2019-20 Georgia Tech Everyday Champions Issue #3

THE FORBES’ PIECE OUTLINED ONE OF HIS EARLY PROJECTS, THE KNGDM IMPACT FUND. KNGDM IS RAISING 50 MILLION TO INVEST IN REAL ESTATE AND OPERATING BUSINESSES IN OPPORTUNITY ZONES, WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IN 2017 AND MAKE PRIVATE INVESTMENTS MADE IN DESIGNATED ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES ELIGIBLE FOR CAPITAL GAIN TAX BREAKS.

after the 2018 season and quickly pivoted to entrepreneurship and what is called impact investing. Where did you begin? Morgan: “The first thing I did was talk to God. I dedicated myself to improving my prayer life and bettering my understanding of my purpose and what God wanted me to do with the next chapter. I was determined to walk in my purpose and do what I was supposed to do. I did an eight-day water fast and found some direction and inspiration. From the moment when I began to walk in obedience of what God wanted, things started to fall into place. I feel fortunate to have purpose. Not all in my position do. That’s a reality for a lot of guys who hang them up. I knew I couldn’t be that recently retired guy who is depressed all the time and doesn’t have any motivation in life. I’m grateful that God directed me on my way. “From there it was a continuous process. I’m a very curious person. Whether it’s something I read or something like a documentary, I like to look into it. One day I was watching a documentary about the 13th amendment, which ended slavery. It was very intriguing, because it told me what the money that I’m investing today is going to fund. In this case, it was about private prisons and how all these different investment vehicles have holdings in these private prison companies. That got me reading and studying and learning about impact investing. “I reached out to an impact investor out of Oakland who had written a book on the matter, and she opened my eyes to the possibilities of what you could invest in where the money makes a difference in people’s lives. That kick-started the process of me moving my money toward those investments and getting involved in areas of impact investing.” EC: You are now a champion of several sustainable businesses, from plant-based meat foods to insulation made from recycled cardboard. You are also investing in Opportunity Zones. What attracted you to this area of investing? Morgan: “My entire hometown is an Opportunity Zone. That’s how I got interested in the program. The catch with Opportunity Zones is the incentives may get money into those markets, but will it be invested in projects that help the

respected business publication. The Forbes’ piece outlined one of his early projects, the KNGDM Impact Fund. KNGDM is raising 50 million to invest in real estate and operating businesses in Opportunity Zones, which were established by the Trump administration in 2017 and make private investments made in designated economically distressed communities eligible for capital gain tax breaks. Morgan recently shared his insights on his past, present and future with Everyday Champions. Everyday Champions: You’ve talked openly over the years about growing up in a small town beyond the outskirts of Philadelphia, raised in a tight-knit family environment by a single mother and your grandparents. How did that background influence your life? Morgan: “My upbringing was grounded in accountability and discipline. That foundation was set from an early age. My mom and my grandparents modeled that behavior, and it has translated throughout my life and given me a bit of an edge up in all my pursuits. Kids learn more by example than through preaching and constant nagging. I do the same thing with my kids today. They probably hear about five percent of what I say, but they see everything.” EC: What about football’s role? You weren’t a Pop Warner prodigy -- you didn’t come to the game until you were a teenager. Once you discovered your talents, how did that change the direction of your life? Morgan: “Once we reach a certain age, we are always looking for our place in the world. A lot of it depends on your upbringing: Are you being raised in an edifying, reaffirming environment? Or are you in a place where you are simply looking to survive? Without someone to tell you who you are, why you are important and what your potential is, you are always looking for those answers. Football filled in those blanks for me. For me, football was something to put my stake in the ground. “The interesting part is once I reached the pinnacle and became a professional player, I realized that football wasn’t going to define the entirety of my life.” EC: So let’s talk about where you have found your place in the world now after a stellar football career. You retired from the NFL

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