Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Koven
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a successful corporate executive (CEO, COO, CMO) and venture capitalist who spent his career building global businesses, leading E-Commerce, innovation and transformational growth, and investing in visionary entrepreneurs. Brands include Steve Madden Shoes, Guess Jeans, Sweetgreen, Thrive Market, Jones Soda and Melissa & Doug Toys.
However, in 2018, my life took an unexpected turn. My father went in for a routine surgical procedure that resulted in permanent physical and cognitive impairment. He is now in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
The helplessness my family felt and the ongoing daily challenges of securing the resources my father needs changed my life and perspective forever, for the better.
I left a comfortable corporate career to use my skills, experience, and resources to help others—not from an ivory tower, but with my boots on the ground.
Blessed with a good mind, an amazing wife and kids, and financial success, I committed myself to supporting mission-driven nonprofits and organizations that are making a real difference in people’s lives and health from youth to seniors.
Most recently, my wife Maxi Kozler and I established the LA Strong Foundation to support the relief, recovery, and rebuilding of Los Angeles—physically, emotionally, and financially.
In 60 days, we have served over 5,000 people, distributed more than 50,000 essential products with a value of over $500,000 and partnered with 50 organizations to provide a wide range of aid and support including 4 relief center locations and 2 warehouses.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Philanthropy and nonprofit is similar to for profit work. You deal with people, process and profitability no differently.
How we measure profits or success is based on impact. There’s still a bottom line, you need to raise funding to operate and have strong, capital efficient, resourceful and resilient leadership with teams and volunteers that can execute quickly, are creative and open to change.
Nonprofit, just like for profit, is competitive, and we’ve learned a lot about how we are different and where to innovate to increase speed and efficiency for greatest impact.
Accessibility and transparency in addition to collective action and collaboration with other nonprofit and for profits are our keys to sustainability and successfully serving those in need.
As you know, we’re big fans of your nonprofit work with the LA Strong Foundation, can you tell us about your work with LDR Ventures and Venture Capital?
My wife Maxi and I are the Co Managing Directors of LDR Ventures. We are a female led VC and Consulting firm. We invest in Healthy, Better For You, Functional Foods, Beverage, Health and Wellness businesses. The businesses are primarily early stage and emerging CPG brands. We are active with female led companies and underserved, minority founders.
For our readers who might not be as familiar with the kinds of work you do, can you tell them about what sets you apart?
What sets us apart at the LA Strong Foundation and LDR Ventures is our “Venture Philanthropist” approach. We put the health and wellbeing of people first, combined with the principles of venture capital and running profitable companies to identify who and what we invest in. We invest, work alongside and within, taking a holistic and transformative approach to problem solving. Our measurements of success are the immediate, ongoing and long term impact we create through collective actions which focus on engaging with the teams and communities we serve. We focus on prioritization of the activities necessary to bring about meaningful outcomes and building on them.
We are grassroots, and measure success by how quickly, effectively and how many we have served, and did we solve the problems we set out to. We align financial and knowledge capital with resources to meet customer’s needs and community building. These include mentorship, sponsorship and partnership.
For us, doing philanthropy and nonprofit work is about people, those who embrace “teamwork, transparency, availability, accessibility, persistence and trust.”
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Many. The most important lessons I’ve learned are rooted in clarity of purpose, focus and expectations as follows:
– Be Kind
– Be Accessible
– Have faith, patience and be humble
– Put people before profits
– Be authentically you, always
– Don’t measure your self worth by your net worth
– If it matters you will figure it out
– Always maintain positive
– Be a great family member and friend
– Treat all as you want to be treated
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lastrongfoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lastrongfoundation?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/la-strong-relief-support-centers/
- Other: https://ldrventures.com/
Image Credits
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