Justin Forman

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Executive Director of Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor

Justin is an entrepreneur that has inspired business leaders to see their Work as a part of their Calling for the past 20 years. As Executive Vice President he was a part of dreamers and doers that built RightNow Media, which serves 30,000 churches and 4 million people in 120 different countries through this “Netflix of Video Studies”. During that time he was also part of creating RightNow Media @ Work’s tools to help business leaders equip their people to be better at home and at work.

He’s been Executive Producer of several books and dozens of short films from business leaders at companies like Hobby Lobby, Popeyes Chicken, Interstate Batteries, SeaWorld, Auntie Anne’s, Grab, NatureSweet and business leaders like Patrick Lencioni, Dave Ramsey and many others.

Today he and his wife own several small businesses in Dallas and serve as President of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Investor. The team of 30+ staff support over 1,000 volunteer leaders that serve entrepreneurs in over 88 different countries through world class content and community.

Justin, his wife Sharee both went to school at Baylor University. They have three kids (Tristan, Audrey and Kate). Some things in life are predestined, and for him it was to be a Michigan State Spartan Fan. Office legend has it that his family invented “Sparty”, the iconic Michigan State Mascot. On any given weekend you’ll find him coaching his daughters “Pixie Chicks” girls soccer teams and involved at Citybridge Church.

Jon Halverson

Links: 

Partner | Talanton

Bio:

Jon has 25 years of experience in international business leadership, investment, development and strategy consulting with two of world’s leading food and agriculture multinationals, Cargill and Land O’Lakes, where he served as a Vice President. He has lived and worked on three continents, most notably in Tanzania where he led a talented team in executing over 50 loans to SMEs across East and West Africa. Jon witnessed firsthand the transformational impact of a thriving business achieving scale in challenging contexts.

His areas of passionate interest outside of impact investing are mountain climbing, canoeing and skiing, both alpine and skinny skis! Jon has a BA from Wheaton College and an MBA – International Business from Regis University.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN INVESTOR

Jon Speed

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Founding Partner | LOOR.tv

Jon Speed is a founding partner at LOOR.tv, a new streaming start-up.  For 26 years he has been the sole proprietor of Jon Speed: The Book Scout, an online business selling used and rare books.  In 2019 his brick-and-mortar store in Syracuse, NY went viral for taking a stand against New York State’s Reproductive Health Act.  He appeared on Fox and Friends, Sean Hannity’s radio show and Glenn Beck’s radio show.  The action was praised by Franklin Graham, Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Lila Rose and many others.  

Jon planted Christ is King Baptist Church in Syracuse, NY in 2011.  He served as the pastor there until November 2019 when Jon became the Pastor of Missions and Evangelism at First Baptist Church of Briar in Azle, TX.  He has written a book called Evangelism in the New Testament (2009) and has co-produced (and is featured in) the films Babies Are Murdered Here (2014) and Babies Are Still Murdered Here (2019). 
LOOR.tv will distribute cutting edge content from an implicitly Christian worldview.  The company will raise the bar on faith-based film on one hand while changing how it is funded and distributed on the other.  The platform plans on launching June 2021.  

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN INVESTOR

Featured



Faith-Based Films as Investments

Faith-Based Films as Investments

Making a movie is an art form, but it’s also a business. The filmmakers who understand both sides of this coin are the ones poised for success in the future. And investors who are aware of the opportunities are best positioned to make an impact.

Coming soon!

Jonathan Liao

 Links:

Vice President of Operations | CrowdSmart.io

Bio:

Jonathan Liao is the Portfolio Manager for 500 Startups, Inc., an accelerator/seed venture capital firm operating in 20 countries across 6 continents. At 500 Startups, Jonathan helps manage the largest early stage investment portfolio in the world and is responsible for investment data analysis across the entire organization. Jonathan holds a BA degree in Music Composition and Economics from UC Davis and a MBA from Santa Clara University.

Life:

Jonathan has also been active in the Silicon Valley Christian community over the past fifteen years as a leader in youth and college ministry. He and his wife, Jessica, currently live in Santa Clara.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN INVESTOR

Jonathan Reckford

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CEO | Habitat for Humanity

Jonathan Reckford is CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, a global Christian housing organization that has helped more than 29 million people construct, rehabilitate, or preserve their homes. Since he arrived in 2005, Habitat has grown from serving 125,000 individuals each year to helping more than seven million people annually.

Jonathan graduated from the University of North Carolina where he was a Morehead Scholar. He was also the recipient of a Luce Scholarship, which enabled him to do marketing work for the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee and coach the Korean rowing team in preparation for the 1988 Olympics.
 
He earned his MBA from Stanford before spending much of his career in the for-profit sector, including executive and managerial positions at Goldman Sachs, Marriott, The Walt Disney Co., and Best Buy.  Following his tenure as executive pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church near Minneapolis, Minnesota, he was appointed CEO of Habitat.
 
He serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Urban Steering Committee for the World Economic Forum.

Jonathan was named the most influential nonprofit leader in America in 2017 by The NonProfit Times. He is the author of Our Better Angels and he and his wife, Ashley, have three children and live in Atlanta, Georgia.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN INVESTOR

Featured



Agents of Change

Agents of Change

For decades, home prices have been outpacing household incomes, and we are now seeing a whole generation being locked out of the promise of homeownership.


How do we Measure Success?

How do we Measure Success?

When the spirit of shalom permeates all that we do, victories come in the form of transformative moments.

Featured



Episode 201 - Marks on the Markets: Beyond the Bubble: Why This Could Be Venture's Most Explosive Era Yet with Rob Go of NextView Ventures


Episode 201 – Marks on the Markets: Beyond the Bubble: Why This Could Be Venture’s Most Explosive Era Yet with Rob Go of NextView Ventures


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.



Episode 200 - Building More Than Returns: 200 Episodes In and Just Getting Started


Episode 200 – Building More Than Returns: 200 Episodes In and Just Getting Started


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.



Episode 199 - The Good Investor with Robin John, CEO & Founder of Eventide Asset Management


Episode 199 – The Good Investor with Robin John, CEO & Founder of Eventide Asset Management


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.



Episode 198 - Marks on the Markets: Credit Downgrades, Trade Wars, and the Magnificent Seven with Matt Monson of Sovereign's Capital


Episode 198 – Marks on the Markets: Credit Downgrades, Trade Wars, and the Magnificent Seven with Matt Monson of Sovereign’s Capital


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.



Episode 197 - Nothing to Fear, Nothing to Hide: Brent Beshore's Viral Letter


Episode 197 – Nothing to Fear, Nothing to Hide: Brent Beshore’s Viral Letter


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.



Episode 196 - Marks on the Markets: Tariff Shockwaves and Investor Values with special guest Deirdre Gibson


Episode 196 – Marks on the Markets: Tariff Shockwaves and Investor Values with special guest Deirdre Gibson


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.



Episode 195 - When Death Knocked Twice: Travis Penfield's Blueprint for Scaling During Crisis


Episode 195 – When Death Knocked Twice: Travis Penfield’s Blueprint for Scaling During Crisis


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.



Episode 194 - Marks on the Markets: Tariffs, Uncertainty & Threading the Needle with Bob Doll


Episode 194 – Marks on the Markets: Tariffs, Uncertainty & Threading the Needle with Bob Doll


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.



Episode 193 - From College Classroom to 50,000 Acres: Investing in Farmland with LandFund Partners


Episode 193 – From College Classroom to 50,000 Acres: Investing in Farmland with LandFund Partners


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.



Episode 192 - Are You Being Financially Steered or Shepherded? with Kingdom Advisors


Episode 192 – Are You Being Financially Steered or Shepherded? with Kingdom Advisors


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.”


Jonny Wills

Links: 

Writer and Publisher

Bio:

Jonny Wills is the Writer and Publisher for Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor. Prior to joining the FDE team, he worked as a freelance writer where he worked with businesses, individuals, and ministries around the United States.

In addition to pursuing his master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, Jonny writes regularly for both himself and other publications. He has had stories and essays featured in Fathom Magazine, Mockingbird, Relevant Magazine, and The Daily Wire. He also writes on his personal website where he has a monthly newsletter for anyone interested in words—how they look, how they sound, and how they sometimes make you laugh.

Featured



Are We Gambling or Are We Investing?

Are We Gambling or Are We Investing?

An influx of novice investors is blurring the line between investing and gambling, so where do Faith Driven Investors step in? What are the gaps in this conversation that we can fill?