Shepherds as first evangelists

What does the Nativity story have to do with running an eCommerce business? In this special Christmas Day message, Matt Edmundson draws some beautifully tenuous parallels between shepherds, mangers, and Joseph, and the journey of every Digital David building something meaningful.

Episode Summary

This isn't a typical episode with frameworks and downloads. It's a cup of tea and a heartfelt thank you. Matt reflects on the meaning of Advent (the arrival of something wonderful) and finds unexpected connections between the Christmas story and the eCommerce journey. From early customers who become unlikely evangelists, to bootstrap operations that are sufficient for their purpose, to the quiet faithfulness of just doing the work without needing the spotlight.

Key Point Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

02:25 - The Magic of Advent

04:47 - The Shepherds (Your First Evangelists)

06:59 - The Manger (Your Bootstrap Operation)

09:11 - Joseph (Quiet Faithful Execution)

11:32 - A Thank You to Digital Davids

The Shepherds: Your First Evangelists (04:47)

The shepherds weren't the target demographic for announcing a royal birth. They were society's undesirables. Yet they became the first evangelists, so moved by what they saw that they couldn't stop telling everyone.

Your early customers might be similar. They're not the fancy influencers with high follower counts. They're the ones who discovered you before you were polished, before the fancy branding and proper email sequences. They found something genuine and couldn't stop talking about it.

Matt shares a story from Jersey (his old beauty company) about a lady who wrote blogs from another country, bringing in tens of thousands of pounds in sales monthly. These early adopters spread your story in a way no marketing budget could ever buy.

The Manger: Your Bootstrap Operation Is Enough (06:59)

Jesus was laid in a feeding trough. Not exactly the expected birthplace for a king. Yet the wise men still brought their finest gifts, recognising true worth beyond humble circumstances.

Your eCommerce business might not look as impressive as your well-funded competitors'. Your tech stack might be held together with hope and Zapier. Your warehouse might be your garage. But excellence isn't about having the fanciest infrastructure. It's about faithfully serving your mission with whatever resources you have.

The manger was sufficient for its purpose. It held the baby. So is your scrappy, bootstrap operation.

Joseph: Quiet Faithful Execution (09:11)

Joseph barely gets any lines in the school play. Almost no dialogue in the Bible. But watch what he does. He takes Mary as his wife when it would have been easier not to. He travels to Bethlehem. He flees to Egypt. He returns when told it's safe. Each decision required faith and immediate action. No fanfare, no recognition.

"Execution trumps intention every single time," Matt emphasises. You can have brilliant strategies, beautiful brand guidelines, and ambitious growth plans. But without disciplined follow-through, your business stalls.

Joseph models something we can all learn from. A man of quiet faithfulness, just doing the work without needing the spotlight.

Episode link: https://www.ecommerce-podcast.com/christmas-thankyou