Faith Driven Entrepreneur

In this profound episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast, host Justin Forman sits down with Raymond Harris, a distinguished architect, executive producer, and venture capitalist who founded one of the largest architectural firms specializing in corporate architecture. Raymond shares his remarkable journey from questioning whether he missed his calling to building an 8,000-project portfolio with Walmart while revolutionizing his understanding of wealth, stewardship, and Kingdom impact.From giving away his entire wedding gift with only $600 in the bank to developing the concept of "Kingdom currency," Raymond's story challenges conventional thinking about success, generosity, and the true purpose of business.Key Highlights:Raymond's journey from pre-med to architecture and his bold request to become a partner at age 27Building a firm that completed 8,000 projects for Walmart over 37 yearsThe transformative realization: "I was really created not to be an architect, but to be a steward of his kingdom. Architecture was just the economic engine to do that."Why practicing generosity early matters: "If you're not generous when you don't have anything, you're certainly not gonna be generous when you have a lot"The concept of "Kingdom currency" - converting earthly assets into eternal impactInnovative approaches to inheritance: giving to children when they need it most, not when they're in their 60sThe danger of achievement as an addiction and the importance of authentic brokennessWhy donor-advised funds can become "storage warehouses" if not deployed strategicallyQuotable Moments:"Did I miss the turn by not going into ministry? And I didn't want to. I wanted to be an architect... about 25 years after running a firm, the Lord said, no, you never missed the turn. You've always been on the right road. You've been trying to drive the car by looking in the mirror, look through the windshield.""Why does he entrust wealth to people? But he gave it to us. So that we could steward it into his kingdom to take care of those that can't take care of himself.""If we think that we can keep hold of earthly money and make more money on earth and then give away more money and that's really pleasing to God, I think he's more interested in us giving early so that he can compound what is really his money anyway.""I call it kingdom currency. What is kingdom currency? Kingdom currency in my thinking is wealth and assets on this earth that will transfer into the next kingdom, which is eternity."Watch the full episode on YouTube or continue to stream audio on your favorite podcast platform.

In this powerful episode recorded at SXSW, host Justin Forman sits down with Renji Bijoy, founder and CEO of Immersed, the most-used application in the AR/VR space. Renji shares his journey from PhD student to tech entrepreneur, his mission to build faith-driven technology that brings people together rather than isolates them, and why he believes believers should be at the forefront of building the next generation of computing platforms.Key Highlights:How separating identity from company outcomes leads to better decision-making and freedom from emotional choicesWhy Renji builds Immersed because he "hates remote work" - creating connection in a disconnected worldThe transition from software to hardware and launching Visor - a revolutionary AR headset that's 70% lighter than competitorsCompeting with tech giants like Apple, Google, and Meta while being guided by faithThe importance of believers influencing culture through technology rather than being mere consumersBalancing 80-hour work weeks with faithful stewardship and avoiding willfulnessHow Immersed is positioned to impact humanoid robotics through human pose estimation dataQuotable Moments:"If we do what I think the Lord calls us to do, which is to separate our identity from what our work is... actually it's a lot more freeing.""I'm building Immersed because I hate remote work... I think that there is a more God-glorifying version of that that makes us all feel very connected.""I believe that if you have a world that the most common devices that we use, built by believers, I think that's going to be a lot more of a optimistic, bright future."Watch the full episode on YouTube or continue to stream audio on your favorite podcast platform.

Recorded live at SXSW, this episode features Clint Phillips, the healthcare entrepreneur who broke a Guinness World Record and is now revolutionizing medicine with AI technology. Clint shares his journey from South African rugby player to treating billionaires in Aspen, and how his daughter's stroke led him to create solutions that could make healthcare "practically free" worldwide.Discover how Dr. Gabby, an AI doctor, can analyze your health through a 30-second facial scan and provide personalized medical advice 24/7. Learn why Americans take 22 times more drugs than the rest of the world and how technology could change everything.[Chapters]00:00 Introduction and SXSW01:32 Breaking the Guinness World Record for pushing a car05:11 Sports background and rugby foundation07:11 South African entrepreneurial mindset10:01 Meeting world-class entrepreneurs in Aspen10:29 First business venture and FBI investigation15:00 Building a dream clinic treating billionaires18:33 The healthcare crisis in America19:59 Personal tragedy: daughter's stroke21:21 Creating Second MD to connect patients with specialists23:57 Demonstrating the AI health scanning technology28:09 How the facial scan works and what it reveals30:00 Dr. Gabby: The world's smartest preventive AI doctor32:36 Global impact potential and African expansion34:09 Fighting the $5 trillion healthcare industry36:02 How AI could help doctors be doctors again39:01 Biggest challenges: lobby groups and regulation42:42 Mission work in Zambia: schools, clinics, and Miracle Dam46:13 How mission trips transformed his marriage50:54 App download and free access code

Key Topics DiscussedThe Current Challenges Facing Teens:60% of today's students will work in jobs that don't exist yetSocial media pressure and public identity formationCollege costs forcing earlier career decisionsRecord levels of anxiety and depression among young peopleThe Three-Part Framework:Identity Discovery - Using tools like Working Genius to help teens understand their God-given strengthsRedemptive Imagination - Exposing kids to diverse entrepreneurial stories and possibilitiesConversation Starters - Creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue about faith, work, and purposeAI and the Future of Work:How machine learning is automating predictable tasksWhy creativity, curiosity, and question-asking will be essential skillsThe shift from needing specific degrees to developing entrepreneurial mindsetsFeatured Stories and ExamplesLecrae's journey as both artist and business creatorPhil Vischer's VeggieTales story of failure and redemptionDude Perfect's entrepreneurial successPersonal stories of kids engaging with entrepreneurial contentPractical ApplicationsHow families can use the course for summer activitiesWays schools and churches can implement the curriculumThe importance of adults calling out gifts in young peopleCreating environments that foster entrepreneurial thinkingKey Quotes"Curiosity is a superpower""The only time you have to be good at everything is at this point in their life""Change starts with us and change starts at home"

In this special episode recorded at SXSW in Austin, Texas, hosts Justin Forman and Richard Cunningham sit down with Brent Beshore, founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, to discuss what it means to take a long-term, cathedral-like perspective in business and investing.Brent shares his transformation from an achievement-driven atheist to a faith-focused entrepreneur, highlighting how his approach to private equity challenges industry norms with long-term capital, zero debt, and transparent fee structures. Throughout the conversation, Brent reveals how vulnerability and authentic relationships have been crucial both in his personal faith journey and in building a successful investment firm.Key Highlights:Brent's journey from atheism to faith and how it transformed his perspective on business, family, and achievementThe dangers of "acceptable sin" that starts small but eventually leads to devastating consequencesWhy living in the light through authentic relationships is essential for both personal healing and business successHow Permanent Equity's unique model of 30-year capital and no debt creates true alignment with business ownersThe concept of "cathedral thinking" - building something that may take generations to completeThe importance of community and authentic relationships in combating isolation, especially for successful entrepreneursWhy achievement, control, and self-reliance can be more dangerous addictions than substances

In this episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast, host Justin Forman sits down with Steve Preston, CEO of Goodwill Industries, to discuss his remarkable journey from Wall Street executive to nonprofit leader. Unlike the typical path of chasing wealth and status, Steve shares how he made intentional decisions to prioritize purpose over prestige throughout his career.After starting at Lehman Brothers, Steve felt a tug that his faith was calling him toward a different path. He made a deal with God that he would "never make a decision for money, for prestige, or for power," which ultimately led him to leave banking on the cusp of making partner. His journey continued through corporate America, government service (including running the Small Business Administration during Hurricane Katrina recovery), and eventually to Goodwill, where he now leads one of America's most recognized nonprofit organizations.Key Highlights:Steve's countercultural decision to leave Wall Street's wealth and prestige to follow God's callingThe rich history of Goodwill beginning as a church-based ministry to help Boston's poorest residentsHow Goodwill provides holistic support to help people overcome barriers to employmentThe innovative prison education programs helping reduce recidivism rates to just 5%The power of corporate partnerships in scaling social impactHow writing a personal mission statement helped Steve identify his callingThe importance of seeing potential in people that they don't yet see in themselvesQuotable Moments:"I felt like God said, I've taken you thus far. Will you really go where I'm taking you? And worse, most of the people in my close-in circle said, you're crazy... And I had this moment where I thought to myself, I have been like every other American watching these horrific stories on television and wondering what I could do.""Our founder's story and our founder's vision 125 years later is still very much a part of who we are... It was all deeply based in the conviction that every human being has embedded potential.""I often say, when somebody comes through our door, we often see more in them than they see in themselves."

Mark McClain, founder and CEO of SailPoint Technologies, shares his non-traditional path to entrepreneurship after 10 years in corporate America. He discusses building a successful tech company with faith-based values, navigating multiple funding rounds (VC, PE, IPO, and back again), and balancing business ambition with family priorities.[Chapters]0:00 - Introduction2:10 - Mark on South by Southwest and Austin's tech scene6:08 - The evolution of faith in the workplace10:26 - Mark's journey from corporate career to entrepreneurship15:32 - Understanding SailPoint's identity management technology18:47 - AI as both threat and opportunity in cybersecurity20:34 - Navigating different funding methods as an entrepreneur24:15 - The value of community vs. coaching for entrepreneurs29:01 - The importance of staying connected to church community31:40 - Building a successful business without sacrificing family35:29 - Four S's of Christian leadership: Son, Sheep, Stock, and Stewardship39:02 - A biblical perspective on retirement and stewardship44:23 - Closing thoughts on community and faithIn this authentic conversation, Mark reveals:Why success rates increase for entrepreneurs who start after age 35The value of both peer community and expert coachingHow to stay connected to your faith while scaling a businessA biblical perspective on stewarding resources and opportunityPractical advice for staying present with family while building a company#FaithDrivenEntrepreneur #EntrepreneurialJourney #BusinessLeadership #FaithAndWork #ServantLeadership

Key MomentsTravis shares his recent experience meeting Jack Nicklaus and John Maxwell, highlighting Nicklaus's emphasis on family over golf achievementsThe powerful story of Travis's brain tumor in 2016, requiring him to relearn basic functionsHis wife Jacqueline's cancer diagnosis and the emotional journey of shaving her head during chemotherapyThe doctor telling Travis to "prepare as if she's gone" and taking his daughters to San Diego while contemplating single fatherhoodHow these health crises fundamentally changed his approach to business success and identityBusiness Insights49 Financial's three-pillar strategy: handling more complex issues, offering more services, and building more communityThe company's focus on young advisors (22-year-olds) in an industry where the average advisor is in their upper 50sHow 49 Financial is addressing the industry-wide 9% retention rate for new advisorsTravis's shift from "quantity over quality" to "quality over quantity" in building his businessHis vision for bridging the gap between aging advisors with trillions in assets and the next generationFaith PerspectiveHow facing mortality transformed Travis's relationship with God and clarity about prioritiesThe role of childlike faith in entrepreneurship versus the challenges of maintaining bold faith as a business maturesUsing their platform to help clients turn "tax dollars into giving dollars" through strategic charitable planningThe daily struggle of enjoying present moments while awaiting his wife's five-year cancer-free milestoneQuotable Moments"I think maybe a lot of entrepreneurs out there, it is so easy, even as believers, to make our business our identity. And it's such a sneak.""It puts you in a different place in your faith when each one of you experience the thought of losing the other one within a day.""If the business doesn't make it, it's okay. If the business does hit that growth goal, it's okay... I'm going home to my bride.""My heart and why 49, as long as I'm around, is going to be for the young person.""We're going to turn tax dollars into giving dollars."

Every entrepreneur dreams of the freedom that comes with success, yet Lloyd Reeb discovered a surprising paradox - the very prosperity he worked so hard to achieve was quietly eroding his freedom and purpose. Instead of letting money become his master, he made the counter-cultural choice to design a life where wealth serves his deeper values rather than dictating his choices. His journey reveals that true entrepreneurial freedom might look radically different than what we've been conditioned to pursue.  Lloyd shares the meaningful artifacts in his office that guide his decisions and keep him grounded in his purpose - from a crystal light bulb gift that reminds him of his unique contribution to a 300-year-old French Bible that represents God's unchanging wisdom to a wooden "Amazing Grace" plaque honoring William Wilberforce's 30-year commitment to ending the slave trade.Key Highlights:How carrying "long-term metrics" in his wallet for decades has helped Lloyd maintain focus on what truly mattersThe intentional decision to decouple wealth from lifestyle to break cycles of entitlementWhy complexity, comfort, and complacency are the three deadliest enemies to living a purpose-driven lifeApplying Charlie Munger's "inversion" approach to identify what would cause you to squander your lifeThe transformative practice of keeping a "Book of Days" to document God's work in and through your lifeWhy financial success creates freedom for mission rather than just lifestyle expansionPractical ways to declutter your life, reduce complexity, and create space for what matters mostQuotable Moments:"Build a successful business in the context of focusing on building a successful life.""It's an interesting question to ask: What level of lifestyle is in your family's best interest? That's different from how much can we afford.""What would I do if I wanted to squander the rest of my life? I would get my life complicated, comfortable, and let my heart become uncompassionate.""Money is a great servant, but a terrible master. We wanted to really demote money from mastery to servant."Watch the full episode on YouTube or continue to stream audio on your favorite podcast platform.

Cheri Garcia, Founder of Cornbread Hustle, shares her inspiring journey from being a teen drug dealer to becoming CEO of a multi-million-dollar staffing agency. She discusses the transformative power of employment for individuals with criminal records, emphasizing how hiring for second chances can reshape lives. Cheri highlights her personal story of hitting rock bottom and finding sobriety, and reflects on the dangers of control as an addiction. Her insights on resilience, community support, and the importance of vulnerability draw listeners into a narrative of hope and redemption.