Investing With Integrity Jeff Talarico

In this episode, Jeff addresses questions about biblically responsible investing (BRI). He defines BRI as investing aimed at honoring and magnifying God and explains that it involves filtering out companies involved in immoral activities and supporting companies that contribute to human well-being. Talarico emphasizes the importance of BRI for believers, as it aligns with the teachings of Jesus and allows for a holistic lifestyle where faith permeates every aspect of existence. He also discusses the performance of BRI, the difference between owning a company and owning a product, and the misconception that BRI encourages discrimination.
Takeaways
Biblically responsible investing (BRI) is investing aimed at honoring and magnifying God by filtering out companies involved in immoral activities and supporting companies that contribute to human well-being.
BRI is important for believers as it aligns with the teachings of Jesus and allows for a holistic lifestyle where faith permeates every aspect of existence.
Research suggests that adopting values-based investment approaches like BRI can positively influence investment performance.
Owning a company as a shareholder comes with responsibility for the company's actions, while owning a product does not.
BRI does not encourage discrimination, but rather seeks to avoid supporting companies that engage in activism and disregard the beliefs of employees and shareholders.

Caleb Callahan, President of Valmark Financial Group, discusses his journey in the financial services industry and the importance of biblically responsible investing. He shares how he got started in finance and the role of stewardship in managing money.
Caleb also talks about the Valmark Global Gift Fund, a donor-advised fund that donates 10% of the company's profits to charities and ministries. He emphasizes the importance of generosity and being led by the Holy Spirit in financial decisions. Caleb addresses the misconception that biblically responsible investing leads to lower performance and highlights the need to prioritize values over financial returns. Caleb Callahan discusses the importance of aligning work with the Kingdom mandate and how doing things God's way can lead to success in business. He emphasizes the need to prioritize wisdom, integrity, and morals over profit in the financial services industry.
Caleb also highlights the significance of living out one's faith in the workplace and the impact it can have on others. He encourages the recruitment and engagement of young people, particularly those who love Jesus, into the financial services profession.
Takeaways
Stewardship is about managing money for the King and seeking His guidance on how to use it.
Biblically responsible investing involves aligning investments with Kingdom principles and
considering the impact on God's kingdom.
Generosity and giving are essential aspects of stewardship and should be prioritized in financial decisions.
The Valmark Global Gift Fund donates 10% of the company's profits to charities and ministries, supporting widows, orphans, Christian education, evangelism, and more.
Biblically responsible investing does not necessarily lead to lower performance, and there is empirical data to support this.
The focus should not solely be on financial returns but on aligning investments with values and principles.
Being led by the Holy Spirit and seeking God's guidance in financial decisions is crucial.
The impact of biblically responsible investing can have a ripple effect, positively influencing lives beyond the initial donation. Aligning work with the Kingdom mandate can lead to success in business.
Prioritize wisdom, integrity, and morals over profit in the financial services industry.
Living out one's faith in the workplace can have a positive impact on others.
Recruiting and engaging young people, especially those who love Jesus, into the financial services profession is important.

Summary
In this episode of the Investing with Integrity Podcast, host Jeff Talarico interviews Lauren Graham, a published author and financial advisor specializing in faith-based investing. They discuss Loran's journey in the financial services industry, the three-story house analogy for faith-based investing, the importance of stewardship, and the challenges and opportunities in the market. Lauren shares his insights on performance, the fear of embracing faith-based investing, and the future of the industry.
Takeaways
Faith-based investing is an act of worship and an opportunity to honor God in all areas of life, including finances.
Investing should be guided by biblical values and principles, focusing on relationships, outflows (spending and giving), and inflows (earning and investing).
Performance is important in investing, but it should be viewed in the context of long-term goals and the stewardship of God's resources.
There is a growing demand for faith-based advisors, and younger generations are more open to embracing faith-based investing from the start of their careers.
Investing in companies that align with biblical values can have a positive impact on the economy and society as a whole.
The market is unpredictable, but historical data shows that it has consistently grown over time, and faith-based investing can be a part of that growth.
Get Loran's Book "Investing with Integrity" here: https://www.amazon.com/Investing-Integrity-Expanded-Loran-Graham/dp/0692177078

Summary
Stephen Kump, the founder of Charity Vest, aims to shape the world to be more generous by providing everyone with a donor-advised fund or a charitable giving account. He has a background in consulting and philanthropy advising, where he helped major donors be more strategic with their giving.
Stephen noticed the issues and limitations with existing donor-advised funds and felt convicted to build new technology to solve these problems. His mission is to catalyze generosity and enable the millennial and Gen Z generations to give a trillion dollars away through their technology. In this conversation, Stephen discusses his experience as a philanthropy advisor and the importance of generosity. He highlights the character and values of high-net-worth individuals who actively give away a significant portion of their wealth. Stephen also talks about the launch of Charity Vest for Advisors, a white-labeled donor advised fund program that enables wealth advisors to support their clients in strategic giving. He emphasizes the need for advisors to have conversations about generosity and stewardship with their clients.
Stephen shares his admiration for CS Lewis and St. Augustine and expresses his desire to have conversations with them. He also mentions his interest in discussing faith-driven startups with Paul Graham, the founder of Y Combinator.
Takeaways
Charity Vest is a technology company that aims to catalyze generosity by providing donor-advised funds to everyone.
Stephen has a background in consulting and philanthropy advising, where he helped major donors be more strategic with their giving.
Existing donor-advised funds have issues and limitations, and Stephen felt convicted to build new technology to solve these problems.
Charity Vest's mission is to catalyze generosity and enable the millennial and Gen Z generations to give a trillion dollars away through their technology. High net worth individuals who actively give away a significant portion of their wealth possess certain character traits and values.
Charity Vest for Advisors is a white-labeled donor advised fund program that enables wealth advisors to support their clients in strategic giving.
Advisors should have conversations with their clients about generosity and stewardship.
The bunching strategy, which involves stacking multiple years of giving into one tax year through a donor advised fund, can help clients maximize their tax deductions.

Summary In this conversation, Jeff Hybiak shares his personal journey from being an introverted accountant to becoming a co-owner of an investment advisory firm. He discusses the importance of being true to oneself and finding a career that aligns with one's interests and strengths. Jeff also talks about the founding of Cornerstone Portfolios, a biblically responsible investment strategy that screens out companies involved in activities such as abortion, pornography, gambling, tobacco, and alcohol. He emphasizes the need for Christians to not only avoid profiting from objectionable activities but also support companies that demonstrate Christian values and contribute positively to their communities. Jeff discusses the importance of aligning investments with personal values and integrating faith into the financial planning industry. He emphasizes the need for Christians to openly talk about their faith and use their platform to spread love and share their beliefs. Jeff also highlights the significance of focusing on core values, relationships, and making a positive impact on others. He expresses his passion for educating young people about financial literacy and hopes to see a network of Christian financial advisors who can guide and support individuals in their financial journey.
Takeaways
Being true to oneself and pursuing a career that aligns with one's interests and strengths is important for personal fulfillment. Cornerstone Portfolios is a biblically responsible investment strategy that screens out companies involved in objectionable activities. It is important for Christians to not only avoid profiting from objectionable activities but also support companies that demonstrate Christian values and contribute positively to their communities. Investors should be aware of the companies they own, even in index funds, as they may still be profiting from activities that go against their values.Investments should align with personal values and beliefs. Christians should openly talk about their faith and use their platform to spread love and share their beliefs. Focus on core values, relationships, and making a positive impact on others. Educate young people about financial literacy and guide them in their financial journey.
Jeff's TikTok Channel: The Finance Nerd

Summary
In this episode, Jay Peroni, Senior Portfolio Manager for Faith Investment Services, shares his journey into finance and faith-based investing. He discusses the importance of considering inflation and taxes in financial planning and the motivation behind his focus on faith-based investing. Jay also talks about his books on faith-based wealth and investing, as well as his radio show, Faith and Retirement. He explains the difference between impact investing and biblically responsible investing, emphasizing the importance of both negative screens and positive impact when selecting investments. Jay Peroni discusses impact investing, stewardship investing, shareholder activism, the hurdles of biblically responsible investing, Faith Investment Services, the future of biblically responsible investing, and three people Jay Peroni would like to have a conversation with.
Takeaways
Consider the impact of inflation and taxes when planning for retirement and investing.
Faith-based investing involves aligning investments with one's religious beliefs and values.
Faith-based investing can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment by supporting companies that align with one's faith.
Biblically Responsible Investing focuses on investing in companies that align with biblical principles and values. Impact investing allows investors to put their money into companies that can make a difference or an impact in areas such as the environment or poverty-stricken communities.
Stewardship investing involves being responsible for how money is managed and seeking a good return on investments.
Shareholder activism allows individual shareholders to have a voice and influence in the companies they invest in.
The biggest hurdles for clients in biblically responsible investing are concerns about returns and the time and resources required for research and screening.
Faith Investment Services offers biblically responsible wealth and financial planning, as well as ETFs that align with Christian values.
The industry of biblically responsible investing is expected to grow as more institutions embrace it and individuals seek to align their investments with their faith.
Jay Peroni would like to have conversations with Tom Brady, Stephen Furtick, and Donald Miller to learn from their leadership, storytelling, and faith perspectives.
Finding biblically responsible companies in the communication sector can be challenging due to the nature of the industry.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Background
02:10 Getting Started in Finance
04:01 The Motivation for Faith-Based Investing
06:13 The Importance of Considering Inflation and Taxes
09:02 Discovering Faith-Based Investing
11:20 The Intersection of Faith and Wealth
13:41 Books on Faith-Based Investing
18:36 Biblically Responsible Investing and Gut Feelings
21:27 Impact Investing vs. Biblically Responsible Investing
22:16 Impact Investing
23:12 Stewardship Investing
26:19 Shareholder Activism
29:08 Hurdles of Biblically Responsible Investing
36:01 Faith Investment Services
37:32 The Future of Biblically Responsible Investing
40:23 Three People Jay Peroni Would Like to Have a Conversation With
42:15 Challenges in Biblically Responsible Investing
Jay's first book, The Faith Based Millionaire can be found on Amazon. Click Here