Faith Driven Investor
John Coleman, Luke Roush
Faith Driven Investor is a growing movement of business leaders, fund managers, investors, and pastors who are driven by their faith. We believe that God owns it all and that he cares deeply about how we steward our investments. Our vision is for a world where Christ's followers can pursue excellent investments that allow for financial returns and Gospel-centered transformation. Every investment has an impact. What's yours?
Episode 191 - From Y Combinator to Investing in Housing Innovation with Brett Hagler of New Story
In this episode of Faith Driven Investor, we dive deep with Brett Hagler, founder and CEO of New Story, a groundbreaking organization that's reimagining solutions to the global housing crisis. Brett shares his remarkable journey from a successful tech entrepreneur to launching New Story, which has become a pioneer in innovative housing solutions, including their revolutionary work with 3D-printed homes.The conversation explores how New Story is leveraging technology and entrepreneurial thinking
Episode 190 - Marks on the Markets: FDI Conference Deep Dive - From Hollywood Projects to Human Trafficking Solutions
Join Richard Cunningham and John Coleman as they unpack all the excitement and insights from the 2025 Global Faith Driven Investor conference. Fresh off the gathering, they share how faith-driven investors are making an incredible impact across every corner of the investment world while pursuing excellence in all they do.Richard and John walk through the amazing transformation happening in public markets, where Christians are moving beyond just avoiding harmful companies to actively engaging and
Episode 189 - Stewards Not Spectators: A Conversation with Suzanne Daniel and Dana Wichterman
Register for the 2025 FDI Conference at: faithdriveninvestorconference.org/Introduction to guests Suzanne Daniel (Pilgrim Foundation) and Dana Wichterman (Impact Foundation), both speakers at the upcoming Global Faith Driven Investor Conference on February 7th, 2025Discussion of their personal journeys: Suzanne's transformation from traditional grant-making to impact investing, sparked by a pivotal experience with a Haiti-based enterpriseDana's initial resistance to faith-aligned investing and h
Episode 188 - Marks on the Markets: 2025 Economic Outlook with David Bahnsen
In this premiere 2025 episode of Faith Driven Investor, host Richard Cunningham welcomes David Bahnsen, founder and CIO of the Bahnsen Group, alongside regular contributor John Coleman. The conversation begins with a comprehensive review of 2024's market performance, examining how corporate profits exceeded expectations despite earlier recession fears. Bahnsen provides detailed analysis of current market valuations, particularly focusing on the concentration risk in the top 10 companies of the S
Episode 187 - Inside Faith Driven Investor with Samantha Couch & Justin Forman
Show Notes:The evolution and impact of Faith Driven Investor's first standalone conference in 2024Why wealth isolates and how FDI is creating safe spaces for high-capacity investorsInside look at FDI+ launch weekends and the movement's expansion plans for 2025The three personas showing up to FDI: the intimidated, the scaling entrepreneurs, and the teachersKey partnerships forming with Next and Blue TrustDetails on the upcoming February 7th, 2025 global conference themed "The Riskiest Thing is to
Episode 186 - REIT's & Redemptive Innovation in the $1 Trillion in Church Real Estate with Nick Bonner of AARE
In this compelling episode of Faith Driven Investor, Nick Bonner shares his transformative journey in Christian real estate investment and the innovative solutions he's developing to address inefficiencies in church property usage.Key Topics Discussed:The Great Opportunity Report's findings on church growth and the critical role of real estateAnalysis revealing that churches typically only utilize their buildings 5% of the weekThe stark contrast between business and church property ownership (12
Episode 185 - Market Reactions to the 2024 Election with Ross Roggensack of Oak City Consulting
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, hosts Richard Cunningham and John Coleman welcome special guest Ross Roggensack to break down the 2024 U.S. election results and explore their potential impact on the economy and markets. As President Trump begins his second term, the discussion delves into the implications of his policies on various sectors, from venture capital and private equity to foreign conflicts and inflation. The conversation also takes a introspective turn as the hos
Episode 184 - SWGP + FDI: Disrupting the Economics of Sexual Brokenness with Eagle Ventures & GameSafe
This episode delves into the critical issue of online sexual exploitation and human trafficking, exploring innovative approaches to combat these pervasive problems. Dr. Lisa Strohman, a clinical psychologist with FBI experience, and Wes Lyons, a venture capitalist, offer their expertise and insights into this complex challenge.The discussion begins with Dr. Strohman shedding light on the alarming tactics used by the pornography industry to target children through seemingly innocuous platforms li
Episode 183 - Marks on the Markets: Frontier Investing with Pragma Advisors
Join Richard Cunningham and John Coleman as they examine frontier markets and the 2024 Pramga Investment Market Study alongside Patrick Lowndes, Andrew Winker, and Tamanno HodjihanovaThe Genesis Story: How Patrick Lowndes' software exit led to pioneering research in frontier marketKey Research Findings: Deep dive into Pragma's 2024 Investment Market Study examining over 100 fundsBeyond Charity: Understanding the crucial shift from aid to sustainable business developmentThe Local Edge: Why having
Episode 182 - Solving Joblessness | Creating Sustainable Jobs in Africa & Asia | FDI + SWGP Special
"We're not just creating a job. We're creating a way that people have security and sustainability for them and for their family." - Keren Pybus Job creation and upskilling have a significant impact on individuals, families, and communities, providing stability, security, and opportunities for growth.Donor agencies have shifted their focus from pure aid to trade facilitation and capacity building, creating more opportunities for job creation.Collaboration and partnership among competitors and dif
Episode 181 - Mark on the Markets-2024's Final Lap: Q3 Recap and Q4 Outlook with John Coleman
Join us as we delve into the intricacies of today's economic landscape, from the Fed's recent rate cuts to the performance of the 'Magnificent Seven' stocks. John Coleman alongside Richard Cunningham offers valuable insights on private equity, venture capital, and real estate markets, while also addressing the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. election on the economy. Learn how to navigate these complex times with both financial acumen and spiritual wisdom.Takeaways: The Fed's recent rate cu
Episode 180 - Eternal Treasures - Investing In What Lasts with Richard Garnett
Join Justin Forman as he honors the life and legacy of Richard Garnett, a faith-driven entrepreneur, investor, and actor who recently passed away after a courageous decade-long battle with cancer. This poignant episode features a powerful teaching from Richard himself, focusing on investing in what truly matters. As we reflect on Richard's recent passing, his message takes on new depth and urgency. Tune in for an inspiring exploration of intentional living, generosity, and the art of cherishing
Episode 179 - Marks on the Markets: Private Equity & Secondaries Outlook with Andrew Behrman & Chris Kim
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, Richard Cunningham, Andrew Behrman, and Chris Kim discuss the private equity world and the secondary market. They explain that private markets offer unique benefits such as diversification and active involvement but also come with trade-offs like limited access and illiquidity. The conversation focuses on the secondary market, which allows investors to offload their positions in private funds. They discuss the recent growth of the secondary m
Episode 178 - Investing in Dude Perfect with Jason Illian
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, Richard Cunningham and Luke Roush interview Jason Illian, the founder of Highmount Capital. They discuss Highmount's recent investment in Dude Perfect, a popular content creation group known for their Youtube channel and live shows. Jason shares his background and the importance of family in his life. He also highlights the trust and influence that Dude Perfect has built with families and the potential for future growth and expansion. The con
Episode 177 - Marks on the Markets: A Midyear Macro Look with Brandon Pizzurro
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, Richard Cunningham and John Coleman interview Brandon Pizzurro, Chief Investment Officer at Guidestone, to discuss the state of the US markets. They cover topics such as the performance of the S&P 500, the dominance of big tech companies, the potential for a small cap rotation, the impact of artificial intelligence on the market, and the possibility of rate cuts and inflation. The conversation also provides insights into the current trends an
Episode 176 - What to Know About Donor Advised Funds with Impact Foundation's Aimee Minnich and Jeff Johns
Richard and John check in on two of the key trailblazers of the Faith Driven Investor Movement, Aimee Minnich & Jeff Johns of The Impact Foundation, to learn how Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) can help investors who want to use their capital for God’s Kingdom.The four of them discuss the power and necessity of impact investing, the history and mission of Impact Foundation, and the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in the charitable sector. Aimee also shares her recent experience testifyi
Episode 175 - Marks on the Markets: The Risk, Return, and Rewards for Investing in Africa
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, Richard sits down with Henry Kaestner and Andrew Firman about the returns, rewards, and risks involved in investing in Africa. They discuss the opportunities and challenges of investing in the continent, the importance of spiritual integration in business, and the potential for economic development in Africa. They also highlight specific examples of innovative solutions being developed by African entrepreneurs to address real problems in the
Episode 174 - Sacrifice as a Road to Victory with Sam Rhee of Endowus
In this special edition of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, we highlight the story of Sam Rhee.Sam was formerly a CEO and co CIO, global head of Asia at Morgan Stanley before starting the fintech platform, Endowus. Today, Endowus primarily serves Asian markets with $5 billion in assets under management and has recently raised 95 million dollars in outside capital.In this unique narrative-style podcast, we hear how the biblical story of Abraham and Lot inspired Sam Rhee to step aside from the r
Episode 173 - Marks on the Markets: A Data-Backed Look at the State of Faith Driven Investing with Tim Macready
Brightlight’s Chief Investment Officer, Tim Macready, joins John Coleman and Richard Cunningham for a discussion on the state of faith-driven investing, the opportunities ahead, and the impact of faith values on investment portfolios. The three delve into the theology and purpose behind faith-driven investing, as well as the role of corporate engagement in influencing companies for good. The conversation also explores the growth and performance of the faith-driven investing market as well as key
Episode 172 - Finding Financial and Spiritual Returns in Real Estate Investing with Chuck Welden
Chuck Welden, co-founder of Weldenfield, joins the Faith Driven Investor Podcast to discuss faith-driven investing and the impact of real estate on communities. Weldenfield is a real estate investment company that focuses on multifamily properties and deploys volunteers to live on-site and build relationships with residents. The goal is to create a social fabric and provide opportunities for gospel presentations. Chuck, Richard, and Luke dive into the importance of measuring key performance indi
Episode 171 - Marks on the Markets: Data, History, and Insight with Matt Monson
In this episode of Marks on the Markets, Richard Cunningham and John Coleman interview Matt Monson, a public equities investor from Sovereign Capital. The three of them discuss various topics related to the markets, including the performance of large cap stocks compared to small cap stocks, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on businesses, the current state of interest rates, and the implications of international conflicts on the markets. They also touch on the importance of
Episode 170 - A Catholic Perspective on Faith Driven Investing with Tony Minopoli and Andrew Abela
In this episode, John Coleman is joined by Tony Minopoli and Andrew Abela to explore faith driven investing in the Catholic world and in the Catholic Church. Tony is the President and Chief Investment Officer of the Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors. In that capacity, Tony oversees all elements of the investment strategy and operations for the Knights, predicated on nearly two decades with that institution and a prior career in investment consulting with the Valuation Associates. Through his ro
Episode 169 - Marks on the Markets: Bob Doll Checks in on His 2024 Predictions
In this edition of Marks on the Markets, Richard and John are joined by Bob Doll, the newly appointed President and CEO of Crossmark and a staple in the Faith Driven Investing movement. Each year, Bob outlines 10 market predictions for the coming months, and in this episode, he shares what he sees happening in 2024, how his predictions are looking after the first quarter, and how the election might affect the markets.
Episode 168 - Empty the Storehouses with Eventide's Finny Kuruvilla
In Matthew 6, Jesus says to store our treasures in heaven, not earth, and in this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, Finny Kuruvilla joins John and Richard to talk about what that might mean for investors.They’ll also discuss the importance of investing with a goal and supporting others, investing in the common good, and the role of wealth in the church. They also touch on market trends and Eventide's perspective, as well as healthcare investing and innovations.If you like what you he
Episode 167 - Marks on the Markets: Angel and Direct Investing with Patrick Farrell and Luke Roush
On this special edition of Marks on the Markets, Richard and Luke are joined by Patrick Farrell, the co-founder of Potomac Angel Capital. The group connects like-minded investors with mission-driven entrepreneurs for mutual financial benefit, lasting impact, and meaningful relationships. And in this episode, Patrick is going to dive into the unique opportunities and challenges that come with angel investing.He and Luke will also highlight some of the specific market trends to be aware of for any
Episode 166 - From Heart Change to Action w/ John Coleman
The Faith Driven Investing Movement always starts with heart change, but it shouldn’t end there. Christians are called to take action. We put our hands and feet in motion in response to God’s transformation in our lives.A lot of Faith Driven Investors believe that, but many of us struggle with a practical question.Where do we start?This is not a prescriptive or presumptuous movement, but in this podcast episode, we want to hone in on some of the themes and ideas people have been talking about th
Episode 165 - Marks on the Markets: State of Faith Driven Investing in 2024 w/ Henry Kaestner and Justin Forman
We’ve barely made it past January and we’re already seeing incredible work happening in the Faith Driven Investing Movement around the world and across various asset classes. From the conference streamed in over 100 major cities to small group meetings and an intimate gathering of Fund Managers, God is moving through Faith Driven Investors who are taking on this charge to build, give, and invest for God’s glory. So in today’s episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, we’re going to hear Just
Episode 164 - Investing in Agriculture with Trevor Hightower
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.
Episode 163 - Marks on the Markets - 2023 Year in Review with Ross Roggensack and Jake Thomsen
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
Episode 162 - Angel Investing Overview with Mark Klopp
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
Episode 161 - Israeli Entrepreneurs and Investors Share About Leading in Complexity
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
Episode 160 - Increasing Prosperity Around the World with Mark Stoleson
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.
Episode 159 - Marks on the Markets - Thematic Investing with David Erickson
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 approac
Episode 267 - Exit or Bet the Farm? With Neil Ahlsten
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.
Episode 158 - Investing in Artificial Intelligence with James Cham
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 t
Episode 157 - Marks on the Markets - Private and Public Overview with Justin Speer and Phil Jung
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.
Episode 156 - Investing in Women and Africa with Adesuwa Rhodes
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 s
Episode 155 - Marks on the Markets: Biotech and Healthcare with Finny Kuruvilla
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.
Episode 154 - Emerging Opportunities in Emerging Markets with Patrick Fisher
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 rec
Episode 153 - Marks on the Markets: Real Estate: Hope or Apocalypse? with Tom Hahn and Ben Erskine
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
Episode 152 - Faith Driven Investing from a Jewish Perspective with Michael Eisenberg
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 b
Episode 151 - Marks on the Markets: Checking in on 2023 So Far with John Coleman
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
Episode 150 - Building a Community of Investors (Why and How) with Brent Beshore and Marcus Stroud
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’
Episode 149 - Marks on the Markets: What's Happening with Venture Capital and Growth Equity? With Brandon Allen and Phil Jung
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 Capita
Episode 148 - Profitable Public Partnerships for Good with Michael Hall and Tim Hurley
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 equit
Episode 147 - Marks on the Markets: Faithfully Thinking Through SVB and the Recent Banking Crisis
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 entrepr
Episode 146 - What to Do When It’s Time to Move On From a Venture with Mike Asem
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 145 - Marks on the Markets: The State of Faith Driven Investing
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 K
Episode 144 - Making and Measuring Impact with Shundrawn Thomas
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, h
Episode 143 - Marks on the Markets: Predictions for 2023
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 potenti
Episode 142 - Pursuing Righteous Capital with Kola Aina
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.
Episode 141 - How Edtech Investing Empowers Flourishing
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
Episode 140 - From Pro Athlete to Investor with Jeremy Lin and Robert Kim
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 us
Marks on the Markets: Are We Witnessing a Great Tech Reset?
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
Episode 138 - Passing Your Family Business Down with Phil Clemens
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 bu
Episode 137 - The Steward Investor with Don Simmons
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
Episode 136 - Marks on the Markets: Is the Fall of FTX the Fall of Crypto?
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 u
Episode 135 - Father, Son, and Faithful Investing
“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
Episode 134 - Investing in Light of the Gospel with Finny Kuruvilla
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.
Episode 133 - Watchdog of the People’s Money with Treasurer Allison Ball
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 d
Episode 132 - Special Faith Driven Investing Book Release
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 hav
Episode 131 - Pastoring 120,000 in Public Markets with Pat Gelsinger
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. L
Episode 130 - Discovering True Riches at Harvard Business School with John Cortines
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 kee
Episode 129 - Cultivating a Faith Stronger Than Fear with Strive Masiyiwa
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 th
Episode 128 - Marks on the Markets: Standing Tall During the Recent Downturn
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 T
Episode 127 - Phil Cunningham is Making the Movies that Shape Culture
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.
Episode 126 - Investors as Cultural Influencers with Craig Detweiler and Ben Howard
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?
Episode 125 - Marks on the Markets: How Private Markets Are Weathering 2022
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. T
Episode 124 - The Tree of Life and Prosperity with Michael Eisenberg
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
Episode 123 - The Role of a Family Office with Ronald Blue Trust
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.
Episode 122 - Blending Investing and Giving for Max Impact with David Wills
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.
Episode 121 - Doing Good is Good for Business with Keren Pybus & Jeff Kahler
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
Episode 120 - Marks on the Markets | Recession or No Recession?
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
Episode 119 - A New Class of Community with John and Ashely Marsh
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
Episode 118 - The Flywheel Effect of Spiritual Integration
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 e
Episode 117 - Marks on the Markets: All Investing is Impact Investing
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 inno
Episode 116 - Chip Mahan: “I Couldn’t Do the Big Bank Thing”
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.
Episode 115 - Love People and Free Enterprise with Jason Syversen
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 sup
Episode 114 - Curt Laird and the Key to Frontier Investing
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
Episode 113 - Finding Returns In Africa with Richard Okello
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.
Episode 112 - Marks on the Marketplace—May 2022
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.
Episode 111 - Redemptive Real Estate with Jimmy Wright
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.
Episode 110 - Beyond Risk and Return with Allison Long Pettine
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,
Episode 109 - Practicing the King’s Economy with Michael Rhodes
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.
Episode 108 - Motorcycles and the Marketplace with Tom Lernihan, Jared Fulks, & Collin Wenrich
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
Episode 107 - Creating From A Place Of Pain with Neil Holzapfel
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.
Episode 106 - Crafting Your Purpose with John Coleman
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.
Episode 105 - Investing in Partnerships with Johan du Preez
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.
Episode 104 - Biblically Responsible Investing with Robert Netzly
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 Chri
Episode 103 - Resilient Leadership in a World of Constant Disruption with David Ridely
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
Episode 102 - The Gold Standard with David McAlvany
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 as
Episode 101 - HOPE for Ukraine with Peter Greer
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.
Episode 100 - Patrick Fisher and the Big Deal with Microfinancing
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.
Episode 99 - Tom Darden: No Exit Investing
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
Episode 98 - Crowdfunding and The Chosen with Dallas Jenkins
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.
Episode 97 - Jon Erwin: No Longer The Underdog
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
Episode 96 - The Bottom Line of Kingdom Economics with Brett Johnson
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.
Episode 95 - The City Rejoices with Finny Kuruvilla
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.
Episode 94 - Serving a Big God in a Big Way with Jonathan Reckford
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 Fede
Episode 93 - Sparking Global Change Through Catalytic Capital with Tsitsi Masiyiwa
“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
Episode 92 - God & Mammon with Andy Crouch
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.
Episode 91 - Discovering Faith Driven Investing At Harvard with Mary Naber King
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!
Episode 90 - Kingdom Trust: God, Money, & Bitcoin with Matt Jennings
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.
Episode 89 - Radical Generosity with David Platt
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.
Episode 88 - Giving Away 51% with Bertie Lourens
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
Episode 87 - Building More Than Homes with David Weekley
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
Episode 86 - Investing In Eternity with Randy Alcorn
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 S
Episode 85 - From The Ark To Tesla with Cathie Wood
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,
Episode 84 - Stewardship Means Investing Just As Much As Giving with Ron Blue
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.
Episode 83 - Having A Clear Eye View with Jaylon Smith
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 of
Episode 82 - Faith in Public Markets with Obie Mckenzie
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.
Episode 81 - Who Do You Think You Are with Tim Keller
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 (y
Episode 78 - How AI Can Be A Driver of Truth and Flourishing with Tom Kehler
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 a
Episode 77 - Investing with the Environment in Mind with Tim Macready
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.
Episode 76 - The Bible Translation Collaboration with Mart Green
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 see
Episode 75 - An Eternal Time Horizon with Brent Beshore
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 a
Episode 74 - Not for Sale with David Batstone
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 resul
Episode 73 - The Faithforce Story with Sue Warnke
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 region
Episode 72 - Banking as Bridge Building with Collin Timms
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 hop
Episode 69 - Faith in the Financial World with Andrew Manton
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,
Episode 68 - Value Investing in Public Equities with Dave Beatty
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 fi
Episode 67 - Putting Money Into Places with Ross Baird
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
Episode 66 - Looking Forward to Faith Driven Investor Live
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 epi
Episode 65 - Mentoring 1,000 Entrepreneurs with Alan Clayton
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 captu
Episode 64 - How to Invest in Movies with Jon Erwin
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 C
Episode 63 - Thank God for Bitcoin with Jimmy Song
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 explor
Episode 62 - What is Gleaning? with Aimee Minnich
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 Conf
Episode 61 - Equitable Equity with Jewel Burks Solomon
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...
Episode 60 - We Need a New Playbook with Derrick Morgan
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.
Episode 59 - One Pocket Investing with Bryce Butler
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 201
Episode 58 - The True Moringa Resilience Story with Kwami Williams
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 c
Episode 57 - How to Build a Network of Trust with Ray Barreth and Reuben Coulter
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
Episode 56 - Fix What Makes You Angry with Ndidi Nwuneli
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
Episode 55 - The Continent of Potential with Iyinoluwa Aboyeji
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 proce
Episode 54 - From Inspiration to Incorporation with Ben Chelf
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.
Episode 53 - Defining Disruptive Technology with Jason Illian
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 C
Episode 52 - Why Community Matters with Sue Alice Sauthoff
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 wo
Episode 51 - How to Say No with Jake Thomsen
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
Episode 50 - Redeeming the Entrepreneur-Investor Relationship with Jessica Kim
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
Episode 49 - The Future of Service Companies with Michael Arrieta
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
Episode 48 - What is Marketplace? with Andrew Firman
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 t
Episode 47 - Moving Generosity from Obligation to Opportunity with Daryl Heald
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 busi
Episode 46 - What Does the Bible Say About Investing? with Chip Ingram
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!
Episode 45 - Around the Table: 2020 Year in Review
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 h
Episode 44 - From Homeless to Princeton with Marcus Stroud
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, i
Episode 43 - Spiritual Integration in Your Portfolio with Eric Kim
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…
Episode 42 - The Kingdom Advisors Story with Rob West
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...
Episode 41 - Innovating Impact in Opportunity Zones with Casey Crawford
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.
Episode 40 - Patient Capital and Long-Term Discipleship with Tom Blaisdell and John Denniston
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.
Episode 39 - Redemptive Investing Amidst Uncertainty with Andy Crouch
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...
Episode 37 - The Land of OZ with Jeff Shafer and Jerome Garciano
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 t
Episode 36 - Capital = Influence with Finny Kuruvilla
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.
Episode 35 - 10 Ways to Integrate Your Faith as a Financial Advisor with Eric Chetwood and Rachel McDonough
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 Adviso
Episode 34 - The Faith Driven Co-Working Space with Trevor Hightower, Peyton Day, and David Salyers
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 C
Episode 33 - The Prosperity Paradox with Efosa Ojomo
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
Episode 32 - What is an Impact Bond? with Mike Silvestri
“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 hop
Episode 31 - The Multifamily Movement with David Snyder and Steve Vecchitto
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 Ad
Episode 30 - Faith Driven Investing in Africa with Sid Mofya
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 fu
Episode 29 - Investing in Overlooked Entrepreneurs with Alfa Demmellash
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...
Episode 28 - The Fall of Communism and the Rise of Faith Driven Investing with Malcolm Johnston
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 remin
Episode 27 - Money Flows Toward Trust with Chuck Bentley
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 freel
Episode 26 - Preparing the Next Generation of Faith Driven Investors with Dick Blanc and Steven Diedrich
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.S
Episode 25 - Planning for the Exit with Wade Myers
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
SPECIAL EDITION - It's Time for Honest Conversations with Benjamin Watson
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 f
Episode 24 - Reading Scripture Out Loud in Gardens and Cities with Andy Mills
Today’s episode features Andy Mills, Executive Chairman and Co-CEO of Archegos Capital Management, as well as a board member for the Theology and Work Project. Andy is passionate about the merging of faith and investing (which made him perfect for this show!). He joined us to speak about his vision for Faith in Financial Services, the growing movement of finance professionals gathering in the community to make a kingdom impact in their workplaces. FiFS cultivates spiritual formation by encouragi
Episode 23 - Redeeming Capitalism for the Common Good with Ken Barnes
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 th
Episode 22 - The Four Quadrants of a Faith Driven Portfolio with Greg Lernihan
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 Investin
Episode 21 - Starting a Faith Driven Fund with Luke Roush of Sovereign’s Capital
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
Episode 20 - The Danger of Hanging Your Best investing Ideas on Scripture with Jerry Bowyer
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
SPECIAL EDITION - Playing for an Audience of One with Coach Scott Drew
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’
Episode 19 - Finding Opportunity and Revival Amidst the Coronavirus with James Cham
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
Episode 18 - Worry Is Not Our Friend with Todd Wagner
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 Drive
Episode 17 - The Economics of Neighborly Love with Tom Nelson of Made to Flourish
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 econo
Episode 16 - How Investing Shapes the World with Finny Kuruvilla of Eventide
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 Harvar
Episode 15 - Multiple Bottom Line Investing with Pete Ochs
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
Episode 14 - Building a Faith Driven Fund on Wall Street with Bob Doll
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
Episode 13 - Uniting a City of Faith Driven Investors with Will Thomas and Dean Macfarlan
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
Episode 12 - What Happens When Christian Investors Speak Up with Robert Netzly of Inspire Investing
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 le
Episode 11 - A Founding Father of the Faith Driven Investor Movement: Ron Blue
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 s
Episode 10 - Why We Should Invest in Sinners with Tim Macready
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’r
Episode 9 - Chickens, Chaplaincy and How Faith Shapes Publicly Traded Companies with Donnie Smith, former CEO of Tyson Foods
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 nat
Episode 8 - Rooting for Rivals with Peter Greer, CEO of Hope International
“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 i
Episode 7 - Practicing the King's Economy with Brian Fikkert
“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
Episode 6 - Truth Telling and Impact Investing with Aimee Minnich
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’l
Episode 5 - The Investor as a Servant Leader with Frank Chen of Andreessen Horowitz
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, art
Episode 4 - How Faith Conversations Strengthen the Culture and Value of Companies with Christeen Rico
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
Episode 3 - Creating Abundance to Decrease Competition with Trae Stephens of Founders Fund
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
Episode 2 - How 'Love Thy Neighbor' Turned from a Command to a Business with Pete Kelly of Apartment Life
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,
Episode 1 - What is the Faith Driven Investor? with Henry Kaestner and Aimee Minnich
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 discus