The March 2026 Marks on the Markets episode arrives at a defining moment: a major U.S.-Israel military operation in Iran, a cracking AI investment thesis, and a small-cap rotation that may finally be underway. Richard Cunningham brings together John Coleman, Matt Monson of Sovereign’s Capital, and Brian McClard of Blue Trust for an unfiltered look at what faith-driven investors need to know right now.

From the Strait of Hormuz to the SaaS sector’s identity crisis, the panel unpacks how geopolitics and technology are reshaping capital allocation. Matt Monson delivers a compelling breakdown of AI capex math — explaining why $600 billion in annual spending across four companies may require 10x the entire U.S. enterprise software market in new AI revenue just to break even. Brian McClard weighs in on housing affordability, passive investing risks, and why the labor market’s softening deserves nuanced interpretation, not panic. John Coleman previews his new book Good Money and makes the case for renewed optimism in private equity and venture markets.

This episode also closes with a powerful reminder of what it means to steward capital with eternal perspective — grounded in 1 Timothy and Isaiah 6.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction & Panel Welcome

01:14 Operation Epic: U.S.-Israel Strike on Iran

09:01 Energy Markets & the Strait of Hormuz

11:39 Is the Global Economy More Insulated from Oil Shocks?

17:05 Iran Regime Change: Spectrum of Outcomes

18:29 AI & the Magnificent 7: Where Did the Gains Come From?

20:53 AI Capex Math: The $300 Billion Depreciation Problem

22:30 The SaaS Disruption — What Business Models Survive?

26:05 Small Cap vs. Large Cap: The 100-Year Streak

28:05 Structural Change or Cyclical Rotation?

31:25 IPO Market in 2026: SpaceX, Anthropic & OpenAI

33:22 Passive Investing & Market Concentration Risk

36:29 Labor Market: AI Displacement or Fear-Mongering?

42:33 Inflation & Rate Policy Update

44:32 Housing Affordability: Supply Problem, Not a Rate Problem

45:39 Private Markets: PE, Venture, Real Estate & Credit

49:59 Closing Insights & Investor Wisdom

51:26 John Coleman Previews Good Money

53:40 What Is God Teaching You? — Final Word

What happens when biblical stewardship meets Wall Street? Rob West, CEO of Kingdom Advisors and host of the Faith-Fi radio program reaching over a million Christians weekly, joins John Coleman to map the seismic shift underway in Christian financial advice—and the $22 trillion opportunity still waiting to be unlocked.

Kingdom Advisors has grown from Larry Burkett’s original 16 CFPs to a network of 4,000 advisors, with 2,000 holding the Certified Kingdom Advisor designation—the gold standard for biblically-wise financial planning. Rob unpacks groundbreaking research showing CKA clients are twice as likely to report significantly increased giving, and that advisor satisfaction skyrockets when faith and vocation fully align. With demand for faith-based investing jumping from 20% to 50% of advisor searches in a single year, the data is clear: the market is ready.

From the role of AI in values-based planning to collaborative giving funds, generational wealth transfer, and 11 Christian universities training the next generation of Kingdom Advisors, this conversation covers the full landscape of where faith-driven finance is headed—and why now may be the most important moment in its history.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction & Kingdom Advisors Overview

02:18 From Larry Burkett’s 16 CFPs to 4,000 Advisors

05:30 The Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) Designation

07:49 Breaking News: Trends in Values-Based Financial Advice

10:16 AI and the Future of the Faith-Driven Advisor

11:51 Pinkston Research: Data on CKA Client Outcomes

13:07 Advising Christian Clients: What Makes It Different

14:43 Closing the Gap: Faith Values & Investment Portfolios

16:15 Faith-Based Investing Universe: Growth & Opportunity

18:40 Strategic Generosity & Collaborative Giving Funds

22:13 Faith-Fi Radio: 2,000 Stations & Consumer Ministry

24:14 Kingdom Advisors Conference & Study Groups

28:45 The Conference Origin Story: From 70 to 3,100

29:38 The Great Wealth Transfer & Next-Gen Stewardship

31:51 Vision for Kingdom Advisors: The Next 30 Years

35:11 How to Get Involved with Kingdom Advisors

The manufacturing renaissance is here – but not in the way most investors think. Steve Cook, Executive Managing Director of LFM Capital, pulls back the curtain on what’s actually driving the reshoring of US production, which sectors offer the best risk-adjusted returns, and why operator-led private equity is outperforming financial engineering approaches in today’s market.

As a former Navy fighter pilot and Dell manufacturing leader who managed 2,200 shop floor employees, Steve brings rare perspective to both the strategic importance and investment potential of American manufacturing. He explains why major companies are finally bringing 100% of supply chains back to the US, how global labor costs have converged faster than expected (English-speaking managers now cost more in China than the US), and why the combination of quality issues, logistics challenges, and geopolitical risk has made reshoring economically compelling.

This episode delivers specific insights on deal flow, valuation multiples, creative financing structures, and the role of interest rates in shaping the PE market. Steve also shares surprising data on AI’s limited current impact on manufacturing floors, why aerospace and defense warrant long-term allocation, and how LFM evaluates EBITDA margins and leadership quality when underwriting investments. He closes with profound reflections on Genesis, marriage, partnership structures, and why 50/50 ownership consistently fails in both business and relationships.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

01:43 Steve Cook’s Background and LFM Capital Overview

03:20 Shop Floor DNA: Operators vs Deal Partners in Private Equity

06:43 Leadership Training and the LFM Difference

08:25 The Reshoring Movement: Why US Manufacturing Matters

11:45 Events That Woke America Up to Manufacturing Vulnerability

15:26 Trump 2.0, Liberation Day Tariffs, and Trade Data

17:10 Manufacturing Employment vs Revenue: The Real Story

19:26 Economic Strength Equals Military Strength

21:23 Which Industries Must the US Control?

22:08 Tax Policy, Labor Costs, and the Reshoring Formula

25:35 China Labor Convergence: Managers Now Cost More

26:53 High EBITDA Margins and Free Cash Flow Fundamentals

27:34 AI on the Manufacturing Floor: Reality vs Hype

32:09 The 3D Printing Myth and What Actually Works

33:01 The PE Deal Market: Slow 2024 and Creative Structuring

36:45 Landing on Aircraft Carriers vs Leading Through Uncertainty

40:06 Interest Rates and Their Impact on PE Transactions

41:22 Genesis, Marriage, and 50/50 Ownership Structures

46:43 Why Biblical Partnership Principles Work in Private Equity

Join host John Coleman for an intimate conversation with NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards, recorded at the Main Street Summit in Carl’s hometown of Columbia, Missouri.

Carl Edwards shares one of the most compelling retirement stories in professional sports. After finishing just laps away from winning the 2016 championship in the best equipment of his career, Carl walked away from a guaranteed multi-million dollar contract to prioritize his family and preserve his cognitive health. But the journey to that decision reveals even more about identity, stewardship, and what it means to build a life of true significance.

From making fake IDs to race at 15 to sweeping floors just to be near a NASCAR truck team, Carl’s entrepreneurial hustle took him from a Volkswagen repair shop in Columbia, Missouri to Victory Lane at the sport’s highest level. Along the way, he learned hard lessons about building identity on performance, the intoxication and devastation of fame, and why Jimmy Johnson became his model for how to compete with integrity.

Carl vulnerably discusses his conversion to faith through a “mountaintop ambush” orchestrated by Brent Beshore and Stephen Garber, his ongoing struggle with scarcity mindset despite financial success, and why his mother’s willingness to risk their family’s entire $18,000 life savings on a race car shaped his understanding of generosity. He also shares why prioritizing his marriage to Kate above his children has become his greatest parenting strategy.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction at Main Street Summit

02:40 Growing up in Columbia, Missouri racing scene

04:23 The entrepreneurial hustle to break into NASCAR

10:05 Landing the big break with Jack Roush

13:04 The discipline and focus required at the highest level

15:25 Fame, identity crisis, and the facade

18:03 Welcome to the league: Mark Martin’s lesson

20:15 Moments of pure joy in the race car

23:24 Jimmy Johnson’s model of competitive excellence

25:00 Marriage to Kate and balancing family with racing

27:51 The retirement decision that shocked the sport

31:01 Loss of identity after walking away

33:23 The mountaintop conversion story

37:53 Life today: stewarding wealth and raising kids

42:19 Being the dad your kids need to see

45:11 Following the stirring in your soul

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 gains, the question on every investor’s mind is whether this generational bull run can continue—and where the next opportunities lie.

Brandon and John unpack the surprises of 2025, including Liberation Day’s muted economic impact, the ongoing Mag 7 dominance, and why markets continue to reward mega-cap stocks despite stretched valuations. The conversation explores whether 2026 will finally bring the long-anticipated rotation to small and mid-cap stocks, what Fed policy changes to expect, and why private equity and IPO markets are poised for a significant thawing after years of constrained liquidity.

Beyond market mechanics, this episode addresses the stewardship questions that matter most to faith-driven investors: How do we navigate unprecedented market concentration? What does it mean to invest with eternal perspective when returns have been extraordinary? And how do we balance gratitude for God’s provision with wisdom about potential risks ahead?

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Holiday Reflections

00:39 Welcome to Marks on the Markets 2026

02:28 Looking Back at 2025: What Surprised Us

02:58 Liberation Day and Market Resilience

05:05 Tariff Policy and Supreme Court Implications

08:42 Market Outlook for 2026

09:21 Brandon’s Temperature Check on Markets

10:26 John’s Bullish Case for the Economy

14:04 Shock and Awe: 10 Headlines in 10 Trading Days

15:09 Mag 7 Dominance vs. Small Cap Opportunity

19:12 Market Concentration Concerns

20:28 Interest Rate Sensitivity and Small Caps

21:06 Fed Policy: How Many Cuts in 2026?

24:07 The Future of the Federal Reserve

26:08 John’s Defense of the Fed System

28:24 AI’s Impact on Employment and Productivity

30:32 Productivity Growth and the National Debt

32:48 Private Equity and IPO Markets Thawing

34:47 The Private vs. Public Market Conundrum

37:54 Could Apple Buy OpenAI?

38:14 Geopolitical Risks and International Markets

42:04 Emerging Markets Opportunity

43:44 Spiritual Goals for 2026

44:18 Brandon: Being Present (Matthew 6:34)

45:10 John: Serving Under Authority

46:31 Closing Thoughts