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 and what it signals about America's unsustainable fiscal trajectory—a $36 trillion debt problem that's finally getting the attention it deserves.

Market Concentration and Hidden Risks The hosts dive deep into the Magnificent Seven phenomenon, revealing why having 30% of the S&P 500 concentrated in seven companies creates more portfolio risk than most investors realize. Monson shares his framework for analyzing tariff impacts across revenue and supply chains, while Coleman explains why this isn't just about stock picking—it's about understanding correlated risk factors that could catch investors off guard.

Tariffs: Beyond the Headlines Moving past the political rhetoric, the discussion explores the real-world impact of trade policy on American businesses. From the company sourcing 100% of its goods from China to the complex web of global supply chains, listeners get an inside look at how tariff uncertainty is forcing businesses to stockpile cash and delay investment decisions. The hosts examine whether the current 90-day pause with China signals a path toward resolution or deeper economic disruption.

Middle East Partnerships and AI Infrastructure The episode takes a strategic turn as Coleman and Monson analyze Trump's Middle East tour and the massive foreign direct investment commitments in AI infrastructure. They discuss why these partnerships matter for America's technological competitiveness and how they fit into the broader geopolitical and economic picture.

Federal Reserve in an Impossible Position With inflation pressures from tariffs and a still-strong labor market, the Fed faces an unprecedented challenge. The hosts explain why rate cuts seem unlikely despite market volatility, and what this means for mortgage rates, business investment, and the broader economy.

Faith-Driven Investing Insights The conversation concludes with practical insights for faith-driven investors, including Monson's compelling math on why your investment balance sheet—often 100 times larger than annual giving—represents an enormous opportunity for kingdom impact. The hosts share how the movement is evolving beyond traditional ESG frameworks toward employee flourishing and cultural excellence.

Key Topics Covered:

• US credit downgrade implications and fiscal sustainability
• Magnificent Seven concentration risks and portfolio diversification
• Tariff impact analysis and business uncertainty
• Federal Reserve policy constraints and rate outlook
• Middle East AI partnerships and foreign investment
• Small vs. large cap performance cycles
• Faith-driven investing trends and cultural impact

This episode offers both macro-economic analysis and practical investment insights for anyone seeking to understand how current events will shape markets and investment opportunities in the months ahead.

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 private equity challenges industry norms with long-term capital, zero debt, and transparent fee structures. Throughout the conversation, Brent reveals how vulnerability and authentic relationships have been crucial both in his personal faith journey and in building a successful investment firm.

• Brent's journey from atheism to faith and how it transformed his perspective on business, family, and achievement
• The dangers of "acceptable sin" that starts small but eventually leads to devastating consequences
• Why living in the light through authentic relationships is essential for both personal healing and business success
• How Permanent Equity's unique model of 30-year capital and no debt creates true alignment with business owners
• The concept of "cathedral thinking" - building something that may take generations to complete
• The importance of community and authentic relationships in combating isolation, especially for successful entrepreneurs
• Why achievement, control, and self-reliance can be more dangerous addictions than substances

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 ETFs and mutual funds
• Key advantages of ETFs: tax benefits, liquidity, transparency, and lower minimum investments
• How ETF structure makes diversified investing more accessible to everyday people

Jesus as a Model for Engagement (7:39-12:03)

• Gibson shares insights from her Kingdom Advisors conference presentation
• Examines how Jesus engaged with sinners rather than avoiding them
• Applies this model to faith-driven investing: avoid, seek, engage framework
• Makes the case for strategic engagement with companies rather than only screening them out

The "Sullivan Principles" and Christian Influence (12:03-15:19)

• Coleman discusses how the Episcopal Church's 1971 engagement with GM over apartheid led to industry-wide change
• How Christians can use capital ownership to influence corporate behavior
• The missed opportunity when Christians only avoid rather than engage

Research on Faith-Aligned Investing (20:50-24:24)

• Praxis research reveals significant gap between investor desires and advisor actions
• 70-85% of investors want values-aligned options while only 9% of advisors initiate these conversations
• Evidence that clients are making investments outside advisor relationships when values-alignment isn't offered

Tariffs and Market Analysis (29:01-41:42)

• Comprehensive breakdown of the Trump administration's tariff strategy and goals
• Analysis of four key administration objectives: reducing trade deficits, leveling playing fields, securing critical supply chains, and changing allies' position toward China
• Coleman's five-point framework for achieving a "soft landing" through modest and reciprocal tariffs

Market Outlook and Behavioral Finance (42:11-47:05)

• Disconnect between resilient economic data and fearful consumer/investor sentiment
• The phenomenon of "home bias" in investment portfolios
• The importance of maintaining business confidence to avoid recession despite uncertainty

Closing Thoughts on Human Dignity in Economics (48:33-53:19)

• Discussion of valuing human contributions beyond productive capacity
• Faith perspective on economic disruption from AI and technology advancement
• Biblical frameworks for approaching economic uncertainty with confidence

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 his greatest business advantage.

Join us for this special joint episode of the Faith Driven Investor & Entrepreneur podcast. 

• Travis shares his recent experience meeting Jack Nicklaus and John Maxwell, highlighting Nicklaus's emphasis on family over golf achievements
• The powerful story of Travis's brain tumor in 2016, requiring him to relearn basic functions
• His wife Jacqueline's cancer diagnosis and the emotional journey of shaving her head during chemotherapy
• The doctor telling Travis to "prepare as if she's gone" and taking his daughters to San Diego while contemplating single fatherhood
• How these health crises fundamentally changed his approach to business success and identity

• 49 Financial's three-pillar strategy: handling more complex issues, offering more services, and building more community
• The company's focus on young advisors (22-year-olds) in an industry where the average advisor is in their upper 50s
• How 49 Financial is addressing the industry-wide 9% retention rate for new advisors
• Travis's shift from "quantity over quality" to "quality over quantity" in building his business
• His vision for bridging the gap between aging advisors with trillions in assets and the next generation

• How facing mortality transformed Travis's relationship with God and clarity about priorities
• The role of childlike faith in entrepreneurship versus the challenges of maintaining bold faith as a business matures
• Using their platform to help clients turn "tax dollars into giving dollars" through strategic charitable planning
• The daily struggle of enjoying present moments while awaiting his wife's five-year cancer-free milestone

• "I think maybe a lot of entrepreneurs out there, it is so easy, even as believers, to make our business our identity. And it's such a sneak."
• "It puts you in a different place in your faith when each one of you experience the thought of losing the other one within a day."
• "If the business doesn't make it, it's okay. If the business does hit that growth goal, it's okay... I'm going home to my bride."
• "My heart and why 49, as long as I'm around, is going to be for the young person."
• "We're going to turn tax dollars into giving dollars."

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 generators vs. inflation drivers
• Rising recession probability (now 35-40%) amid continued uncertainty
• The "Magnificent 7" tech stocks' slowing cash flow and what it means for portfolios
• Geopolitical outlook for Russia/Ukraine, Middle East tensions, and China's vulnerabilities
• What could restore market confidence in coming months
• Future of M&A activity and IPO markets amid regulatory changes
• Faith-driven investing insights and the need for patience in volatile times

Bob shares his current recession probability assessment and what economic indicators he's watching closely. The discussion explores how the administration's aggressive early moves—particularly around tariffs and budget cutting—are creating short-term market turbulence but could potentially lead to economic benefits if properly executed.

The conversation concludes with personal reflections on patience, humility, and maintaining proper perspective as faith-driven investors during uncertain economic times.

Recorded on April 1, 2025

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 buy 100 acres evolved into a strategy for acquiring thousands of acres
• Why the Mississippi alluvial aquifer makes the Mid-South an attractive region for farmland investment
• The price convergence thesis between Mid-South and Midwest farmland (currently 8,000 vs 15,000 per acre)
• How LandFund Partners differentiates itself through regenerative farming practices on 100% of their properties
• The implementation of cover crops and no-till farming to restore soil health
• The three-year timeframe to see results from regenerative practices in the Mid-South
• How building regional "pods" of farmland creates greater value than the sum of individual parcels
• The importance of being good stewards of both the land and community relationships
• Farmland as an inflation hedge and "gold with a coupon" that generates consistent cash flow
• The long-term appreciation potential of farmland (5.2% annually since WWII, 6.2% in their region)

Connect with LandFund Partners: Visit landfundpartners.com to learn more about their farmland investment strategy and regenerative approach to agriculture.

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.

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 place for the Christian financial industry
• Offers the Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) designation - the only designation for biblically-wise financial advice accepted by most major Wall Street firms
• Conference grew 40% in past two years to 2,700 attendees, significantly outpacing industry norms

Industry Trends:

• Financial advice evolving from product-driven to values-driven approaches
• Christian investors increasingly want their faith reflected in every domain of life, including money decisions
• Major financial firms recognize that connecting with clients at a values level creates better outcomes for everyone
• Industry acceptance of faith-based investing products and communities growing rapidly

Market Opportunity:

• Approximately 350,000 client-facing financial planners in the US
• Estimated 90,000 practicing Christians in the field (26%)
• Kingdom Advisors currently serves about 4,000 members with 1,700 having earned the CKA designation
• Christians hold an estimated $20+ trillion in investable assets

Next Generation Focus:

• 250 undergraduate students from 25 universities attended the conference
• Eight universities now offer CKA alongside CFP (Certified Financial Planner) programs
• With 38% of financial advisors retiring in next decade (average age 55), demand for next-gen advisors is high
• Students now graduating ready to enter the industry with faith-aligned perspectives from day one

Evolution of Faith-Based Investing:

• Moving beyond just "avoiding" certain investments to "embracing" impact investments
• Growing focus on deploying capital to solve problems and create positive change
• Increased emphasis on engagement through proxy votes and shareholder resolutions
• Next generation of inheritors viewing wealth differently, prioritizing impact alongside returns

Market Commentary:

• Despite current market volatility and uncertainty, biblical principles of economics and wealth creation provide stability
• Return to more normalized cost of capital (8-12% interest rates) reflects historical norms after decades of artificially low rates
• Faith-driven investors can find peace by anchoring to timeless truths rather than timely market fluctuations

Closing Wisdom:

• From Ecclesiastes 7:12: "Wisdom is a shelter, as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: wisdom preserves those who have it."
• True wisdom is not just intellectual mastery or best practices—it's knowing Christ personally

Featured Guest:

• Rob West, CEO of Kingdom Advisors and host of the nationally syndicated Faith and Finance radio program

Resources Mentioned:

• Kingdom Advisors Annual Conference "Redeeming Money"
• Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) designation
• Faith and Finance radio program (faithfi.com)

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 to create sustainable housing solutions in developing nations. Brett discusses the challenges and opportunities of operating at the intersection of faith, innovation, and social impact, while sharing powerful stories of lives transformed through their work.

Key topics include:

• The genesis of New Story and Brett's calling to tackle the global housing crisis
• How faith informs New Story's approach to innovation and community development
• The role of technology in creating scalable housing solutions
• Building sustainable funding models that combine philanthropy with innovation
• Lessons learned from working in developing nations
• The importance of dignity and community in housing solutions
• How faith-driven investors can participate in transformative housing initiatives

This episode offers valuable insights for investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in how faith-driven innovation can create lasting social impact while building God's kingdom through practical solutions to real-world challenges.

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 building positive cultures. They share their enthusiasm for what's happening in faith-driven entertainment, including the much-anticipated House of David, and discuss how Christians are reclaiming their legacy of cultural excellence. You'll hear about exciting innovations in real estate investment through Apartment Life's powerful ministry model, and learn how venture capital firms like Eagle Venture Fund are tackling human trafficking head-on.

The conversation wraps up with John sharing his perspective on today's market dynamics, from groundbreaking AI developments to major policy shifts shaping 2025. Throughout their discussion, Richard and John highlight an inspiring truth: Christians can achieve remarkable success not despite their biblical values, but because of them. 

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 pivotal experience with a Haiti-based enterprise
• Dana's initial resistance to faith-aligned investing and her eventual embrace of integrating faith with investment decisions

Exploration of the three key approaches to solving world problems: building, investing, and giving 

• How Pilgrim Foundation balances all three approaches
• The role of charitable capital in catalyzing transformational businesses

Insights on family stewardship: 

• Suzanne's experience discussing money and inheritance with transparency
• The upcoming book "Stewards Not Owners: The Joy of Aligning Your Money with Your Faith" by Dana and Bill Wichterman

Current state of faith-driven investing: 

• Progress in available investment options and advisory services
• Need for more accessible options for non-accredited investors
• Importance of developing spiritual metrics and standardized measurement frameworks

Details about the Global Faith Driven Investor Conference: 

• Date: February 7th, 2025
• Theme: Courageous Capital
• Featured speakers including Jeremy Lin
• 122+ global watch parties
• Registration available at Faith Driven Investor website