Faith Driven Entrepreneur

One thing that makes this show so special is the feedback we receive from listeners just like you. Today’s episode is the fruit of your feedback. Many of you have talked about how helpful it would be to connect the Faith Driven Investor world with the Faith Driven Entrepreneur world. Well, we heard you. And out of that has arrived something we are beyond excited to share with you. It’s called Marketplace, and it’s a space for like-minded investors to find faith-driven deals and funds that help them put real capital to work in a way that makes a real impact. On today’s episode, Henry will share the origin story behind it and you’ll get to meet Vip Vipperman, who is helping make it all happen.

We're so grateful for the feedback that we've received from so many of you, the encouragement you've shared, and the questions you've asked. And today, we're going to attempt to answer one of those questions. Fundraising is such a critical part of the entrepreneurial journey. It can be scary and uncertain and overwhelming at times, but it's, quite literally, a part of the job. So, we're going to talk to Jake Thomsen who is a Partner at Sovereign's Capital leading the venture practice, which means he is interacting with entrepreneurs all the time, so he knows what works, what doesn't, and he's going to share with us a bit of both...

No one likes to be a part of a dysfunctional relationship. Yet, entrepreneurs and investors can often be on completely different pages with completely different goals and expectations.Today’s conversation between Henry Kaestner and Jessica Kim gives both sides of the story. Jessica shares how setting unrealistic expectations hurts the entrepreneur’s ability to follow through and the investor’s ability to determine success. And Henry talks about the fundraising side of his entrepreneurial journey and what he now sees from an investor perspective.Both sides are worth listening. Both sides have a lot to learn. Both sides can do a lot better. So, regardless of whether you’re an entrepreneur or an investor, today’s episode is for you.

We’re just as happy as you are that 2020 has finally come to an end. There’s been turmoil, turnover, and uncertainty around every corner. Yet, here at FDE, one thing has remained constant—this podcast.Week in and week out, we’ve recorded these conversations as we always do, and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the guests that joined us as well as the grounding consistency that this routine has provided.For those who have listened along all year, this will be a time to reflect on what we’ve heard. And for those who are just joining us, this will be a great place to find the episodes you need to listen to next. As always, thanks for joining us on the journey.

No one ever prepares to speak at their spouse’s funeral. But after a tragic car accident, Coach Monty Williams found himself burying his wife long before they had a chance to grow old together. But what happened in that moment was something powerful and unforgettable—he offered forgiveness to the driver who had killed his wife. Monty took us through this story, every painful detail, but he also talked about the hope he has found on the other side of tragedy and what he loves about coaching in the NBA.

Dave Blanchard, co-founder of Praxis, inspires faith-driven entrepreneurs and investors to pursue redemptive entrepreneurship--“following the pattern of creative restoration through sacrifice”--as they venture into the business world. In today's episode, he presents a gospel-centered plan encompassing redemptive strategic vision, a biblical operating model, and the value of intentional, sacrificial leadership.

When Brittany Underwood founded Akola Jewelry, she had no idea what the future of the jewelry handcrafted by women in Uganda would look like. Now, you can find Akola jewelry in Nordstrom's all across America. Today, you're going to hear her whole entrepreneurial story, but you're also going to hear from Sheeba Philip, the current CEO of Akola. Together, Brittany and Sheeba talked about the relationship between founders and CEOs, some avoidable pitfalls, and how their collaboration best serves the overall mission of the business.

Andy Crouch, partner for theology and culture at Praxis, joined us to talk about the drama of leadership and how to navigate the tensions of authority and vulnerability as a faith driven entrepreneur. Andy presents a 2x2 matrix and explains the surprising reality that “authority and vulnerability go together at the moments of greatest flourishing in our lives.” Listen in to hear his call to reconsider the role authority, vulnerability, control, and safety play in our lives.

If you're in America, you may think of the company Grab as the Uber of Southeast Asia. Of course, if you live in Southeast Asia, Uber is the Grab of America. Whatever way you look at it, with 198 Million Downloads of the App, 9 Million Drivers in 352 Cities in 8 Countries, and a $14B valuation, Anthony Tan and Grab are making huge waves in the ridesharing industry. Today, Anthony shared his entrepreneurial journey which started with a simple question: how can I best take care of other people?

Today's guest has over 25 years of CEO experience at major corporations, and he's got some wisdom to show for it. Joel Manby's most recent job was as the President and CEO of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. Before that, he served as the CEO of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned theme park and entertainment company in the United States with popular brands such as the Harlem Globetrotters and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park and dinner theaters. All that experience led him to write Love Works where he explains how to integrate love into the leadership ethos and philosophy of any organization. Let's hear him explain how...