Alan Clayton
Global Roaming Mentor | SOSV
Alan Clayton serves as the SOSV Business Coach. Alan works directly with teams across all SOSV accelerators. He focuses much of his time on HAX Growth companies, growing hardware distribution and sales networks globally. Alan is also the creator of the “Wholebrain Startup” methodology, which focuses on fully utilizing the intellectual resources of startup founders and teams.
With experience both founding and mentoring hundreds of startups across the globe, Alan brings a wide range of expertise to team building, product development and sales, marketing, and global distribution channels. After 10 years in marketing/logistics at WalMart UK, Alan co-founded an international coaching consultancy, turning vision into action for leadership teams, including managers at Motorola, Unilever, ATT&T etc. Following that, Alan embarked on 20 years of startup experience working on his own ventures, culminating in a meeting with SOSV in 2009.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN INVESTOR
Featured
When investors start asking “What are we FOR instead of just what we’re against?” everything changes—from deal selection to due diligence to the very definition of success. In this 200th episode of Faith Driven Investor, Henry Kaestner, Luke Roush, and Richard Cunningham reflect back at where the movement started and where it is headed. What began with a handful of investors has grown into a global community spanning nearly 100 countries, yet with Christians controlling over half the world’s wealth, the opportunity ahead is staggering—and this milestone conversation exposes why we’re still in the “top of the second inning” of a fundamental shift in how capital gets deployed.
What if the biggest mutual funds in America force you to invest in companies that violate your deepest values? Robin John, CEO of Eventide Asset Management, refused to accept that trade-off and built a different path—one where capital flows toward companies that actually make the world better. In this raw conversation about his new book “The Good Investor,” discover why the question isn’t just what you won’t invest in, but what you should be rooting for every single day.
With the US credit rating downgraded and tariffs reshaping global trade, markets are sending mixed signals about what comes next. Hosts Richard Cunningham and John Coleman welcome Matt Monson, Partner of Public Equity at Sovereign’s Capital, to break down why the Magnificent Seven’s dominance might be masking hidden risks in your portfolio and how massive AI investments from Middle Eastern partners could reshape America’s economic future. From the Federal Reserve’s impossible position to the real impact of trade uncertainty on Main Street businesses, this episode cuts through the noise to reveal what investors actually need to know.
When Brent Beshore penned his annual letter reflecting on lives disassembling around him, he never expected it would resonate so deeply with business leaders and investors across the country. His invitation to step into “nothing to fear, nothing to hide” relationships offers a refreshing counterpoint to the isolation that often accompanies success in today’s achievement-oriented culture. Through his 30-year investment horizon at Permanent Equity, Beshore demonstrates how faith-informed patience might just produce better returns—both financially and humanly—than the standard “buy, lever, strip and flip” model.
ETF specialist for Praxis Investment Management Deirdre Gibson joins hosts Richard Cunningham and John Coleman in this month’s Marks on the Markets. The team tackles the market impact of Trump’s sweeping tariffs and reveal the surprising gap between what investors want and what advisors deliver. Gibson unpacks how Jesus’ engagement with sinners offers Christians a blueprint for transforming companies through investment rather than simply avoiding problematic industries. The conversation delivers concrete market analysis alongside practical insights on how investors can weather economic uncertainty while staying true to their values.
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.
Veteran market strategist Bob Doll unpacks the fifth fastest market correction since WWII and what’s driving today’s economic uncertainty. Gain insights on tariff strategy, recession probability, and how to position your portfolio during these turbulent times. Faith Driven Investors will appreciate Bob’s wisdom on markets alongside his reflections on patience and humility.
Discover how a chance meeting between a professor and student blossomed into managing 50,000 acres of premium farmland. Hear why investing in farmland with sustainable water resources offers both consistent income and long-term appreciation potential. Join Chris Morris and John Farris as they reveal how regenerative farming practices are restoring the land while delivering impressive returns for investors.
In a world where financial advice is evolving from product-driven to values-driven approaches, Kingdom Advisors CEO Rob West reveals how 2,700 Christian financial professionals are transforming the industry through biblical stewardship. With an estimated $20+ trillion in Christian wealth at stake, Wall Street firms are increasingly embracing faith-aligned investment strategies that prioritize Kingdom impact alongside returns. As Rob West reminds us, “True wisdom is not a perspective, it’s a person and His name is Jesus.”
Meet Brett Hagler, who transformed from a tech entrepreneur to pioneering market-based solutions for the global housing crisis through New Story. As one of the first nonprofits accepted into Y Combinator, New Story is revolutionizing how we think about affordable housing by combining philanthropy, technology, and investment capital to create sustainable homeownership opportunities in Latin America. Learn how New Story achieved a 100% repayment rate on their housing projects while delivering both strong financial returns and life-changing social impact for thousands of families.
John Coleman and Richard Cunningham unpack key themes from the 2025 Global Faith Driven Investor conference, exploring how faith-aligned investing is transforming various asset classes. From public markets to entertainment, real estate to venture capital, they examine how Christians are driving excellence and impact across the investment landscape. The episode concludes with timely market commentary on AI innovation, political developments, and technological disruption shaping markets in 2025.
What happens when we overcome initial reluctance to enter the world of impact investing? In this enlightening episode of Faith Driven Investor, Suzanne Daniel of the Pilgrim Foundation and Dana Wichterman of Impact Foundation share their journey from traditional philanthropy to impact investing, revealing how they’re helping create sustainable solutions for vulnerable communities worldwide. Their candid discussion explores the challenges of learning investment jargon, the importance of community in the faith-driven investment movement, and their vision for making impact investing accessible to all believers.
Join us for our first episode of 2025 as renowned investor David Bahnsen shares his insights on market valuations, economic trends, and policy implications of the upcoming Trump administration. Bahnsen, who manages $6 billion in client assets, discusses why the S&P’s high valuations may signal caution while highlighting promising opportunities in private markets. Alongside John Coleman, they explore everything from Japanese foreign investment to reflections on the dignity of work and Christian perspectives on purpose.
A raw conversation reveals how wealth’s isolation is driving an unexpected movement of faith-driven investors to find their tribe. Leaders Justin Foreman and Samantha Couch join Richard Cunningham showcase Faith Driven Investor’s global expansion in 2024, from European watch parties to intimate mastermind groups uniting investors seeking deeper purpose. Their bold message for 2025? “The riskiest thing is to do nothing” – and their growing network of Christian investors is proving it.
A groundbreaking vision to unlock $1 trillion in underutilized church real estate could revolutionize how faith communities use their buildings and democratize Christian impact investing. Nick Bonner shares his remarkable journey from developing an innovative church-sharing model to launching what may be the world’s first Christian impact investment REIT. Through unexpected setbacks and divine redirections, Bonner’s story demonstrates how surrendering business plans to God can lead to even greater opportunities for kingdom impact.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, Richard Cunningham and John Coleman, alongside Ross Roggensack of Oak City Consulting, discuss the recent election results and their implications for the markets and economy.
In a world where darkness lurks behind every screen, can capitalism become an unlikely hero? This eye-opening episode reveals how entrepreneurs and investors are wielding the power of business to combat sexual exploitation and human trafficking. From AI-powered solutions to disruptive economic strategies, discover how faith-driven innovators are turning the tables on predators and reshaping the battlefield in the fight for human dignity. Prepare to have your perspective challenged and your hope rekindled as we explore the cutting edge of redemptive entrepreneurship.
Ever wondered where the next great investment opportunities lie beyond the familiar US markets? In this episode, the Pragma Advisors team reveals groundbreaking research showing less than 3% of faith-driven funds are deployed outside the US, highlighting a massive opportunity in frontier markets.
In this joint release episode Richard Cunningham and Justin Foreman discuss the problem of joblessness as part of the initiative, Solving the World’s Greatest Problems. They are joined by Keren Pybus, CEO of Ethical Apparel Africa, and Ronald Ishak, CEO of Hacktiv8. They explore the impact of job creation and upskilling on individuals, families, and communities.
The Fed’s long-awaited rate cut took place. The US Election is just over a month away. In this episode, Richard Cunningham and John Coleman take a look at the many major headlines interacting with the economy and markets and provide some commentary and perspective.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast we hear a powerful teaching from Richard Garnett, a faith-driven investor focusing on investing in what truly matters.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast focusing on Marks on the Markets, Richard Cunningham, Andrew Behrman, and Chris Kim discuss the private equity world and the secondary market.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, Richard Cunningham and John Coleman interview Brandon Pizzurro, Chief Investment Officer at Guidestone, to discuss the state of the US markets.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor podcast, Richard Cunningham and John Coleman interview Brandon Pizzurro, Chief Investment Officer at Guidestone, to discuss the state of the US markets.
Richard and John check in on two of the key trailblazers of the Faith Driven Investor Movement, Aimee Minnich & Jeff Johns of The Impact Foundation, to learn how Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) can help investors who want to use their capital for God’s Kingdom.
Richard sits down with Henry Kaestner and Andrew Firman about the returns, rewards, and risks involved in investing in Africa.
In this unique narrative-style podcast, we hear how the biblical story of Abraham and Lot inspired Sam Rhee to step aside from the role of his dreams for the sake of a colleague and how God used that sacrifice to pave a path for victory.
Brightlight’s Chief Investment Officer, Tim Macready, joins John Coleman and Richard Cunningham to talk about his groundbreaking research about the effectiveness of and the opportunity for Faith Driven Investing.
Chuck Welden, co-founder of Weldenfield, joins the Faith Driven Investor Podcast to discuss faith-driven investing and the impact of real estate on communities.
The venture capital world can currently feel like chaos—founders are “quietly freaking out” about AI’s explosive impact while trapped in a brutal liquidity crisis that’s left investors without returns for years. Yet beneath the turmoil, top VCs believe we’re at the precipice of the most transformative technological revolution since the Industrial Revolution, with AI reshaping everything from software to hardware investing. In this raw conversation, three battle-tested investors reveal why they’re more bullish than ever on venture capital and how faith-driven founders are stepping up to shape AI’s future where social media let us down.