Building Faith Through the Startup Process

Josh Wilbur doesn't maintain the status quo. He seeks to push the boundaries of our preconceived ideas around the staples of our lives (payment processing, Bibles, coffee). A serial entrepreneur, Josh has been involved in the startup process of various organizations in his life before being called to work in the church.

While on his "sabbatical" from the business world, Josh served at a local Bay Area church until the itch of entrepreneurship came back when he realized there wasn't a good single-serve coffee option that didn't require a machine. Making good coffee while traveling always required too much gear, and drinking bad coffee isn't appealing to anyone. Josh sought a solution, and through that process invented Steeped Coffee bags.

steepedcoffee.com

Again, Josh jumped into the startup world to launch Steeped Coffee on Kickstarter. Steeped has now partnered with many specialty coffee roasters around the world along with the likes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show to bring good tasting, waste-free single-serve coffee to the world.

In this episode of the Convene Podcast, Josh shares about his journey through the startup world, the role his faith plays in his work, and his experience starting a company again with a firmer vision for a way to use it to glorify God.

Josh is also a Convene member on one of Convene's Online Teams. To learn more about Convene membership, head here: https://www.convenenow.com/membership

To learn more about Steeped Coffee, head to https://steepedcoffee.com/

If you're interested in both Convene & Steeped, send us an email at info@convenenow.com and we'll get you more information on Convene and send you a free sample of Convene's new branded Steeped Coffee bags.

Finding New Opportunities to Share Your Faith

Finding the right space or opportunity to share your faith with someone can be difficult. Evangelism can often feel forced, unfun, and tense if not pursued in a thoughtful way. The Pocket Testament League seeks to create new opportunities for sharing the Gospel that allow space for those new to God's Word to hear it openly.

David Collum, CEO of The Pocket Testament League (PTL), joins Greg in this episode of the Convene Podcast to discuss a few of the creative ways our Convene members have partnered with PTL to share the Gospel through their own businesses.

The Pocket Testament League's mission is to carry Scripture with them for two purposes: to read and to share. They make it their goal to share a portion of God’s Word with another person, one-to-one. As an organization, they help Christians to READ, CARRY & SHARE the Word of God.

Learn more about The Pocket Testament League here: https://www.ptl.org/

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About David Collum

If you spend any time at all with David Collum, you’ll know he loves Jesus, God’s Word, and is passionate about introducing others to Him, too.  

A graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and retired Lieutenant from the United States Naval Reserve, David has also earned advanced degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, St. Bernard’s School for Ministry, and Trinity School for Ministry. David enjoyed a successful 25-year career in the nuclear power industry, honing skills in organizational and project leadership, personnel development, and strategic planning. God called David to use those skills in building His church and David then spent over a decade serving in pastoral and church leadership, where by God’s grace congregations grew and were strengthened, those who had never heard the Gospel reached, and sound business and financial practices used in the organizations that God gave him to shepherd. David now serves as the Chief Executive Officer for The Pocket Testament League, a ministry committed to mobilizing and equipping Christians to read, carry and share God’s Word.  

David currently resides in Albany, New York, with Beth, his wife of 24 years. Together, they enjoy spending time with his two adult sons, in addition to traveling, golfing and snow-skiing.   

Executing Well in the Middle of Uncertain Times

Jim Eaton joins Mark L. Vincent for a discussion on the ever-important topic of execution. Even the best-laid plans can fall apart if the execution is not managed properly, and executing on plans has been made even more complicated in the last few months. Listen in as they discuss options for overcoming execution problems in the middle of a crisis.

Jim Eaton is the founder and CEO of Kingdom Partner Solutions, LLC. He also serves as a Convene Chair based in Newport Beach, California. To learn more about Jim and get in contact with him, head to https://www.convenenow.com/jimeaton

The Critical Nature of Clarifying Worldview

The term "worldview" may not be the first that comes to mind when thinking of your Christian faith as it relates to those around you. Many often consider it a religion, a relationship, a creed by which they live their life, but it is often an unconscious fact that your faith becomes the lens through which you view everything around you, your “worldview”.

Clarifying that Christian worldview is critical because it applies to everything and everyone you interact with. From work to relationships to your perspective on challenging global issues, the worldview you have has drastic impact on the way you encounter them.

John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, joins Greg Leith on the podcast to discuss this very subject. John is the daily voice of BreakPoint, a nationally syndicated commentary on the culture founded by the late Chuck Colson, which reaches a daily audience of more than a million people. He is also the host of the BreakPoint podcast and the voice of the Point, a daily national one-minute feature on worldview, apologetics and cultural issues.

Find more on John and get in touch with him here:

• Web: www.breakpoint.org

• Twitter: @jbstonestreet

• Facebook: facebook.com/john.stonestreet/

The Restorative Power of Work

The Convene Podcast is joined by Dr. Scott Rae, Dean of Faculty at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Together, Dr. Rae and Greg Leith explore the meaning behind "faith at work", and break down what people mean when they say your business can be a ministry.

Work in itself is an act of praise to God, but the restorative power of work ripples beyond the simple task and into the lives of those that the task affects. Dr. Rae pulls from his extensive studies and book, "Business for the Common Good: A Christian Vision for the Marketplace", to help provide relevant examples of what utilizing your business as a ministry can look like.

We hope this conversation is enlightening and reaffirming, especially during this particular time in history (podcast recorded May 2020).

Purchase Dr. Rae's works here: https://amzn.to/2LwE51H

The Sabbath As It Relates to the Leader

Jim Galvin of Galvin & Associates joins Mark L. Vincent to discuss the Sabbath as it relates to the leader. The Sabbath day is not just a nice suggestion from God, it's a commandment. How leaders choose to pursue that commandment varies, and there's a lot of misunderstanding about what it means to have a Sabbath day.

Jim helps to break down what a Sabbath day might look like for a leader, but everyone's Sabbath experience can and should differ based on their own needs. There's no "one size fits most" model here, it's not a militant experience. The Sabbath is a gift that God gives you where in which you have the ability to use a day to pursue things that bring you closer to God and bring you peace. If mowing the lawn is joyful for you, mow the lawn on your Sabbath day!

To connect with Jim, head to https://www.convenenow.com/jimgalvin

Disclaimer: This video is presented from a Christian perspective. Those following the customs of the Jewish tradition may not find the information delivered in this video relevant.

Listening in a Time of Great Change

We are excited to have market analytics expert Kay Edwards on the Convene Podcast today. In a time of noisy business advice and reactionary decision making, it is important to remember to listen to the voice of the customer.

B2B organizations that spend 1% of annual revenue or more on customer listening grow faster than those that spend less. Large consumer brands spend significantly more, typically 15% or more. Unfortunately, during down times, spending on customer listening is often the first thing to be cut.

In this episode, Mark L. Vincent and Kay Edwards discuss how to listen in a time of great change, with the goal of coming through the other side with a heightened understanding of the needs and desires of your customer.

Taking Advantage of the Economic "Shutdown" and Growing by Acquisition

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We're back with M&A expert and Convene Consultant Garry Krum.

During this conversation, he and Mark L. Vincent discuss how you can move forward on your plans to acquire, even during this economic shutdown.

Specifically, they cover ways in which the shutdown might play to your advantage as a buyer, while still allowing space to be gracious to the business you may be trying to acquire.

Watch part one of this conversation here.

To get in touch with Garry to continue the conversation for your organization, head here.

To learn more about the Convene Consulting Network, head here.

Betting on Talent with Dee Ann Turner

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Greg Leith is joined by Dee Ann Turner, former VP of Talent & Sustainability with Chick-fil-A, and author of "Bet on Talent" and "It's My Pleasure".

Together, they discuss the importance of betting on the talent of your employees to build value in your organization. There's a reason why Chick-fil-A is the third-largest restaurant chain in the U.S.!

Dee Ann is also an incredible speaker and consultant. You can learn more & contact her here: https://www.deeannturner.com/

10x For Christ with Carlos Rosales

Welcome back to season three of the Convene Podcast! In this episode, Greg is joined by Carlos Rosales, a Convene Chair in Houston, Texas, and the author of a new devotional book, “10x For Christ”.

Together, they discuss what it means to be in the Word every day, and the importance of the reader’s outlook on the process of reading through a devotional like “10x”.

To purchase Carlos’ book, head to his website here: https://bit.ly/2NH5ShS, or purchase the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2NEfycT.

To learn more about Carlos and apply to join his Convene group, head here: https://www.convenenow.com/carlosrosales

Revelations in Business Pt. 2 with Dr. K. Shelette Stewart

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Greg is joined by Dr. K. Shelette Stewart for a second discussion on how her book, Revelations in Business, has great application for Christian leaders in every aspect of their business. Listen in to learn how principles from Revelations in Business can help you develop into a healthy leader. Make sure to join us in San Diego September 29 – October 2, 2019 to take this conversation even further.

Dr. K. Shelette Stewart has over 20 years of leadership experience in strategic business planning, marketing, and national account sales with Fortune 500 companies including The Coca-Cola Company and BellSouth Corporation/AT&T. She is a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Program Specialist and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration.

Shelette currently oversees strategic partnerships for Harvard Business School, directing the University’s alliances with major corporations and state governments for the South East region of the United States. She is also the principal and founder of Stewart Consulting, LLC, a business consulting and leadership development firm serving both corporate and non-profit clients.

Shelette is the author of the book, Revelations in Business: Connecting Your Business Plan with God’s Purpose and Plan for Your Life which has won two Christian Literary Awards and has been formally endorsed by several industry leaders including Dan Cathy, president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A.

Revelations in Business: https://amzn.to/2PBfwSm
Dr. K. Shelette Stewart: https://shelettestewart.com/
Convene Blog Articles by Dr. K. Shelette Stewart

Facing Emerging Technologies with Dr. Mike Petty & Scott Schnurr

With new technologies constantly in development, the face of business is ever-changing. Understanding that is critical to your business’ future. Amazon’s executive team lives in the future, you need to live there too. If you only live in the present, your business is at risk! Horses gave way to gas-powered vehicles, then to electric cars, travel agents became Kayak, taxis became Uber, Sears became Amazon, CDs became Spotify, paper books became Kindle. What will your business become if you don’t dive into the future now?

Dr. Michael Petty is currently a member of the World Future Society and The Association of Professional Futurists. He is the co-founder and consulting-futurist at Flagship Futures Group, LLC in Washington, DC. Mike brings over forty-five years of leadership, financial and strategic management experience to the table.

Dr. Petty is joined by Scott Schnurr, CEO of DRF Trusted Property Solutions. Schnurr is actively engaging his organization in futures thinking, and is always working to embrace technologies to advance his organization. Specializing in same day water heater replacement, DRF Trusted Property Solutions offers a variety of plumbing services from professional installation through maintenance and repair of all plumbing fixtures.

Dr. Petty and Scott Schnurr join Convene CEO, Greg Leith, for a conversation surrounding the importance of facing and embracing emerging technologies. The verdict of the conversation: if you aren’t embracing emerging technologies, your competitors will.

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Dr. Michael Petty and Scott Schnurr will be hosting a Critical Conversation surrounding this subject at Leadership Collab 2019. For a further in depth conversation with practical applications and takeaways you can use with your business right away, make sure to register for the conference here:

Chris McCluskey: How Leaders Grow

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Chris McCluskey, founder and president of PCCI (Professional Christian Coaching Institute), joins Greg Leith, Convene CEO, and Paul Aubin, a Convene Chair, to discuss the necessity of an integrated approach to growth as a leader.

Together they examine the many aspects of leadership growth: peer groups, the Holy Spirit, consulting, coaching, assessments and individual learning. Paul Aubin comes alongside them with real-life examples from his years as a Convene Chair.

Join them as they dive deep into what it takes to truly grow and transform as a Christian business leader.

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Verne Harnish | What It Takes to Scale

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The leading expert on helping firms scaleup, Verne Harnish joins Greg Leith to discuss some of the high-level concepts he's learned from the extensive research he has done over his time as both a consultant and entrepreneur.

He’s the author of the bestseller Mastering the Rockefeller Habits which is translated into 9 languages; and along with the editors of Fortune, authored The Greatest Business Decisions of All Times” for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword. His latest book Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0) has won eight major international book awards including the prestigious International Book Award for Best General Business book.

Want to hear more of what Verne is talking about in this video? He'll be speaking in more depth at Leadership Collab 2019 in San Diego:

Creating Opportunity with a Marketplace Solution | Liz Bohannon of Sseko Designs

Liz Bohannon, the founder of Uganda-focused fair trade fashion brand Sseko Designs, joins Greg Leith on the Convene Podcast to talk all things from what it took to create an ethical fashion brand outside of the U.S. and what the future for women in the workplace could look like globally.

Tune in for this quick episode to take a look at a side of business that isn't normally front and center in today's marketplace. Liz and her team are working hard to simultaneously employ women in Uganda and create university scholarships for Ugandan women while empowering women state-side to create their own business selling the clothes they produce.

Make sure to register for Leadership Collab 2019 to hear Liz speak in sunny San Diego, California this September 29 – October 2.

Listen on other platforms:

• Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2IoKSsf

• Spotify Podcasts: https://spoti.fi/2Ktvdup

Revelations in Business | The Spiritually Healthy Leader Pt. 4

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Greg is joined by Dr. K. Shelette Stewart to discuss how her new book, Revelations in Business, has great application for Christian leaders in every aspect of their business. Listen in to learn how principles from Revelations in Business can help you develop as a Spiritually Healthy Leader.

Dr. K. Shelette Stewart has over 20 years of leadership experience in strategic business planning, marketing, and national account sales with Fortune 500 companies including The Coca-Cola Company and BellSouth Corporation/AT&T. She is a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Program Specialist and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration.

Shelette currently oversees strategic partnerships for Harvard Business School, directing the University’s alliances with major corporations and state governments for the South East region of the United States. She is also the principal and founder of Stewart Consulting, LLC, a business consulting and leadership development firm serving both corporate and non-profit clients.

Shelette is the author of the book, Revelations in Business: Connecting Your Business Plan with God’s Purpose and Plan for Your Life which has won two Christian Literary Awards and has been formally endorsed by several industry leaders including Dan Cathy, president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A.

Revelations in Business: https://amzn.to/2PBfwSm
Dr. K. Shelette Stewart: https://shelettestewart.com/
Convene Blog Articles by Dr. K. Shelette Stewart