Going Big! with Kevin Gentry
Kevin Gentry
Welcome to Going Big! — the podcast where we share the stories of people who have truly gone big in their own lives. Hosted by Kevin Gentry, Going Big! has consistently ranked as a top podcast on iTunes in its category and has earned multiple national honors, including the 2024 MarCom Gold Award for Non-Profit Podcast, the 2024 Viddy Gold Award for Non-Profit and Marketing Podcast, the 2025 Viddy Award, and the 2025 Communicator Award.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, political figures, and other trailblazers who have achieved extraordinary impact in their work and communities. You’ll hear firsthand how they pursued bold ideas, took major risks, overcame challenges, and built something remarkable.
We no longer focus solely on fundraising and marketing. Instead, Going Big! explores the full spectrum of leadership, innovation, and personal drive — uncovering the lessons, values, and pivotal moments that propelled our guests to think bigger and push further.
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a nonprofit leader, a political changemaker, or simply someone inspired by real stories of ambition and achievement, Going Big! offers insights and inspiration to help you take your own next leap.
Listen on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Pandora, and YouTube. Follow us on social media and visit TenXStrategies.com for more great content and resources.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, political figures, and other trailblazers who have achieved extraordinary impact in their work and communities. You’ll hear firsthand how they pursued bold ideas, took major risks, overcame challenges, and built something remarkable.
We no longer focus solely on fundraising and marketing. Instead, Going Big! explores the full spectrum of leadership, innovation, and personal drive — uncovering the lessons, values, and pivotal moments that propelled our guests to think bigger and push further.
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a nonprofit leader, a political changemaker, or simply someone inspired by real stories of ambition and achievement, Going Big! offers insights and inspiration to help you take your own next leap.
Listen on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Pandora, and YouTube. Follow us on social media and visit TenXStrategies.com for more great content and resources.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 29, 2025 • 59min
Going Big with Tyler Cowen, the Information Billionaire: The Future Belongs to the Non-Complacent
Tyler Cowen returns to Going Big! for a sweeping conversation on ambition, disruption, and how to think clearly in a world moving faster than ever.
From his early days studying Austrian economics at George Mason to running one of the most influential economics blogs in the world with Marginal Revolution, Cowen reflects on the personal choices that shaped his path—and the broader trends that will shape the future. Along the way, he shares what drives his relentless curiosity, why ambition is underrated, and how to keep growing intellectually in a rapidly changing world.
He also offers insights into the rise of AI, the future of education, the bureaucracy of philanthropy, and the subtle dangers of social comfort. Plus: how he reads 5–10x faster than most people, how he chooses podcast guests, and why "not going crazy" is one of the most overlooked traits of long-term success.
If you're curious about what it takes to build a life of impact—and how to stay sharp, bold, and useful in the AI era—this episode is for you.
Dec 22, 2025 • 56min
Going Big with Scott Beaulier: Rethinking Higher Ed with a First-Gen College Dean
Host Kevin Gentry sits down with Dr. Scott Beaulier, Dean of the University of Wyoming College of Business, for a conversation about what it takes to keep going when life and leadership get hard. Dr. Beaulier shares how growing up in Iron Mountain, Michigan, working his way up at McDonald’s, and being the first in his family to pursue college shaped his grit, discipline, and drive to pursue something bigger.
From marathon miles to major decisions, he unpacks the moments that define you, including “hitting the wall,” facing pressure, and pushing through when quitting feels easier. He also shares how mentors changed his trajectory, why higher education needs real innovation, and what it looks like to lead with purpose, resilience, and a willingness to challenge the status quo in order to create opportunity for others.
Dec 15, 2025 • 51min
Going Big with Tim Busch: Serial Entrepreneurship, Faith, and Cultural Renewal
Host Kevin Gentry sits down with entrepreneur and philanthropist Tim Busch to explore how faith, hard work, and vision shaped his journey from working in a Michigan supermarket to leading several major businesses and founding influential institutions. Tim shares how early discipline, entrepreneurial grit, and a commitment to openly living his Catholic faith guided him as he built enterprises in law, real estate, hospitality, and beyond.
They discuss the creation of Legatus, the Napa Institute, the Magis Institute, and the Tim and Steph Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America, along with Tim’s belief that leaders should bring their faith into the marketplace to renew culture and strengthen communities. He closes with a challenge inspired by John Paul II: whatever your tradition, be a good one.
Dec 8, 2025 • 1h 4min
Going Big with Rev. Dan Marotta: Small Faithfulness and Big Impact
Host Kevin Gentry sits down with Rev. Dan Marotta of Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond, Virginia, for a powerful conversation about what it truly means to go big by first being faithful in the small things. Rev. Marotta shares his unexpected journey from studying marine biology to entering ministry, shaped through heartbreak, loss, and a renewed encounter with the hope of Jesus Christ. He explains how most people discover their calling through steady obedience rather than dramatic signs, and why paying close attention to what God has already placed in front of you can lead to life-changing purpose.
Kevin and Rev. Marotta explore the role of mentors, the beauty and challenge of church planting, and how to pursue ambition that is rooted in humility and service instead of platform. Along the way, Rev. Marotta unpacks the meaning of Advent, the identity of Jesus Christ, and why the Christian story offers such profound hope for leaders who want to make a difference. His message is unmistakable: going big starts with showing up, loving well, and trusting that God often does His biggest work through simple, faithful steps.
Dec 1, 2025 • 45min
Going Big with François de Kerret: Zero-Fee Fundraising and Building Tools Nonprofits Deserve
In this episode of the Going Big! Podcast, host Kevin Gentry sits down with François de Kerret, the CEO and co-founder of Zeffy, a zero-fee fundraising platform now used by more than 50,000 nonprofits.
François shares how a simple frustration he experienced while trying to volunteer turned into a platform that has helped nonprofits process over one billion dollars in donations. He explains why nonprofits deserve world-class technology, why overhead should not hold back impact, and how transparency and generosity from donors make Zeffy’s model work.
Kevin and François talk about what it takes to scale something everyone said “would not work,” how young founders can think bigger, and why risk-taking often feels different in the nonprofit world. They also dig into hiring great people, staying true to your mission, and what separates small thinkers from big thinkers.
One of the most inspiring themes in this episode is François’s core mindset:
Imagine that whatever you try will work. What would you do? Then ask what is really stopping you from doing it.
It is exactly the kind of optimistic, action-oriented thinking that defines Going Big! and the leaders who change the world around them.
If you lead, support, or believe in nonprofits, this episode will give you fresh optimism and practical encouragement to think bigger, take bolder steps, and build for lasting impact.
Check them out here: https://www.zeffy.com/register
Nov 24, 2025 • 53min
Going Big with Dr. William Keyes: Mission, Mentorship, and a Pipeline of High Expectations
Host Kevin Gentry sits down with Dr. William Keyes, founder of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, for a masterclass in thinking big while staying focused. From hitchhiking to Washington with five dollars to advising President Ronald Reagan, Keyes shares how discipline, clarity of mission, and faith shaped a two-summer program that forges high character leaders through elite internships, intimate seminars in economics and the Constitution, and deep mentorship. The results speak for themselves, including multiple Rhodes, Truman, and Fulbright scholars and an alumni network defined by service, integrity, and high expectations.
This conversation digs into how to resist mission creep, why small cohorts can create outsized impact, and how leaders can set standards that young men will rise to meet. Keyes explains the power of taking time to think, building a culture that prizes critical thinking and responsibility, and measuring success by lives changed. If you want a playbook for going big with purpose and staying true to what matters most, this episode is it.
Nov 17, 2025 • 58min
Going Big with Christian Fischer and Chad Houser: Building Momentum for Second Chances
In this inspiring episode of Going Big, host Kevin Gentry sits down with two visionary leaders who are changing lives through purpose, compassion, and courage. Christian Fischer, former CEO of Georgia-Pacific, and Chad Houser, founder of Café Momentum, share the story of how a bold idea to teach justice-involved youth culinary skills became a national movement transforming entire communities.
Chad describes the moment he walked into a Dallas juvenile detention center to teach eight young men to make ice cream—and how that simple act sparked a life-changing mission. From that day forward, Café Momentum grew into a powerful model of mentorship, consistency, and opportunity for youth who deserve a second chance. Christian shares how he helped bring Café Momentum to Atlanta, uniting business leaders, policymakers, and citizens to create a space where young people can thrive through hard work and dignity.
Together, they explore how courage, community, and belief in others can build unstoppable momentum for good. This is a story about going big—not just in vision, but in heart, service, and impact.
Nov 10, 2025 • 57min
Going Big Through Service: Ryan Manion and the Legacy of “If Not Me, Then Who"
In this powerful episode of Going Big, host Kevin Gentry talks with Ryan Manion, President of the Travis Manion Foundation, about turning personal loss into national impact. After her brother, First Lieutenant Travis Manion, was killed in Iraq, Ryan carried his words, “If not me, then who?”, into a mission that now inspires millions.
Together they explore what it means to go big through service, showing how resilience, mentorship, and purpose can transform tragedy into a movement that empowers veterans, uplifts families, and shapes the next generation of leaders.
This is a conversation about courage, leadership, and how one family’s sacrifice became a call to go big for something greater than yourself.
Nov 3, 2025 • 45min
Going Big with Rep. Burgess Owens: Faith, Grit, and the American Dream
In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry sits down with Congressman Burgess Owens for an unforgettable conversation about perseverance, faith, and rediscovering the American Dream. From growing up in the segregated South to becoming a Super Bowl champion and later rebuilding his life after losing everything, Burgess shares how grit, humility, and service became his foundation.
He reflects on the values that shaped his journey—faith, family, free enterprise, and education—and how they continue to drive his mission in Congress and his work with underserved youth. Burgess speaks candidly about failure, resilience, mentorship, and how America’s spirit of opportunity gives every person a chance to rise again.
This conversation is a moving reminder that success is not measured by titles or trophies but by character, conviction, and how we lift others along the way. Whether you’re chasing your next big goal or searching for renewed purpose, Burgess Owens’ story will challenge you to believe again, dream again, and go big.
Oct 27, 2025 • 39min
Going Big with Art Laffer & Lord Matthew Elliott: Prosperity Through People and Policy
What does it take to spark a national economic renaissance? In this episode of the Going Big! podcast, host Kevin Gentry is joined by two of the most influential economic minds and strategists of our time — Dr. Art Laffer, legendary architect of the Laffer Curve, and Lord Matthew Elliott, strategist behind Brexit and co‑founder of the UK’s TaxPayers’ Alliance.
Together they unpack their new book Prosperity Through Growth: Boosting Living Standards in an Age of Autocracy and Artificial Intelligence and share a bold vision for rebuilding nations by focusing on five universal levers: tax, spending, regulation, trade, and monetary policy.
With wisdom forged from decades advising presidents and prime ministers, Laffer and Elliott make a compelling case that prosperity is a human calling — and that bold leadership, long‑term thinking, and the courage to act can reverse national decline.
Whether you’re a student of economics, a political leader, or someone who simply believes in the potential of people, this episode will leave you thinking bigger about what’s possible.
Check their book out here: https://www.prosperitythroughgrowth.com/home
