30 November 2025

Season 5, 21. Courageous Investing with Quentin Florence & Doug Vanderlinde

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, Natalie Born sits down with Quentin Florence and Doug Vanderlinde, the founders of Coplanar Capital, to explore a powerful reframing of wealth, investment, and calling. With a faith-driven mission and a deep belief in stewardship, Quentin and Doug unpack why the future of investing isn’t just about capital — it’s about identity, leadership, and multiplying what’s been entrusted to you.

 

Together, they demystify early-stage investing, share how founders can position themselves for meaningful funding, and introduce their signature framework: I Am. I Have. I Do. Whether you're a founder seeking investment or an investor looking for purposeful returns, this episode uncovers what it truly means to pursue better returns for a better world.

 

[00:00 – 04:00] Introducing Coplanar Capital & the Heart Behind Investing

  • Why Quentin and Doug see investing as stewardship, not speculation.

  • How the parable of the talents shapes their view of multiplying what you’ve been given.

  • Reframing investing as a calling, not just a financial discipline.

 

[04:01 – 08:00] What’s Really Happening in the Investment Landscape

  • Why big funds are getting bigger — often through marketing rather than performance.

  • The “Dead Sea” analogy: assets flow in but nothing meaningful flows out.

  • Coplanar Capital’s mission: generate outstanding returns while doing good.

 

[08:01 – 12:30] What Investors Look for First: The Founder

  • Why leadership matters more than the invention itself.

  • The I Am. I Have. I Do. framework: clarity of identity, resources, and action.

  • What your company communicates about who you are as a leader.

 

[12:31 – 16:30] The Psychology of Founders & Investors

  • Fear, rejection, and shrinking comfort zones — and why both sides experience them.

  • Why humility, clarity, and emotional security matter during the pitch process.

  • How investors evaluate founders beyond the pitch deck.

 

[16:31 – 18:30] Identity Investing: Leading With Both Head and Heart

  • Why metrics alone won’t guide you — and intuition alone won’t protect you.

  • The shift from public to private markets and why identity matters more there.

  • Finding investments that “make your heart spark.”

 

[18:31 – 22:00] What Makes a Startup Attractive? Market, Fit & Optionality

  • Understanding TAM (Total Addressable Market) and why market size matters.

  • Optionality: the importance of having more than one way to win.

  • Why agility, pivots, and adaptability matter more than perfect plans.

 

[22:01 – 24:00] The Relentless Mindset Founders Must Have

  • Why valuing the process over the results is essential for survival.

  • How to process failure through learning instead of shame.

  • Why every investor has failed — and founders shouldn’t fear that reality.

 

[24:01 – 28:30] Double-Result Investing: Better Returns and a Better World

  • Breaking the myth that you must choose between returns and impact.

  • How Coplanar Capital evaluates opportunities through a “both-and” lens.

  • Why scarcity thinking limits innovation — and how founders can rise above it.

 

Quotes

“The leaders who perform the best are the ones completely secure in their calling.” - Quentin Florence

“Great investing is both head and heart — metrics matter, but so does what sparks your passion.” - Doug Vanderlinde

“We don’t believe investing is just about getting more — it’s about multiplying what’s been entrusted to you.” - Quentin Florence

“You don’t need either great returns or a better world. In the right hands, you can have both.” - Doug Vanderlinde

 

Connect with Coplanar Capital

Coplanar CapitalWebsite: coplanarcapital.com 

LinkedIn – Quentin Florence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentin-florence-750137b/LinkedIn – Doug Vanderlinde: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-vander-linde/

 

If this conversation inspired you, don’t forget to leave a review and share this episode with a founder, investor, or leader who’s ready to grow through innovation.

🎙️ Grab Natalie’s book, SET IT ON FIRE: The Art of Innovation, at setitonfire.co. These are proven tools to transform your leadership and innovation approach.

 

Visit innovationmeetsleadership.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

Don’t just get out of the box,  break the box and set it on fire.Let’s go transform something!

 

 

 

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