, make sure to follow, review, and share the show.

Many investors from other religious backgrounds are asking the same core question we are: how do my beliefs shape the way I think about my work? While theological differences will always come up, we can still learn from their perspectives. That’s why we’ve invited Michael Eisenberg back on the show. Michael has joined us before both on the podcast and at the conference, providing us with incredible insight about how the Hebrew Scriptures give us practical wisdom in business. We welcome Michael back for an open conversation about how his Jewish faith influences his views of investing. Find the episode at the link in the comments and don’t forget to rate, review, and follow the show.

Sometimes you just have to flip the script and shake things up, and that’s exactly what we did with this episode.On a special edition of Marks on the Markets, we play a little musical chairs and put John Coleman, who usually hosts the show, in the hot seat so he can field questions about the state of the markets so far in 2023.He joins Richard Cunningham to talk about venture, the debt ceiling, AI, public markets, and more. Plus, Richard gives some exciting updates about what’s happening across the movement. If you like this episode, make sure to follow, review, and share the show.

Most of us know the verse in Genesis where God says it’s not good for a person to be alone. But do we let that affect our view of investing?We understand the truth but still find ourselves going through our careers in isolation. We keep our guard up and our heads down. What would it look like to change that narrative? What would happen if we rallied around each other, both personally and professionally? What would that lead to?Brent Beshore and Marcus Stroud join us today to talk about how they’ve found great joy in building a community of investors and to give practical guidance on how others can do the same.Check it out wherever you get your podcasts and don’t forget to review, follow, and share the show with others.Events mentioned in this video:Main Street Summit: https://www.mainstreetsummit.com/

The venture capital landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. How can investors move forward responsibly? How can we care for the entrepreneurs we’ve invested in? How do we find hope in the midst of challenges?We cover these questions and more in this month’s edition of Marks on the Markets.Host John Coleman is joined by two leaders in the venture capital and growth equity space: Brandon Allen, Co-founder and Managing Partner at TXV Ventures and Phil Jung, Partner at Sovereign's Capital to discuss how they’re navigating the rocky state of venture capital and growth equity.Like this content?You can support us by rating, following, and sharing the show with others.

They say not to bring up religion and politics at the dinner table. Throw business in there, and you have the recipe for quite a complex conversation.We tackle all three in this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast.We’re joined by Michael Hall and Tim Hurley, two Christian leaders whose private organizations have partnered with public institutions to seek the common good in their communities. Michael does this as the VP of acquisitions for Launch Capital Partners, an impact private equity firm that welcomes refugees and internationals while promoting thriving communities through a relationship-oriented property management model and community partnerships.Tim Hurley is the executive director of the Movement Foundation, which is the philanthropic vessel for Movement Mortgage to pour profits back into their communities. The organization focuses on funding much-needed infrastructure, education and support to underserved areas in the U.S. and around the world.The two join us today to talk about how Christian organizations can partner with the government to advance the common good while sustaining profitable returns for their stakeholders

The collapse of institutions like Silicon Valley Bank sent ripple effects around the world and brought many to a place of fear, doubt, and instability.  So how should we faithfully think through these recent events?We tackle this topic on this special episode of Marks on the Markets.Host John Coleman is joined by Justin Speer, a Principal and Senior Analyst on the Public Equities team at Sovereign’s Capital, and Zack Mansfield, who has over 15 years of experience working with high growth entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other members of the innovation economy. As the current Managing Director of Venture Banking Group at Signature Bank, Zack has a deeply personal connection to this conversation.Join these three as they wrestle through challenging questions and discuss how they have found hope in Christ despite the instability surrounding all of us.

We all want our careers to be an endless upward trend, but that’s not always the case.Mike Asem, who took a less-than-traditional road to investing, has experienced the wonderful highs and the challenging lows that come with being a venture capitalist. While the founding partner of M25–a midwest-focused early stage investment group–has plenty of success stories to share, he’s also graciously agreed to join us to talk about some of the less glamorous aspects of stewarding capital. Throughout the episode, he and our hosts, John Coleman and Luke Roush, open up about difficult questions like “how do you know when to let a venture go?” And “how do you protect your identity when you feel like a failure?”Tune in to hear how we can wrestle through tough realities while maintaining hope in something bigger than our circumstances.If you like the episode, feel free to share it with others, leave us a rating, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Faith Driven Investing has been around for much longer than this podcast and ministry.It is an international movement of leaders deploying capital for Kingdom impact. Our host John Coleman likes to joke that it’s been around for at least 5,000 years.But even with its rich history, there has been an obvious uptick in activity in recent years.Today’s Marks of the Markets episode functions as a “state of the movement” with two long-time advocates and practitioners of Faith Driven Investing: Henry Kaestner and Ross Roggensack. Check out the full episode to hear how the movement has evolved and where these leaders think it will go next.

Christian investors are talking a lot about impact, but we’re often left with a tough question: how do you measure it?Author and investor, Shundrawn Thomas has wrestled with this question in his career. Over the years, Shundrawn has run a trillion-dollar global fund and recently founded The Copia Group which offers a distinct approach to investing that marries the strategic investment of financial and relational capital with the holistic development of scalable business models.In this episode, he opens up about how his firm makes and measures impact, the ways in which investing overlaps with pastoral work, and the Chicago food staple he likes best. If you like the content, give us a rating or share it with a friend and don’t forget to follow for new episodes every other week.

Each month, we bring in experts to give an overview of the market’s current state. On this episode, we have frequent contributors Bob Doll and David Spika take us through their 2022 reflections and predictions for 2023. Bob is the Chief Investment Officer at Crossmark Global and David has the same role at GuideStone Investments. Both men bring incredible insight to the conversation.Throughout the conversation, the two also chat about how Christian investors can think through layoffs, the potential recession, and ESG investing. David even makes a Super Bowl prediction. Check out the episode and don’t forget to rate and follow the show on whatever platform you use to listen.

As both an entrepreneur and an investor, Kola Aina has a unique perspective on Africa’s market. These days he spends most of his time building and investing in ecosystems that help communities flourish. He joins Henry and Ndidi to talk about the makings of a good deal and to inspire listeners with a vision for righteous capital.

Education is a fundamental part of thriving societies, and technology has brought about more learning opportunities for all people.That’s why Christian investors like Evan Baehr and James Tieng see the space as a way to promote human flourishing across various communities.The two also discuss the unique opportunities available in education, their thoughts on less-traditional forms of learning, and who they listened to most on Spotify in 2022. It’s a light-hearted and insightful episode that you won’t want to miss.Check out the whole episode and don’t forget to follow and rate the podcast on your favorite streaming platform.

Can finances lead to a more loving world?Former NBA star Jeremy Lin and his business partner, Robert Kim believe so. The two of them, along with Patricia Sun, lead JLIN LLC, an organization dedicated to redefining love through entrepreneurship and investing. In this special episode of Faith Driven Investor, Jeremy and Robert join Henry Kaestner and Faith Driven Entrepreneur Africa host, Wen Li Lim, for a compelling conversation about their passion to use capital for good and why they chose to use investing in addition to philanthropy.You can also hear more about Jeremy’s entrepreneurial efforts on the most recent episode Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast. Don’t forget to follow both shows on your favorite podcast streaming platform.

Most tech headlines in recent months involve stories of layoffs and massive shifts. So what’s going on?In this episode of Marks on the Markets, Jake Thomsen, and Ben Hames join host John Coleman to discuss the changes they see in the industry and what investors should consider as they start the new year.The trio also debates about Elon Musk, the Metaverse, and whether or not Web 3.0 will live up to its hype. Someone even gets called a communist. It’s a jam-packed episode to kick off the new year. Make sure you follow the show on your favorite streaming service so you never miss another episode.

Phil Clemens spent 52 years on the payroll of the Clemens Food Group, a sixth-generation family-owned business providing quality pork products to the U.S. The business is now the 5th largest producer of pork in the U.S. with annual sales in excess of $1 billion. As the former chairman of the Clemens Family Corporation, Phil spent 14 years developing a succession plan for when he retired. Phil joins the Faith Driven Investor Podcast today to talk about the importance of legacy and how a family business can successfully and effectively be passed to the next generation.Want to dig into more content with other like-minded investors? We created the Faith Driven Investor Foundation Video Series for you to discover how you can bring glory to God through your investments. Groups start in January 2023. Join one at https://www.faithdriveninvestor.org/foundation-series.

Most investors often start with how to maximize returns and minimize risk. Don Simmons, CFP Professional and Founder and CEO of Simmons Capital Group, believes that Faith Driven Investors should seek to optimize beneficial outcomes instead. As a CFP Professional with a degree in counseling and post graduate training as a portfolio asset allocation specialist, Don fuses professional portfolio strategy with investor psychology and behavior. Don joins our podcast to talk about his recently released book “The Steward Investor: Investing God's Resources for Eternal Impact.” Don shares that as Christians, we need to be on the forefront of planting business in economically difficult areas where issues like unemployment and human trafficking prevent human flourishing. Listen in as Don pushes the envelope on the role of Christians as stewards of God’s resources.To learn more about The Steward Investor, missional investing, and news about Don’s speaking, sign up for his newsletter at https://thestewardinvestor.com/

FTX has fallen, taking the ‘King of Crypto’ with him. Breaux Walker, Fintech Crypto Investment Banker, and Jake Thomsen, Partner at Sovereign's Capital join the podcast to talk about what the fall of the FTX empire means for the world of cryptocurrencies. Breaux and Jake dive into risk, regulation, venture capitalists, and tokenomics in this timely episode. They also tackle questions like: how can Faith Driven Investors think about crypto? What are global problems that blockchain technology is uniquely positioned to address? And what does it look like to be a person who seeks to love and serve in a place that has been defined by greed, and naivete?Tune in to hear more, and don’t forget to subscribe for more insight from Christian investors.Faith Driven Investor is dedicated to helping Christ-following investors, fund managers, and financial advisors proactively look for ways to use capital to impact the world for God’s glory. Get connected to other like like-minded investors at faithdriveninvestor.org

“Dad, when are you going to get a real job?” Investors might find it hard to explain their careers to their kids, but that’s not the case in the Harris household. There, faith driven investing runs in the family. Britt is currently the President, CEO, and CIO at UTIMCO, the largest public endowment in America, and his son, Matt, previously served as Vice President of the Blackstone Group and is now on the investment team at Draper Associates. In this episode, we talk to both of them about being part of a family with shared faith and passion to impact culture through investments. Listen in as Matt and Britt discuss their intergenerational perspectives on the state of the market, ESG investment, and being a saint in the boardroom.

Jesus preached that his gospel message was good news to the poor. Yet investing seems to be mostly good news for the rich. In this talk from the 2022 Faith Driven Investor Conference, Dr. Kuruvilla proposes that investing, when done strategically, can partly fulfill the call to serve the global poor, using real-life case studies to highlight the redemptive potential of money that is deployed collaboratively and biblically. 

Treasurer Allison Ball is currently serving her second term as Kentucky State Treasurer—she earned the most votes of any candidate running for statewide office in the 2015 and 2019 elections. When first elected, Treasurer Ball was the youngest female statewide elected official in the U.S. Since taking office, she has returned a record $146 million of unclaimed property, more than any State Treasurer in Kentucky history in a single term. Treasurer Ball is a fierce watchdog for Kentucky taxpayer dollars and is responsible for launching Kentucky's transparency website showing how the state government spends its money. On today’s episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, we talk to Treasurer Ball about living out her faith in public office and how God uses her platform to bring about change and reform.

Today on the podcast, we are joined by Henry Kaestner, co-founder of Sovereign’s Capital and Faith Driven Investor, and Ron Blue, founder and president of Ronald Blue Co. Our conversation focuses on the recently released book “Faith Driven Investing: Every Investment Has an Impact. What’s Yours?” This global movement is all about investing in human flourishing and driving capital into initiatives that stand for something significant. Put the collective words in the palm of your hands. If you haven’t downloaded the book yet, click here. Get a free copy if you’re one of the first 200 to register now for a Faith Driven Investor Foundation Group launching in January 2023. 

Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has been a leader in the Faith and Work movement for decades. In this interview from the 2022 Faith Driven Investor Conference, Pat talks about some of the most important lessons he’s learned as he’s sought to bring his whole self into the workplace over the years. He also gives insight into how leaders can balance their work and family life, empower their communities, and love their employees, partners, and coworkers who come to work with different faith backgrounds. Let’s listen in. 

John Cortines had a plan to become a millionaire by age 30 and retire by age 40. He had all the spreadsheets and the “Big Oil” job to prove it. But while pursuing his MBA at Harvard Business School, John took the class “God and Money,” where he ended up writing a term paper that became a book—and it changed his life forever. He began studying God’s Word to answer the question “How much do we need to give?” John ended his exploration with the question flipped to “How much do we really need to keep?” In this Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast episode, we talk to John about the book that he co-authored, entitled, ‘God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School.’ Listen in as John shares practical tools for how Christ-following business leaders can give biblically and responsibly. 

If you joined us for the Faith Driven Entrepreneur conference, you’re in for a treat. This is the full interview with Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Econet, and one of Africa’s most respected business leaders. In this episode, Strive speaks about Africa’s role within the global marketplace. He also shares how faith has empowered him to operate in the world without fear and how other entrepreneurs can go bravely into the spheres God called them. If you weren’t there for the live event, you can still access the conference recordings here. Check out more from Faith Driven Entrepreneur Africa at africa.faithdrivenentrepreneur.org.

In the US, public equity markets are in decline while interest rates and inflation are on the rise. In the UK a major tax announcement rocked the overseas markets. Are we headed for a worldwide recession? We discuss what it takes for investors to face the storm head-on and remain positive in the midst of it all. Joining the conversation are Justin Speer, Principal and Senior Analyst on the Public Equities team at Sovereign’s Capital, as well as Brian McClard, Head of Investments at Ronald Blue Trust, and Benjamin Bailey, Vice President of Investments and a Senior Fixed Income Investment Manager for Praxis Mutual Funds and Everence Financial. This is Marks on the Markets.

Phil Cunningham is a leader in Africa’s entertainment industry, but it didn’t start out that way. Phil grew up in rural Zimbabwe where he started a small agricultural business to make money as a young man. He didn’t see his first film until he was 14, but when he did, it changed his life forever. He immediately saw the power of storytelling, particularly through animation. Phil talks about the power of media and its unique ability to shape the narrative of culture.

Craig Detweiler writes about culture, theology, and technology. He also writes screenplays and produces films such as “Extreme Days,” “Remand,” and “Purple State of Mind” to his credit. Ben Howard serves as CEO for the company which spans feature films, TV, and publishing. Today, Craig and Ben discuss the intersection of business, culture, and media. What role do we have to play as investors who want to impact the world for God’s glory?

Once a month, we take a look back at what God is doing in the world of Faith Driven Investing and the global markets. We also spend time looking at current trends and outlooks with great interest and discernment in hopes to identify God’s redemptive work in the world. Public markets are down...what's happening in private markets? Ben Erskine, managing partner at Callis Capital, and Matt Harris, on the investment team at Draper Associates, join us for a look at market activity from August 2022. This is Marks on the Markets.

Michael Eisenberg is a General Partner at Aleph, an equal partnership and early stage venture capital fund that has invested in more than 50 companies and has $850M under management. Michael is also an avid writer. Since 2006, he has been writing the blog “Six Kids and a Full Time Job” on topics ranging from politics to technology, Judaism and macroeconomics. We’re excited to have Michael on the Faith Driven Investor Podcast to talk to him about how he balances investing, writing, and life as a husband and father of eight.

Ronald Blue Trust advisors apply biblical wisdom and technical expertise to help the clients they serve make wise financial decisions when it comes to money, family, and generations. On this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, we talk with Scott Calhoun, Skip Perkins, and Kyle Kutz about the benefits of a family office and the  importance of finding balance in life, investing in the next generation, and leaving a godly legacy.

David Wills is revolutionizing charitable giving by leveraging the power of investment and donor advised funds. He has spent his career helping donors navigate the legal world of giving and now serves as President Emeritus of the National Christian Foundation. In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, David discusses the changing landscape of charitable giving and what it means to use your capital and influence for God’s Kingdom. 

Keren Pybus is the Co-founder of Ethical Apparel Africa, an impact-driven company based in Ghana and Benin. Ethical Apparel Africa was founded based on the core belief that all manufacturing can and should be done ethically. And they work with international brands who are interested in growing a manufacturing base in Africa with a positive social and environmental impact. Keren joins us on the Faith Driven investor Podcast to discuss the importance of leading a company that is committed to more than just looking good.

Once a month, we take a look back at what God is doing in the world of Faith Driven Investing and the global markets. We also spend time looking at current trends and outlooks with great interest and discernment in hopes to identify God’s redemptive work in the world. Bob Doll, Chief Investment Officer at Crossmark Global, and David Spika, who leads the GuideStone Investments Line of Business, have both served as guests and contributors to media outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV, Moneywise, and Fox Business News. They join us for a look at market activity from July 2022. This is Marks on the Markets.

John and Ashely Marsh have dedicated themselves to the resurrection of place in the historic downtown of Opelika, Alabama. Like many small mill towns around the country, Opelika’s main street had deteriorated to a state of hopelessness and disrepair. One historic house in 1998 began a 20-year journey of redeeming a city. Today, their work of restoring over 150 properties and launching 40 small businesses in those 10 square blocks has become the gold standard for small-town revitalization in the state of Alabama. Opelika’s story, an account of beauty from brokenness, mirrors John and Ashley’s personal story. They share more about a new class of community.

Ben Erskine and Matt Miglarese join us on the Faith Driven Investor Podcast to discuss a concept that is gaining momentum: The Flywheel Effect of Spiritual Integration. But more than just a philosophy to discuss, Faith Driven Investors are deploying capital into real estate assets with operating partners that have a model for spiritual integration. Ben, a managing partner at Callis, and Matt, an advisor and consultant for faith driven investors, business leaders, and impact organizations, will explain how owners and operators of real estate have an opportunity to faithfully steward the properties and businesses that they have been entrusted with well. And they can do so while also achieving superior results in the marketplace. Sit back and enjoy the conversation.

Once a month, we take a look back at what God is doing in the world of Faith Driven Investing and the global markets. We also spend time looking at current trends and outlooks with great interest and discernment in hopes to identify God’s redemptive work in the world. Tune in as Matt Monson of Sovereign’s Capital, Daniel Phillips of EverSource Wealth Advisors, and Ross Roggensack of Oak City Consulting push the conversation forward about faith, investment philosophy, and the frontiers where innovation is happening. This is Marks on the Markets for June 2022.

Chip Mahan has built his career revolutionizing the banking industry. He founded and currently serves as CEO and chairman of Live Oak Bankshares, headquartered in Wilmington, NC. Its commercial banking subsidiary, Live Oak Bank, specializes in providing lending and deposit services to small businesses nationwide. Chip joins us on the Faith Driven Investor Podcast to talk more about investing in technology that helps banks of all sizes innovate and cut through the red tape.

Jason Syversen, CEO of Sports Visio,  is a tech entrepreneur, investor, board member, and philanthropist. He also has a passion for making a difference in the world through tech, startups, creating value, and giving back. Jason has been quoted and featured in the New York Times, Bloomberg, Consumer Reports, and other media outlets. He founded Siege Technologies, serving as CEO for 10 years, and has been involved in more than 27 investments and counting. What does it take to love people while supporting free enterprise? Jason explains on the Faith Driven Investor Podcast.

Curt Laird is one of the most experienced foreign investors in frontier markets. Having worked in over 30 countries, he spent 14 years in Afghanistan, where he was a founding executive director of Roshan, Afghanistan’s largest mobile phone operator. He launched his own 50-employee training company. And he founded the Business Innovation Hub, a business accelerator at the American University of Afghanistan. Curt is the author of “The Culture Key,” a book many believe to be the go-to resource for successful investing and entrepreneurship in frontier and emerging markets.

Richard is a co-Founder and partner at Sango Capital. Sango is the preferred partner for global institutional investors looking for attractive, risk-adjusted and high impact returns in Africa.Previously, Richard was a partner at Bridgewater Associates, a US$150 billion global hedge fund. He shares his story and provides insights about the investment landscape and rising opportunities in Africa.

Once a month, we take a look back at what God is doing in the world of Faith Driven Investing and the global markets. We also spend time looking at current trends and outlooks with great interest and discernment in hopes to identify God’s redemptive work in the world. Tune in as investment professionals push the conversation forward about faith, investment philosophy, and the frontiers where innovation is happening. This is Marks on the Markets for May 2022.

Jimmy Wright is co-founder and President of Launch Capital Partners, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Growing out of years of conversation about business, ministry, and the Christian life, Launch Capital was founded as a viable marketplace response to ministry opportunities presented by the global migration crisis. We talk to Jimmy about ways Christ-following investors can direct capital into the marketplace and work towards establishing redemptive real estate.

Allison Long Pettine is an investor and entrepreneur passionate about supporting leaders who strive to positively impact society. Allison’s approach to investing is built on respect, collaboration and partnership. Because she began her career as one of the first employees of a medical device startup, Allison’s perspective on investing goes beyond simply financial risk and return. She brings over 15 years of venture capital experience to each new venture, taking an active role in her investments, from co-founder to serving on boards. We’re excited to learn more from Allison on the Faith Driven Investor Podcast as she talks about increasing the success rate of entrepreneurs.

Dr. Michael J. Rhodes is a Lecturer in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in New Zealand. He is a Teaching Elder in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and serves as an assistant pastor at Downtown Church in Memphis. Michael co-authored a book on economic discipleship, “Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give” with Robby Holt and Brian Fikkert. He joins us today to share more of the story.

On today’s podcast we have the joy and privilege to hear from an investor and entrepreneur team that met via the Faith Driven Marketplace. Investor Tom Lernihan was moved by the mission and simple solution of the company Pureflow founded and led by Jared Fulks and Collin Wenrich. After traveling around the world to Uganda, Collin had a revelation as his calling zipped past him on the road in the form of a motorcycle… also known as a boda. Anyone who has visited this part of the world knows that motorcycles are the one primary way to get around. In fact, being a “Boda Boda” driver is one of the fastest growing occupations in East Africa–home to more than 1 million motorcycle drivers. However, after further research, Collin discovered that less than 20% of all these drivers actually own their motorcycles. And so began Pureflow. After investing a few thousand dollars of his own money and striking up a deal with only 6 boda boda drivers, Collin went pedal to the metal. Since launching Pureflow and partnering with Tom, Pureflow has grown to more than 100 drivers and counting. Together Collin, Jared and Tom share why they do and how they continue to grow without outscaling their culture, purpose and impact.

Neil Holzapfel started investing in public companies in Africa and the Middle East. And yet, his heart was for more. He co-founded Raise the Children, a non-profit unlocking the potential of South African orphans to become servant leaders by investing in high quality secondary education and mentorship. Neil joins us today to talk about investing and creating from a place of pain, his journey as an investor and why he and his wife are so passionate about education and mentorship. 

John Coleman is Managing Partner of Sovereign’s Capital. He is also a frequent writer and public speaker, with a recurring series of articles at Forbes and HBR. John previously published two books. His third book, “The HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose”, was published in January of 2022. John is going to be co-hosting the Faith Driven Investor Podcast. Before he does, we wanted to sit down with him and talk more about what it takes to craft your purpose.

Johan du Preez’s career is defined by ambitious initiatives and big results. He says,“Capital always has an agenda. Whether by design or default, explicit or subtle, positive or negative, the application of capital facilitates and drives a bigger agenda.” Find out how this philosophy guides him to invest in partnerships that benefit the Kingdom, not just the marketplace. 

Robert Netzly is a globally recognized authority in the Biblically Responsible Investing movement and author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book "Biblically Responsible Investing". He is the Founder and CEO of Inspire Investing, a leading innovator in providing low cost, high impact, biblically responsible investing solutions to institutions, advisors, and investors. Robert is a frequent contributor on FOX Business, Bloomberg, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The Christian Post and other major global media for his thought leadership in the faith-based, environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing marketplace. Today, Robert joins us to talk about key aspects of Biblically responsible investing, what it means to be an active and engaged shareholder, and how your faith is reflected in the way we shepherd our capital.

David Ridley knows a thing or two about real estate investing. Not only did he found and lead Invesco Real Estate for 27 years, but he also helped grow it into one of the largest and most diversified real estate investment firms in the world. And while the numbers are staggering, what is most impressive about David was his steadfast leadership. Learn more about building a resilient team in a world of constant disruption, what it takes to be salt and light in a big company, and what hope we have for the future.

David McAlvany is the CEO of the McAlvany Financial Companies – International Collectors Associates and McAlvany Wealth Management. He is a featured speaker on national television and radio programs including CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business News, and Bloomberg where he analyzes major events and their impact on the global economy and financial markets. David shares his story, discusses the importance of precious metals and reserves, and explains how Faith Driven Investors should think about these assets.

HOPE International was founded in Ukraine 25 years ago. Since then, they’ve invested in the dreams of thousands of Ukrainian entrepreneurs and farmers. They’ve seen families work their way out of poverty and lives changed by the Gospel. HOPE International President and CEO, Peter Greer, joins us today to invite the global community of Faith Driven Entrepreneurs and Investors to take action in a real, meaningful, and lasting way.

Patrick Fisher founded Creation Investments in 2007, leaving JPMorgan with a vision to find profitable solutions to difficult social and environmental challenges. As President and Chairman of the Board of Creation Investments Social Ventures Fund I, Patrick oversees a $32 million private equity investment fund that invests in microfinance and social ventures. This focus supports international development, poverty eradication, and wealth creation.

Tom Darden is founder and CEO of Cherokee, a private equity fund which focuses on financial, environmental, and social returns for investors and communities. Cherokee has raised over $2.2 billion in five institutional private equity funds, and invested this capital in the acquisition, cleanup, development, and sale of approximately 550 environmentally contaminated real estate assets in the US, Europe and Canada. Since the 1980’s Tom has invested in over 100 companies using a “no exit” philosophy. Tom shares more about the benefits of investing for the long haul. 

If you haven’t yet watched The Chosen, we would highly recommend putting it at the top of your to-binge list. It’s an amazing narrative of the life of Jesus that has enjoyed significant popularity. Dallas Jenkins is the creator, director and co-writer of The Chosen, which in addition to being the first multi-season series about the life of Christ is also the most successful media crowdfund of all time.

Filmmaker Jon Erwin has worked his way from operating cameras at sporting events to producing a major motion picture about a sports legend. His move from the sidelines to the studios has been earned through hard work and perseverance. It has also come by way of Jon’s strong desire to draw people to the hope and the truth of the Gospel. On the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, Jon shares about the early days of his career. He also talks about the making of “American Underdog,” how it came to the big screen, and why he believes in the power of strong stories that positively influence culture.

Brett Johnson founded The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, Inc. in 1996. His writings complement the work of this Silicon Valley think tank. Brett’s most recent book, Kingdom Economics, is an invitation to the faith driven investor who loves the nations and the planet too much to leave their money stuck where it grows but does not change the world for good.

Building and running a fund in a way that also promotes human flourishing? This opens doors to sharing about the incredible redemptive mission of God that drives us as Faith Driven Investors. Finny Kuruvilla—Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Eventide— unpacks how our investments can serve the greater good. Recorded without interruption at our 2021 Faith Driven Investor Conference.

Jonathan Reckford is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. Before joining Habitat, Jonathan spent most of his career in leadership positions at Goldman Sachs, Marriott, The Walt Disney Co., and Best Buy.  Since joining Habitat in 2005, Jonathan has grown Habitat from serving 125,000 individuals each year to helping more than seven million people annually. It’s no surprise why he was named the most influential nonprofit leader in America in 2017. Today, he serves on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the World Economic Forum. Jonathan joins us today to share some of his story, what God is doing in and through Habitat, leadership lessons he’s learned in his career, and what it means to serve God at scale. 

“How are we using the platform that God has given us to influence decision-makers and our communities to do good?” This is the question that drives Tsitsi Masiyiwa. One answer is by utilizing catalytic capital—a patient, flexible, risk-tolerant form of financing. Sometimes it accepts lower returns to accommodate the economics of high-impact organizations that are profitable but not profit-maximizing, whether due to an early stage of business development, tough markets, or a focus on impoverished populations. Tsitsi draws on her years of experience in philanthropy and as a social entrepreneur to share how Faith Driven Investors can leverage their capital to solve global challenges.

Andy Crouch, best-selling author and a partner of theology and culture at Praxis, is a leading voice in the Faith Driven movement. Andy spoke at a recent Faith Driven Investor Conference on a topic that many faith driven investors are wrestling with regularly: God and money, we cannot serve both. How do we balance out Jesus’ teaching and our calling as Faith Driven Investors? Listen to what Andy had to say for some insights and inspiration.

Today we’re joined by Mary Naber King of Sage Stone Wealth. Mary has spent her entire career in the financial services industry including serving as an SVP and Advisor at Merrill Lynch. Mary’s expertise in the field of ethical investing is highlighted in over half a dozen books and multiple magazines. She joins us today to share her story of finding faith driven investing at Harvard and discuss the value proposition of faith driven investing. Tune in! 

Bitcoin is no longer a bit-player investment. According to Matt Jennings, faith driven investors should be investing in digital assets like cryptocurrency. And just who is Matt Jennings? He is the head of Kingdom Trust which is currently custodian to $20 billion in assets from some 150,000 investors. Learn more from this pioneer in the financial industry and thought-leader in alternative and digital assets.

David Platt serves as Lead Pastor at McLean Bible Church in Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical and author of books like Radical… Something Needs To Change and Counter Culture. Today David joins us to talk about what it means to be radically generous and how the world might look if faith driven investors and entrepreneurs stepped into this great opportunity. 

Today’s episode takes us all the way to South Africa, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. And the question we’re going to start by asking is this: How can a garbage-collection company in South Africa undo the legacy of Apartheid? Bertie Lourens, CEO of WastePlan is here to share how their company is working to divert the vast majority of customers’ waste-stream from landfills and converting it into valuable, recyclable resources. They do this by employing hundreds of local workers, caring for their families, and investing in local schools to educate the next generation of South African leaders. And, as Bertie shares today, stewarding God’s creation has now grown into giving God a majority ownership stake in the company. Listen in to find out how...

In 1976, 23-year-old David Weekley started his own home building company. Now more than 40 years later, the company has sold more than 100,000 homes, expanded to 19 cities across the nation, and won countless awards. In addition, David and his family launched a charitable Foundation to impact the world through both Christ-centered and secular organizations. David joins us to share the story of starting one of the most successful home building companies in the country and how their foundation is changing the lives of thousands around the world. 

Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them. Randy is also a New York Times bestselling author. He has written over 55 books including Courageous... Heaven… and The Treasure Principle. His books have been translated into over 70 languages and have sold over 11 million copies. Prior to launching EPM, Randy co-pastored for fourteen years Good Shepherd Community Church in Oregon. He is a well recognized voice in the faith driven investing community and today is sharing more about the treasure principle and what it means to invest in eternity.

Cathie Wood is the founder and CIO/CEO of ARK Invest. She believes that ARK can identify large-scale investment opportunities in the public markets resulting from technological innovations centered around DNA sequencing, robotics, artificial intelligence, energy storage, and blockchain technology. Basically, she’s a rockstar and the queen of innovative investing. Today, she’s going to talk about how she developed ARK’s investment philosophy, what her role as Founder, CEO, and CIO entails today, and how her faith influences it all.

Convinced that Christians would better handle their personal finances if they were counseled objectively with the highest technical expertise and from a Biblical perspective, Ron Blue founded a financial planning firm in 1979. Today that firm manages over $2 billion in assets for more than 5,000 clients nationwide. Ron joins us to discuss why he thinks stewardship is just as much about investing as it is giving. 

What a thrill it must be to get a call from Jerry Jones and be told you’re going to get to play professional football with the Dallas Cowboys. That was the case for Jaylon Smith in 2017. Even at a young age Jaylon was noticed for his athleticism and talent, being named “Mr. Football” in the state of Indiana and then winning the spot as Linebacker his Freshman year at Notre Dame. Jaylon joins us today to talk about how he overcame what could have been a career ending injury and what he’s doing off the gridiron to inspire change and invest in the next generation of rising entrepreneurs.

Obie McKenzie is the Vice-Chairman of Cordiant Capital and has served at some of the largest financial institutions like BlackRock, and managed hundreds of millions in assets. Obie joins us to talk about what it's like living out your faith in the public square and the basic principles of Bible Economics. 

Founding Pastor of Redeemer in NYC, Tim Keller, unpacks the hidden truth of identity formation, its habits and rituals, in both the Western and greater world. We are fed these belief systems from the moment we breathe and too often we are defined by the greater world without our consent. He steps us through examples of how our thinking is specifically impacted by these external forces that define us outside of the context of Christ. Tim shares with us the cultural problems of both traditional (your community defines you) and modern (you define you) identity formation and shows why the gospel is the only solution to living an authentic, impactful life.

In 1969, Tom Kehler was hunched over a Model 33 Teletype connected to an IBM mainframe developing a program to learn a function from data. Today, he’s here to talk about the future of artificial intelligence. A lot has happened in the in between decades, both in society and in Tom’s life in Silicon Valley. As the CEO of CrowdSmart, a business using AI & Collective Intelligence software platform to improve the accuracy of predicting investment success while reducing ingrained bias, he’s seen it all. Tune in and hear where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going...

Faithful listeners of the show might recognize the voice of Tim Macready on today’s episode. Today, he’s going to talk to us about a topic we haven’t really covered yet—investing with environmental care in mind. Tim took us from the Garden of Eden to Narnia to Middle Earth and explained why the creative vision that created all of these places focuses on the beauty within them, and how it’s our responsibility as image bearers of God to take care of what we’ve been given to cultivate and care for.His work as CIO of Brightlight has given him a unique platform to lead this conversation, and we can’t wait for you to hear the investing opportunities he’s seeing that have environmental stewardship at the forefront.

In 1998, Mart Green took a transformational trip to Guatemala that changed the way he thought about return on investment. Since then, he has been involved in Bible translation and distribution efforts from the launch of the YouVersion Bible app to the establishment of a collaborative partnership among 10 of the world’s largest Bible translation organizations, called illumiNations. In today’s conversation, Mart shares where his passion for Bible translation started, the encouraging steps he’s seen in the effort to eliminate Bible poverty, and the power of what happens when competitors become collaborators.

If you’re involved in Private Equity, you simply have to listen to today’s guest. And if you’re not involved in Private Equity, well, you’re still going to want to listen to Brent Beshore because in addition to taking an alternative approach to private equity, he’s an all around interesting person. When it comes to PE, Brent doesn't want to replace the founder. He doesn't want to run up debt. And he doesn't have a timeline for when he wants to sell. How does that work in practice? Hear the CEO and Founder of Permanent Equity tell you himself...

David Batstone’s entrepreneurial journey begins at his favorite restaurant in San Francisco. As he recalls, he loved the tandoori chicken, but he didn’t realize that he was eating in the center of a human trafficking ring that had brought over 500 teenagers from India into the United States for the purpose of forced labor. A journalist and venture capitalist, David couldn’t reconcile the fact that human slavery was happening in his own backyard. So, he decided to do something about it. The result is Not for Sale, a book where he breaks down how business can fix the $31 billion human trafficking epidemic.Today, he’s with us to share that journey of how God opened his eyes to the brokenness in the world and gave him a vision for how to fix it.

When we say, ‘bring your whole authentic self to work,’ what if faith is your number one identifier? Can you still bring your authentic self to work? That’s the question Sue Warnke is asking. Sue works for Salesforce as the Senior Director of Content Experience, and she was part of the team that started Faithforce San Francisco at Salesforce—an interfaith employee resource group. It’s one of the newest and the fastest growing Equality Groups at Salesforce with over 3200 members in over 20 regional hubs across 5 continents. In addition to sharing her best practices on her blog Leanership.org, today, Sue will share how Faithforce got started, how her personal faith influenced her involvement, and what it takes to start a successful Employee Resource Group.

Collin Timms is the Founder and Chairman of Guardian Bank in Bengaluru, India. In a city and country where loan sharks prey on people every day, Guardian Bank is a bright spot. While banking is a largely impersonal system set up to avoid risk by tying creditworthiness to capital instead of character, Collin and his team take a different approach. Inspired by faith that sees the infinite worth of each person, Guardian Bank provides a more humane view to the money lending process that provides hope for everyday households and commercial customers.

Not every Faith Driven Investor is called to a Christian-based investing fund or job. In fact, many of the people listening to this podcast work in secular markets, which is exactly why we talked to Andrew Manton today.Andrew is the Portfolio Manager for the Shelton International Select Equity strategy. We had an interesting conversation with him about how he is operating in a non-Christian company but is now evangelizing the firm and the salespeople based on how he is managing his fund. Today, you’ll hear him describe how rather than joining a Christian-specific fund, he sees his current work as an opportunity to live out his faith.

Today’s guest is David Beatty, co-founder and managing partner of Veriti Management. On today’s episode, he is going to share the value of Direct Index for helping Faith Driven Investors screen for deals that reflect the investors’ Christian values. You’ve heard of positive screens and negative screens, but Dave joined us to explore how Faith Driven Investors can invest at a high degree of excellence using both positive and negative screens, as well as using direct indexing to customize their filters. If you’re interested in public equities, or already involved, today’s episode is for you...

Ross Baird co-founded Village Capital in 2009 with the goal of investing in entrepreneurs building successful businesses, and also making a difference in their communities. After making some initial investments in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he realized something: local businesses built by local capital have a great effect on local communities. Today, he’s the Founder and CEO of Blueprint Local where he’s working to create the best way for people to thoughtfully invest in their communities. On today’s episode, he’s going to teach us a new word—topophilia—and why that concept motivates his work.

If you’ve been following this podcast for a while, you likely know that last year we had our first ever Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor conferences that included guests like Andy Crouch, Jewel Burks Solomon, Chip Ingram, Lecrae, Phil Vischer, Jessica Kim, and many more. Thousands of you attended, making it one of the most encouraging days since the start of the FDE and FDI movements. Well, if you missed last year’s event, don’t worry. Because we’re doing it again. Today’s episode is all about what you can look forward to at this year’s event, and the unique twist that’s going to make 2021 even better…

Today’s guest is Alan Clayton, who is, get this—a Global Roaming Mentor. Is that a cool title or what? After 10 years in marketing/logistics at WalMart UK, Alan co-founded an international coaching consultancy, turning vision into action for leadership teams, including managers at Motorola, Unilever, ATT&T, and others. ​Following that, Alan embarked on 20 years​ of startup​ experience ​working on his own ventures, culminating in what he does today as a mentor for SOSV. Today’s episode will capture his story and his passion for mentoring the whole person. 

October Baby. Mom’s Night Out. Woodlawn. I Can Only Imagine. What do these movies have in common? They’re all creations from the Erwin brothers. Jon and Andrew have had a passion for creating and making movies since they were young, and while we could talk shop about movies we love all day long, we asked Jon to pull back the curtain into the economics behind the big screen. How do filmmakers raise capital? Where do investors looking to get involved in entertainment? And of course, how does our Christian faith play into all of this? Listen in to find out...

Money is a fact of everyday life. We earn it, spend it and save it. We’re tempted to worship it and to trust it to provide for our needs. While much has been written about the power, danger, and stewardship of money, little has been said about what money actually is and whether or not money itself is moral. Today’s guest is here to change that. Jimmy Song is a bitcoin advocate, developer and author who has been contributing to open-source bitcoin projects since 2013. On today’s episode he explores the ways in which the current monetary system is broken, what can be done to fix it, and how the ongoing transition to sound money may be a source of hope for a broken world.

Hear Aimee Minnich, CIO, Founder, and General Counsel for Impact Foundation, share about how her personal history led her to a career dedicated to helping families steward resources for the glory of God. In this episode, she challenges the common understandings of risk, reward, and time horizon in investing and posits “the only meaningful risk we can take is to disobey God’s commands or ignore His invitations.”To hear more talks like this, join us this year at the 2021 Faith Driven Investor Conference on September 9th.

Jewel Burks Solomon is the Founder of PartPic, which raised over $2million before being acquired by Amazon. And that was just the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey. Now, she’s a managing partner at Collab Capital—a group working to provide a viable pathway to sustained wealth for the black community. She’s an incredible story, a fascinating entrepreneur and investor, and someone we can’t wait for you to hear from...

Derrick Morgan, former Tennessee Titans linebacker and founding partner of KNGDM Group, believes that community roots are incredibly important. That’s why after retiring from his career in the NFL and beginning an impact-focused fund, Derrick Morgan and KNGDM Group sought to be an example of giving back and building resilient communities. Hear him describe the importance of hope and resilience for life as a faith driven entrepreneur and investor.

Before starting Access Ventures, Bryce Butler was the Executive Director of the BlueSky Network, a venture philanthropy family office in Southern Indiana with activities around the world in microfinance, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, mobile payments, and entrepreneurship/innovation. Bryce was also the Executive Producer of a documentary about poverty, gang violence, and those trying to chart a new path through dance set in Guatemala City that premiered at the United Nations in April 2014 called BBOY for Life.Today, he joined us to talk about one pocket investing, solving access problems, and defining what Faith Driven Investing really means...

These are the 3 beliefs that drive Kwami’s passion. (1) poverty is an injustice, (2) we have a responsibility and a joy to solve this man-made problem, and (3) every problem presents an opportunity for business. If that doesn’t get you excited to hear about what Kwami has to share, then we don’t know what will. Listen in to hear how Kwami Williams is discovering entrepreneurial solutions that tackle the challenges faced by the poor and marginalized in our world today, especially on the African continent.Useful Links:Our Resilience StoryUp Close with Kwami WilliamsForbes 30 Under 30 2017: Social Entrepreneurs

Ray Barreth is a serial entrepreneur and dynamic visionary. He has spent over thirty years creating, directing, and leading new ventures in the U.S. and the U.K. Ray has broad experience in bringing companies from product inception to funding and launch. Today, Ray is going to join Reuben Coulter, Director of Ecosystems for Faith Driven Investor, to share a bit about his passion of coaching extraordinary entrepreneurs to create legacies that go far beyond themselves. And together, they’re going to walk us through what it means to create networks of trust through the use of light touch due diligence—all the way from New York to Nairobi.

We are so excited about the abundance of opportunities we’re learning about outside of America. And today’s guest is going to tell us all about those specifically in Africa. Ndidi Nwuneli founded LEAP Africa—a leading nonprofit that provides social entrepreneurs, youth, and small scale business owners with leadership training and executive coaching services. She is also a co-founder of AACE Foods, a Nigerian food processor. Ndidi is a leading authority on social entrepreneurship and, in addition being named as one of the 20 Youngest Power African Women by Forbes, in 2004 she was bestowed with the national honor, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the Nigerian President. All that to say, through her work in food and agriculture, and as a leadership development mentor, Ndidi is building economies in West Africa that you’ll want to hear about…Useful Links:The Role of Faith and Belief in Modern AfricaRage for Change20 Youngest Power Women in AfricaSocial Innovation in Africa

Today's show is a great reminder that Faith Driven Investing is not limited to North America, nor is it limited to any one part of the globe at all! And our guest today is living proof of that. If you've been following along with the show, you know that Africa has been a recurring theme, and it is again here today. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (or E, as he goes by) is an entrepreneur from Nigeria who has founded several startups—one of which received funding from Mark Zuckerberg and another which has processed over $1.2billion in transactions—all of which he's going to tell us about. E is also a great example of why investors need to know about what's going on in the continent of Africa. Listen in to hear him tell you why.

Today’s guest is Ben Chelf. Ben is a founding partner at Elementum Ventures, has been named to ComputerWorld's Top 40 under 40 Innovative IT Professionals, and is in the Stanford Inventor Hall of Fame. He has lived every part of the entrepreneurial cycle and is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience. As part of this work, Ben also heads up the Venture Lab at Praxis, helping serial entrepreneurs research and develop new organizations from the moment of inspiration to incorporation. He has lived both the Faith Driven Investor and the Faith Driven Entrepreneur story, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing him talk about both.

We can confidently say that today’s guest is the first person we’ve had on the show who was also a part of The Bachelorette. That’s right. Before Jason Illian was pioneering disruptive technologies, he spent time sharing a house with 24 other guys trying to woo one girl’s heart. He didn’t make it very far in the show (something he and his current wife are both grateful for!), but he did take that platform and use it for something else—namely, sharing his faith. He has written a book, started a Christian version of YouTube, but is here today to talk to us about Koch Disruptive Technologies, where he is looking for emerging high-growth technologies across a range of industries that are poised to be a benefit to society.

Community. It’s one of the core tenets of the Faith Driven movement. If you’ve been listening for a while, we hope you’ve heard stories from around the world that have opened up your eyes to see that FDEs are everywhere, and they’re faithfully pursuing God’s will right where they are. Today, we’re talking with Sue Alice Sauthoff who has recently joined the FDE/FDI team as our Community Manager. She’s going to share all the new initiatives intended to foster community among FDEs all around the world. We’re so excited she’s on the team, and we think after listening to this podcast, you will be too...

Today’s episode features one of the great thinkers in the FDI community talking about a topic that, well, frankly none of us like talking about. And that is “how to say no.” No investor can say yes to every deal that crosses their desk (nor should they!), but learning how to say no is a uniquely acquirable skill. Today, Jake Thomsen of Sovereign’s Capital is back after talking to us about Fundraising 101. He’s here to walk through some of the practices he incorporates in situations where he has to say no, and how these tips might serve you. 

No one likes to be a part of a dysfunctional relationship. Yet, entrepreneurs and investors can often be on completely different pages with completely different goals and expectations.Today’s conversation between Henry Kaestner and Jessica Kim gives both sides of the story. Jessica shares how setting unrealistic expectations hurts the entrepreneur’s ability to follow through and the investor’s ability to determine success. And Henry talks about the fundraising side of his entrepreneurial journey and what he now sees from an investor perspective.Both sides are worth listening. Both sides have a lot to learn. Both sides can do a lot better. So, regardless of whether you’re an entrepreneur or an investor, today’s episode is for you.

Today’s guest is Michael Arrieta, the CEO and Founder of Garden City Companies. And while normally, we try to introduce you to our guests, for today, you should read you something that Mike wrote himself: “At Garden City, we’re reimagining existing service companies by ensuring workers are radically cared for and truly love their jobs. Service companies where innovation & technology is the norm. My hope is that decades from now thousands of service workers are thriving and together we built the future of service companies.” That’s his mission, that’s his vision. Listen in as he walks us through how God led him to where he is today...

One thing that makes this show so special is the feedback we receive from listeners just like you. Today’s episode is the fruit of your feedback. Many of you have talked about how helpful it would be to connect the Faith Driven Investor world with the Faith Driven Entrepreneur world. Well, we heard you. And out of that has arrived something we are beyond excited to share with you. It’s called Marketplace, and it’s a space for like-minded investors to find faith-driven deals and funds that help them put real capital to work in a way that makes a real impact. On today’s episode, Henry will share the origin story behind it and you’ll get to meet Andrew Firman, who is helping make it all happen.

Today’s guest is a friend of the podcast, someone we look up to and respect, but someone we’re also happy to call a friend. Daryl Heald is the Founder of Generosity Path. For more than twenty years, Daryl has traveled internationally sharing the message of biblical generosity. In his role with Generosity Path he focuses on mission-related activities: strengthening and developing relationships with champions, facilitating Journeys of Generosity (or JOGs) and trainings, as well as encouraging businesspeople to be generous. He’s here to share his personal story, to give us a primer on what it means to be generous, and explain why you never meet an unhappy generous person.

Last year’s conference was easily one of the highlights of our year. If you joined us, we’re so glad you did. If you didn’t, we’re glad you’ve tuned into this episode.At the conference, Chip Ingram opened up with a talk about how Scripture can and should inform our investing strategy. It was so good, we couldn’t help but share it with you here. Go ahead and press play and enjoy all Chip has to say!

We’re just as happy as you are that 2020 has finally come to an end. There’s been turmoil, turnover, and uncertainty around every corner. Yet, here at FDI, one thing has remained constant—this podcast.Week in and week out, we’ve recorded these conversations as we always do, and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the guests that joined us as well as the grounding consistency that this routine has provided.For those who have listened along all year, this will be a time to reflect on what we’ve heard. And for those who are just joining us, this will be a great place to find the episodes you need to listen to next. As always, thanks for joining us on the journey.

Marcus Stroud’s story is one you might not even believe as you hear it. He experienced ups and downs as his life intersected with people like President Barack Obama and MLB All-Star Torii Hunter. There was a time when he lived in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Dallas, and times when he was homeless. And while you’re going to have to hear the details from Marcus himself, one thing you won’t miss is the faith, perseverance, and sheer tenacity that Marcus shows in all aspects of his life, including his work at TXV Partners, which he’ll share more about today. 

Today's guest is Eric Kim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Goodwater Capital. As early investors in Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, and others Eric and his team know a thing or two about the tech startup world. But that's not the limit of Eric's expertise. He's done some great thinking about what spiritual integration looks like in their firm and how his faith guides him as he's part of stewarding a portfolio of over a billion dollars. We’ll let you hear the rest from him…

Kingdom Advisors is setting the standard for what it means to be a Christian financial advisor. They provide encouraging content and community that is building up the collective body of believers, and we're so glad to point you to their work today. Rob West is the President of Kingdom Advisors and in addition to sharing their origin story and mission, he shared interesting insights into specific investment vehicles that Faith Driven Investors should know about. Check it out today...

If you're not already familiar with the name Casey Crawford, then you need to be. We had him on the FDE podcast a while ago and even then, we knew he'd be back. Today is that day. Casey is here to talk to us about Movement Charter Schools and the work they're doing in Opportunity Zones. As always, Casey's enthusiasm is contagious, so we’ll let you tune in and hear for yourself.

Today, we’re talking about playing the long game. So many investors work to get as big of a return as they can as quickly as they can. But the two people on the show have a different approach. John Denniston and Tom Blaisdell are our resident experts on long-term capital, and today, they’re going to break down the benefits of patient investing, the discipleship opportunities it provides, and how all of this relates to you, the Faith Driven Investor.

Andy Crouch and the entire team at Praxis never disappoint, and today’s episode is no exception. At this year’s Faith Driven Investor Conference, Andy shared what a redemptive model for investing could look like, especially in uncertain times.It goes without saying that 2020 has upended everyone’s expectations and many people’s financial security. So, what would happen if we viewed investing as an opportunity for redemption rather than selfish reward? Listen in to find out...

Welcome to Opportunity Zones 101. Today, we’re talking with Jeff Shafer, Co-Founder and CEO of CommonGood Capital and Jerome Garciano on Opportunity Zones—what they are, why they matter, and how Faith Driven Investors can approach these unique ventures as a way to integrate their faith and investing. If you’re familiar with Opportunity Zones, or if this is literally the first time you’ve ever heard that phrase, today’s episode is a chance to get acquainted with something that can provide value to you, the investor, and to local cities across the U.S.

Finny Kuruvilla, CIO at Eventide Funds, challenges faith-driven investors to consider the impact of their investment decisions.Hear him remind us that there is an ethical responsibility on the part of the investor to know the impact of their funds. He explores examples of how investors have used their influence to inspire significant world change and encourages modern-day faith-driven investors to do the same.

What does it mean to be a Christian financial advisor? There are lots of possible answers to this question, but today we look at two experts in the field, Eric Chetwood and Rachel McDonough, to hear what they think. When it comes to integrating your faith as a financial advisor, these two are living it out in the real world. Their insights will be helpful for anyone who is a financial advisor, or for anyone who is looking for one.Useful Links:10 Tangible Ways to Integrate Your Faith as an AdvisorInvesting as Ambassadors

Today, we’re talking coffee, co-working, and Chick-fil-a cows. That’s right. You’ve heard a lot about the ups and downs of WeWork, but now we’re going to look at a panel of faith-driven experts who are leading the way in co-working and how it can provide economically and spiritually for those participating in it. Tune in to hear Trevor Hightower, Peyton Day, and David Salyers share their stories and what the intersection of their Christian faith and co-working looks like.Useful Links:Craftwork Coffee and Co-WorkingThe Roam StoryPeople Provide the Ultimate Competitive Framework

How do you remove corruption from a society? How do you create lasting, sustainable prosperity in developing nations? Neither of these questions has an easy or obvious answer, but today’s guest is a leading thinker in how we can make positive investments in developing countries. Efosa Ojomo is co-author of Prosperity Paradox, and he’s here to help us think about how to create prosperity. He was such a great podcast guest that we asked him to speak at the FDI event in a few weeks, so you’ll want to tune in today and then at the conference to hear everything he has to share.

“We have a financial and Biblical responsibility to steward the money that has been entrusted to us.”Mike Silvestri taught us a lot about social impact bonds on this episode, and if you haven’t heard of these—or maybe you’re already familiar—it’s something you simply have to hear about it. The way he describes them, it’s a chance for everyone to win.At the very least, Mike got our wheels spinning and helped us to think about a conversation that we may not have previously been involved in. We hope you can join us in this conversation moving forward.

Did you know that 37% of all Americans live in apartments and other multi-family units? And they're over 96% occupied? What used to be a form of transitional housing has become the centers of communities where marriages start and kids are raised. Multi-Family Real Estate investing is continuing to be a dynamic place for Faith Driven Investors, and we want to make sure you’re aware of this trend. To do so, we’re talking today with David Snyder of Continental Realty Group and Steve Vecchitto of Advenir. Few people know more about the social and spiritual changes happening within the multi-family real estate space than them. Let’s listen in...

One of the things we love about the Faith Driven Investor movement is that it isn’t limited to just one corner of the globe, rather there are faithful men and women all around the world letting their faith guide their investing. One of those people is Sid Mofya. Sid helps steward the Draper Venture Network, a global alliance of over 20 independent venture capital firms investing in outstanding entrepreneurs across the globe. Their team is the coordination hub for the collaboration between the funds and provides post-investment support to a portfolio of over 800 companies. His insight on investing is Africa is one you won’t want to miss.

Today’s guest was once recognized by President Barack Obama during a speech at the White House, and she was named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women Changing the World with Philanthropy. As the CEO and Co-Found of Rising Tide Capital, Alfa Demmellash is working to help underserved entrepreneurs get the recognition and investment capital they need.In this podcast, she took us on a journey to Ethiopia, Harvard, and Rwanda, and we think you’ll love every step of the way...

Today’s podcast has us traveling all the way across the pond to Belfast, Ireland. Malcolm Johnston is the Executive Director at Angello Capital, where he and his team are working to provide sustainable social transformation by investing in enterprise-led development. He talked to us about the work that he did during a time when unemployment in Ireland had hit 65% and how God called him to use his understanding of business to help the community around him. Our conversation with Malcolm is a reminder that Faith Driven Investing has hands moving in every corner of the globe and as faithful men and women steward what God has given them, lives change…

Every once in awhile, we get to have conversations with living legends. Today is one of those days. If you’ve been around the faith driven conversation, you’ve most likely heard the name Chuck Bentley. Chuck is the CEO of Crown Ministries, as well as the Founder and Executive Director of the Christian Economic Forum. His fingerprints are all over the Faith Driven Investor and Entrepreneur websites, and today’s episode is a reminder why. He’s been a faithful steward of this conversation, he freely shares his wisdom born out of experience, and our conversation with him today is one you’ll enjoy...

Today, we’re talking about the future with two people who work with colleges to prepare the next generation of Faith Driven Investors. They’re both applying hands-on practice to their business school students in ways that uniquely prepare them for the world of finance and investing.Dick Blanc is the Executive Director of Beyond: The Startup Accelerator at Cedarville University. He works alongside founders in the Accelerator by providing guidance and inspiration sourced from years of experience.Steven Diedrich is the Executive Director of the Baylor Angel Network at Baylor University where they are helping engaged students receive a real-life education concerning the inner workings of angel investing.If you’d like to reach out to Steven or Dick about getting involved with either of their programs, you an contact them via email:Steven_Diedrich@baylor.edudblanc@cedarville.edu

Welcome back to the Faith Driven Investor podcast. Today’s guest is the survivor of a parachute failure. Seriously. And while that was shocking to us, during our conversation with Wade Myers, we found that that is only one of the many many interesting things about him. He joined us today to talk about small business exit strategies, how investors and entrepreneurs alike can plan for them, and what it looks like to finish well.As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:Every Entrepreneur Needs to Think About Exit StrategyWade Myers WebsiteEagle Venture Fund: Capital Works

Today’s episode features a Super Bowl champion. And while his NFL career is illustrious, it’s what Benjamin Watson has done off the field as both an author and leader that he’d like to tell you about. He’s written two books—Under Our Skin, which addresses the racial divide in America and The New Dad’s Playbook, which is a must-read for any father with a newborn. He’s known for speaking truth and saying the tough things that need to be said in the moment. And in times like these, we’re grateful for his willingness to have an honest and real conversation. As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:The Watson 7Under Our SkinThe New Dad’s Playbook

We hope you’re ready to learn because today’s episode is chock-full of lessons, insights, and theories that are here to educate and inform you, the Faith Driven Investor. Today’s guest is Ken Barnes. Ken works as the Director of the Mockler Center for Faith & Ethics in the Workplace at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is also the author of Redeeming Capitalism, which takes a look at our current capitalistic society through both a theological and economical lens. Ken shared a history of the relationship between capitalism and morals, where the two began to separate, and what we can do to bring them back together. As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:Redeeming Capitalism BookWhy Redeeming Capitalism is ImportantImagining a Virtuous Capitalism

Today’s guest is Greg Lernihan. Greg and his family work together to faithfully steward the resources God has entrusted to them. They grant to Christian ministries and invest from a faith driven perspective, seeking spiritual, social and financial returns.  He is the Co-Founder of Convergint Technologies, which started in a basement in 2001, and is now the world’s largest electronic security firm with over 5,000 colleagues globally. He’s also been one of the leaders of this Faith Driven Investing movement over the past decade, and we’re thrilled to have him join us. We’re going to hear some of his journey towards Faith Driven Investing and the insights he has for those just starting the journey. As always, thanks for listening…Useful Links:ConvergintMake Fun Part of Your MissionImpact Investing - Greg Lernihan

Today’s episode, we’re talking to someone who is an expert in his field but also a dear friend to all of us who host this show. Luke Roush co-founded Sovereign’s Capital in 2012 and serves today as Managing Partner. On today’s episode, he shared the story of the startup that spans from Jakarta to Silicon Valley and Washington DC. As you know, the Faith Driven Investor movement is a global one, and Luke provided some great insight on some of the snares and pitfalls, as well as trends he’s seeing emerging, as we head into the future.As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:Sovereign’s CapitalImpact Investing with Sovereign’s CapitalCreative Destruction and Work as Transformation

We’re so excited to share a conversation today that we think is long overdue. If you’ve been following the website, you’ve no doubt seen the name Jerry Bowyer as we’ve featured several of his blog posts (including “Jesus’ Terrible Financial Advice,” “How God’s Work is the Model for Your Work” and others)—all of which are must-reads. Jerry is a leading thinker in finance and economics and a frequent contributor for Forbes and Townhall. His writing has been influential in the Faith Driven Investor movement, and we think you’ll enjoy our conversation.Tune in to hear Jerry’s thoughts on how to read the Bible, how to live like Jesus, and how to invest as faithfully as we possibly can. Useful Links:Jesus’ Terrible Financial AdviceWhat Does Jesus Teach About Investing?How God’s Work is a Model for Your Work

What could Scott Drew, the Coach of Baylor Men’s Basketball have to do with investing? Well, we’re excited to announce that we’re launching a new initiative—The Faith Driven Athlete. Our passion is to show how God moves in all of our work, as entrepreneurs, investors, athletes and this is the next step in that.We’re bringing you this special episode because, had it not been for COVID-19, this weekend would’ve been the start of the NCAA Final Four. And Baylor is one of the teams who likely would’ve been competing for a title. In our conversation, Scott Drew let us in on the challenges he faced early in his career, the faith that carried him through it all, and how he’s responding to life’s most recent curveball.So if you enjoy this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Faith Driven Athlete podcast to hear from athletes like Kirk Cousins, Jeremy Lin, Adam LaRoche and more in the coming weeks. As always, thanks for listening...Useful Links:Scott Drew’s Long Journey to SuccessFCA Recognizes Scott Drew with John Lotz AwardScott Drew Remains Focused on Faith as Baylor Remains #1

We’re living in unprecedented times. Coronavirus continues to spread, and the fear and anxiety attached to it are moving even faster. It’s no secret the effects this pandemic is having on the economy and investing market. So, what do we do?That’s the question we posed to James Cham, a venture capital investor with Bloomberg Beta. He provided a unique and positive spin on everything happening worldwide, and we’re excited to share his encouraging words amidst these challenging days.If this episode encourages you, we hope you share it with others who may need an uplifting word. As always, thanks for listening!Useful Links:An Interview with James Cham@jameschamJames Cham LinkedIn

We’re combining the Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor audiences today to continue to address the current events we face. Todd Wagner joined us to speak into how we as believers can respond to the fear and worry surrounding COVID-19. Todd is the lead pastor at Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas. If that name sounds familiar to you it’s probably because you’ve heard Henry mention it in the intro to this podcast as the location for where we will be hosting our Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Investor Conferences this fall. In addition to being our host and a speaker at the event, Todd is also a great voice in the faith-driven conversation. His words of wisdom—or as his Twitter handle calls them, words from wags—are encouraging, challenging, and uplifting to all who hear them. And with our current events, we could all use encouragement. Like Todd shared, “worry is not our friend and panic is not our way…”Useful Links:Should Christians Be Anxious About Coronavirus?Coronavirus is redefining the words Church and WorshipReal Truth. Real Quick@wordsfromwags

If you’ve been following the Faith Driven conversation, you’ve no doubt heard the name Tom Nelson. He’s been featured on the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast twice, and we’re so glad to get to talk to him about the investing side of this conversation. Tom recently wrote a book titled, The Economics of Neighborly Love. In the book, Tom brought his theological insight into the realm of finance and investing. We talked to him about all of this as well as what the good news of Jesus means for economics. Marrying biblical study, economic theory, and practical advice, he presents a vision for church ministry that works toward the flourishing of the local community, beginning with its poorest and most marginalized members. Find out more in our conversation. As always, thanks for listening.The Economics of Neighborly LoveVideo of Tom Talking about the bookTom Nelson TGC Breakout

On today’s episode, we’re talking to an expert on capital, influence, and how investments can serve the common good. Finny Kuruvilla is the Chief Investment Officer for Eventide Funds, and if you haven’t heard of them, you’re going to be glad you did. They’re on a mission to pursue investments that make the world rejoice—and today, Finny is going to tell us just how they do that. With a unique background in healthcare, statistics, and investing—not to mention two postgraduate degrees from Harvard and one from MIT—Finny is the type of guest you just can’t get enough of.As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:EventidePriorities and InvestingDo You Know What You Own?To Change the World by James Davidson Hunter

Today’s episode takes us to jail. Well...not exactly. But we are interviewing a man who owns and operates a business that is run out of a high-security prison. His name is Pete Ochs, and in addition to working as founder and chairman of an impact investing company, he’s also working to make Hutchinson Correctional Facility in Kansas the best prison in America. How? Well, we’ll let him tell you…Pete is an expert when it comes to multiple bottom line investing—something many Faith Driven Investors are familiar with—and in this episode, he walked us through what that means, what it can look like, and how others can apply this approach to their own lives.As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:Jailhouse Business of GenerosityInmate Confesses God’s Love at Seat KingWork as Flourishing in PrisonEnterprise Stewardship

Today’s guest is one we’ve been excited about for a long time. Bob Doll is a leader in the faith-driven investing movement from his work at Oppenheimer Funds, Merrill Lynch, BlackRock, and now, Nuveen. You may have seen him on one of his frequent appearances on CNBC, and we were honored to have Bob join us last summer for the Faith Driven Investing gathering in Utah. The work he’s been doing for the best few decades has been instrumental in shaping the conversation this website is stewarding.We owe a lot to Bob Doll and we’re excited to share the hard-earned wisdom his experience has yielded. As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:Bob Doll’s 10 Predictions for 2020Bob Doll on Faith and FinancesMaintaining a Christ-Like Attitude with Bob Doll

Today, we have not one special guest but two for you to hear from. We are talking with Will Thomas and Dean Macfarlan down in the heart of Texas. They’re both accomplished investors on their own, but what makes the story even more compelling is that they’re a part of a new movement of City Networks where like minded Faith Driven Investors are uniting to do more together than they might be able to do apart.Ambassadors Impact Network is a group of over 30 different members that are coming together to collectively invest in and encourage Faith Driven Entrepreneurs. Hear how they’re connecting faith-driven entrepreneurs with like-minded investors and how you can replicate their success in your own city.This is a movement we’re hoping to see take off across the country, and we’re excited for you to hear Dean and Will share what they’ve learned in their experience. As always, thanks for listening.Useful Links:Ambassadors Impact NetworkAngel capital associationCreating Your Own Angel Investing Group

Today we are talking to Robert Netzly, President & CEO of Inspire Investing. If you’ve been following the Faith Driven Investor website, that name should sound familiar to you as we’ve featured a lot of their content on our blog. But today, we’re talking about the man behind the company—the man who many consider an advocate for Biblically Responsible Investing in places where the conversation hasn’t even begun. The way that Inspire has an impact as an active shareholder is encouraging and has led to some incredible stories. Well, today, we’re going to hear from that voice, and in addition to hearing his story, he’s going to share just what it looks like to invest with Biblical principles in mind.As always, thanks for listening. Useful Links:Inspire InvestingThe Biblically Responsible Investing Movement is ExplodingInspire Ranked Among Top Ten Fastest Growing RIAsWould You Write a Check to Planned Parenthood?

It’s not every day you get to have a conversation with someone who is widely considered to be a founding father, but that’s exactly where we found ourselves with Ron Blue. If you’ve been around the Faith Driven Investing conversation at all, you’ve no doubt heard the name, which is why we’re so excited he agreed to sit down with us.When it comes to time with Ron, it’s like sitting in front of a firehose. His extensive experience lends to the profound insight and wisdom he has about the current state of Faith Driven Investing and what’s to come. You won’t regret tuning in to hear the half hour he shared with us.Whether you’re new to Faith Driven Investing, or whether you’ve been involved in this movement your entire professional career, you’ll love this conversation with Ron Blue. As always, thanks for listening. Useful Links:Master Your MoneyThinking Right About Your MoneyWhat’s Your Why? The Ron Blue StoryPrinciples-Based Investing: The Ron Blue Investment Framework

Today’s episode finds us all the way down under—in Australia with our guest Tim Macready. Tim is Chief Investment Officer at Christian Super. He has been responsible for the development of the Fund’s Responsible Investment Approach, which is applied across the entire portfolio and now incorporates Negative Screening and Impact Investing. What we think you'll love most about this episode is hearing Tim talk about how he set out to create the “perfect, faith driven fund”. But then he realized…We’re all sinners. He’s a sinner, every company is led by sinners, and every customer is a sinner.He talks openly about how that shifted his perspective, some of the tough decisions it led him to, and how he stewards that calling today. As always, thanks for listening. Useful Links:How Our Faith Affects the Way We InvestWhere Are the Christian Investors?Why I Invest in Sinners

Today’s episode finds us in Tennessee talking to Donnie Smith, who previously served many years as CEO of Tyson Foods and oversaw record growth and some pivotal acquisitions.Donnie's contagious enthusiasm and passion characterized his tenure at the company, which he joined in 1980 at one of the entry-level management roles. He led Tyson Foods to be a company with a conscience, focused on feeding the world great, affordable food, while also making a positive difference in people's lives. On a national level, fewer high profile companies have utilized chaplaincy as a tool to care for a diverse workforce. As we think about how faith and chaplaincy intersect with the world of public equities we couldn’t think of anyone better to share about their experience. Tune in to hear Donnie talk about what it was like living out his faith in a publicly-traded company and some of his personal experience in Faith Driven Investing. Useful Links:Donnie Smith RightNow Media VideosTruth at Work: Donnie SmithFormer Tyson CEO Focuses on Family Legacy

“The goal is not to grow an organization—it’s to build the Kingdom of God.”Now, if you’ve followed along with us for a while you may remember Peter Greer from an episode we did with him on the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast. If you haven’t already, we highly recommend listening to that interview. But in this episode, we’re talking specifically about his book Rooting for Rivals. Peter is going to explain why he believes that leaders in this Faith Driven Investing community can multiply their impact when they focus on collaboration and cooperation. He shares both anecdotal and analytical evidence to support his theory, and we think you’ll be glad you listened in… Useful Links:Rooting for Rivals BookRooting for Rivals PodcastHow to Slay a Dragon: FDE Podcast with Peter Greer

“I think all of us can sense that something has gone wrong in America.”Despite new levels of financial and material success, it feels like America is a more depressed and divided country than ever. But what does this have to do with economics? And how should faith driven investors respond? Today’s guest, Brian Fikkert, has a Biblically-based economics lesson in store for us today that asks all the right questions.How can we have unprecedented wealth and declining happiness? Why doesn’t material wealth automatically lead to human flourishing? And what does the economy, both locally and globally, have to do with our relationship with God?Brian Fikkert takes cues from both the economy and the Bible, and as you’ll hear in this episode, when we merge those two things, we come to the realization that what happens to us physically, relationally, and economically affects us spiritually. Tune in to hear Brian Fikkert’s take on mainstream economic thinking and how everyone, no matter their income-level, can glorify God through the way they save, spend, and invest their money. As always, thanks for listening. Useful Links:Practicing the King’s Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and GiveBecoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isn’t the American DreamThe Chalmers Center

Impact Investing is a buzzword in the faith driven investing world. But there are dozens of definitions out there for what it actually means. On today’s episode, we’re moving toward setting the record straight. Aimee Minnich has been around since the beginning of the Faith Driven Investor movement and through her work with the National Christian Foundation and the Impact Foundation she’s proven herself an expert on what it means to invest with impact in mind.When you listen to her episode, you’ll hear the history of impact investing. While the term has been around since 2006, Aimee makes it clear that this idea has been around for much longer. And in addition to looking back, she also gives us an idea of where impact investing is trending next. She also discusses the value of truth-telling and how that relates not only to the way we interact with others, but to how we approach investing.We’re so glad to have people like Aimee Minnich involved in this movement, and after you hear this episode, we think you’ll be excited to hear more from her in the future. Useful Links:About Us - Impact FoundationImpact Foundation - Annual ReportHow Much Impact/Financial Return Will I Get from Impact Investing?

Our friend Frank Chen stopped by the Faith Driven Investor podcast to talk about how he’s helping entrepreneurs change the World at the Silicon Valley Venture powerhouse of Andreessen Horowitz. As Frank describes it they are “helping entrepreneurs build software companies that are eating the world.” (he’ll give you a little more info about what that means in our interview).   Frank Chen is a self proclaimed former product and user experience design junkie with specialties in venture capital, artificial intelligence/machine learning, fund raising, product planning, product launches, product development process, enterprise software, UX design, Web hosting, and managed services. With a breadth of expertise like that, you can see why we were excited to have him on the show.  In addition to all of that, Frank also shared a vision for what it could look like when investors view themselves as servant leaders. So often, we think of the relationship between entrepreneur and investor as a constant power struggle, but Frank upended that idea and offered a much more redemptive approach that we thought was so helpful. It was a fun, enlightening and engaging conversation, which we hope you enjoy. As always, thanks for listening. Useful Links: Marc Andreessen on Why Software is Eating the World GDP/Capita over the last 2000 Years Frank Chen LinkedIn

Faith-Based Employee Resource Groups. This term may be new to you, or it may be something you’re already participating in. Either way, this episode is for you. Christeen Rico is leading the conversation around ERGs, and what she shared in our conversation was both informative and insightful. If you don’t know, ERGs are groups within companies that foster community and conversation among like-minded people. Companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, Toyota, and many more are creating these types of groups, so we’re grateful that Christeen dropped by to give us the inside scoop. If you’re an entrepreneur looking for ways to foster faith-based conversations within your business, Christeen will tell you exactly what it takes to form these groups. Or, if you’re an investor looking to get involved with companies that already have ERGs, Christeen will help you understand why these groups are important and how they add value. Apart from that, Christeen was also a fun person to spend time with, and we think you’ll find this episode one worth listening to. Enjoy! Useful Links: Christeen Rico LinkedIn Companies with Employee Resource Groups Work and Faith Workshop Faith and Work Movement

Today’s episode takes us to Silicon Valley to connect with Trae Stephens. You may have seen Trae on CNBC, or you may know him as one of the Partners at Founders Fund. It was an honor to have Trae on to share about his experiences—everything from his time in politics working for Congressmen and in Embassies to now working alongside Peter Thiel. Trae also shares about his life as a Christ Follower and how it shapes his view of the investing world. In particular, Trae outlines what it means for an entrepreneur to be an outlier. He describes the difference between business ideas that fit into a certain pre-existing category and those that break every mold out there. He also shares cautionary advice about what not to do as an entrepreneur. His perspective as a venture capitalist is helpful to listen to for both investors and entrepreneurs alike. But this podcast doesn’t stop there. As you know, we’re always approaching the conversation of entrepreneurship and investing from a faith-driven perspective. Trae is no exception. In this podcast, he talks about the different areas of theology and philosophy that inform his worldview. Specifically, he goes into detail about the innate tendency of all human beings to imitate something or someone. Here, he reminds us specifically of Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God…” When Trae talks about his relationship with God, you’ll hear both his personal faith journey—what it means to imitate Christ as a venture capitalist and how Silicon Valley opens the door for him to share his faith—and what he thinks about the global Christian movement. He invites listeners to consider what it would look like to be co-creators alongside God, with references to how God and Adam interacted in the Garden of Eden. Our team had a blast catching up with Trae, as it felt like he covered dozens of topics with the fluency of an expert. His intellect and skill are on full display in this interview, but so is his spirit and heart behind what it means to be a faith driven entrepreneur and what faith driven investors can do to create value, not only for themselves, but for the world. We hope you enjoy this episode and pray that it encourages you on your journey! Useful Links: Rene Girard Explains Mimetic Desires Founders Fund Trae Stephens Interview with Fortune

When we first learned about Apartment Life it sounded too good to be true. The work they do in apartment complexes improves their overall financial performance, grows their online reputation, and strengthens their resident retention rates. With benefits like these, it’s no surprise that they’re taking off, now serving over 3 million residents from coast to coast. In this episode, Pete Kelly explains just how they do it. We believe this podcast is especially valuable to you for two reasons. One, you get to hear about an incredible business venture in Apartment Life. There’s no doubt you’ll be hearing more about them in the future, and we’re glad we get to share about them early on in this podcast. And two, you get to hear the heart behind the business. Pete Kelly is one of those business leaders who puts his heart into what he’s doing, and it shows in this interview. We’re excited for you to hear about Apartment Life and the potential they have in the real estate market. But even more so, this podcast gives you the opportunity to hear from a business leader about how his values affect his business and how everything he does serves other people. Tune in and enjoy! Useful Links: Apartment Life Faith Driven Investor - Real Estate Interview with Pete Kelly Neighborliness on Faith Driven Investor

We’re so excited to finally launch the Faith Driven Investor podcast. As we move forward, we’ll feature episodes tailored for fund managers, investors, business owners, and pastors who believe God owns it all and who care deeply about how we steward our investments for financial return and gospel-centered transformation. If that sounds interesting to you, tune in today! This week’s episode features Henry Kaestner of Sovereign’s Capital and Aimee Minnich of Impact Foundation. Together they discuss the faith driven investing movement, what God has been and is doing, and what the future of this movement looks like. As you listen, we hope you get as excited about the launch of the new Faith Driven Investor website and podcast as we are. Our hope is that both of these resources will help you on both your spiritual and professional journey. Check out the link below to see the new Faith Driven Investor site and don’t hesitate to let us know what you think! As always, we’re relying on you, our community, to make these resources the best they can possibly be. Useful Links: Faith Driven Investor Website Faith Driven Investor Executive Summary Faith Driven Investor Asset Map