.jpg)
Friends And Family
Conversations from the studios of God's Way Radio in Miami, FL.
WAYG-LP | 104.7FM
Friends And Family
A Second Chance: Kristoffer Doura's Story
Kristoffer Doura's powerful testimony of faith, purpose, and second chances resonates deeply as he shares his extraordinary life journey. Standing 6'8" and once a formidable offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, Kristoffer reveals how his life trajectory changed dramatically following a near-death experience during his NFL career. After collapsing from severe dehydration that caused a life-threatening blood clot, Kristoffer flatlined on the operating table, experiencing what he describes as a divine encounter that reshaped his understanding of his purpose on earth.
The spiritual revival during this critical moment led Kristoffer to recommit his life to Christ and pivot his considerable talents toward business and philanthropy. Armed with both a bachelor's degree and master's in business administration – credentials he pursued alongside his athletic career – Kristoffer established DEK Holding and its wealth management division DEK Wealth, where he helps clients build generational wealth through ethical investment strategies.
What distinguishes Kristoffer's approach to financial management is his unwavering commitment to integrating Christian values into every aspect of his work. Rejecting the false dichotomy between faith and finance, he emphasizes the importance of value-aligned investment decisions and his three-part philosophy: save, grow, preserve. This methodology not only creates financial prosperity but establishes meaningful legacies for his clients and their families.
Perhaps most impressive is Kristoffer's passion for giving back through Dream to Lead (D2L), a non-profit organization he founded serving youth ages 11-24. The initiative focuses on mentorship, mental health, education and STEAMS skills, empowering young people with the tools to succeed regardless of whether they pursue athletic, academic, or vocational paths. Having experienced both the height of athletic achievement and the humbling brush with mortality, Kristoffer brings unique perspective to his mission of developing well-rounded future leaders.
Ready to transform your approach to wealth, purpose, and legacy? Connect with Kristoffer through d2lead.org or reach out about wealth management services at dekholdingllc@gmail.com. His story reminds us that our greatest setbacks can become the foundation for our most meaningful contributions.
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's Way Radio exclusive where we introduce you to some amazing people. In John, chapter 15, verse 15, jesus says I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known to you. That's our aim that God would be made known to you. Stay with us until the end of our conversation for more information on this program and other unique offerings from God's Way Radio.
Joey:This is another one of those brought to you by CBMC Guests and Interviews. So, our ambassador, I think that's what I'm going to start calling you, sir. Cbmc ambassador. I like that, omar. It's good to have you, glad to have you here.
Omar:Glad to have you, glad to be here. Yeah, thank you well.
Joey:I'm glad I'm here too and our guest today is christopher dora. Did I pronounce that correct?
Kristoffer:you certainly did, thank you in the name of jesus, amen. It's good to have you.
Joey:It's good to have you and we're gonna get into some things and, um, you know I'll. I'll go this way first. Usually we start off. Okay, where were you born? Tell me about your family. We're gonna go in a little bit more of a circuitous route here. Just came to my mind. But remember, as you're listening live today, march the 19th, we're going to be live here in the studio till 4 30 refresh block of live time here in the afternoon. You can call, you can text at any point in our conversation. We'd love to hear from 786-313-3115. That's our studio phone number. Christopher, I want to ask you what it is about. Business that the Lord has blessed you in that in a sense, connected you with CBMC, right? What's the connection there? Why are my friends at CBMC introducing me to you today? There must be a business element that you do or that the Lord has blessed, or that you enjoy.
Kristoffer:Well, first and foremost, I just want to give my glory to God. I've been through so much in my life and God is certainly the reason I get up every single morning, and God is certainly the reason I get up every single morning, you know, after going through a near death experience and you know having an opportunity with the NFL and being raised in Miami. You know we have a lot of options because we get exposed to so many different things, but when you realize that God has a purpose and a destiny for every single person, each one of us my story really from Haiti and when we decided to transition. I was born in Queens flush in New York and we came to Florida at an early age only because my mother knew that the weather wasn't so great. You know, for my eldest sibling, she had obviously a condition with asthma, wow. So we came to Florida and I went to Miami Southridge. So go, spartans.
Speaker 1:Hey.
Kristoffer:I did a year of high school football. It was one game, one highlight. I played defensive tackle and I sacked the quarterback when they said Hut, hut, hike, hike, and I smashed through best play of my life because it got me into college, wow, and university of charleston, west virginia, gave me a full ride and I was, just, you know, full of gratitude. I, uh, I did five years at charleston and, and, and walked out with a master's in business administration and leadership. But I always had purpose because as a child I watched my mother, you know, with you know, watching the soap operas and general hospital. That's what I remember. But I always wanted to be, you know, a physician. But I knew that that was a cost and a longer term, you know of schooling.
Kristoffer:Yeah. So I said you know what? You know, I was always hooked on Wall Street because of Trading Places, that movie with Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy and it really inspired me because I was so intrigued to get into wealth management, investment stocks and bonds. But I knew nothing about it. That's not what we talked about at the dinner table. Come to find out. That was my motivation. To do business is to say, one day I want to become my own CEO. And as I fast forward, I had already my master's degree upon leaving Charleston and then I decided to come and try out for the Miami Dolphins. That was the beginning of an amazing opportunity to go pro, had some time with the Finns and you know definitely I had about a good three-year track record as a football player.
Kristoffer:But I got hurt in Pittsburgh. I got hurt with Steelers and what happened there was I dehydrated severely. Oh wow, I collapsed on the field and one thing led to another where I had no idea where I was at, rushed out on an ambulance to the hospital and when I got there, the doctor said it didn't look good and they said Chris, you got a blood clot. Oh, my goodness, and my heart's racing. I didn't know what to do. And I told them well, I gotta do something, because God is watching over me. And I repented, I did everything I could, you know, because as humans.
Kristoffer:We just, you know, we don't know what to do at that time. So I realized at that very moment that God, God was putting me through something. God was allowing me to see that he had a bigger purpose for me. They said, Chris, we got two options. We're going to actually have to cut your leg off and amputate it because your blood clot, there's not enough circulation of blood flow. At 22 years old, you don't really know what that meant and as a professional athlete, Correct.
Joey:I mean this is wow.
Kristoffer:It was a situation where I asked them well, what's my other option? They said, well, we got a 50-50 shot of an operation and that may save your leg. We went into surgery and, as they're performing this operation, my heart couldn't take it and my heart flatlined during this operation and I died right there on the stretcher. I had the out-of-body experience. I can tell you that God and the light shunned upon me in that very moment and I held on and God said Chris, there's so much more for you. Football was a stepping stone. Your purpose is a lot bigger, for impact. And within the couple of minutes that I was out, I realized that servitude.
Kristoffer:And this is where I'm going to take exactly what I do today is servitude is the nature of why CNBC has allowed me to enter into that world.
Joey:Yeah, yeah, well, I'm good, I'm done. No, no, I mean, what an amazing story. I was going to make a comment because I spent a lot of time talking to college athletes.
Omar:And most of them believe that they're going to make it to the NFL and, as we know, very few very, very few of them will make it, and I tell them, the most important thing you can get out of this university is a degree.
Omar:If you fail to do that, you really have not taken advantage of what the university has given you. And when I listened to our guest today to come out of the university as a football player with a master's degree I know he played for the Dolphins, but God had a bigger plan for him. He used the university instead of the university using him.
Joey:Yeah because you said with your master's, so you did five or six years, uh, five, five years, five, complete. So you're, you said, bachelor's in business administration and leadership.
Kristoffer:Well, that was the, the bachelor's of science, okay, and then I said, let me push through and get a master's of business administration. And then the concentration was leadership got it awesome, awesome.
Kristoffer:And now where you at in your academic journey, I hear we're gonna have to call you doctors well, right now I'm a candidate, uh, for a doctorate in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship excellent, excellent and um. And that really brings me to. You know why I do what I do. You know, after my journey of getting a second chance at life, I was out for about three months in the hospital, no-transcript, and with all of that I've really gone into business for myself today and I represent myself, which is Deck Holding. And Deck Holding has a division called Deck Wealth which is mostly investment advisory that I help people with managing their assets with Charles Schwab.
Joey:So that's what you're doing right now Deck Holding and Deck Wealth, correct, so financial management.
Kristoffer:Financial management is my day job.
Joey:Yeah, I was going to say that Excellent is my day job.
Kristoffer:Yeah, I was gonna say and, um, and then you know what I do um with, with, with a little bit of time that I have outside of you know my doctorates is. I actually founded um, a non-profit called dream to lead, d2l, and it's helping children from 11 through 24 years of age mentorship, mental health, education, steams. Stes is not STEM because we've added the A for arts and the S for sports, so it's science, technology, engineering, arts, math and sports, and we didn't forget about the vocational skills. So Dream to Lead is my passion to help the kids. But I figured, with those things that I do, servitude is really my purpose Helping people with their day-to-day helping children and the youth and then, just, you know, being a man of God.
Joey:So we got the big picture here, the full. The bird's eye view is the word I was looking for. So now let's go back a little bit. Uh, you said you grew up in new york, about how old were you when you came down to miami?
Kristoffer:I was about seven years old okay, so pretty young.
Joey:And were you, would you say your family was poor, middle class rich. Where were you guys at financially?
Kristoffer:we were in the middle middle, we had everything we needed. Obviously, you know, everybody wants a better situation but I think we had all of our essentials. We never went hungry.
Joey:Yeah, and who was at home? Mom, dad, sisters, brothers.
Kristoffer:Both parents and two sisters. Family of five. I'm the youngest, believe it or not, so it's like a descending slope. The eldest is the shortest and the middle, and then me, being the youngest but the tallest.
Joey:And as you were growing up, was it kind of like a given because of your size and weight and athleticism, like all right, he's gonna play sports, like everybody knows he has to. How did that go as a young guy, as a big guy growing up?
Kristoffer:well, I always was the tallest kid out of the batch, um, but you know most of my journey. I didn't play organized sports really until, like you, until high school. It was Stu Rogers, the late Stu Rogers. He was my football coach at the time at Southridge.
Kristoffer:He one day realized I started lifting weights in high school and said kid you may have an opportunity to go to college and then for me in the household, growing up, I realized that, wow, that's an opportunity for me to get an education and I may have an opportunity to make some friends.
Joey:Would you have been the first college graduate or no other people graduated in your family?
Kristoffer:Believe it or not, I was the first university graduate in my family. That's awesome. And then my sisters. They graduated after me.
Joey:That's awesome. That's a legacy. That's awesome. If you're the youngest, how'd you beat them to it? Well, no, yeah, Well, you know.
Kristoffer:I went right into university from sports and they took some time to get you know work experience, and then they decided to kind of reenter into the, into the education higher ed lane.
Joey:Dude, even even in school, running faster than everybody. That's amazing, that's amazing. And and you mentioned that, your your drive, right? Well, your drive, your motivation was being inspired. You know, seeing this movie or the show, but but what else? What else drove you to? To want to get an education? Why? Why not stop at four years? Why go on? For the master? What? What do you remember from the days that drove you and motivated you?
Kristoffer:the, the aspect of having the discipline, and then seeing how the discipline always opened doors for me, and I realized that at a younger age that if I could be in a situation, the only way I can outperform, the only way I can do better, is by being the first person there is finishing through, is being able to use what I learned in sports in life, and that's really how I decided to, you know, really be, uh, you know, excited about learning, because I knew that if I learned, I was able to compete.
Kristoffer:And then just having that sports mentality, yeah, is the reason why I got into business. To tell you the truth, because I feel that even at an early age, I I've always been an entrepreneur and I gained enough experience through all the channels that I described. But I said in the end, all be all, having a second chance at life and being able to share that testimony has really allowed me to say that whatever I really want to leave behind and legacy was always the conversation that I thought about. But it's not until I became an actual expert and practitioner and understood what does that mean financially, what does that mean philanthropically? And then I said, well, how do I mesh all that into my world, so that was the inspiration for me.
Joey:But where do you get all that from? I mean, was that your parents? Was that the Lord? Was that school Like these are big ideas, man. I mean not everybody wakes up with this stuff?
Kristoffer:Right, the Lord absolutely. But I did have a good household with my mother and you know she always encouraged us to go to school and to learn something.
Omar:You know I shouldn't be asking questions.
Joey:No, you should, you should.
Omar:But we talk about the Lord. Let's talk a little bit about where, how and how strong did you meet the Lord and how you have gotten to this point. Because we talked a lot about business, let's talk a little bit about the business of God in your life as you were growing up.
Caller:Yeah.
Omar:Great question.
Caller:Omar.
Kristoffer:Well, thank you so much, Omar. I believe that God had a purpose and he's always rooted that purpose in me at a young age. But it's not until when I went to college and I faced adversity in Charleston West Virginia where I was not received as easily. I was always the standout kind of guy. And then Charleston West Virginia is not up to date as Miami and the trends and what's going on.
Kristoffer:So going through adversity in itself broke me down and I'm human. But when you're injured and you're really kind of on your own, you left the nest, you're away in college, you're four or five states north, not to say that in new york, in florida and then west virginia. So when you go from city to to tropical, to then now mountain, that's a big change in itself. And then having to deal with all that on your own, I turned my life to Christ, going through a situation where I wanted to quit sports.
Kristoffer:I wanted to quit college. I wanted to be done with it because I went through adversity of not being welcomed and received, and I felt that the only place that I can feel safe was under the Lord's worship. So I gave my life to Christ in college that's awesome and realized that I can't do it without God. And my mother would always tell me you can't quit, you're almost done, just finish it, but find a home in the church and believe it or not. Till this day I still communicate with my pastor who represents Brookside Ministries in West Virginia, pastor Bruce Hogan.
Kristoffer:He has changed my life in so many ways because he's inspired me to say you got to give it all to the Lord. You can't figure this out. This is the journey and, yes, you may have your head on your shoulders, you may be in a situation where you think things through, but the Lord is what's going to guide you along this journey. And after I gave my life to Christ, I realized that that's how I'm advancing. That's how I'm being more intrigued about the Bible and trying to get more out of understanding the scripture. And as I progressed in my life, I recently became baptized at the Kendall Church of God under the leadership of Pastor Joel and December 23rd 2023,. I got baptized and gave my life to Christ, but went through the water and that was the best, best feeling ever, and my life has changed and has gone up ever since giving my life to Christ.
Joey:Again, omar I'm so glad you asked about that and again, a godly upbringing.
Omar:And then you know the Lord allowing him, you know now allowing him, allowing Christopher to go through what he needed to go through to surrender experience, knowledge, understanding of business with the wonderful experience of being a Christian, and blend both into your life, because the natural tendency is to give one more than the other. Give God what God gives, caesar what Caesar. But the tendency is oftentimes that the flesh goes to the business side and we do not let the spirit lead. So for someone like himself himself a young man who is both a successful businessman and a man who loves the lord, that whole thing of balance is a huge daily, if not hourly, balancing act well, it sounds like, just from the little bit that we've heard, uh, that the balance.
Joey:you know you're talking about practically balancing things, but it sounds like the more you surrender to the lord, the more you seek the lord, the more blessed you are, you know, and it you know we're not saying it's only about the dollar, but the success in the ventures, the success in the missions that god has for you, right, like the non-profit, nonprofit and things like that. I just want to remind folks, if you just tuned in, we have a very special guest with us, christopher Dura, and he's, if I went down his CV, his bio, I mean it would take a whole other 20 minutes.
Joey:But he's a man that has applied himself. He's a man that has um applied himself. He's a man that has had some pretty cool experiences professional nfl player with our very own miami dolphins for about three years. You said uh, but now is uh doing wealth management. Uh, now is wanting to leave a legacy in philanthropy and is also growing in his relationship with Jesus. I mean just a great gentleman to talk, to Remember. If you want to call or text, maybe you have a specific question for Christopher, Maybe you want to call, share a word of encouragement or ask a question. The phone lines are open here in the studio 786-313-3115. You said, Christopher, that you've been an entrepreneur since you were young. What was your first business? Was it a lemonade stand? Was it after college? What's the first?
Kristoffer:business. You remember venturing into Great question as a child. You can make money back then at 15. You had to wait until you're 16 to go get a corporate or some gig. So the first real entrepreneur was knocking on doors to wash cars.
Speaker 1:Nice.
Kristoffer:Honestly, yeah, I would literally walk around with a bucket soap, a sponge, a towel and I had some tire shine and I would knock on neighbors' doors and ask them to wash their cars. And whatever I could do with my hands, whatever I could do to be of service, it was always ingrained in me and believe it or not?
Kristoffer:I made money. Yeah, I made money. People would love the outcome of of that and it inspired me to always pursue you know my goals because I realized if I could put you know an idea together, concept, yeah, and, and you know, just see how it goes. You know, try it out. You know, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.
Joey:But being able to take that risk has always been ingrained in me yeah, you know I want to go down a little bit of a rabbit trail here. You, you touched on something. You know I'm. I'm a big uh foodie. I love food, I love restaurants, you know, and I'll pay a little bit of a premium if you treat me good. You know I'm half of it to the experience. I can probably cook this at home, right, buy the sauce, whatever. I'm there for experience, man, you know I want to be waited on, I want to feel like I'm having a great time and you know I love that. I love that, you know, maybe too much, I don't know, but I save a lot of money because I don't do alcohol, so I save money there.
Joey:But here's the point I think there was that personable service. I think there was that work ethic. I think there was that man yeah, they could drive through a car wash, but, man, this kid does a great job. This kid really works hard. I want to go down that tangent a little bit and here's maybe a more specific question. I see online, I see nowadays these get-rich-quick schemes and they're not the old ones. You know the pyramid schemes and all that that people don't fall for anymore. But oh, you know, I don't even know the, you know, don't work and just put money here and the newest crypto and the thing and whatever it is. But I think that one of the ways you found success must be that personable service aspect. Let's go down that line of thought a little bit for folks listening, thinking about man. He does wealth management. He's going to tell me how to get rich quick. He's going to give me the secret sauce. If you have it, I'll get my notes out, get your playbook out. If you have it, I'll write it down.
Joey:But I have a feeling that's not what it is.
Kristoffer:Well, personal service has always been a passion, you know, making people smile, making people feel good, because the experience is what people remember. How you made them feel was how they really tip you. But, in actuality, it's being able to know that you've done a good deed and you've put some time and focus into that good deed. And the way I would, you know, wash those cars from, you know, the front to the back of the car to make sure that you would do an extra coat of soap, to make sure that you would, you know, really go into the details of the rims and to really, you know, make sure that the car was dry without any spots. That was a result of being compassionate and being able to really demonstrate that you cared, and that's how I apply myself in what I do now helping people in wealth management. There isn't no get rich overnight scheme.
Joey:It's really a discipline. I'll put my phone away.
Kristoffer:It goes back to a discipline and kind of what you're thinking about along your journey, because people learn about wealth management and different aspects of their world and their journeys and, depending on what you're going through, that's going to determine your decisions and really I'm here to guide you along the course, obviously to make sure you feel safe, you feel comfortable, but at the same time, when there is chaos going on right now in the world, you're not going to make a decision that you're going to regret. So really, people, they hire me and they pay a fee to be able to help me, help them stay the course.
Omar:Yeah. Are you a Christian investor or an investor who is a Christian? In other words, in your everyday, treating people and working with people, some of whom may be Christians, some of whom are not Christians, do you come across as a Christian first, investor second, or do you do your job and then you're a Christian? How do you work that in the workplace?
Kristoffer:I'm a Christian first and I'm a man of God first, because I believe that what I went through, I've realized that I want to be around godly-like people. There's a lot of dark out there.
Kristoffer:There's a lot of people who sing and dance a story, but in actuality those aren't the people that are good for me Now. Those are people that are out there, but I want to be a man of God first, who's led by God so I'm able to now lead others as a Christian man. And then what I do as a profession and what I do in the community follows through with that.
Joey:Right, Right. And I think that's another key to really being a I don't want to use the wrong term here because I don't know what has a negative connotation but a real, you know, having real wealth, having real success. You kind of get to pick your own clients, kind of thing.
Joey:You know you get to choose who you want to work with, and that's one of those goals I would think you know you were talking about being your own CEO, being your your own boss, where you're not having to just take every client because you're scratching for money. Hey, I get to choose who I want to work with, and it sounds like that's the place you're at in your, in your business, absolutely profession yeah, it's a.
Kristoffer:It's a great place because when you have a track record I've been around for 15 years, so my track record can share that I have resilience and even through the ups and downs of time I've stayed the course, but I kept educating myself, I kept advancing my knowledge and experiences, because that's how you can look at an analysis, you can look at a chart, you can look at you know um some strategies and then help people. But essentially, when I think about it, it's really making sure that I understand the goals that a client has. Now, yes, you know, after you've been around for more than a decade plus, you can start handpicking and and, and you know, really thinking about how you can serve with your purpose, because I am running also a business, and I'm running a business that I got the same expenses, the same bills and the same company, that I have a vision to grow with God.
Kristoffer:And by doing that, most of my clients I usually recommend, when they have about a million dollars in liquid assets, for them to use me as an advisor, because now we are able to now help them with their generation of wealth. Because a lot of times, not that I won't help a new person that's learning about investments, but, if I had to choose, I'm not chasing after every single client because I want to make sure that I build a robust book of business that can grow into becoming, you know, a billion dollar. Advisory practice, yeah, and by doing that that's my market, yeah is helping those who, uh, have the capacity to be able to think about generational wealth for their children's children's children.
Joey:Yeah, now I want to ask you this where did you start? How did you start right?
Speaker 1:because that's not where you started, so so maybe you remember.
Joey:Now again, you can't say name and anything. Maybe you remember your first client, maybe you remember your first office, maybe you remember the excitement of man, somebody's willing to pay me 25.
Speaker 1:You know I don't know what was some of the first days of of?
Joey:uh, it was it the same name, or a company, or what was some of the first days of this profession?
Kristoffer:where I'm at today. Um is a lot farther along, but okay essentially I want that day one store that ground zero. It was a headache yeah, all right, it was upside down.
Omar:There's people listening that they want to be where you're at yeah.
Joey:They want to build this wealth. They want to build a successful business.
Kristoffer:So some of those day one stories yeah, you know, as an entrepreneur, you just never know what's happening tomorrow, because you have to think about every single hat you know in your business, whether it's the front office, the back office and what's happening in the day. But at the same time, when you're managing a company, you want to be able to present something that's marketable, something that is safe, something that feels good. So the first client I ever had took a chance on me because they spent some time with me and they got to know me as a person before they said you know, I want to invest the money with you and I want to be able to follow your guidance along this journey, not because you know what you're doing and you have a great platform, but because I trust you. And that was really where I started was friends and family.
Kristoffer:Nice, because, as a beginning finance person, who's going to really want to invest with somebody who just started? Not to say they won't, but at the same time, people want to know that you've put some time into learning about this stuff. But now it's time for me to give you a chance. And by giving me a chance was the way that I grew my business, because people would give me introductions and refer me, based off of my personality and how I treated them.
Joey:Yeah, based on the service they got, right, based on the service they got. I want to ask you this, christopher. I want to ask about lessons learned from the wealthy right, whether it was you becoming wealthy Again.
Joey:I'm not trying to get too deep into your personal portfolio numbers here I mean wealthy, you know again, I don't not trying to get too deep into your personal portfolio numbers here, but you know whether you're a millionaire or a billionaire, you know when you finally hit, broke that ceiling and said, man, I really have arrived at this incredible place of wealth and blessing and prosperity. Or whether you've learned it through your clients, you know, or some clients, what are some big life lessons learned from the wealthy.
Kristoffer:You got to put money away. You got to put money away in different places, and that's really important, because it doesn't matter where you're at in the course. You got to think about the what ifs. Hey, if something doesn't go my way, if I don't generate that amount, or if I'm in a position where I have capacity, how do I not only think about one basket? Because some people get so narrow that they focus on just being so narrow that they miss opportunities.
Kristoffer:And by thinking about how wealthy people think about it, it's well, let me think about my legacy, because my legacy is really why I'm doing all this. Because, believe it or not, after my near-death experience, I didn't think about what I hadn't done. I was thinking about, well, where am I at now? And then, when I got a second chance at life, it shifted my mindset to say, you know, I got to think about what I have not done now, because I went through an experience that opened up my eyes. Yeah, now, having you know, you know my hands and and and my, my experiences in wealth management, I'm now able to, you know, teach people to say you got to save and you got to grow, and then you got to preserve, save, grow, preserve.
Kristoffer:those are the things that I would broken really essentially tell people we're talking very simple, Nothing technical, no direction save grow preserve.
Omar:Let me ask you a question about investing. Anybody that invests has to understand the idea of risk management when you're investing. Risk management is an integral part of that. 2008 is a good example of that In terms of collating the whole idea of Christianity and business. What's the risk of being a Christian? Because being a Christian is risky, I mean, I don't care what you think.
Speaker 1:I don't care what business you're in.
Omar:So the whole idea of risk management from an investment point of view is something you're very much aware, but as a Christian, we also need to understand that we have to manage risk. Even though we all work for Jesus and Associates, we need to understand that there's risk management. How do you deal with that dichotomy of risk management spiritually and financially?
Kristoffer:Your value system. Your value system plays a pivotal role in what you do and how you invest and then some of the things you would like to, you know, grow your money in. There are corporations, you know, you know that do things that are, that are dark yeah does a christian want to be in an investment that has things that are dark? Probably? Not but what if it makes you a lot of money? Then, you have to go back to your core value system and pray on it.
Kristoffer:Because not every investment is the right investment. But at the same time, that's when you want to work with somebody like a professional like myself, to say you know, let's do the research, let's figure out the ins and outs of what this opportunity you're considering and where it can help you with your vision of where you want to go. Yeah, because essentially what happens is a lot of times it's kind of like that dangling carrot it looks really great, but where did it grow?
Speaker 1:from.
Kristoffer:Who's actually, you know, offering this, you know, great opportunity.
Speaker 1:Who's holding the?
Kristoffer:stick.
Joey:Who's holding the stick really?
Kristoffer:So that's really where a professional who has experience and has access to research could do that heavy lifting for you and has experience, Correct Right.
Joey:You know, hey, I saw this new and then you heard her going. You're the fifth person to tell me that.
Omar:Well, let me tell you what I have learned about it.
Joey:So, man, good, good stuff and again, a great question, omar, you know, the other things I think about too is I'll try to make the story short but to make the point, it's a good story. A gentleman and not I'll say the story I like the story. Maybe you guys have different opinions about it here. Talk about risk management Live radio. Here we go.
Speaker 1:The story.
Joey:The guy signed, man, I think it was for a home loan for for, uh, you know, to buy a home or a car. I think it was a home. And on the fine print it said if you lose your job, you have to tell us. And he was so close to closing on the house and he got let go. And so he calls the, the person, the banker, and he says hey, this happened. He goes what are you doing? The banker's like, dude, you're killing this whole loan. And he goes what do you mean? The fine print? He says you just just be quiet. And he goes no, I'm a christian, I have to. This is what the contract says. He goes you're gonna lose this house, or I think it was to keep his house, something crazy drastic. He goes yeah, maybe, but I have to, you know.
Joey:And and the loan went through anyway he he declared it, he signed it off and it went through anyway, or something like that, you know. For he felt that that was what he needed to do, to have integrity into, and so again, these, these things, you're gonna have to make that. So you know, the financial worldly person saying no, no, no, fudge the numbers. No, no, don't read that.
Omar:You know risk, you know being a christian can be risky yeah, I, I wonder how do you deal with a fine print, because that's a very interesting word, the fine print? Because as we're looking at the big picture, we sometimes takes the focus off the little picture which in the end, turns out to be bigger than the big picture.
Kristoffer:It's kind of like those commercials that always have some new pharmaceutical drug and you know, towards the ending of the commercial it's like oh here are the risks you know, death, nausea symptoms and you won't be able to do anything.
Kristoffer:So it's kind of the same when we're talking about anything of a financial instrument, you got to have somebody that will read the fine print or break it down for you, because essentially, what happens is that's really where the real language and the real information is uncovered is in the fine print. So I always like to make sure that you know. I'm very transparent with a customer or a client because they need to know, and very similar to your analogy and story is that they had to go with their gut feeling and it was right, because God allowed them to see that you know what, it doesn't matter, I'm going to take care of you, no matter what. And that's how you have to lead people is to say that if your faith is challenged, if you feel your spirit is not correct, that's God talking to you. And look what happened the mortgage lender still approved the house and God said I'm going to make this happen on our time.
Joey:Yeah, and I'm sorry if I interrupted, but it becomes a testimony, right, because now that lender or that banker goes, how did this happen? And he goes, the god, and it's interesting as spiritual uh, as as spiritual people.
Omar:We need to understand that the biggest fine print is scripture.
Kristoffer:That's the finest, that is the finest print you're ever gonna have. It took me two years to read the bible.
Omar:Okay, so that's the fine print that we really have to concentrate on. Yeah, that's the finest print of all. Yeah, yep, yep, under every contract. There's the fine print that we really have to concentrate on.
Joey:That's the finest print of all Yep, yep, yep, under every contract, the Bible text is in there right for a believer. Hey, we got a text here to the studio, grateful to be hearing Christopher's story for so many accomplishments. Yet all I heard is a humble heart giving God the glory. They sent a Bible verse when your treasure is there, your heart will be also Matthew 6, verse 21. They sent a bible verse where your treasure is there, your heart will be also matthew, chapter 6, verse 21.
Kristoffer:So I don't know if you want to respond to that text to that listener, christopher, thank you so much, uh, listeners today for, just you know, giving me a chance to get on air and just you know, just be you know grateful. Yeah, you know, um, it's exactly listeners like this that inspire you to continue pushing through, and every single day is not a perfect day, but when you pray, on it in wealth management?
Kristoffer:no but when you think about the challenges that you face, yeah and just be grateful, because life is not promised only god knows what's going to happen.
Joey:Amen. And again, I think this is one of the interviews Omar now talking behind the scenes, technical. We got to get this one online because the story that we've been tracking with if somebody just tuned in, they didn't hear about Miami Dolphins, near death, life change, new lease on life. So you got to hear. If you're listening live, it's March the 19th and we only have about 20 minutes left. You got to hear this from the beginning because we've heard and tracked with an incredible story that God is writing in and through Christopher's life and Christopher, I want to ask one question that's a little off topic, but it's a little bit more fun, but I want to leave enough time for D2L.
Speaker 1:And if people have again, if you're not a day one.
Joey:If you didn't tune in at 3.30, you don't even know what I'm talking about yet. Get your popcorn ready. But before D2L, a few minutes. Tell us about the NFL. That's fun. You know, three years in the NFL, miami Dolphins tell us some fun stories.
Kristoffer:Great experience, and you know who would imagine that? A mother who was 5'4".
Joey:No way I imagined you're 6'1".
Kristoffer:What Produce? You know a son that became 6'8", 355 pounds and ran a 4.9 in the 40-yard dash Dude, that's fast for your size.
Kristoffer:Yeah, a moving tank. Wow, the 40 yard dash, that's fast for your size. Yeah, a moving tank. But it was a great opportunity because just being a part of just the uh, business of football, it's a business, people have to understand that. But at the same time it's a dream come true when you're able to at least put your hand in the dirt and be able to put your whole life into one game, into one practice that gets you to the big stage.
Joey:Christopher, we're going to pause right there because, oh, we had a phone call and it dropped. Hey, have you just tried to call God's Radio? Call again 786-313-3115. I had a call, I don't know what happened. Please call us. Call us at the studio 786-313-3115.
Omar:You know what I find interesting about you, Christopher, and your cultural background. From the cultural background that you come from, it is not usual to see people that want to become entrepreneurs after the first generation and American football players.
Speaker 1:I can see Haitians playing soccer but not football.
Omar:And historically, because you come from that kind of a country, the whole idea of entrepreneurship doesn't fit the cultural mold. So you are away, quote unquote. Which is great because you're changing the atmosphere of what people expect from a certain people group.
Joey:I think we got this phone call connected. Hey, you're connected. Live God's Way Radio. Where are you calling us from? From Kendall? Great to hear from Kendall. And what do you want to ask or share with our guests?
Caller:So I wanted to just share quickly that I just I. I see I hear such an accomplished man and all that you can hear is him giving back the glory to God and it's so inspiring. And I did have a quick question to ask. I don't know if this dabbled in those couples therapy, but I am curious to know his take on it. How would you advise a couple that their husband or their partner, their spouse, is more financially risky and the other one is like, not financially risky and you see savings and just risk in general very differently, in general, very, tiffany. How would you or is that even anything that you get into? Or you just expect a couple to come in already united front in that?
Joey:He only takes perfect couples. No, I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding. First and foremost, we won't be, coming. Just kidding.
Caller:Go ahead Chris.
Kristoffer:First and foremost, thank you so much for the amazing testimony of you hearing what I had to say and I encourage you to keep listening. And God is working in your home at the very moment.
Caller:Amen.
Kristoffer:To answer your question, I would first say that you got to sit down with your spouse and really go back to the chalkboard. You know, put, put one column, hey safe, and then put the other column, risk, and then now, you know, go back to the pros and cons about it and then talk to your spouse about how you feel, because what's happening is, at times there may not be enough conversation about what's happening with those decisions and at times your spouse may not even understand that you feel a certain way about it. And I think that could be the first step is communication. Communication really could solve a lot of problems that we have in the world. And by you sitting down with your spouse and saying, you know what, let's first take this leap of faith and let God allow us to really draw out.
Kristoffer:If you have to go back, you know, into your elementary days and you know, get a coloring book or get something where you can write how you feel, and then he can write how he feels, and then after that, bring that same sample of information to the professional, because now we will be able to help you and guide you. On investments, yeah, what's conservative, what's a little bit in the middle, and then what's a little bit more riskier, where he won't feel left out but at the same time you can now take measured, calculated decisions together and everybody wins and another thing that is huge there, uh, for our caller.
Joey:You know, I'm I'm learning too. It's like making a visual that's. That seems like a big uh step to um, a big deal right, a big uh game changer. You know, instead of just talking back and forth and I had a bad day so i'm'm louder today, you know that's just me.
Speaker 1:I'm not talking about our color.
Joey:But you know, having it actually written out, because sometimes it even you said something along the lines of letting you know how you feel, and I think that that's very important is, when God created man and woman, they were designed with different desires and different attributes that they bring to marriage.
Caller:So, you know, a woman would want to feel I want to feel secured in my finances, in my husband, in my marriage, and he is always out there plowing the land trying to make things happen for us. So I think that we complement each other and that God put us together so that there is somebody who's saying, hey, hold back, that's a little wild. And then somebody's saying, hey, we got to move forward, we got to move forward, let's go. So very, very, very cool topic, joey. Thank you for bringing him on, and just what a pleasure to hear such an accomplished man who just places it all back in Jesus.
Joey:We thank the Lord and you've got to thank Omar over here. Cbmc, this has been a cool segment.
Caller:Well, actually is this the ad that I hear on Broadway radio all the time.
Joey:Omar's being shy.
Caller:Thank you to our sponsor.
Omar:Yeah, yes, yes, yes oh awesome.
Caller:I never clicked on you guys because I'm not a Christian businessman, I'm a housewife woman. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no.
Omar:I will share the link. Let me say something to you If you are a housewife, you are a businesswoman. Trust me In the name of jesus, a huge businesswoman. He doesn't know it yet, but he better figure it out that's awesome, my sister, god bless you, thank you, thank you you know so funny.
Joey:I saw uh man, I gotta do this very short I saw a um, a. A video was a from a movie or show or something, but it, it, it was a portrayal of this. What we just said. Uh, this lady's applying for a, a position of personal assistant, and he goes. Oh, you don't have a lot of experience, you know she goes and she got all emotional. You know it was very dramatic. But basically she said I manage.
Joey:I don't know how many calendars I have managed play dates I, you know, I I pick up prescriptions, I'm a nurse, I'm a doctor and she goes. With all due respect, sir, I'm pretty sure I can make sure you get to your squash game on time, or whatever. I don't know if you're gonna get the job talking like that. But point made, christopher. Uh, man, we're gonna have to have another segment with just fun football stories or something. Uh, because with the time we have, let's talk. Talk about D2L.
Kristoffer:Dream to lead. It's such a passion to serve the youth because I realized that I wrote a book and became a Wall Street Journal bestselling author. My book is available anywhere, whether it's Amazon Books. A Million Barnes and Nobles Just find it online. It's called let's Get it and 10 Keys to Building your Nonprofit to Maximum Impact. I wrote that book in the pandemic and specifically to make sure that because there was a lot of resources that were no longer being deployed from donors and then from also the federal government, so writing let's Get it was really a solution.
Joey:Yeah, I got to think, and correct me if I'm wrong, please, but I got to think. What was also going on there was hey, how continue to to gain an income and grow an income? How can I be creative? Hey, if, if I'm stuck indoors or if there's these things going on, I can write a book, I can find something to do, because that's a whole other subject of work ethic and hustle and initiative. I just wanted to point that out.
Omar:It's interesting for me because you talked about your, your financial life, your spiritual life. How about your family life? What? What kind life? How about your family life? What kind of? Are you married? Do you have children? What is your family like? Because, in the end, all of this is wonderful, but the first thing is your spiritual life, followed by your family life, absolutely, and then your financial life. Let's talk about what we have not gotten into. That's the middle ground. What's your family life?
Kristoffer:about what we have not gotten into in the middle of your family life spouse, two kids at home and it's amazing to, uh, you know, bring you know that love home, because I do believe that and all else said and done.
Kristoffer:You know, your home is your fortress yeah and, uh, we're all you know, men and women and children of god. We pray, we fast, we go to church. And we're all you know, men and women and children of God. We pray, we fast, we go to church, and we are in a community. And that's also to answer your question about.
Kristoffer:Dream to Lead is making sure that after I wrote that book, I wanted to make sure that I can also launch a philanthropic legacy of impact, and how I was going to do that was by founding D2L. Dream to Lead is focused on youth advocacy, mentorship, mental health, education and STEAM science, technology, engineering, arts and math, and sports and vocational skills. I was able to really launch an organization to impact 11 years old all the way through 24, making sure that they had resources if they don't go pro and if they don't go into entertainment, and they can fall back on skills.
Omar:The whole idea of Dream to Live.
Kristoffer:Dream to Lead D2L.
Omar:I'm sorry, dream to Live, to Lead, to Lead. Dream to Lead is the training, for that was at your home. In other words, if you're going to dream to lead outside the home, you better get that right with your two kids. Absolutely. What good does it good us to dream to lead outside if we're not dreaming and leading inside?
Kristoffer:Absolutely. We launched D2L last year and were very successful at helping to impact 200 youth across not only Broward and Dade County. We hosted a camp, which we're going to have a camp this summer in Miami, as well as also the west coast of Florida Naples. So we're going to run a camp and we're going to attract 350 kids from all walks of life within the ages of 11 all the way through 18. And, specifically, we're going to have sponsors, food vendors who want to share their impact.
Kristoffer:But we're looking for leaders, people who want to share their stories of how successful they've become in their life and also become mentors, and we believe that that's going to be an inspiration. Believe that that's going to be an inspiration After our first successful camp that we had at D1 Training Facility in Deerfield Beach, florida, last year, we actually were able to capture a corporate campaign with Florida Atlantic University for the next three years. So we're fundraising at FAU and really allowing people to learn about our programming and we're on growth mode right now. So D2L is so inspired and it's led by God.
Omar:Let me say this because we're coming to the end and we have heard a lot from you, but for you guys that want to hear even more, that has not been touched upon here today. I urge you. We're having a CBMC lunch next week, tuesday the 25th, at the 94th Air Squadron Restaurant, which is right over 57th and the airport. And guess what?
Speaker 1:Our friend here that you've been listening to for the last hour will be our speaker.
Omar:I'll be interviewing him, but you know by now I'm going to be asking very few questions because he has all the answers but if you really want to know a little bit more and meet him personally, I really urge you. If you could be with us next tuesday at noon at the 94th air squadron restaurant and you can hear and see, because one thing is to hear christopher, but man, you're gonna see him too.
Kristoffer:Yeah, you're gonna 4.7 fm hey you're gonna see, you're going to see him too 4.7 FM hey hey, hey, you're going to see why.
Joey:I asked Was it just like a guarantee that you were going to play football? Everybody just assumed it. You'll see for yourself. So that's March 25th, right.
Omar:March 25th, Tuesday noon at the 94 Squadron, and Christopher will be there and it'll be a great opportunity to follow up on what you've heard.
Kristoffer:Show up and show up.
Omar:Show up and show up.
Joey:Excellent. The website for Dream to Lead is d2leadorg. D2leadorg you know there might be people listening that they have 11 through 24-year-olds, that they want to get connected, or maybe there's a student listening, so that's pretty cool. I want people to have D2Leadorg.
Kristoffer:Follow us also on social media, which is Dream at D2L to be able to follow us and follow us, hashtag us, connect with us, because we're going to really be inspired to bring in a new batch of youth who want to learn and connect with us. And if you're interested to learn more about wealth management, also connect with me on my website, deckholdingllc. At Gmail and then also follow deck underscore underscore holding on instagram my deck is dek right dek, dek holdingcom, dek holdingcom, well deck holding llc.
Kristoffer:Oh, okay, at gmailcom, but then deck holdingcom is the website, the website perfect.
Joey:Uh, christopher, I just wanted to with the last few minutes that we have just kind of give you the the floor here. Anything we didn't cover any final words you want to leave with the listening family again, you might have. Well, we know for sure we have housewives listening. You know homemakers, uh, we know for sure that we have families, men, business, entrepreneur, I mean anybody could be listening. So what are some final thoughts you have for the family?
Kristoffer:Well, I just want to give my glory to God, first and foremost because I woke up this morning feeling inspired and, for whatever reason, I drove from the West Coast into Miami today and normally I would take the 75 interstate, the 75, you know, interstate, but for whatever reason, my GPS rerouted me and it rerouted me to Immokalee and the Miccosukee and basically the back roads. And when I say fog, when I say stress, and I was alone on an island driving through all that.
Kristoffer:I prayed and I asked God to just be with me on this journey, because I had no idea what was in front of me, but the two hours it took to get through those gray clouds, I was one with God and I was allowing myself to really have the intimate moment with God. So the last words that I would say is that when you feel alone and you feel scared, pray and know that God is always going to be there with you. Whatever happens along that journey, it's going to be okay nine times out of ten, because if you have faith and you do believe, you will overcome any obstacle, any challenge. So don't allow yourself ever to give up and quit, because there was a couple of times where I said I'm going to pull over and stop, but I had to be at a certain place at a certain time and I let everything pour into my spirit through God.
Caller:Yeah.
Kristoffer:So stay inspired and stay motivated, because if you're having a dark time, if you're having a moment where you just don't feel like you can continue to go one more step, take a moment to breathe. Feel like you can continue to go one more step. Take a moment to breathe, slow your heart rate down by just relaxing, breathing in your nose, out your mouth, but also making sure that you can ask God to continue to guide you and leading you through your next course.
Omar:A lot of the people that are listening today are driving through a fog. It may not be a real fog, but it's a fog in their lives. In order for the light of Christ, we have to look for the light of Christ to burn through the fog, and oftentimes the fog comes from the evil one. So we have to look at the light and allow that to burn through the fog so that you can really get to see him the way he is. The evil one doesn't want us to see him. Sometimes, through a fog, you see something different and by being in God, it's clear. He's very clear. There's nothing foggy about God, so it's a great thing he just brought us. Yeah.
Joey:So again, whether it's physically, whether it's the fogs of life, and again, if you've been listening to our conversation here with Christopher Dura, again, if I were to say and start to list right masters in business and philanthropists and wealth management and NFL and soon to be doctorate, I mean so much that he's got going on that God has done in and through him. But there was many times in his life when he could have given up. You know, 22 years old, I think it was. He could have given up, he, 22 years old, I think it was he he could have given up.
Joey:He said, man, you know, I almost died, I'm gonna, I'm gonna turn inward, I'm gonna worry about myself. But he said, no, I have a second lease on life, I'm gonna see what I can do for others, uh, and then I'm sure, in this journey of um, entrepreneurship, wealth management, building businesses I well, you said it, it's not every day is good or perfect. So, uh, what an encouragement, what a testimony and what a word to end on. And again, if you ever have questions for us or any of our guests, please reach out to us here at god's way radio. Again, thank you to cbmc for connecting us, which says wonderful people. Thank you for their support, christian's Businessmen's Association, cbmc, and you can find them online at CBMCSouthFloridacom.
Joey:And make sure to attend the lunch coming up, march 25th. If you're listening live. Until next time. Men, thank you so much for being here, thank you so? Much Amen, grace and peace.
Speaker 1:We hope you enjoyed Friends and Family, unique conversations recorded and produced in our studios, where you get a chance to hear what God is doing in people's lives. Jesus tells us in John 15, verse 15, I have called you friends For all things that I heard from my Father I have made known to you. So that's why we love to share these exclusive interviews with you. Our hope is that through their stories God will be made known to you, but you can only find them here on God's Way Radio. Just check godswayradiocom for our full program schedule.