Barry and Linda Rowan share their personal journeys of faith, exploring the intersection of work and spirituality. They discuss the importance of finding meaning in work, the power of surrender, and the role of generosity and stewardship in their lives. Barry introduces his book, 'The Spiritual Art of Business,' which aims to help individuals discover a life-giving perspective on work through guided meditations and reflections. The couple emphasizes the significance of living fully for God and the transformative power of surrendering one's life to Him

About our Guests

Barry Rowan

Barry Rowan is a Harvard Business School graduate who spent his entire career serving in C-Suite roles. He has been instrumental in building and transforming eight businesses, primarily in the technology and communication space, with one selling for $10 billion. His leadership experience spans both private and public companies, including Gogo (the inflight connectivity company), Vonage, Nextel Partners, and Fluke Corporation.

Based on his belief in giving back, Barry serves on both for-profit and non-profit boards, mentors young leaders, and leads international study trips. His non-profit boards have included InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Seattle Pacific University, Gordon College, the Gonzaga University Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, and advisory boards for Harvard Business School. He also served as president of Bellevue Christian School.

Deeply immersed in Scripture and the classic spiritual writers, Barry is deeply committed to contemplation and prayer which led him to complete a month-long silent retreat immediately following his retirement from a full-time executive career. His friends have dubbed him a “corporate mystic.”

Barry is married to Linda, his wife of over forty-two years, and they have two adult sons. Together they are now engaged in multiple lines of service including walking with the poor and investing in the next generation of leaders. Their commitment to the poor has taken them to Central America over twenty times. They are members of the National Leadership Council of World Vision and support local organizations breaking the poverty cycle through sustainable programs.

Linda Rowan

Linda earned her CPA and worked first in public accounting and then in corporate accounting, spending ten years in financial management roles with Hewlett-Packard before retiring to become a “tennis shoe mom”. As a “community entrepreneur”, she has started and led prayer groups, co-chaired capital campaigns, started the Parent Advisory Council at Seattle Pacific University, and invests her time in event planning for many non-profit organizations. Linda has served on nonprofit Boards for the past 40 years and is currently investing her time on the Legatus Denver Board, is a member of the Christianity Today President’s Council, World Vision National Leadership Council and Strong Women Strong World Advisory Council.

Linda and Barry combined their heart for the poor and investing in the next generation of Christ-following leaders as they led six trips to Central America with their family and Harvard graduate students. Based on their desire to continue investing in the intergenerational friendships formed on these trips, they designed a three-year experience called “An adventure with God” based on living a surrendered life: As God transforms us, he transforms the world through us. Linda is passionate about breaking the poverty cycle through sustainable programs with a current focus on bringing clean water and education to the “least of these” in remote areas of Central America.

In her spare time Linda enjoys skiing, golfing, biking, and traveling (she has visited all 50 states with their sons and visited 26 countries). Barry and Linda welcomed two beautiful daughters-in-law into the family and have three wonderful grandchildren.

Resources mentioned

The Spiritual Art of Business: https://www.ivpress.com/the-spiritual-art-of-business

On this episode, Eric and Laurie interview Jeff Shafer, CEO and co-founder of Common Good Capital. They discuss impact investing and how aligning investments with values can make a positive impact on people's lives. Jeff shares his personal journey and how a back surgery and subsequent crisis led him to shift his focus to impact investing. He explains the work of Common Good Capital in sourcing, due diligence, and educating wealth advisors to help investors align their investments with their values. Jeff also provides examples of impact investments in affordable housing, environmental stewardship, lending to small and medium-sized enterprises, and supporting formerly incarcerated individuals.

About Jeff

After graduating from Wheaton College (IL) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Biblical Studies, Jeff married Shelly, his wife of over 20 years. Jeff has always been passionate about the financial industry and has worked with Morgan Stanley and TriLinc (a leading impact investing fund sponsor), while spending the majority of his time, 18 ½ years, with CNL, a leading alternative investment asset manager. Jeff served in multiple senior leadership roles, and as President, led his team in raising nearly $9 billion in capital. During his time at CNL, Jeff earned a Master of Business Administration from Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College (FL) and also holds the Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Consultant designations, as well as FINRA Series 7, 24, 63 and 79 licenses. Today, Jeff is co-founder and CEO of CommonGood Capital where he sets the strategic direction and leads the team day to day on this exciting journey.

Jeff has served on numerous boards including the United Way and Board of Advisors for Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College. Today he serves on the Doug Holliday Ministries Board, NCF Advisory Board, Chair of Elevation Scholar Foundation, Alumni Board of Wheaton College and The Geneva School Board of Directors.

Jeff and Shelly settled in Winter Park, FL in 2004 where they love doing life together, whether around the dinner table, or keeping up with their two children, Ellie and Nick, who are both college-bound shortly. You will often find Jeff reading non-fiction books, cycling, cheering on his beloved Oregon Ducks or tinkering around on their acreage out in the country with the family dog, Calvin, a black and tan coon hound. He also is deeply passionate about men and women who are incarcerated, and one day wants to create an impact fund that benefits both these ex-offenders and investors.

Takeaways

• Impact investing involves aligning investments with values to make a positive impact on people's lives.

• Investing with a focus on impact can bring joy and freedom, in addition to financial returns.

• Common Good Capital sources, conducts due diligence, and educates wealth advisors to help investors align their investments with their values.

• Examples of impact investments include affordable housing, environmental stewardship, lending to small and medium-sized enterprises, and supporting formerly incarcerated individuals. Impact investing focuses on both financial returns and positive social and environmental impact.

• Due diligence is crucial when evaluating impact investments, including assessing the manager or sponsor, understanding the investment thesis, and considering the impact and faith integration.

• Individuals can use their charitable capital for impact investing, and financial advisors can help facilitate these investments.

• Generosity should be thought of more broadly, and investing in causes can have a lasting impact.

• Investing requires faith and a willingness to take risks, trusting that the outcomes are in God's hands.

Connect with Jeff

Website: https://commongoodcap.com/

A New Lens Podcast: https://commongoodcap.com/podcast/

In this final episode of our summer series, we wanted to feature a phenomenal conversation Eric and Laurie had with Entrepreneur, Speaker, and author Pete Ochs. They discuss four simple but powerful principles that bear on creating Economic, Social and Spiritual Capital. When brought together they result in a High Impact LIFE

About Pete

Pete Ochs is founder and chairman of Capital III, an impact investment company with investments in the US and Central America. Enterprise Stewardship is an initiative of Capital III that equips marketplace leaders with resources to transform their personal LIFE and business enterprises. During his four decades in business he has invested and operated companies in the energy, manufacturing, banking, and education sectors, often times focusing on places devoid of human flourishing such as prisons and poverty-stricken countries. Pete’s passion in life is to educate, equip, and empower business leaders around the world to live for something greater than themselves by using their business platform to impact the world for Christ.

Pete lives by four simple principles: Honor God; Serve People; Pursue Excellence; and Steward Capital. These four simple but powerful principles when brought to bear on creating Economic, Social and Spiritual Capital result in a High Impact LIFE.

Before launching his impact investment company Capital III, Pete spent 8 years in the commercial banking industry. Pete and his wife Debbie have been instrumental in founding and growing several nonprofit enterprises. They live in Valley Center, Kansas. They have 2 children and 8 grandchildren.

Pete’s first book, “A High Impact LIFE,” and other leadership resources are available at www.EnterpriseStewardship.com.

Connect with Pete

https://www.peteochs.com/;

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-ochs/