Faith Driven Investor

Episode Overview In this July 2025 episode of Marks on the Markets, we dive deep into the venture capital landscape with two battle-tested VCs who've weathered the storm from COVID boom to AI revolution.  Key Themes Explored The "Quiet Freakout" Phenomenon Why even well-funded startups are secretly terrified about the next 6-18 months How AI has created a "boxing match during an earthquake" for en...

Episode 200 marks a major milestone—not just for the podcast, but for an entire movement that's reshaping how investors think about capital, impact, and stewardship. In this celebration episode, Faith Driven Investor founders Henry Kaestner and Luke Roush take us back to the very beginning—from their first meeting at Joe's Diner in Durham (famous for hot dogs with mustard, chili, or just hot dog)...

Robin John had a problem. He looked at the biggest mutual funds in America and realized he couldn't invest in their top holdings without compromising his values. So he and co-founder Finny started asking a different question: if investing is just allocating capital, where should Christians actually put their money? What started as a simple conversation about avoiding "ill-gotten gain" evolved into...

The economic landscape is shifting beneath our feet, and this episode of Marks on the Markets delivers the clarity you need to navigate what's ahead. Richard Cunningham and John Coleman sits down with Matt Monson, Partner of Public Equity at Sovereign's Capital, to dissect the most pressing issues facing investors today. The conversation begins with Moody's recent downgrade of US creditworthiness...

In this special episode recorded at SXSW in Austin, Texas, hosts Justin Forman and Richard Cunningham sit down with Brent Beshore, founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, to discuss what it means to take a long-term, cathedral-like perspective in business and investing. Brent shares his transformation from an achievement-driven atheist to a faith-focused entrepreneur, highlighting how his approach to...

In this May 2025 episode of Faith Driven Investor, hosts Richard Cunningham and John Coleman welcome Deirdre Gibson, ETF Specialist and National Sales Director at Praxis Investment Management, for a wide-ranging discussion on faith-driven investing and current market conditions. Episode Highlights: Understanding ETFs vs. Mutual Funds (2:31-4:42) Gibson explains the structural differences between E...

Can you build a thriving business while facing back-to-back life-threatening crises? Travis Penfield did exactly that, transforming his brush with death from a brain tumor and his wife's cancer battle into clarity for scaling 49 Financial to 200+ advisors. His blueprint for bridging the trillion-dollar advisor succession gap prioritizes mentorship over metrics, revealing how personal trials became...

In this timely market analysis, Crossmark Global Investments' Bob Doll joins Richard Cunningham and John Coleman to dissect the dramatic market correction of Q1 2025 and the economic uncertainty driving it. Key Topics Covered: The fifth fastest market correction since WWII and what caused it Trump administration's economic strategy: taking pain upfront for potential gains later Tariffs as revenue...

In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, hosts Richard Cunningham and Luke Roush welcome Chris Morris and John Farris, founders of LandFund Partners, to discuss their journey from a college classroom to managing 50,000 acres of farmland in the Mid-South. Episode Highlights: The divine intervention that brought John and Chris together at Center College in Kentucky How a single idea to...

In this March "Marks on the Markets" episode, hosts Richard Cunningham and Luke Roush welcome Kingdom Advisors CEO Rob West to discuss the transformative impact of the recent Kingdom Advisors Annual Conference in Orlando. Key Points: About Kingdom Advisors: Founded in 2003 by Ron Blue and Larry Burkett to help Christians plan and manage finances with biblical principles Serves as the gathering pla...

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...

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...

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, 2025 Discussion of their personal journeys:  Suzanne's transformation from traditional grant-making to impact investing, sparked by a piv...

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...

Show Notes: The evolution and impact of Faith Driven Investor's first standalone conference in 2024 Why wealth isolates and how FDI is creating safe spaces for high-capacity investors Inside look at FDI+ launch weekends and the movement's expansion plans for 2025 The three personas showing up to FDI: the intimidated, the scaling entrepreneurs, and the teachers Key partnerships forming with Next an...

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 estate Analysis revealing that churches typically only util...

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 eq...

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...

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 Hodjihanova The Genesis Story: How Patrick Lowndes' software exit led to pioneering research in frontier market Key Research Findings: Deep dive into Pragma's 2024 Investment Market Study examining over 100 funds Beyond Charity:...

"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 buildin...

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 the...

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...

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 inve...

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 influenc...

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 poss...