Faith-Driven Leader

What happens when God begins leading you somewhere you never expected to go? In this episode, I sit down with entrepreneur, developer, and community builder Joshua Johnson for a fascinating and deeply faith-filled conversation about discernment, identity, risk, and learning to trust God one step at a time. Josh’s career journey has been anything but predictable. After beginning in the tech world a...

What do you do when your life takes a turn you never would have chosen? In this episode, I sit down with Debbie Simmons—keynote speaker, bestselling author, and founder of Anchor Point—for a deeply honest conversation about trust, surrender, and what it looks like to follow God when your plans fall apart. Debbie’s story is powerful. From a successful career in engineering to walking through profou...

What if the moments that feel like detours in your career are actually the ones shaping you most? In this episode, I sit down with Dan Owolabi—CEO of Branch Leadership, leadership consultant, and author of Authentic Leadership—for a conversation that gets to the heart of what it really means to lead with authenticity. Dan brings both depth and practicality as we talk about how God uses every seaso...

Careers rarely unfold in straight lines. Sometimes they look more like roller coasters—full of unexpected turns, bold decisions, and moments where the next step only becomes clear after we take it. In this episode of the Faith Driven Leader podcast, Ann Thompson sits down with Megan Milar , co-owner and COO of The Garage Group , to talk about what it looks like to follow God through a career that...

In this thoughtful return conversation, Ann sits down again with Chuck Mingo, teaching pastor at Crossroads Church, to explore what it looks like to follow God faithfully through seasons of transition—and to trust Him not just with direction , but with pace . Chuck reflects on his non-linear vocational journey, spanning the marketplace at Procter & Gamble, ministry leadership, nonprofit work a...

In this solo episode of the Faith-Driven Leader Podcast , Ann Eileen Thompson invites you into a deeper question than career strategy or next steps: Who is actually authoring your career—you, or God? Drawing from her own winding professional journey—from early leadership roles, to Procter & Gamble, entrepreneurship, failure, rebuilding, and discernment—Ann reflects on how easily care for our w...

In this inspiring episode, Ann sits down with Dr. Jen Bennett , an educator, author, and host of She Impacts Culture , whose career has been anything but linear. From youth ministry to entrepreneurship, from the classroom to higher education leadership, Jen’s story is a beautiful reminder that God’s calling rarely follows a straight line. Together, Ann and Jen unpack how to recognize God’s hand in...

In this powerful and practical episode, Ann sits down with Lyle Wells , president of Integrus Leadership , former pastor and college basketball coach, and author of the new book Easy to Follow: Trading Toxic Leadership for the Love of Christ . Lyle shares a refreshingly simple framework: leadership isn’t a title—it’s a behavior that influences others and creates outcomes. Together, Ann and Lyle un...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Ann sits down with Rebecca Czerwonka —educator, writer, and certified Emotional Health Life Consultant through The Compassion Method. Together, they unpack the connection between emotional health, faith, and leadership —and how learning to meet pain with compassion can transform not only our personal lives but how we lead others. Rebecca shares her own...

What difference does faith make when leaders face the highs and lows of entrepreneurship? In this episode, Ann sits down with Dr. Brett Smith —professor at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business and founding director of the L.I.F.E. program (Leading the Integration of Faith & Entrepreneurship). Brett shares how his own college story fuels his passion for equipping students to live out th...

What does it mean to lead with humility, courage, and purpose? In this episode, Ann sits down with Lisa Nichols—CEO and co-founder of Technology Partners, host of the Something Extra podcast, and author of the brand-new book Something Extra: Uncover Your Strengths. Unlock Your Potential. Unleash Your Impact. Lisa shares why she defines leadership as stewardship, the pivotal moment when God whisper...

What does it look like to lead with your whole self—body, mind, and spirit? In this episode, Ann sits down with Dr. Dave DeMarco, a board-certified family and lifestyle medicine physician who left traditional practice to launch DexaFit Cincinnati. They explore how faith and health intersect, why restoration is central to both, and what it takes to leave your comfort zone and build something new. W...

What does it really mean to be called —and how do we live that out through the complex demands of modern life? In this powerful episode, Ann sits down with Joanna Meyer , author of Women, Work & Calling and Director of Public Engagement at the Denver Institute for Faith & Work , to explore what faith-driven leadership looks like when it’s honest, integrated, and shaped by God over time. To...

Every leader has a culture, even if they haven't defined it. And as Jenni Catron reminds us in this powerful episode, “Your culture isn’t as good as you think it is.” In today’s conversation, Jenni joins Faith Driven Leader to share how faith and leadership intersect when it comes to building healthy, mission-aligned teams. We unpack practical strategies from her book Culture Matters , discuss the...

What does it look like to lead with conviction and compassion? In this episode of The Faith Driven Leader , I sit down with Edgar Sandoval Sr. , President and CEO of World Vision, to talk about vision, authenticity, and faith-driven leadership. Edgar’s journey—from arriving in the U.S. with $50 and no English to leading one of the world’s largest Christian humanitarian organizations—is as inspirin...

Welcome back, friends! After an unexpected break caring for my mom, I’m thrilled to return with an incredible episode featuring Kirk Perry. If you’re navigating career transitions or looking for wisdom on faith-led leadership, this conversation is for you! Kirk has led at the highest levels—most recently as CEO of Circana, and before that, shaping global brands at Google and Procter & Gamble....

Hi friends! I am Ann Eileen Thompson. Welcome back to the Faith Driven Leader Podcast, where we love to share the stories of amazing Faith Driven Leaders.  Today, we are welcoming Alli Patterson back to the show! Alli is a Teaching Pastor at Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. After a successful career at Procter & Gamble, Alli stepped into ministry and a deep study of scripture. Her teachi...

In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of my favorite topics: the end of the year and the beginning of the new one. This season is a beautiful time to step back, reflect, and prepare with intentionality for what’s ahead. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite year-end practices for reflecting on the past year and planning for the next, with a focus on inviting God into the process. Together, we’ll...

I’m so excited to welcome Bob Goff back to the Faith Driven Leader Show! If you missed our first conversation, please go back and listen to it⁠ here⁠ !  Today we are talking about Bob's new book – it’s a devotional called Chasing Whimsy: 365 Days of Possibility.  Bob Goff is the New York Times bestselling author of Love Does; Everybody, Always; Dream Big; Undistracted; Live in Grace, Walk in Love;...

Today’s episode dives into collaboration communication, the foundation of successful teamwork. Together, we’ll uncover how clear, open, and purposeful interactions bring ideas to life, helping leaders build trust, overcome challenges, and harness collective strengths for impactful results. Join us as we talk strategies, insights, and inspiring stories to foster seamless communication that drives c...

Hi friends! Our guest today is my good friend Laura Smith. Laura has been on the show before! You can go back and listen in to our conversation about mental health here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1JKdKa65RDIFYmbsQruXhT?si=LZ4kGvKiQfOYKnJXAgtvZA! Laura is a gifted writer, a Bible teacher, and she is so wise!  We talk on today's episode about her New book: The Urgency of Slowing Down: Biblica...

Hi friends! I am Ann Eileen Thompson welcoming you to the Faith Driven Leader Podcast, where we equip and embolden each other to build our leadership and our careers on a foundation of deep trust in our good Father God, through conversations with incredible Faith Driven Market and Ministry Leaders who really live out their faith in their leadership, and have the stories, and the fruit, to prove it...

Hi friends! Our guest today is Peggy Bodde. Peggy is an entrepreneur and the founder of Sacred Work, an organization that provides free career and leadership support for Christian women in the workplace.  Peggy spent 25 years as a corporate executive and then pivoted to start a freelance writing business. Her clients include marketing firms and major textbook publishers.  Peggy's passions are writ...

Hi friends! Our guest today is Katie Armentrout. Katie is the founder of Peoplefluence, where she equips and supports small business owners with the tools to build trust with their employees and customers. Through workshops and training, Katie works with teams to build productive relationships, nurtures teams to work well together through a foundation of trust; and equips teams with excellence in...

Hi friends! Our guest today is Mark Whitacre. Mark is Vice President of Culture & Care and Executive Director of the t-factor initiative at Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. Mark has worked with Coca-Cola Consolidated since 2019. Coca-Cola Consolidated is a faith-friendly publicly traded (NASDAQ) company with an official purpose statement “To honor God in all we do, by serving others, pursuing exce...