Encouraging Returned Missionaries for the Next 10 Years | An Interview with Davis Smith

Davis Smith is the founder, chairman, and emeritus CEO of Cotopaxi, a Salt Lake City–based outdoor gear brand dedicated to poverty alleviation. Raised throughout Latin America, he developed a lifelong commitment to social impact after witnessing economic inequality firsthand. A serial e-commerce entrepreneur, Davis founded several successful ventures, including Brazil’s 2012 “Startup of the Year,” before building Cotopaxi into a global brand that has assisted millions living in poverty. He has served as a Presidential Leadership Scholar and a member of the United Nations Foundation’s Global Leadership Council.

Alongside his career in social business, Davis is a Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, where he teaches courses on leadership and social entrepreneurship. Davis and his wife, Asialene, are the parents of four children and have served extensively in Church leadership, including as mission leaders in the Brazil Recife North Mission (2023–2026) and in a stake presidency. He holds degrees from BYU and the Wharton School and is the author of The Next Ten Years.

Links

The Next Ten Years: A Returned Missionary’s Guide to the Decade That Shapes Your Life

Weaving a Vision into Your Service | An Interview with Davis Smith

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Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community

Highlights

In this YouTube livestream conversation, Kurt and Davis talk about navigating post-mission transitions, applying practical life skills, and developing lifelong discipleship centered on Jesus Christ.

Key Insights

Connecting Mission Skills to Real-Life Success: The competencies developed on a mission—such as goal setting, communication, team coordination, and networking—directly translate into professional, financial, and relational success when returned missionaries learn to connect those dots.

Intimate Compassion (Oil Before Wine): Drawing from the parable of the Good Samaritan, effective leadership and personal correction require establishing love and empathy (“oil”) before offering invitation, counsel, or direction (“wine”).