Cole Shephard is an inspiring entrepreneur who made a daring move at age 31 when he liquidated his 401ks, IRAs, and investment accounts to pursue the untapped potential of Latin American alternative investments. 

 

Join us as we explore his journey to Colombia with an investment group. We'll learn about their decision to invest in coffee and grow the Green Coffee Company into the largest coffee producer in the nation. He'll also discuss his sustainability initiatives and how his company makes operations more environmentally friendly. From taking risks to gaining investors' trust, this podcast episode is full of valuable insight from Cole Shephard!

 

Cole Shephard is the founding partner of the alternative investment firm Legacy Group and the founder and a board member at the Green Coffee Company, Colombia's largest coffee producer. 

 

[00:01 - 07:43] Opening Segment

• An alternative investments expert in Latin America and the largest coffee producer in Colombia

• How Cole liquidated all his 401ks and IRAs to bet on himself

• How Cole got into fresh-cut flowers, coffee, cacao, and commercial real estate investments

• If he saw something worth investing all his money in, he would do it

 

[07:44 - 14:30] Investing in Coffee: Risk Management and 30%+ Returns for Investors

• Cole's experience in taking a job in Hong Kong with no friends or family in the city

• Risk factor dwindles down as you keep doing things outside your comfort zone

• Looking at agriculture and seeing two interesting markets: coffee and cacao

• Investors needed to see returns of high teens on equity positions

 

[14:31 - 22:10] Creating a Global Coffee Empire

• How Cole built created the largest coffee producer in Colombia in 5 years

• Potentially becoming the largest consolidated producer of coffee in the world

• Why farmland is one of the easiest investments for real estate investors to understand

• Coffee is one of the most liquid commodities, with a readily determinable price

 

[22:11 - 28:40] Exploring the Risks and Benefits of International Exposure

• Why agriculture is a good option for investors looking to diversify their portfolio

• The yield profile of ag deals is higher than commercial real estate

• Investors seek international exposure to diversify capital outside the US

• Why accredited investors should look at private company-based farmland investments internationally

 

[28:41 - 36:13] Closing Segment

• The major risks in the coffee industry

• The benefits of sustainable coffee production in Colombia

• Competition in Colombia is mostly family-owned businesses without real business practices

 

Connect with Cole:

 

Website: https://legacy-group.co/ 

LinkedIn: Cole Shephard

Instagram: @legacygroupinvestments

 

 

Key Quotes:

 

"Risk factor dwindles down as you keep doing things outside your comfort zone, and it gets more valuable as you continue to challenge yourself." - Cole Shephard

 

“I've done what many people don't do, like just getting outside of a comfort zone. Once I've kind of trained myself to do that, the next thing doesn't seem so risky when you already do something that's risky, right?” - Cole Shephard

 

“We're very selective on who we allow to run the company, and they have to be the best and the brightest.” - Cole Shephard

 

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

 

Connect with me through LinkedIn.

 

Or send me an email at [email protected]

 

Visit my website, www.luxe-cap.com, or my YouTube channel.

 

Thanks for tuning in!

 

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