Val Schrock on Co-Founding Maverick Investor Group, Business Lessons from MacGyver, and Confronting a Home Intruder with a Samurai Sword (Ep 102)

Hear how activism, friendship, and shared values shaped a business partnership designed to create lasting social impact. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Val Schrock talks about growing up Mennonite in Kalamazoo Michigan, wanting to be a professional athlete, navigating gender fluidity, seeking adrenaline and competition, and eventually meeting Matt in a Master’s Degree program for International Peace and Conflict Resolution.  Val and Matt share stories from their friendship that began in the 90s, including the time when Matt gave Val a Samurai sword for her birthday and she used it to confront a home intruder!  They also talk about their long history of activist work together, global adventures, real estate investing and eventually co-founding Maverick Investor Group as business partners.  They share stories about taking international observer groups to monitor human rights abuses in the north of Ireland, doing Palestinian solidarity work in the U.S. and organizing elaborate street theater actions, working in the non-profit space in Washington DC., and eventually deciding to start investing in real estate.  Val and Matt then talk about the founding of Maverick Investor Group and reflect on conceptions of “risk", the keys to successful business partner selection, and their personal synergies.  They talk about the 4 Pillars of Purpose on which Maverick was founded, and discuss how and why Maverick commits a fixed % of net revenue to donate to causes that affect positive change in the world.  Val also talks about her travel experiences, how international travel impacted her as a kid, and how, as an adult, she was able to form a deeper connection with her mother through annual mother-daughter trips.  She shares stories about riding the world’s fastest roller coaster in Abu Dhabi and going dune-boarding in Swakopmund, Namibia.  Finally, she shares her most profound life and business lessons she learned from MacGyver. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU See my Top 10 Travel Apps See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!