Investing With Intention

Investing isn’t always a numbers game. More often, it starts with people. For Jeremy Jenson, CEO of Encore Search Partners, his career has been built on spotting potential others often overlook.

In honor of National Pickleball Day and National Wellness Month, it’s the perfect moment to highlight one of Jenson’s most personal investments: Honcho Pickleball.

More than just a business opportunity, it represented a commitment to his legacy. “I made a choice to change my lifestyle from driving at patio bars to socializing on pickleball courts, alcohol-free,” Jenson says. “I wanted the community, my followers, my employees to see a consistent change in my lifestyle and what better way to do that, than to put my money where my mouth was and invest in a national pickleball community?”

For Jeremy, trust, rapport, and credibility with the founder or operator are non-negotiables. If those aren’t in place, no matter how promising the business looks on paper, he’s out. As an expert in headhunting, he’s spent his entire career studying patterns. Jeremy evaluates founders the same way he does executive talent: through a mix of data and instinct.

“I can spot the difference between charisma and competence, between ambition and alignment. I know the red flags, but more importantly, I know what right looks like,” Jenson states.

Jenson accepts that every investment carries risk, but he never invests blindly. While pickleball may be one of the fastest-growing lifestyle sports in the country, his decision to back Honcho Pickleball was based on personal alignment, not popularity.

“There’s always a strategic reason behind it. Whether it helps me win more deals in my core business, build relationships with private equity operating partners, or elevate my lifestyle, each investment must align with my bigger picture.”

In the end, the best investments don’t just yield financial growth, but rather, they reinforce who you are and what you value. They grow alongside you by reflecting your character and creating a lasting impact on the people and communities around you.