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If ringing bells, people running around in suits, and flashing neon signs — the mayhem of the giant electronic marketplace of Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange — are the first things that come to mind when you think of investing, you’re not alone. The stock market represents the most-well known portrayal of buying and selling of shares of stock and ownership interest in companies throughout the world. However, the thought of that can be quite intimidating.

When you picture Wall Street — investing feels pretty out-of-reach for most ordinary people. And that’s not okay. Everyone should have the opportunity to support the causes they care about and earn competitive financial returns.

A Different Perspective: Impact Investing

Impact investing started in the mid-2000s but has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the heightened awareness of people who want to make a positive impact on the world (and earn money, too). At CoPeace, we’re committed to this concept and to disprove the idea that building wealth and planning for retirement is only available to the wealthy. Why? Because we know that by widening the gap between the “rich” and the “not rich” is the last thing we need to further divide the people in our country.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to build wealth.

That’s why we’ve decided to democratize investing. No matter what income bracket you fall into, or your race, gender, or socioeconomic background, we want to help you grow your money for good. And the time to start — is now.

Get in on the Action & Invest in CoPeace

Last weekend, we launched our crowdfunding campaign. It’s the first opportunity for people (just like you!) to buy shares, earn dividends, and join our community of passionate investors that care about making a positive social and environmental impact on the world. Our goal is to raise $1M in this campaign — we’ll use the money to help growing companies make a positive, measurable impact. Every dollar counts, and we’d like to invite you to join us by purchasing company shares and earning voting rights and the potential for annual dividends.

Options for Everyone 

You can buy as many shares & make as big an impact as you’d like — however, please note that the minimum investment option is to buy 3 shares for $360.

We’re using the WeFunder platform to connect with new investors and track our progress toward our goal. It’s easy to use and understand, and if you have any questions about this opportunity, know that we’ve tried to answer any that you may have on our site. Read more about how you can channel your funds where our future is, and how your money can make a positive impact on companies doing great work here: https://wefunder.com/copeace.

Are you ready to join us? Click this link to invest now: https://wefunder.com/copeace.

Monday marked World Oceans Day 2020, a day to celebrate the lungs of our planet and provide calls to action to help protect them. Our little blue marble depends on healthy, vibrant oceans to thrive. Each year, the United Nations selects a “theme” for this day. This year’s World Oceans Day theme is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean.”

CoPeace strongly believes the status quo must change to give justice to underserved communities and protect our climate. It is critically important to highlight businesses and organizations providing innovative solutions to our growing climate crisis, no doubt! However, the actions taken by individuals lay the foundation for change at the local, national, and global levels. The Buddha said, “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of that candle will not be shortened.”

You can be the change you wish to see in the world. Here are a few habits you can develop to help protect our oceans today:

1. Conserve water. Take shorter showers, or better yet take a relaxing bath instead! Turn off the faucet while shaving or brushing your teeth. Use a dishwasher instead of cleaning your dishes by hand.

2. Avoid single-use plastics. No, Karen, you’re not saving the oceans with just your metal straw. Of the 8 million tons of plastic that flow into our oceans each year, straws comprise just 0.025% of that. Instead, avoid plastic bags, bottles, and containers. Try to find reusable storage containers, travel cups, and bags.

3. Shop ethically sourced seafood and fish responsibly. If you are able to do so, try to purchase seafood from trusted, local, ethical vendors. Better yet, go vegetarian or vegan! If you do fish, follow local regulations and “catch and release” procedures.

4. Sign petitions/Volunteer/Donate. This petition on WorldOceansDay.org is a great place to start! If you live near a beach, volunteer in beach cleanup projects.

Each member of the CoPeace team writes several blogs throughout the year, rotating through our diverse and unique voices to provide fresh perspectives. This was my week to write. I usually pepper my blogs with wit and humor (which perhaps is only funny to me), but I’m struggling to find any humor this week. I’m going to just keep this short and to the point.

At CoPeace, we are fighting to change the financial system that has, for so long, oppressed so many. We are fighting to democratize the impact investing world, by investing in companies that change the way we do things…for the better. We are investing in diverse leaders with innovative points of view, and we are providing access for wealth creation to populations that have been systematically kept from it.  

Internally, we often discuss how hard we must fight this system, which attempts to force companies to the status quo. But let’s be honest: the status quo is that a man was robbed of his life for no other reason than the color of his skin, and that is wrong.  We will not accept that and refuse to support such a system; the status quo must change. 

Monday was Memorial Day, 2020. It’s a day to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It’s a day to reflect on sacrifices made, freedoms gained, and lives lost. It’s also an opportunity for us to show gratitude toward our current service members and first responders.

As we approach our fifth month immersed in a global pandemic, COVID-19, this Memorial Day seemed to resonate even louder, with an ominous correlation to a “war” we’re currently fighting. To date, we’ve lost nearly 100,000 lives to this enemy in the U.S. alone, including many frontline and essential workers. We’ve gone from a world we thought we knew, to the unknown yet to be revealed. We will never “go back to normal.” This is an unnerving thought, which can provoke anxiety, fear, even anger. But what about gratitude?

At CoPeace, we have chosen to be grateful for today. We are grateful for the veterans who sacrificed their lives on our behalf. We’re incredibly fortunate to live in a country where we can worship, love, and express ourselves freely. We are grateful for the present day, which has afforded us extra time with family, cleaner air, a slower pace, a deeper appreciation for public health, and a real understanding of the interdependency of the worldwide community. And we are grateful for what lies ahead, as the world survives this crisis – a future filled with hugs, community, activism, social entrepreneurship, awareness, thoughtful voting, conscious spending, impact investing, and…gratitude.

I’ve been blessed with many great sports experiences in my life. Since I was seven years old, I’ve loved playing and watching sports.

I enjoy many aspects of sports, but what I love the most is the camaraderie. More specifically, it’s the sense of fulfillment that comes from being part of something bigger than myself and sharing the ups and downs with people I like and respect.

To me, there are very few things in the world that can match the experience of being part of a team that’s working toward a common goal. As part of a team, you need to sacrifice a little of your individual desires and wishes for the good of the group. The “Common Good” must take precedence over self-interest.

I once saw this described as “A Commitment to the Oneness.” I like that. A lot.

Anyone who’s been involved with sports in any role, including as a fan, understands how critically important teamwork is to success.

Michael Jordan, the primary subject of the recent ESPN 10-part documentary about the Chicago Bulls, is generally believed to be the greatest basketball player ever. Yet, even he couldn’t win six NBA championships on his own. He had a terrific coach in Phil Jackson and a perennial all-star in Scottie Pippin, who played Robin to Jordan’s Batman. He also had less-talented teammates who came up big in big moments, like John Paxson and Steve Kerr, who each hit game-winning and championship-winning shots during the Bulls’ dynasty.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how connected and interdependent we truly are as a global community. People on every continent are worried about how the virus might impact them, their loved ones, and their way of life.

We are all bound together on this big blue ball we call Earth. In effect, whether or not we always realize it, we’re teammates in the game of life. Our challenge is to make the world we share as healthy, just, sustainable and prosperous as we can.

I am blessed to be part of a new team – one called CoPeace. CoPeace is an innovative impact investing company. Our mission is to make the world a better place by investing in companies that are working to make the planet a more equitable, safer, and healthier place to live.

Impact investing offers a different option from the traditional profit-at-all-costs investment model. The impact investing model is one in which the environment and society are on equal footing with profits.

At CoPeace, we have taken Warren Buffet’s Berkshire-Hathaway holding company model and modified it so that the only companies that become part of CoPeace are impact companies that have been thoroughly screened in order to meet very high standards in the areas of social, environmental, and yes, financial impact.

Investing to us is about more than making a profit. It’s about changing the world. Make no mistake, we are striving hard to make profits, just not at all costs. We value people, the planet, and profit equally.

CoPeace is built on a foundation of the common good and fueled by the human spirit.

One of our goals is to democratize the investing process so people from all walks of life, not just wealthy investors, can invest in making the world a better place.

Stay tuned. If you believe in what we’re doing, we will soon have an innovative investment option for you to consider. Check our website on a regular basis, or sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates.

We’re proud of what we’re doing and would love for you to join us and become a member of Team CoPeace.

In doing so, you too will be making “A Commitment to the Oneness.”

When things are not going the right way and we feel bogged down, we can always count on Mom to be at her best. When the world is hunkered down with fear and uncertainty, she is on the frontlines to make new normal feel a little bit more normal.

All in the hopes that, years from now when kids think back of this time, they won’t think about fears or uncertainty. They will think about free, unscheduled, unhurried time spent one-on-one doing puzzles, playing board games, epic birthday parades, learning some life skills like simple cooking, gardening and vacuuming. Various virtual activities like staying fit, connecting with friends and loved ones, and participating in virtual dance, music etc. They will remember when everyone was being home-schooled, they didn’t just learn reading, writing and arithmetic. They learned what really matters in life – love, laughter, and a good internet connection.

And during this time when we are all told to stay apart, they will find somehow, we have grown a little bit closer. So that one day, when this madness is finally all over, when this new normal goes back to normal, our children will tell stories about how in spring 2020 the world did not stop. It kept revolving and moving forward fueled by the most powerful force on Earth, a mother’s love.

Mother also connects to the planet we live on. Mother Earth. Recently we marked the 50th year of Earth Day. She is also healing and showing positive signs rebounding with its beauty. People aren’t driving everywhere, flying frequently, or using tons of electricity, reducing global carbon emissions. Governments have started to realize the pandemic is offering cities the unprecedented opportunity to restructure society, sustainably and equitably, on the other side.

A very new and different world will exist after the pandemic, but a new world also means new opportunities for creating a sustainable future. We at CoPeace always strive to have the same vision to create a new sustainable impact investing economy.

It was not the normal “Woodstock of Capitalism” scene in Omaha recently, but 89-year-old Warren Buffett went for five hours straight at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting. Incredibly impressive. Historically, I have enjoyed witnessing this Rite of Spring live – the experiences inspired the creation of CoPeace as a holding company.

It was not the same listening to “The Oracle” in the virtual setting, and he was clearly more subdued and measured without the live shareholder-fans. But he continued to expand on deep wisdom for all of us, and especially our future generations, to hear.

History, it turns out, teaches. Warren has learned well. Throughout his five hours of musing, Mr. Buffett went through some of the trying times we have collectively experienced and explained how patient investors win over time, and that we must continue to invest now in our better future. Of his many gem-quotes from this year’s meeting, I like this one: “I do not want to come up with anything different than capitalism, but I certainly do not want unfettered capitalism.”

So, inspired by Warren, I have taken the liberty to modernize, channel, and incorporate my interpretations of his teaching. Here are five reasons it is a good time to invest, from my perspective:

1. Timing – Reading the Defense.

If you are able, it is smart to invest now and continue to dollar-cost-average as things ebb and flow, even if it is a small amount every month. One of the benefits of the downturn, especially for young people, is that people can get into the market at a discount from the recent highs. As a former coach, we always taught our players the ability to “read the defense” to make appropriate decisions and adjustments. In the case of markets, the defense changes more unpredictably than in sport, so instead of trying to time things perfectly, it is best to steadily add to your portfolio, especially with inexpensive ETFs that are diversified (several are more sustainably based compared to traditional S&P 500 ETFs, like Change Finance).

2. Opportunity to Affect Real Change – Purpose and Profit.

Another one of Warren Buffett’s quotes we reference often at CoPeace is, “Good profits are simply not inconsistent with good behavior.” Impact investing marries some of the traditional intent of philanthropy with achieving a strong financial return. I fully believe the new wheels of commerce will have to include much more inclusive bottom lines. Although there is an understandable objection of wanting to spend money right now when the future seems unclear, the timing is now to begin to bring about real change. I strongly recommend reading Jed Emerson’s Purpose of Capital.

3. Engaging Young People.

We are in the early stages of a huge (multi-trillion dollar) transfer of wealth from the Boomer generation to younger generations. The Oracle of Omaha always encourages a long-term vision, but Mr. Buffett is not Mr. Perfect and he would be the first to admit this. And though I personally was originally deeply attracted to his model and still own some BRK.B shares, I do not agree with a lot of what he invests in. Young people clearly have passion around environmental and social impact. Social entrepreneurs and impact investors account for this impact much better than many traditional industries.

4.Potential for Dramatic Returns.

With expanded equity crowdfunding and new ways to democratize investment, there are new tools to provide long term returns. Investing in companies that are funding business as a force for good will be the “new normal” after the COVID pandemic ends. These companies have the potential to provide returns that exceed market returns. Be aware, though, that, as Jim Cramer has said: “Bulls make money, bears make money and pigs get slaughtered.” (I can’t believe I am quoting Jim Cramer in a blog inspired by Warren Buffett, but I have used this quote and wanted to attribute appropriately!) One of Mr. Buffett’s most principled teachings is that equity investing beats bond investing over the long term, with patience.

5. Love – Empathy.

Ok, most/many people do have a portfolio, so much of what I argued above is completely moot. At CoPeace we are trying to provide new tools to give more people access to the ability to initiate some equity, to begin to retrace the wealth disparities we are facing. COVID can provide a restart and engage new communities and opportunities. Bottom lines that include profit, planet, people and all of the interdependent, caring variations, will become the norm.

And, yes (thanks to Crosby, Stills & Nash – seemed an appropriate way to end a nod to Mr. Buffett and Love and the Future!):

Teach your children well,

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

And feed them on your dreams

The one they picks, the one you’ll know by.

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh

And know they love you.

Blog extra… We recently conducted a Financial Chalk Talk, especially designed for coaches and the sport community that had not had a lot of access to much financial education growing up (which is most of us). The talk featured many of themes discussed above and you can see it if you click here.

Earlier this week the governments of Britain and Germany announced the re-opening of their economies will place an emphasis on clean energy and building a sustainable economy. As our CFO, Hanan Levin, has alluded to since the pandemic began, the restart of the economy will almost certainly require “going green.”

The coronavirus has halted the global economy in ways many didn’t believe were possible. It has revealed how global and demanding human infrastructure is – how a seemingly simple event can have ripple effects that amplify across industries and systems.

The benefit to this shutdown is the opportunity it provides for us to reflect on those systems – personally, socially, and globally. At CoPeace we don’t want to “get back to normal.” The old normal wasn’t equitable and didn’t properly value the health of people and planet.

Throughout continuing lockdown efforts, we have seen just how quickly the planet flourishes – record low air pollution, wildlife returning to local habitats, and countries permanently shutting down coal plants.

So when will the economic uncertainty end? Probably with something like the American New Deal, which pulled the United States from ongoing economic collapse. Many governments seem to be evaluating a “green stimulus package” that would involve getting people back to work by building sustainable energy and infrastructure.

The benefits to a plan are numerous: jobs for the unemployed and which cannot be automated, sustainable energy, and a revitalized infrastructure capable of handling 21st-century technology.

At CoPeace, we have the same vision and drive to create a new sustainable impact investing economy. We believe capitalism also needs to shift to value people and planet. We hope to provide a system that is democratic and accessible to everyone for long-term investing – where making money is aligned with doing good.

After all, what is profit without people or planet?

Your choices reflect your values. Super Tuesday has come and gone, and the “big election day” isn’t until November, but voting is something we all do day in and day out.

We “vote every day” with the choices we make and the businesses we support, work for, and work with.

In today’s world of social media and internet connectivity, people are making their choices more public than ever. Whether they realize it or not, everyone’s readily advertising their values (or what they want their values to appear to be). They share where they’re shopping, what products they buy, their political opinions, what events they attend, and even what and where they eat for dinner.

You can learn a lot about a person and what they stand for without ever even speaking to them.

Take the time to think about your choices. What do you stand for?

We chose to become a B Corp because we want to be part of the global movement that’s showing the Business Can Be a Force For Good. We have a responsibility to protect our planet, our people, and our profits, and we’ve based our business on this triple bottom line.

We’re looking at investing differently. It’s our mission to provide investment options for people at all income levels, not just for the wealthy. And we’re showing that investments aren’t just about making money, but also about funding causes that we care about.

Whether it’s supporting causes like climate change, poverty alleviation, gender equality, clean water, or alternative power that lights you up, there are ways that you can make a positive impact.

By supporting B Corps, you’re using your voice and your vote to take a stance—to say that you care about how businesses impact the environment, their workers, and their communities. You’re voting to support businesses that have pledged to consider their impact on everyone that they touch. Every day is election day.

We’re taking a stance–we want a better, sustainable future for generations to come.

Are you with us?

Are there causes that you’re passionate about? How do you want to change the world? We want to hear from you! Contact us and share your favorite causes and why you choose to support B Corps.