Blake Jones is a founder of several cooperative enterprises, including Namaste Solar and Kachuwa Impact Fund. He’s a pioneer in his marrying of the cooperative model and impact investing. Kachuwa Impact Fund is democratically owned and operated by its members. They invest in companies that have a positive impact on the environment and society, and real estate that does the same—such as organic farms and affordable housing. They invest in Main Street as opposed to Wall Street, and impact is their number one priority with financial return being second.

In this episode, Blake and show host Neal discuss Blake’s journey from working in the oil and gas industry to shifting his interest to renewable energy, and eventually becoming fascinated by the cooperative enterprise model. They dive into the concept of impact cooperative investment funds, discussing how these funds differ from traditional investment models and why they are essential for supporting mission-driven enterprises and real estate. It’s a fairly new concept and Blake shares details of how the fund works in practice—how they vet potential investments and investors, how they approach liquidity and patience, and how members’ voting power is not tied to their investment amount. Blake shares valuable insights from his experience with Kachuwa and other cooperative enterprise, as well as some valuable tips for anyone interested in impact investing cooperatives. For more information about Blake and his work, visit Kachuwa Impact Fund.

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At Latitude, we're more than a real estate firm; we're your partner in the transformation of homes, communities, and habitats towards healthy, resilient, and thriving communities.

By combining specialized real estate consulting services with a creative agency model, we work with property stewards and developers on capital and fundraising strategies, team formation, branding, marketing, and sales.

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Are you a professional wanting to create transformational outcomes with your work? Join the Regenerative Real Estate Community to get access to workshops, regenerative real estate investment opportunities, and connect to other leaders and culture creators within the greater real estate industry to create the impact you seek in your work.

Kris Maher is an architect and developer. For over 20 years, she’s worked for the Rancho Mission Viejo community in Orange County, California, where she is currently senior vice president of community development. The master planned community lies on a former cattle ranch, and currently they are developing a 23,000 acre entitlement that will have 14,000 homes in six non-contiguous villages. Almost three-quarters of that land will remain open space surrounding the villages. Kris leads urban planning and community design, with the natural, preserved landscape at the heart of her efforts. “The land is our brand,” she says.

In this episode, Kris and show host Neal explore her life journey from a mechanical drafting class in high school to becoming a pivotal figure in community development. They trace the history of Rancho Mission Viejo from the 1800s when it was a cattle ranch, to the 60s when the owning families decided to develop a master planned community, to today as it continues to grow with new homes and an emphasis on the land in the age of the agrihood. They discuss the variety of amenities at Rancho Mission Viejo, including the community farm where residents can volunteer and pick up produce, and the horses who live on site and have captured the hearts of the community. Kris shares insights into the intricacies of marketing to different generations, the challenges of dealing with rising insurance costs in light of wildfire risk, the creative solutions they’ve employed for water efficiency, and the general obstacles of greenfield development and creating affordable housing. For more information about Kris and her work, visit ranchomissionviejo.com.

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At Latitude, we're more than a real estate firm; we're your partner in the transformation of homes, communities, and habitats towards healthy, resilient, and thriving communities.

By combining specialized real estate consulting services with a creative agency model, we work with property stewards and developers on capital and fundraising strategies, team formation, branding, marketing, and sales.

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Are you a professional wanting to create transformational outcomes with your work? Join the Regenerative Real Estate Community to get access to workshops, regenerative real estate investment opportunities, and connect to other leaders and culture creators within the greater real estate industry to create the impact you seek in your work.

Jenny Andersson is a regenerative strategist and educator, and the founder of the Really Regenerative Centre in the UK. With over 30 years of experience working alongside brands, organizations, and communities to inspire sustainable and regenerative initiatives, Jenny believes in "harnessing the power of the collective intelligence of organizations and communities to create visions for the future they want." She believes the world has undergone profound shifts—more billionaires than ever, microplastic pollution, ill soil health—and people are sensing it consciously and unconsciously. They are ready for change. But real change, including creating regional and regenerative economies, requires not only contemplating all dimensions of our society, it requires looking closely at oneself, one’s own relationships, and ways of thinking.

In this episode, Jenny and host Neal explore her journey from international development in Tanzania to founding the Really Regenerative Centre, from her current home in West Sussex. They discuss her experiences in brand strategy helping major businesses develop environmental initiatives, her battle with stage four lymphoma, and her deep dive into regenerative practices which she calls her “informal PhD.” Jenny shares insights into her work with the Really Regenerative Centre, which brings people together to learn about the essence of regeneration and inspire them to make the change they know is possible. It supports local resilience and transforms extractive economies into regenerative ones. Neal and Jenny highlight the importance of right relationships, community engagement, and systemic thinking in creating lasting change. They also discuss the necessity of funding for experimentation, the potential of regionalizing economics, and the challenges of “fixing the plane while it’s still flying”—i.e., making change within complex adaptive systems. For more information about Jenny and her work, visit reallyregenerative.org.

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At Latitude, we're more than a real estate firm; we're your partner in the transformation of homes, communities, and habitats towards healthy, resilient, and thriving communities.

By combining specialized real estate consulting services with a creative agency model, we work with property stewards and developers on capital and fundraising strategies, team formation, branding, marketing, and sales.

---------
Are you a professional wanting to create transformational outcomes with your work? Join the Regenerative Real Estate Community to get access to workshops, regenerative real estate investment opportunities, and connect to other leaders and culture creators within the greater real estate industry to create the impact you seek in your work.