Our Story
Who We Are
JLK Benton Holdings is a family-run investment firm focused on accelerating growth of early-stage, purpose-driven operating businesses. We leverage years of entrepreneurial and Fortune 200 experience, as well as years of transaction deal making in real estate, energy and M&A to identify, organize, capitalize and scale businesses that match several of our key investment and operational themes – across multiple industry sectors. We focus on opportunities with substantive addressable markets at scale, and each holding should have a multiplier effect on existing or future investments. Our strategy is to build businesses with attractive operational margins and operational cash flow, and our intention is to hold our portfolio investments indefinitely. By focusing on long term value creation and long-term ownership, we can build committed teams of people and a relationship-oriented stakeholder base.
Investment and Operational
Themes
Ignite Purpose
Purpose, to us, is the light of shared struggle, mutual advancement and collective prosperity that guides our journey through life and around this world. Purpose is not an end, a goal or an objective, but rather the reason we seek those ends, goals or objectives. We believe we can inspire people to pursue their own purpose, as well as the shared purpose of organizations and communities through our commercial activities, and the way in which we pursue our own purpose.
Empower the Human
We put people at the center of our business strategies, focusing on creating value for the average, ordinary, typical human being. Our commitment transcends traditional business metrics, placing the average, ordinary, and typical human being at the heart of every decision and strategy. We recognize that the true measure of our success is the impact we have on individual lives, communities, and society at large. By empowering individuals, we aim to unlock potential, foster resilience, and enhance the quality of life in meaningful ways.
Inspire Innovation
We aim to foster a culture rich in creativity and innovation. We are dedicated to nurturing and supporting the exploration and development of groundbreaking ideas, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative business models. We intend to leverage innovation as a catalyst for creating a better tomorrow. We understand that the journey of innovation is fraught with challenges, yet we embrace these difficulties, recognizing them as opportunities for growth, learning, and ultimately, success.
Democratize Finance
We strive to make financial services and products more accessible and cost effective to a broader audience, including underserved and marginalized communities. Increasingly, individuals, small businesses, and smaller banks face significant challenges in optimizing the financial resources and support they need as consolidation, technology demands, and benefits of scale favor the “big”.
Drive Productivity
We seek to harness the benefit of productivity for all. Enhanced productivity can lower costs, increase efficiency and enhance product or service quality, but all too often the benefits of increased productivity accrue to large, scaled enterprises and organizations. By harnessing technology, adopting innovative practices and changing business models, we aim to deliver superior value to our customers and stakeholders.
Our Values
We Love
In everything we do, we love. Love, to us, is not an emotion. Rather, love is a fundamental force of good that embodies all the positive energy we can summon – kindness, joy, hope, awe, optimism, altruism, enthusiasm, admiration, affection, commitment, caring and so many more – drawn on in proper proportion for every interaction and every activity. When we love, we give everything we have in pursuit of worthy endeavors and relationships.
Insane Innovation
We strive to innovate in everything we do, and we celebrate curiosity as the foundation of that innovation. We seek new things to do, ways we can improve things already being
done, ways we can make our world better – not just products or services, but business and economic models, the way we work, the way we make decisions and the way we help
each other.
Daring Greatly
We will fail and we will triumph, but we will endure because we dare greatly. The challenges facing our world, and the opportunities that abound in it, require bold and sustained vision, action and accountability. Be bold, be smart, but most importantly, be humble. For when we fail or fall, and we will, those around us will lift up our humbled selves and push us to continue daring. And for those that don’t fail or fall, dare more – you aren’t reaching far enough or high enough.
Bring Joy
Spread joy. Inspire hope and kindness. When we find joy, regardless of the struggle, challenge or situation, we lift up those around us. We will experience and witness difficult and
challenging hurdles, situations, tasks and times, but when we do, let’s meet them head on with joyful engagement and celebration, and be the positive, shining light of hope.
Whole Self
Our team members, clients, customers, partners and vendors bring their whole selves to all their daily activities. There is no clear separation of personal and professional being – struggles and joys in one part of life flow consistently into all aspects of life. We focus on helping our team members be the very best they can be in every aspect of their lives, so that they can bring the very best of their whole self to all those whose lives they touch.
What’s in a name?
It’s often said that names are a vital component of our identity, deeply connecting us with our personal, cultural and historical roots. Our name, JLK Benton, is intended to capture this essence. The “K” in our name is a tribute to our family’s history – imbued with love and cherished memories. The “LK” honors our paternal grandfather, Leonard Koster, whose love, resilience, persistence, and humility have profoundly shaped our outlook on life. The addition of “J” commemorates James Leonard Koster, our father. His determination, dreams, tenacity, and achievements set the standards for our aspirations and the manner in which we aim to achieve them – and proudly “J,” “L,” and “K” also represent the initials of both of us – Jay and Jon. “Benton” has its own special, and connected, story – taken from Lake Benton, a quaint town in Southwestern Minnesota that holds a dear place in our hearts. It’s where our parents grew up, where much of our extended family has its roots and the place we called “home” as we grew up living around the country and the world. Lake Benton embodies the essence of community and hard work, showcasing the quintessential small-town American spirit of teamwork and a ‘get it done’ attitude. This history resonates deeply with us, and we strive to embody the associated principles and values in our JLK Benton community.