Faith Driven Entrepreneur

We’re so excited to introduce you to today’s guest. Joan Maxwell founded Regulator Marine with her husband, Owen, in 1988. Owen oversees design of their sportfishing boats; everything and everyone else reports to Joan. As the first female chairperson of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, Joan shared with us what it feels like to be in uncharted waters. She was the first person in her family to finish college, and she’s often the only woman in the room when it comes to her professional life. But, as you’ll hear Joan share today, these things have only pushed her forward...

Dollywood. Silver Dollar City. The Harlem Globetrotters. You’ve heard of all of those, but you might not know about the business behind them. That’s what today’s episode is about. Chris Herschend is a third-generation shareholder and Chairman of Missouri-based Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed attractions company in the US. Herschend properties span 26 locations and 10 states, employing over 10,000 people who collectively host over 13 million guests annually. Today, Chris is going to talk to us about what it’s like serving his family, their board, and the family business, creative ways he has found to follow God both inside and outside the business, and the unique challenges and opportunities keeping a business “family held forever.”

Frank Kelly serves as CEO of Kelly & Associates Insurance Group, Kelly & Associates Financial Services (KELLY Payroll/KELLY Work Comp), KELLY Exchange Services, and KELLY Integral Solutions – collectively known as KELLY.As a group insurance administrator, broker, and consultant specializing in health care, KELLY has been recognized as the largest employee benefits administrator in Maryland and one of the largest in the Mid-Atlantic region. Since Frank was named President in 1994, KELLY has grown from a corporate client base of 1,000 to more than 10,000. Annualized premiums and payroll administered and under management have risen from $20 million to over $4 billion.He runs the business alongside his brothers and on today’s episodes, he shared the unique challenges of running a family business, as well as the unique opportunities.

If you’re a part of the Christian conservative community, you’ve probably heard of The Babylon Bee. It is, and we quote, “the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims.”With headlines like “Man Who Doesn't Read The Bible Also Chief Authority On What Jesus Would Do Today,” it seems like a fun way for Christians to laugh at themselves. But as today’s guest and Babylon Bee CEO, Seth Dillon, explains, being a satirical site doesn’t come without a fair share of controversy. Hear Seth tell the origin story of The Babylon Bee, how we can use satire as a form of apologetics, and all about that one time Donald Trump retweeted one of their articles...

October Baby. Mom’s Night Out. Woodlawn. I Can Only Imagine. What do these movies have in common? They’re all creations from the Erwin brothers. Jon and Andrew have had a passion for creating and making movies since they were young, and today, Jon joined to share where that energy comes from. You’ll enjoy hearing the entrepreneurial energy behind making a movie and the business of filming, distributing, marketing, and every other aspect that makes a hit movie a hit.Lastly, Jon challenged the stereotype of an “evil Hollywood agenda” and charged other Christian entrepreneurs to consider the ways they’ve avoided engaging with the secular world. Listen in to hear for yourself.

It’s strange how one number has become such a popular tool for defining our characteristics and even our identity. Today, we’re talking to someone who knows more about the enneagram than all three of your podcast hosts combined.Ian Morgan Cron is the author of The Road Back to You and a master teacher of the Enneagram, an ancient personality typing system that identifies nine types of people and how they relate to one another and the world. The Enneagram is a powerful tool for understanding why we behave the way we do, and how our personalities are powerfully influenced by our motivations. It provides a framework for how we can begin to live into our most authentic selves, and also reveals the wisdom each personality type can offer to others. Listen in to learn how these numbers apply to your entrepreneurial journey?

Community. It’s one of the core tenets of the Faith Driven movement. If you’ve been listening for a while, we hope you’ve heard stories from around the world that have opened up your eyes to see that FDEs are everywhere, and they’re faithfully pursuing God’s will right where they are. Today, we’re talking with Sue Alice Sauthoff who has recently joined the FDE/FDI team as our Community Manager. She’s going to share all the new initiatives intended to foster community among FDEs all around the world. We’re so excited she’s on the team, and we think after listening to this podcast, you will be too...

When Cheryl Bachelder took the helm at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, sales and profits were declining and shareholders and franchisees were unhappy. But during the nearly 10 years of Cheryl’s leadership, Popeyes stock moved from $11 in 2007 to a remarkable $79 at the time of its 2017 sale to Restaurant Brands International. So what's the secret ingredient to Popeyes turnaround? Cheryl joined us today to share how her unique strategy of servant leadership proved to be a recipe for success.

Phil Vischer, author, filmmaker, and creator of VeggieTales, shares how the rise and fall of his first “Big Idea” led him to a new understanding of identity and what it means to be rooted in a relationship with Christ. He challenges Faith Driven Entrepreneurs to consider that God’s call on their lives is much more about walking with Him than it is doing things for Him. Listen in to hear him explain why it’s more important to know your identity is secure in who God is, rather than what you do or your success rate in it.

If you’re a fan of Mike Rowe’s television show Dirty Jobs, then I think you’re going to like today’s episode. While working on telephone poles isn’t exactly a dirty job, it is a high-risk, challenging, and technical one and today’s guests are going to tell us all about it. David Powell and PJ Nardy own and operate the Southeastern Lineman Training Center where they lead the premier training school for apprentice lineworker training. Their job is so interesting and unique that it has its own show on Amazon Prime called Woodwalkers, but before you set down this episode and tune into their show, you’ll want to hear their story for yourself...