Christian Business Leader with Darren Shearer

On this episode, Rylee Meek shares a biblical blueprint for building a business based on the biblical Creation account.  Rylee Meek has built eight companies launching them to 7 and 8 figures within the first year of each, generating 9 figures over the past decade. Utilizing his proven methods and strategies to build lasting relationships and lifetime customers, Rylee has helped thousands of entrepreneurs gain clarity and create massive acceleration in their businesses and brands.  Through The King's Council, his mission is to disciple Christian entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools, systems and frameworks necessary to discover, develop & deploy their God given visions into the marketplace, in effort to increase the tithe and initiate radical generosity for the purpose of Kingdom advancement here on earth. https://www.ryleemeek.com/ https://kingscouncilcommunity.org/ Theology of Business is the show for marketplace Christians seeking to explore and apply God's will for business. If you want to learn more about how to do business for the glory of God and shape culture through discipling the business world, this show is for you. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.TheologyofBusiness.com

On this episode, Mark Plaza shares how he started building his successful granola company while pastoring a church so he could understand and relate to his congregation more effectively as a fellow marketplace Christian.  Mark Plaza is the founder of Olde Man Granola, which began in 2008 and now has their granola sold in several large grocery retail chains such as Whole Foods and Safeway.  He has served in pastoral ministry for about 20 years and has been a missionary in the Congo and Honduras. He's currently the pastor of a church in Jefferson City, Missouri while simultaneously serving as Director of Strategy and Development for Olde Man Granola.  He holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Golden Gate Seminary and teaches a course called "Bible and Business" for Colorado Christian University.  https://oldemangranola.com/ Theology of Business is the show for marketplace Christians seeking to explore and apply God's will for business. If you want to learn more about how to do business for the glory of God and shape culture through discipling the business world in the ways of Jesus, this show is for you. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.TheologyofBusiness.com

On this episode, former CFO of GoGo Inflight Barry Rowan shares lessons on connecting faith and work from his new book, The Spiritual Art of Business. Barry Rowan has served as a division general manager, led two private companies as CEO/President, and has been CFO for four public companies, including Fluke Corporation, Nextel Partners, Vonage, and Gogo. Barry has served as a trustee for Seattle Pacific University (where he was also the founding chair for the Center for Integrity in Business) and Gordon College, the board of advisors for the Honors Program in Entrepreneurial Leadership at Gonzaga University, and as President of Bellevue Christian School. He has served on the national board of InterVarsity and chairs the board of the Harvard Business School Christian Fellowship and Alumni Association. He's the author of the new book, The Spiritual Art of Business: Connecting the Daily with the Divine.  https://www.barrylrowan.com/ Christianity in Business is the show that helps Christian business leaders to integrate biblical values into business. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.ChristianityInBusiness.com

On this episode, Rusty Chadwick shares how heeding the biblical call to "consider others more important than yourselves" (Phil. 2:3) makes teams more effective and lasting. Rusty Chadwick is the Director of WinShape Teams (WinShape was started by Truett Cathy in 1984), where he has served since 2010. In addition to leading WinShape Teams, Rusty also speaks, writes, and creates development experiences for teams and leaders.  He is an executive producer of For the Team, a documentary on team performance in the grueling endurance sport of adventure racing.  Rusty co-authored the book, Team Work: 13 Timeless Principles for Creating Success and Fulfillment as a Team Member. (Chapter 1 is free and available here: https://www.teamworkbook.co/#Chapter-1-Free). Rusty holds a master's degree in management and leadership from Liberty University. Rusty loves adventuring in the outdoors, especially on a bike. He lives in Rome, Georgia with his wife Bekah, and their two children Dawson and Ella. https://teams.winshape.org/ Christianity in Business is the show that helps Christian business leaders to integrate biblical values into business. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.ChristianityInBusiness.com

On this episode, augmented reality gaming company co-founders Luke and Jennifer Richey share how they're leveraging artificial intelligence for a Christ-centered purpose. Luke Richey, a software coding prodigy from a young age, co-founded Gravity Jack, Inc. in 2009, pioneering mobile-based Augmented Reality. With prior success in startups and a strong patent portfolio, he established the company as an industry leader. Jennifer Richey, hailing from southern California, is a tech futurist and entrepreneur. She entered the tech world in 2002, serving as CFO for Tometa Software, which was acquired in 2007. Later, she played the same role at Play Xpert and played a pivotal role in founding Gravity Jack in 2009. Together, Luke and Jen, Co-founder and Executive at Gravity Jack, are the visionaries behind the groundbreaking Augmented Reality/Artificial Intelligence video game, "The Wartribe of Binyamin." This game represents a leap forward in both gaming and global impact, and it offers a unique opportunity for investors to share in its equity-a rarity in crowdfunding. Gravity Jack website: https://www.gravityjack.com/ Wartribe of Binyamin promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggur82LNJyE Wartribe of Binyamin X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheWarTribe Theology of Business is the show for marketplace Christians seeking to explore and apply God's will for business. If you want to learn more about how to do business for the glory of God and shape culture through discipling the business world, this show is for you. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.TheologyofBusiness.com

On this episode, tech entrepreneur and CEO Gary Harpst makes a biblical case for why leadership is about creating order out of chaos.     Gary Harpst, CEO of LeadFirst, is known for his fusion of faith and work, fostering agile organizations. With four decades of experience, he founded three successful businesses, one of which merged and was sold to Microsoft.  He has authored three impactful books and educated on business-faith intersections.  As a veteran Christian CEO, Harpst's journey encompasses business trials and growth. His latest book, Built to Beat Chaos, makes the biblical case that we are all created to overcome chaos.   LeadFirst, under Harpst's guidance, provides a whole business, whole-person health strategy for kingdom-impact businesses.    www.leadfirst.ai www.garyharpst.com

On this episode, William Vanderbloemen shares 12 data-driven habits that separate the best leaders from the rest, which he and his team have observed during the process of conducting 3000 executive searches through Vanderbloemen Search Group.  William Vanderbloemen has been leading the Vanderbloemen Search Group for 15 years, where they are regularly retained to identify the best talent for teams, manage succession planning, and consult on all issues regarding teams. This year, Vanderbloemen will complete their 3,000th executive search.   Prior to founding Vanderbloemen Search Group, William studied executive search under a mentor with 25+ years of executive search at the highest level. His learning taught him the very best corporate practices, including the search strategies used by the internationally known firm Russell Reynolds. Prior to that, William served as a Senior Pastor at one of the largest Presbyterian Churches in the United States  His latest book is Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest (HarperCollins Leadership), which will release November 14, 2023.   https://www.vanderbloemen.com/william Christianity in Business is the show that helps Christian business leaders to integrate biblical values into business. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.ChristianityInBusiness.com

On this episode, Brad Pedersen shares his marketplace and faith journey as founder of  Canada's top toy company and co-founder of a rapidly growing company devoted to environmental sustainability. Brad Pedersen is an award-winning entrepreneur, angel investor, thought leader, and sought-after business coach. In 2008, he founded and scaled Canada's top toy company, Tech 4 Kids, and subsequently co-founded Pela, the $100m sustainable phone case startup that created an entirely new category.  In 2021, Brad and the team at Pela successfully launched a record-breaking $9.8M crowd-sourced campaign for the Lomi, the world's first smart waste kitchen composter.  He's the author of the book, Startup Santa: A Toymaker's Tale of 10 Business Lessons Learned from Timeless Toys, which will release November 4, 2023. https://www.bradpedersen.com/ Christianity in Business is the show that helps Christian business leaders to integrate biblical values into business. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.ChristianityInBusiness.com

On this episode, David Kroll shares how his church made the pivot from 13 weekend services to focusing on helping people experience church at home and in everyday life ... right before the Covid-19 pandemic began ... and is now reaching hundreds of thousands of people for Christ online weekly. David Kroll is the Chief Executive Officer for Churchome. Hundreds of thousands of people watch Churchome's sermons online each week, which are mostly preached by their lead communicator, Judah Smith. Prior to stepping into the CEO role, David began his career within investment banking, wealth management, and technology, and he served in a variety of pastoral roles within Churchome. He is husband to Jenna and father to William, Teddy, and Charlotte. David is passionate about helping people everywhere hear the story of Jesus! https://www.churchome.org/ Christianity in Business is the show that helps Christian business leaders to integrate biblical values into business. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.ChristianityInBusiness.com

On this episode, Catherine Gates and Amy Cedrone explain why marketplace Christians ought to collaborate more with each other. They also share how they're facilitating collaborative efforts among Christian women in the marketplace.  Amy Cedrone is the Executive Director for Polished Network, an organization that emboldens women in their faith and work. Prior to Polished, Amy was a pastor for women and young adults at a large church in the Dallas Metroplex. She earned her Master's degree in Christian Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary, and is currently pursing her doctorate, with a focus on Organizational Leadership, from Southern Methodist University. Catherine Gates is Vice President of Business Partnerships for Polished Network. She is the author of The Confidence Cornerstone: A Woman's Guide to Fearless Leadership. Catherine is on the steering committee for the National Faith & Work Association (NFWA.org).  www.boldlyconference.com  www.polishednetwork.org Christianity in Business is the show that helps Christian business leaders to integrate biblical values into business. | Entrepreneurship | Marketing | Nonprofit | Church | Author | Startups | Marketplace | Ministry | Business as Mission | Faith and Work | Faith | Success | Leadership | www.ChristianityInBusiness.com