faithinrealworld

Faith in the Real World:

Venture Investing as a Calling

Eric J. Kim '02, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Goodwater Capital, STM Trustee

 

In this feature, a STM alumna/us reflects on joys and changes in their faith life after graduation. If you are interested in being one of our feature writers for “Faith in the Real World,” we would like to hear from you. Contact robin.mcshane@yale.edu.

 

As a frequent business traveler, “Uber-ing” is a weekly if not daily occurrence. Arriving at New Haven station a few weeks ago, I opened the app, business as usual, and put in a request to be picked up. Through the marvels of technology, a match occurred within seconds and a pro-active call from Adam, my Uber driver, set a new standard for service on the platform. “Would you like me to pick you up outside the station doors? Or, as that can get congested, I’m happy to pull up to the parking lot if more convenient for you.”

Adam, originally from Sudan, warmly greeted me as I got into his car, swiped right to start the trip navigation, and noticing the drop off address on Park Street, said, “Oh, you’re going to the Church!” We engaged in an energetic conversation. Adam had been a security guard at Saint Thomas More in 2004, and we filled the fifteen minutes we had together by recounting the many blessings we had both received from STM.

“Father Bob, I heard he died,” said Adam. “In the Sudanese community, people will stay up all night talking about him.”

I remember during my undergraduate years, STM welcoming several of the Lost Boys of Sudan into the community. True service was modeled to us by the STM leadership on a regular basis. Heavily impacted by the example set to love one another, I had at one point considered life as a chaplain. Reflecting God’s love to others through prayer and service was tremendously appealing.

 

uber

 

“...Integrity, Quality, Transparency,

Humility and Service.

These are values I learned at STM...”

 

founder_2

 

Through a number of left and right turns in my life, I became a venture capitalist with that call to service still very much an undercurrent to my life’s mission. I co-founded Goodwater Capital with the specific objective of empowering exceptional entrepreneurs who are changing the world through consumer technology. For us, water is a meaningful analogy to technology and capital, both of which can be used for very positive changes to society but can also be used for nefarious acts. Water is also the source of life for every living organism on this planet, but the lack of water or too much water can lead to death or destruction. Water, like technology and capital, needs to be well stewarded. We want to be the “Goodwater” in the venture investing ecosystem.

We’re extremely cognizant of the ripple effect of capital. Empowering entrepreneurs through capital investment serves as an avenue to also enrich entrepreneurs through our strong values: Integrity, Quality, Transparency, Humility and Service. These are values I learned at STM and are the core values of our firm. When we make an investment, we have the opportunity to impact an entrepreneur, who then may go on to make great products and services — products and services that have the potential to touch billions of people. If we can change the trajectory and the world view of a company by even a small degree, that is meaningful, purpose-driven work. Our job is to deliver the highest return to our investors but our mission is to deliver the greatest impact to this world.

As the Chapel came into view, we arrived at 268 Park Street. We said our goodbyes and Adam ended by saying,

 

“Please pray for me at the Chapel.” With tears in my eyes, I responded, “Amen brother, amen. Please pray for me as well.”

 

Five stars are not enough to describe how great of a blessing Adam had been to me that day.

 

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