Funding for the Right Reasons
— by Vip Vipperman
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Galatians 6:7-10, NIV
As believers, we are called to do good to one another, to love sacrificially, to give generously. This absolutely applies to how we manage our resources and businesses. But there is a common misconception of tension that because of these principles: that faith driven entrepreneurs and investors end up making and taking bad deals simply because their partners are also Christians. The reality is that tension is wildly exaggerated.
Risks that faith driven professionals are willing to take may be higher due to their faith, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a high amount of wisdom and due diligence involved in the process as well. In fact, we are to act in wisdom as good stewards. FDIs and FDEs take risks knowingly, willingly, and lovingly. And this kind of intentional business manifests in amazing ways that we are only beginning to see on Marketplace.
Being a faith driven professional does not negate the value of due diligence. Rooted in the truth and love of the gospel, due diligence practices are about more than just numbers; they influence relationships, build community, and honor the Lord in a broad spectrum of industries. Marketplace serves as a platform for faith driven investors and entrepreneurs to pay-it-forward, recognizing the ecosystem—or community—that assisted them in their early ventures is now a place to support the coming generation of entrepreneurs through capital, wisdom, and encouragement. It brings together a worldwide community of faith driven professionals that promotes investors and changes the lives of founders and entrepreneurs through funding dreams and enabling truly flourishing work.
Marketplace is more than a financial projection pitch. We want the entrepreneurs to be the best companies in the world, we want investors to find the best deals in the world, but we want them to do it for the glory of the Lord and for the impact of His work in the world through the company. It’s about connecting the innovative entrepreneur that has a good plan and is seeking the Lord with the investor that’s doing the same. The biggest thing is a connection point in the heart: mission alignment. That’s what sets Marketplace apart from other platforms. Yes, having a sound pitch is important, being able to articulate the business model is necessary, but those aren’t the only factors. Marketplace adds the relational component because as faith driven investors and entrepreneurs, we know relationships are significant.
Entrepreneurs who find funders on Marketplace not only have a great idea, but they connect with investors on a heart level. They are mission-aligned and frequently have a common past experience or connect through personal stories that drive their venture. It is no secret that communication is crucial to any good relationship. Therefore, entrepreneurs seeking funding through Marketplace should, in addition to a thought-out pitch, be able to articulate their specific passion for the venture—why this cause?—as well as their understanding of returns, short term, long term, or even eternal.
At the end of the day, it is a move of the Holy Spirit that draws people together and fosters these faith driven partnerships. Scripture says a man reaps what he sows. Faith driven investors and entrepreneurs seek to reap life, joy, peace, true flourishing. So as partners on Marketplace, we sow the same, increasingly enabled by like-minded community. When we sow with our eyes and hearts fixed on the glory of the Lord, we will humbly reap in the same way. We can be encouraged to stay the course and trust that we will reap a harvest “at the proper time.” We can take opportunities to do good to all, especially those in the Body, confidently knowing that the returns are worth the effort.
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[ Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash ]
God wants a relationship with you, so it’s not just about solving problems! And, as you deepen your relationship with God through prayer, it becomes easier and easier to know His will for your life and your life and your entrepreneurship.