Ron & Marty Cordes, Founders of The Cordes Foundation, share their journey of transforming their conventional portfolio to 100% impact investing and philanthropy. Both Ron and Marty detail the origins of their desire to extend the use of their traditional finance skills to directly help those in need. The couple talk about encouraging and integrating family and children into the impact process by exposing them to age-appropriate philanthropy and by including them into the decision making process. They share their excitement about the millennial generation engaging deeply in impact.
In this episode, Ron & Marty talk about:
- How they met in college at Cal Berkeley over a philanthropic cause [5:10]
- The catalyst for forming a foundation based around social enterprises and economic opportunities for women [6:25]
- The road from a 100% conventional portfolio to a 100% impact portfolio [12:11]
- Helping their daughter develop impact interests of her own through exposure [15:53]
- The dance of integrating their daughter’s passions around sustainable fashion into the Foundation [19:00]
- Marty’s first-hand experience of gender inequality at a traditional BBQ in Africa [24:45]
- Ron’s eye-opening interaction that formed the basis for why he has dedicated his work to impact and philanthropy [29:30]
- How to encourage children to be a part of the philanthropic and impact goals as a family [38:35]
Resource Links
- Cordes Foundation connecting social entrepreneurs with the resources they need, convening events to strengthen the ecosystems of impact investing and social entrepreneurship, and catalyzing 100% of our balance sheet for impact.
