148: Building companies in Medellin

Cole Shephard is the Founding Partner of Legacy Group, a leading alternative investment firm. his company focuses on profitable investment opportunities with high social and environmental impact in the US and Latin America. The flagship portfolio company, Green Coffee Company (GCC), is Colombia’s #1 largest coffee producer, with 10M+ coffee trees planted across 7000 acres. Before forming Legacy Group, Cole spent close to a decade at PWC working in accounting, advisory, M&A, and consulting across the United States, Bermuda, Hong Kong, and Beijing. He is an expert in emerging markets and is currently based in Medellin, Colombia. In this episode, we dive into Cole’s move to Columbia, and the cultural adjustments along the way; why he is bullish on Latin America as a market worthy of startup investment; the origin story of Green Coffee Company, and the threats that macro risks such as climate change and labour play into the future of coffee as an industry, and more. Enjoy!

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