Faith Driven Investor

Episode 216 - Marks on the Market: America's Push to Reshore U.S. Manufacturing | Steve Cook (LFM Capital)

Faith Driven Investor Podcast - Episode 216Join hosts Richard Cunningham and Luke Roush as they sit down with Steve Cook, Executive Managing Director of LFM Capital, for a deep dive into the state of US manufacturing and the reshoring revolution transforming American industry. From the deck of an aircraft carrier to the shop floor to private equity boardrooms, Steve brings a unique perspective on what it takes to build manufacturing companies that strengthen both portfolios and national security.Key Investment Topics:The economics of reshoring: Why major manufacturers are bringing supply chains back to the USLFM Capital's operator-led approach to buyout private equity in manufacturingHow tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions are reshaping investment opportunitiesWhy aerospace, defense, and B2B manufacturing offer compelling risk-adjusted returnsThe role of leadership and operational excellence in driving EBITDA margins and enterprise valueInterest rates, deal flow, and the creative structuring required in today's PE marketPowerful Quotes:"We won World War One and Two predominantly because we had a strong industrial base that could step up and pivot when the country needed it. We're woefully unprepared for World War Three." - Steve Cook"It costs more to hire an English-speaking manager in China than it does in the US today. Labor cost equilibrium is happening faster than anyone expected." - Steve Cook"The absolute worst form of ownership I've ever seen is 50/50. Someone has to make the final decision - that's true in a company and true in a marriage." - Steve CookEpisode Description:What does it take to rebuild American manufacturing in an era of global uncertainty? Steve Cook knows firsthand. As a former Navy fighter pilot who flew combat missions during Desert Shield, then an operations leader at Dell managing 2,200 manufacturing employees, Steve brings unparalleled shop floor DNA to private equity investing. Now leading LFM Capital - a buyout firm exclusively focused on US manufacturing - he's witnessing the early stages of a reshoring revolution that could reshape both the American economy and investment portfolios.This episode cuts through the headlines to reveal what's really happening on the ground with US manufacturing. Steve explains why companies are finally bringing production back home, which industries offer the most compelling opportunities, and how LFM's operator-first approach generates returns by elevating leadership and operational excellence rather than financial engineering. From the impact of Liberation Day tariffs to the quiet convergence of global labor costs, from AI's limited role on today's shop floor to the creative deal structures emerging in a higher interest rate environment, this conversation delivers actionable insights for investors seeking exposure to the manufacturing renaissance.Steve also vulnerably shares lessons from Genesis on leadership, partnership, and the biblical principles that shape both his marriage and LFM's investment philosophy - including why 50/50 ownership structures consistently fail and what that reveals about decision-making authority in both business and family.Guest Background:Steve Cook is Executive Managing Director of LFM Capital, a Nashville-based private equity firm investing exclusively in US manufacturing companies. A graduate of the US Naval Academy and MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing program, Steve flew F/A-18s off aircraft carriers for seven years before transitioning to operations leadership roles at Dell and venture-backed technology companies. At LFM, he leads a team of operators and engineers who partner with manufacturing CEOs to build enterprise value through operational excellence, not financial engineering. Steve and his wife Shannon live in Nashville and are active members of Long Hollow Church.

Episode 215 - Why NASCAR Legend Carl Edwards Walked Away at His Peak

Faith Driven Investor Podcast - Episode 215Carl Edwards, NASCAR Hall of Famer and one of the 75 greatest drivers of all time, sits down with host John Coleman to share his remarkable journey from a Columbia, Missouri Volkswagen shop to the pinnacle of motorsports—and his courageous decision to walk away from it all at age 36.This conversation goes far beyond racing. Carl vulnerably discusses the dangers of building identity on performance, the cost of fame, and the miraculous moment on a mountaintop that transformed his understanding of faith. He opens up about stewarding wealth with a scarcity mindset, prioritizing marriage over children, and why he risked his family's entire $18,000 life savings on a single race car.Key Topics:The entrepreneurial hustle required to break into NASCAR from MissouriBuilding and losing identity through professional success and public imageWalking away from a championship-caliber ride and guaranteed income to prioritize familyA powerful conversion story involving Stephen Garber and a mountaintop ambushWrestling with generosity and stewardship after growing up with financial scarcityWhy loving your spouse well is the greatest gift you can give your childrenNotable Quotes:"I'm gonna keep racing for another 10 years. I'm going to hit my head another 25 times. 30 years from now, I'll be on the other end of this phone. My son will be sitting on the stairs. I don't know my kids. They'll resent me for everything I did. And I'll have given my life away." - Carl Edwards"If my mom didn't take that risk with everything she had and hang onto it that loosely, it was her life savings. I mean, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you." - Carl Edwards"In my soul, when it made no sense to anyone else, I knew that this thing driving a race car was important to me, I loved it purely, and chasing that became such a wonderful adventure that yielded so much fruit." - Carl Edwards

Episode 214 - Marks on the Market: Kicking off 2026 in the Markets & Economy | Brandon Pizzurro

Join Richard Cunningham and John Coleman for the first Marks on the Markets episode of 2026 as they welcome Brandon Pizzurro, President & Chief Investment Officer at GuideStone Capital Management, to unpack what investors need to know heading into the new year. After three consecutive years of double-digit returns, the conversation explores whether markets can sustain this momentum, the future of AI investing, and the opportunities emerging in small caps and private markets.Key Investment Topics:Market outlook after three straight years of 20%+ returns and where opportunities lie in 2026The Mag 7 dominance: Will small and mid-cap stocks finally see their rotation moment?Federal Reserve policy expectations and why current rates may be historically appropriatePrivate equity and IPO markets thawing after years of constrained liquidityGeopolitical shocks to watch: Iran, Venezuela, and international market divergenceAI's impact on productivity, employment, and whether we're entering a new economic eraNotable Quotes:"Breathless is probably one word. Just coming off three straight years like that, you always wanna protect on the downside. You wanna think about how things can go wrong. And when they don't for a third year in a row, you wanted to catch your breath and really take stock of what just happened." - Brandon Pizzurro"This is the Lord's capital that we're all stewarding, and we need to remember that as we kind of start the year off again. We have a charge here for our investors, but I think it's important to take a moment and be present, be thinking about why you're doing what you're doing." - Brandon Pizzurro"We are people under authority and it's easy to forget that sometimes. When we receive word from God, whether that be through scripture, whether that be through prayer or insight or inspiration, we are intended to execute against that will." - John ColemanAbout the Guests:Brandon Pizzurro serves as Managing Director at GuideStone Capital Management in Dallas, Texas, bringing sophisticated market analysis with a faith-driven perspective on stewardship and investing. John Coleman is a Managing Partner at Sovereign's Capital and regular co-host of the Marks on the Markets series, known for his thoughtful integration of economic analysis with Kingdom principles.This episode offers both tactical market insights and strategic wisdom for faith-driven investors navigating what promises to be a consequential year in financial markets.

Episode 213 - Seeds vs. Silos: A Sneak Peek of the 2026 FDI Conference

Join hosts Henry Kaestner, Justin Forman, and Luke Roush as they preview the upcoming 2026 Faith Driven Investor Conference, exploring the transformative theme "Seeds vs. Silos" and what it means for how we steward capital in service of God's kingdom.Key Investment Topics:Understanding the J-curve of investing and why seed capital requires patience before bearing fruitThe convergence of giving, investing, and building into unified asset allocation focused on missionFirst-loss capital strategies: How philanthropic capital can unlock larger investment tranchesThe urgency of African investment: Addressing 80% of the world's poor by 2030 through market-driven solutionsRedefining risk from an eternal perspective rather than purely financial metricsPowerful Quotes:"We're planting these seeds and the seeds are planted in the ground and they go down. And with the J-curve, all of a sudden it's underground, it doesn't look like it's great, and then it comes back up someplace further away, far enough away from where you planted it so that maybe you don't even get credit for it." - Henry Kaestner"It's not a failure of the system, usually, in terms of people using the platform God's given them. It's usually a failure of nerve." - Luke Roush"The tragedy is when you go into some of these dark places, tragically we find that darkness is more coordinated than the church." - Justin FormanEpisode Description:Six years into the Faith Driven Investor Conference journey, the movement has reached an inflection point. What began as storming and forming is now transforming into coordinated action as investors, advisors, and fund managers converge around a unified mission: solving the world's greatest problems under God's power for His glory.This preview episode unpacks the conference theme "Seeds vs. Silos," challenging investors to move beyond accumulation mindsets (the barns and silos of our age) toward scattering seeds that grow underground before bearing fruit in unexpected places. Henry, Justin, and Luke explore how the J-curve of investing mirrors spiritual growth—requiring faith during the valley period when capital is deployed but results aren't yet visible.The conversation addresses critical shifts in the faith-driven investing ecosystem: the three-sided marketplace now including river guide advisors, the convergence of philanthropic and investment capital into unified asset allocation maps, and real-world examples of first-loss capital unlocking larger investment opportunities in emerging markets. With top-quartile performers now visible across virtually every asset class—from multifamily real estate to African venture funds—the movement has matured beyond feel-good stories to demonstrable excellence because of, not despite, biblical values. The hosts issue a clarion call for urgent action in Africa, where 80% of the world's poor will live by 2030, and challenge investors to rethink risk from an eternal perspective rather than merely financial metrics.

Episode 212 - How The Chosen Went From $0 to 520 Million Viewers | Chris & Chad

Behind The Chosen: Faith, Film, and the Fight for CultureJoin host John Coleman on the set of The Chosen in Midlothian, Texas, for an unprecedented conversation with producers Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen of Out of Order Studios. From the Sanhedrin throne room itself, Chris and Chad share the untold story of how a crowdfunded Jesus project became a global phenomenon reaching 520 million people—and what it means for faith-driven investors seeking to impact culture through entertainment.Key Investment & Industry Topics:Why entertainment investment requires a platform approach, not one-off project betsHow The Chosen scaled from $0 budget for episode 5 to a multi-season global franchiseThe three investment pillars for cultural impact: spark the next generation, build infrastructure, create contentWhy investors should think like oil drillers: invest in a slate of 10 films, not just oneThe unpredictable nature of entertainment returns and how to approach risk wiselyBuilding production companies that operate between $1M-$150M budgets with studio-level qualityPowerful Quotes:"I'm tired of crappy Christian content. God doesn't want your crap. He calls us to be excellent." - Chad Gundersen"Christians yielded culture, then got mad when culture went bad. Fine, it's risky, but is it worth the risk?" - Chris Juen"Platforms, not projects. How do you get around the most excellent people in the industry who have a slate of content and invest in that diversified platform?" - John ColemanAbout the Guests:Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen are the co-founders of Out of Order Studios and executive producers of The Chosen, the largest crowdfunded media project in history. Chris brings 20 years of studio experience from major productions including Contact, Spider-Man, and Polar Express, while Chad contributed 20 years of independent filmmaking expertise. Together, they've pioneered a hybrid production model that delivers studio-quality content at independent budgets—proving that faith-driven content can compete at the highest levels of entertainment while maintaining both artistic excellence and fiscal responsibility.Their production philosophy centers on creating environments where cast and crew are valued, where believers and non-believers alike can experience the gospel through excellent storytelling, and where investors can participate in cultural transformation through strategic, well-managed capital deployment.