Faith Driven Investor Podcast - Episode 216

Join hosts Richard Cunningham and Luke Roush as they sit down with Steve Cook, Executive Managing Director of LFM Capital, for a deep dive into the state of US manufacturing and the reshoring revolution transforming American industry. From the deck of an aircraft carrier to the shop floor to private equity boardrooms, Steve brings a unique perspective on what it takes to build manufacturing companies that strengthen both portfolios and national security.

Key Investment Topics:

• The economics of reshoring: Why major manufacturers are bringing supply chains back to the US
• LFM Capital's operator-led approach to buyout private equity in manufacturing
• How tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions are reshaping investment opportunities
• Why aerospace, defense, and B2B manufacturing offer compelling risk-adjusted returns
• The role of leadership and operational excellence in driving EBITDA margins and enterprise value
• Interest rates, deal flow, and the creative structuring required in today's PE market

Powerful Quotes:

"We won World War One and Two predominantly because we had a strong industrial base that could step up and pivot when the country needed it. We're woefully unprepared for World War Three." - Steve Cook

"It costs more to hire an English-speaking manager in China than it does in the US today. Labor cost equilibrium is happening faster than anyone expected." - Steve Cook

"The absolute worst form of ownership I've ever seen is 50/50. Someone has to make the final decision - that's true in a company and true in a marriage." - Steve Cook

Episode Description:

What does it take to rebuild American manufacturing in an era of global uncertainty? Steve Cook knows firsthand. As a former Navy fighter pilot who flew combat missions during Desert Shield, then an operations leader at Dell managing 2,200 manufacturing employees, Steve brings unparalleled shop floor DNA to private equity investing. Now leading LFM Capital - a buyout firm exclusively focused on US manufacturing - he's witnessing the early stages of a reshoring revolution that could reshape both the American economy and investment portfolios.

This episode cuts through the headlines to reveal what's really happening on the ground with US manufacturing. Steve explains why companies are finally bringing production back home, which industries offer the most compelling opportunities, and how LFM's operator-first approach generates returns by elevating leadership and operational excellence rather than financial engineering. From the impact of Liberation Day tariffs to the quiet convergence of global labor costs, from AI's limited role on today's shop floor to the creative deal structures emerging in a higher interest rate environment, this conversation delivers actionable insights for investors seeking exposure to the manufacturing renaissance.

Steve also vulnerably shares lessons from Genesis on leadership, partnership, and the biblical principles that shape both his marriage and LFM's investment philosophy - including why 50/50 ownership structures consistently fail and what that reveals about decision-making authority in both business and family.

Guest Background:

Steve Cook is Executive Managing Director of LFM Capital, a Nashville-based private equity firm investing exclusively in US manufacturing companies. A graduate of the US Naval Academy and MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing program, Steve flew F/A-18s off aircraft carriers for seven years before transitioning to operations leadership roles at Dell and venture-backed technology companies. At LFM, he leads a team of operators and engineers who partner with manufacturing CEOs to build enterprise value through operational excellence, not financial engineering. Steve and his wife Shannon live in Nashville and are active members of Long Hollow Church.

Faith Driven Investor Podcast - Episode 215

Carl Edwards, NASCAR Hall of Famer and one of the 75 greatest drivers of all time, sits down with host John Coleman to share his remarkable journey from a Columbia, Missouri Volkswagen shop to the pinnacle of motorsports—and his courageous decision to walk away from it all at age 36.

This conversation goes far beyond racing. Carl vulnerably discusses the dangers of building identity on performance, the cost of fame, and the miraculous moment on a mountaintop that transformed his understanding of faith. He opens up about stewarding wealth with a scarcity mindset, prioritizing marriage over children, and why he risked his family's entire $18,000 life savings on a single race car.

Key Topics:

• The entrepreneurial hustle required to break into NASCAR from Missouri
• Building and losing identity through professional success and public image
• Walking away from a championship-caliber ride and guaranteed income to prioritize family
• A powerful conversion story involving Stephen Garber and a mountaintop ambush
• Wrestling with generosity and stewardship after growing up with financial scarcity
• Why loving your spouse well is the greatest gift you can give your children

Notable Quotes:

"I'm gonna keep racing for another 10 years. I'm going to hit my head another 25 times. 30 years from now, I'll be on the other end of this phone. My son will be sitting on the stairs. I don't know my kids. They'll resent me for everything I did. And I'll have given my life away." - Carl Edwards

"If my mom didn't take that risk with everything she had and hang onto it that loosely, it was her life savings. I mean, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you." - Carl Edwards

"In my soul, when it made no sense to anyone else, I knew that this thing driving a race car was important to me, I loved it purely, and chasing that became such a wonderful adventure that yielded so much fruit." - Carl Edwards

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 returns, the conversation explores whether markets can sustain this momentum, the future of AI investing, and the opportunities emerging in small caps and private markets.

Key Investment Topics:

• Market outlook after three straight years of 20%+ returns and where opportunities lie in 2026
• The Mag 7 dominance: Will small and mid-cap stocks finally see their rotation moment?
• Federal Reserve policy expectations and why current rates may be historically appropriate
• Private equity and IPO markets thawing after years of constrained liquidity
• Geopolitical shocks to watch: Iran, Venezuela, and international market divergence
• AI's impact on productivity, employment, and whether we're entering a new economic era

Notable Quotes:

"Breathless is probably one word. Just coming off three straight years like that, you always wanna protect on the downside. You wanna think about how things can go wrong. And when they don't for a third year in a row, you wanted to catch your breath and really take stock of what just happened." - Brandon Pizzurro

"This is the Lord's capital that we're all stewarding, and we need to remember that as we kind of start the year off again. We have a charge here for our investors, but I think it's important to take a moment and be present, be thinking about why you're doing what you're doing." - Brandon Pizzurro

"We are people under authority and it's easy to forget that sometimes. When we receive word from God, whether that be through scripture, whether that be through prayer or insight or inspiration, we are intended to execute against that will." - John Coleman

About the Guests:

Brandon Pizzurro serves as Managing Director at GuideStone Capital Management in Dallas, Texas, bringing sophisticated market analysis with a faith-driven perspective on stewardship and investing. John Coleman is a Managing Partner at Sovereign's Capital and regular co-host of the Marks on the Markets series, known for his thoughtful integration of economic analysis with Kingdom principles.

This episode offers both tactical market insights and strategic wisdom for faith-driven investors navigating what promises to be a consequential year in financial markets.