“Why not have money be more life-giving? Let’s use our money to create conditions for more hope, inspiration, and love, because beneath it all, love is the true nutrient.” – Joel Solomon
Joel Solomon is founding partner of
Renewal Funds, Canada’s largest mission venture capital firm at over $98m, investing in Organics and EnviroTech in North America. Committed to investing in early growth stage companies in Canada and the United States, Renewal Funds delivers above-market returns while catalyzing positive social and environmental change.
Joel also serves as a Senior Advisor with
RSF Social Finance and is now co-leading their “Integrated Capital Fellowship Program” for social change investment leaders. Joel was featured as a 2012
TEDxVancouver Speaker, where he spoke about the transformational journey that led him to discover his life’s purpose. “I believe that we’re on a massive renewal in how we understand money,” he said. “No matter how much or how little each of us has, what we do with it is somewhere an expression of what we care about and our beliefs about the world. Naturally, and understandably, all of us want to have enough. My suggestion, and something that I make myself do is on a regular basis, a periodic basis, is to remember to consider how much is enough.”
A Founding Member of
Social Venture Circle,
Business for Social Responsibility, and
Tides Canada Foundation, Joel believes in investing in companies and communities that are dedicated to solving the key economic, environmental, and social issues of our time.
Joel is also the co-author of
The Clean Money Revolution, a book that calls for the reinvention of power, purpose, and capitalism. A must-read for investors, wealth advisors, aspiring entrepreneurs, and all who want their values and money to work together to transform the future, Joel implores readers to take actions to align their dollars with their values. “If we think long-term and we get the best lines that there are to consider how we might reverse some of the trends that we’ve set in motion as humans, just innocently in many ways, just going about without knowing, we’ve created some messes. There’s enough, there’s more than enough money on the planet to solve all of it. But it requires will and some thoughtfulness about the steps and some fair sharing of resources.”
Joel serves on the
University of British Columbia Board of Governors, and as Chair of
Hollyhock, a nonprofit organization situated in the traditional territories of the Klahoose, Tla’amin, Homalco Nations; on what is currently called
Cortes Island. Offering over
80 programs and conferences each year, Hollyhock serves to inspire, nourish and support people making the world better.
Join us in conversation with this transformational change-maker!
Five Questions with Joel Solomon
What Makes You Come Alive?
I get most excited by working through ideas and strategies with younger people, who are deeply dedicated to creative solutions to the challenges of our times.
Pivotal turning point in your life?
Going to work for Jimmy Carter two years before he announced he was running for President, then watching him go from 0% in the polls, to the Presidency of the USA. I got a visceral experience of "setting big goals and relentlessly pursuing them."
An Act of Kindness You'll Never Forget?
My friend Siobhan Robinsong gave me one of her kidneys.
One Thing On Your Bucket List?
Stay positive and generous till my last breath.
One-line Message for the World?
We are ancestors of the future and they are counting on us.