Catholic Founders #34 What is an Ecclesiastical Venture | Mark Wilson
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* Intro to the Guest and Topic
* Core Takeaway
* Episode References
* Select Quotes
* Key Moments
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Today’s Topic & Guest:
I’ve mentioned Ecclesiastical Ventures many times on the pod and in our CF Guild calls. Now we are finally breaking down what an Ecclesiastical Venture is, and how we can bring them back.
We really appreciate Mark taking the time to share his learnings — we hope this inspires you.
* Mark Wilson | Nicodemus Ventures
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Core Lesson:
You Can Run a Profitable Business Even if Your First Objective is Not Profit
The underlying principle of an Ecclesiastical Venture is that we are not focused soley on profit. We are focused on using the venture to get to heaven. We build our way of life around the goal of heaven.
Daily mass — prayer throughout the day — a spiritual director — etc. All of these things are in service of eternity. But most secular business owners wouldn’t consider these a good ROI.
When you focus on what truly matters most (heaven) first, you’re actually doing yourself a favor because you’re putting the right things first. Doing so has very positive downstream effects. Because when you do the right thing in one area you do it in others.
Doing the right thing for your customers leads to positive customer reactions which leads to new customers (as Tim Connors told us on the pod he did with us).
God Bless & Happy Building!
~Silas Mähner
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Key Episode References:
* The Saintly CEO (newsletter)
Select Quotes:
* “When you dedicate it to God or you surrender it to Him, He’s in charge. And I’ve learned that you can abandon it, right? You can abandon this commitment... But you can’t undo it. You’ve given it over to God, now He’s in charge.”
* “Their goal was not profit. Their goal was not success. Their goal was a salvation of its founders, managers, and employees. That was the purpose of work.”
* “It’s like a magnet. People say, I want that. I want to be in that environment. I want to be with those people... And then over the course, they realize, hey, wow, it’s Jesus. And then when they recognize that, they convert.”
* “The primary objective is salvation. Life is short. So where do want your eternal soul to go? And that’s really what they were focused on, and worshiping God, and living a penitent lifestyle.”
* “Every day you should be growing, becoming more holy. The environment is one in which you’re sanctifying yourself and others and your work.”
* “You’re never gonna outdo God in generosity. Well, when God sees that you’re so detached from this stuff, He knows He can entrust you to do the right things with His wealth.”
Key Moments: (outline)
* 00:00 - Introduction and Mark Wilson’s Background
* 04:02 - Discovery and History of Ecclesiastical Ventures
* 08:26 - Core Purpose: Salvation Over Profit
* 17:28 - Characteristics of Ecclesiastical Ventures
* 22:06 - Examples and Impact of Ecclesiastical Ventures
* 33:10 - Managing Finances and Tithing
* 40:21 - How to Rebuild Ecclesiastical Ventures Today
* 45:47 - Trusting God and the Role of Faith
* 52:39 - Future Vision and Contact Information
* 59:39 - Conclusion
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