53 - The Redemptive Side of Investing | Derek Kessen
03/03/23 • 57 min
How can an investment be a tool for social or spiritual good? Investing becomes redemptive when investment capital is directed toward companies or projects that align with the investor's values and contribute to social, spiritual, or environmental causes. Redemptive investing is not just to earn a financial return but also to create a positive impact on individuals and communities through socially and spiritually responsible business practices and investing strategies.
In this episode, we hear from Derek Kessen of Heron Ventures (formerly Legacy Ventures Partners), a redemptive company that provides debt and equity investments specializing in frontier and emerging markets. Derek talks about their philosophy of redemptive investing prioritizing the common good, and making a positive impact on the world while still generating returns. Derek offers insight into the challenges and opportunities of investing in redemptive business ventures, as well as the importance of intentionality and discipleship in investments. Click now and learn how they are working to reach their goal of creating jobs, and seeing economic and social flourishing.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What’s one thing that Derek is passionate about right now?
- Derek talks about his background, education, and his first job dealing with mortgage loans.
- What made Derek quit his first job?
- How Derek landed a job with the “good guys of finance”?
- What is a redemptive company and how did Derek grow professionally and spiritually?
- What made Derek leave the company after 13 years?
- Derek discusses the consulting company they’ve established, its mission, and its goals.
- What type of investments does the company make in businesses?
- Derek shares stories that highlight the redemptive side of investing.
- Derek tells his personal story with the redemptive business as a backdrop, how he has grown and changed as well as his journey of generosity.
- What is the most important thing that Derek would want to be remembered for?
- Derek answers the mentor-minute questions.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Steward Investor by Don Simmons
The Kingdom Investor Podcast on LinkedIn
About Derek Kessen
Derek is the Managing Partner of Legacy Ventures Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in Small & Medium Enterprises ("SMEs") in frontier and emerging markets in Africa and Asia. He also provides consulting and entrepreneurship training as the Founder of OnCenter Consulting in Chicago and a Core Team member of B4T.org in South Africa.
Derek has volunteered for the Mizzou Alumni Association for 13 years as an officer of the alumni chapter board in Chicago. As the chapter President (2011-2013, 2017-2019), Derek established a scholarship endowment, which has now grown to over $40,000. In 2013, Derek received MAA's Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award following the transformation of the Chicago chapter’s digital platform.
Derek studied Finance at Mizzou and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
How can an investment be a tool for social or spiritual good? Investing becomes redemptive when investment capital is directed toward companies or projects that align with the investor's values and contribute to social, spiritual, or environmental causes. Redemptive investing is not just to earn a financial return but also to create a positive impact on individuals and communities through socially and spiritually responsible business practices and investing strategies.
In this episode, we hear from Derek Kessen of Heron Ventures (formerly Legacy Ventures Partners), a redemptive company that provides debt and equity investments specializing in frontier and emerging markets. Derek talks about their philosophy of redemptive investing prioritizing the common good, and making a positive impact on the world while still generating returns. Derek offers insight into the challenges and opportunities of investing in redemptive business ventures, as well as the importance of intentionality and discipleship in investments. Click now and learn how they are working to reach their goal of creating jobs, and seeing economic and social flourishing.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What’s one thing that Derek is passionate about right now?
- Derek talks about his background, education, and his first job dealing with mortgage loans.
- What made Derek quit his first job?
- How Derek landed a job with the “good guys of finance”?
- What is a redemptive company and how did Derek grow professionally and spiritually?
- What made Derek leave the company after 13 years?
- Derek discusses the consulting company they’ve established, its mission, and its goals.
- What type of investments does the company make in businesses?
- Derek shares stories that highlight the redemptive side of investing.
- Derek tells his personal story with the redemptive business as a backdrop, how he has grown and changed as well as his journey of generosity.
- What is the most important thing that Derek would want to be remembered for?
- Derek answers the mentor-minute questions.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Steward Investor by Don Simmons
The Kingdom Investor Podcast on LinkedIn
About Derek Kessen
Derek is the Managing Partner of Legacy Ventures Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in Small & Medium Enterprises ("SMEs") in frontier and emerging markets in Africa and Asia. He also provides consulting and entrepreneurship training as the Founder of OnCenter Consulting in Chicago and a Core Team member of B4T.org in South Africa.
Derek has volunteered for the Mizzou Alumni Association for 13 years as an officer of the alumni chapter board in Chicago. As the chapter President (2011-2013, 2017-2019), Derek established a scholarship endowment, which has now grown to over $40,000. In 2013, Derek received MAA's Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award following the transformation of the Chicago chapter’s digital platform.
Derek studied Finance at Mizzou and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Previous Episode
52 - $1.5 Billion Hope for 1 Million People | Jeff Rutt
In this episode, we hear from Jeff Rutt, the founder of HOPE International, a nonprofit that provides Christ-centered microfinance services to help alleviate poverty in 24 countries around the world.
Listen now and come away with a deeper understanding of the power of faith, generosity, and service to transform lives.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What are the keys to the growth and success of his business?
- What is Jeff’s rule of thumb for debt to equity ratio?
- What are the three core principles that guide Jeff in running the company?
- What strategies does Jeff’s company use to mitigate risks in the construction industry brought about by economic and market fluctuations?
- How does Jeff’s faith impact his leadership in the business?
- Why did Jeff give away a significant portion of his company to a donor-advised fund as it is now 89% owned by charity?
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Generous Business Owner Podcast
Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
Strong and Weak by Andy Crouch
The Laws of Lifetime Growth by Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura
Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch
Toxic Charity by Robert D. Lupton
Next Episode
54 - Generational Generosity: Passing Down a Legacy of Giving | Crosland Stuart
Do you make a positive impact in your community through your generosity? Would you like to cultivate a legacy of generosity to pass down to your descendants? Join us as we sit down with Crosland Stuart, founder of Crosland & Company to discuss the importance of generational generosity.
In this episode, Crosland shares how her family instilled in her a commitment to stewardship and generosity emphasizing the importance of integrating faith into daily life. She talks about the challenges of passing down generosity to the next generation while highlighting the importance of educating and involving children early on. She reflects on her personal journey of generosity and how investing time in people's lives through discipleship and mentoring can have a greater impact than just monetary donations. Listen to the inspiring conversation now as you continue to enrich your journey through stewardship and generosity.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What is one thing that Crosland is passionate about or excited about right now?
- Crosland gives snapshots of her background and upbringing.
- Crosland discusses generosity across generations as lived out within her own family.
- Crosland talks about how other foundations succeeded at passing generosity down to the next generation.
- Crosland reflects on past failures of not practicing generosity well and the lessons learned from them.
- What are the ways that we can practice generosity outside of the typical money-giving?
- Crosland discusses the idea of good citizenship which stems from faith and generosity to the local community and has been passed down by Crosland’s grandfather to the succeeding generation.
- An example of acts of generosity that were passed down as a legacy to the younger generation.
- Crosland’s thoughts on the great wealth transfer and how we can turn it to be a blessing.
- Crosland answers the mentor-minute questions.
Tweetables:
“Generosity is not a function of wealth; it is a function of the heart.”
“It's not our dollars that are going to make the difference, it's our time. It doesn't matter how big your checks are, you need to be investing in people's lives.”
“Practice humility, generosity, gratitude, and joy. They're like muscles, if you don't use them, they atrophy.”
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
"Gentle and Lowly" by Dane Ortlund
The Kingdom Investor Podcast on LinkedIn
About Crosland Stuart
Crosland Stuart is the founder of Crosland & Company, LLC which is engaged in multiple business lines that includes communications, literary representation, foundation consulting, and family business interests. She is also a literary agent and project development specialist with Legacy, LLC. She also serves as chairperson of the E.B. Kennedy Scholarship Program Board of Directors of the E.C. Stuart Foundation which has partnered with Erskine College to annually award full scholarships for the past sixty years.
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