David Bahnsen, Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group, Episode 118
Listen Here Now on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen to podcasts)
David L. Bahnsen is the founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group, a national private wealth management firm that manages over $3.5 billion in client assets. He brought The Bahnsen Group independent in April 2015 after eight years as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and seven years as a Vice President at UBS Financial Services. David serves on the Board of Directors for the National Review Institute and is a founding Trustee for Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County. He is also the author of several best-selling books, including the recently published There’s No Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths.
David joins me on the show to discuss why he feels that there is a societal bias toward viewing work as a necessary evil that the Christian church has largely adopted and why he finds that as an unacceptable point of view. He shares his thoughts on the importance of having meaningful work in one’s life, how he has created a business that serves a specific niche with excellence, and why that gives him purpose. We also talk about David’s philosophy of giving wholeheartedly to causes that you’re passionate about, and he dives into why helping to found the Pacifica Christian High School has brought him such joy.
“Not only does everyone we know who's happy have a purpose — everyone we know who doesn't have purpose is unhappy.” - David Bahnsen
“All you can do is be yourself and try to translate that into the experience you deliver to clients.” - David Bahnsen
“There is a big part of me that is concerned about an acceptance of mediocrity that is taking place in the culture and taking place in the church. I truly believe that piety is not a substitute for technique.” - David Bahnsen
This Week on The Wow Factor:
What David sees as the anthropological case for work in our lives
How David has achieved the career, he has without a college degree
David’s experience of working in large Wall Street firms and how that experience set a foundation for him to go out on his own
Why he left solo practice to found the Banhsen group and become one of the top financial leaders in the nation
How he handled the period of the financial crisis and how it impacted him personally and professionally
The intellectual curiosity that led to him writing his first book Crisis of Responsibility
Why economic life is rooted in a foundation of biblical worldview and understanding
What Kuyperian theory is, and how it impacts David’s philosophy of leadership
Pacifica Christian High School and why it’s David’s biggest extracurricular passion
Why David believes in giving and heart generosity but strongly dislikes the phrase ‘giving back’
David Bahnsen’s Words of Wisdom:
Piety is no substitute for technique. There are so many people who feel that as long as their intentions are good, it doesn’t matter if they perform well or have commitment to their goals. The acceptance of mediocrity that is taking hold in society is worrisome because piety is not a substitute for technique. It is vital to do everything you do with excellence.
Connect with David Bahnsen:
Connect with The WOW Factor:
