Two weeks ago we shared with you an overview of what we have been blessed to accomplish in our first twenty years as a company. Great planning always starts with a clear vision; the more specific the better. What follows is our corporate vision cast by our CEO Rick Laymon in January of this year. It is written from the point of view of a journalist writing a spotlight on the company in the year 2023. As such, this “newspaper prophecy” is purely aspirational — where we believe we are going and NOT where we actually are today… The details and outcomes painted in this vision may or may not be realized.
A Movement Shaping Corporate Culture and Policy, One Advisor at a Time
January 2, 2023 by the New York Business Journal
Beacon Wealth Consultants, Inc., a Roanoke, VA based wealth management firm dedicated to “Biblically Responsible Investing” (BRI), is preparing to celebrate its 25-year anniversary this winter at the Hotel Emma in San Antonio. Since humble beginnings in 1997 as a solo advisor practice, this SEC-Registered Investment Advisor was named to the INC. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies in America for 2022 and has taken the Christian investment advisor community by storm. With a mission to “Ignite a Movement of Biblically Responsible Investing” and the audacious goal of changing the way both corporate America and Wall Street conducts business, Beacon believes they can help “cut off the economic oxygen” to companies whose practices run counter to traditional Judeo-Christian values.
Through a network of 25 advisors exclusively committed to this investment philosophy and serving 2500 affluent Christian families, Beacon is beginning to make waves in corporate boardrooms. Beacon’s Wealth Consultants help faith-based investors craft very specific Investment Policy Statements divesting ownership of companies involved in the abortion, adult entertainment industries and traditional sin stocks. They then redeploy that capital in portfolios focused on what they deem to be exemplary “Shining Light Companies.” Several of their LightPoint Portfolios have recently been awarded Four and Five Star ratings from Morningstar and have accumulated $1.25B in assets under management; a quarter of that coming from outside distribution through the major independent advisor clearing firms.
Beacon CEO Rick Laymon asserts that “Every Christian investor should be afforded the opportunity to invest in a manner that reflects and perpetuates their faith values. This is part and parcel of our fiduciary duty as advisors and our unique responsibility as stewards.” This shared commitment to values is what led many of the company’s advisors to fold their own practices into the turn-key Beacon platform model, which leverages the collective wisdom, talent and resources of its business owners for a common purpose. Laymon adds, “We believe that when the body of Christ comes together and en masse divests itself of the trillions of dollars invested in companies that violate our beliefs, those same companies will indeed be forced to change. Our job, our calling is to be a catalyst in that process.” Advisors enjoy the synergy and collaborative culture of the company, while many report having substantially grown their business since joining the Beacon family.
In their 2023 State of the Movement Report, Beacon Wealth Consultants reported that BRI utilization has increased from a miniscule 6% of market share nationally to an estimated 10% over the last 5 years. Additionally, Beacon reports that over that same period at least a dozen Fortune 100 companies ceased making corporate contributions to Planned Parenthood – the nation’s largest abortion provider. This comes as the result of increased visibility of shareholder activist initiatives funded by Beacon and others calling attention and increased scrutiny of corporate behavior that goes against traditional faith and family values. The Beacon Wealth Foundation is funded by 10% of the company’s net income and distributions to worthy ministry causes is expected to top $250,000 for calendar year 2023.
There continues to be growing demand for faith-based investing solutions and services in the faith-based marketplace. Ronald Blue & Company, the 5th largest asset manager in the US and biggest player in the Christian space, recently got on the BRI bandwagon with the launch of their own private-labeled BRI portfolios. Thrivent, Raymond James and LPL Financial recently signed agreements for their advisors to utilize LightPoint. Beacon is slated to announce a new partnership with the C12 Group to bring their highly acclaimed Business as Ministry private equity offering to the firm’s high net worth accredited investors.
Marketplace ministry leaders Rob West (Kingdom Advisors) and Mike Sharrow (C12 Group) along with author Randy Alcorn are among those planning to attend the Beacon Wealth Consultants advisor summit later this month.
Two weeks ago we shared with you an overview of what we have been blessed to accomplish in our first twenty years as a company. Great planning always starts with a clear vision; the more specific the better. The preceding is our corporate vision cast by our CEO Rick Laymon in January of this year. It is written from the point of view of a journalist writing a spotlight on the company in the year 2023. As such, this “newspaper prophecy” is purely aspirational — where we believe we are going and NOT where we actually are today… The details and outcomes painted in this vision may or may not be realized.
Financial Planning & Investment Advisory services offered through Beacon Wealth Consultants, Inc.