Faith Driven Entrepreneur

25 years of helping people. 117 companies consulted. 20 million books sold. 150 million people served.  It’s hard to overstate the impact Dr. Henry Cloud has had on leaders all around the world. He has an extensive executive coaching background and experience as a leadership consultant, devoting the majority of his time working with CEOs, leadership teams, and executives to improve performance, le...

For entrepreneurs, the day you sell your business is the goal you’ve been working toward for years. But what if this experience doesn’t live up to the hype? Jewel Burks Solomon , Founder of PartPic and Head of Startups at Google, talks about the day after her business was acquired by Amazon, what the process was like, and how reaching this perceived finish line isn't always what an entrepreneur mi...

We can confidently say that this is the first podcast where a Mennonite chicken farmer capable of writing million dollar checks has played a key supporting role. Sure, you know of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels—you’ve seen them in malls and probably tasted their incredible treats. But the story behind the business is one you’ll just have to hear to believe.  So many entrepreneurs build out of a place of g...

You no doubt have heard the saying that the primary purpose of business is to increase the value for its shareholders.  Well, today’s guest might not agree with that. Instead, Bill Job would tell you that that idea is a little shortsighted. Instead, he believes that the purpose of business is to create eternal value.  But what does that mean, and how does that work in practice? And how do you hear...

In the late 90’s, Dunkin’ Donuts found it so hard to break into the Los Angeles donut market that they gave up. Why? Because of The Donut King . Ted Ngoy has opened over 70 donut shops in an effort to give Cambodian refugees a chance to earn a living and make it in America. At one point, his donut empire netted him over $20 million and a presidential award for achieving the American Dream from Geo...

The story of today’s guest starts in a recording studio. When Dr. Tony Evans was a student at Dallas Theological Seminary, he was asked to preach on a radio show based out of Houston. After giving countless sermons to an audience he could never see, Tony gathered 10 people in his living room, which was the start Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship.  Fast forward and Oak Cliff Bible has roughly 10,000 membe...

Everyone has a few regrets. Some regrets are inconsequential, others life-altering. Most could have been avoided.  Andy Stanley , founder of North Point Ministries, a popular communicator, pastor, podcaster, and television host, has his share of regrets, but he’s found a way to keep the list short. His secret lies in five simple questions, which is what you’ll hear him talk about today.   Useful L...

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...

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...

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 on...

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 C...

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, distri...

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...

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 ....

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 tod...

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 expla...

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 schoo...

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 Ma...

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...

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 ab...

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 ha...

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...

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, sacrifi...

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 relat...

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 reco...