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What if growing your business didn't require more hustle, more followers, or more time spent on social media? In this inspiring Kingdom Impact session, Gabe Cox, goal planning and business strategist, host of the Pursuing Goals, God's Way podcast, and founder of the Red Hot Accountability Club, challenges faith-driven entrepreneurs to rethink what success really means. In January 2023, Gabe stepped away from social media for both business and personal life. Just one month later, her podcast grew by 400%. But she doesn't credit a clever marketing strategy. She points to obedience, renewed focus, and following God's direction. Drawing from Romans 12:2, Gabe explains why Kingdom success isn't measured by likes, followers, or endless activity. Instead, it's about meaningful relationships, lives changed, and fruit that lasts. You'll discover how to redefine ROI through God's lens, including the importance of return on time invested (ROTI). Gabe also shares practical ways to build influence through collaborations, referrals, and long-form content without depending on social media algorithms. She explains why focusing on one platform, one offer, and the next right step can produce more meaningful progress than trying to do everything at once. If you've been feeling stretched thin by constant posting, endless to-do lists, or the pressure to be everywhere, this conversation offers encouragement and practical direction. The takeaway? Kingdom impact doesn't come from doing more. It comes from obeying what God has already placed in front of you. 00:00 Introduction01:07 Redefining ROI05:11 Practical Strategies09:18 Long Form Content11:59 Focus and Obedience15:20 Next Steps Five Key Podcast Takeaways 1. Redefine ROI Through God's Lens Kingdom success isn't just about dollars, followers, or reach. Gabe challenges entrepreneurs to measure meaningful conversations, lives changed, testimonies, referrals, and lasting fruit. She also introduces ROTI: return on time invested. 2. Obedience Matters More Than Hustle After leaving social media in January 2023, Gabe experienced 400% podcast growth in one month. She attributes the experience to following God's direction and being able to focus on what mattered most, rather than simply quitting social media. 3. Build Influence Through Relationships, Not Algorithms Genuine collaborations, warm introductions, referrals, and excellent service can create meaningful business opportunities. Gabe encourages entrepreneurs to identify 10 potential collaborators and look for ways to serve each other's audiences. 4. Choose One Platform and Create Content That Lasts Podcasts, blogs, and YouTube videos can continue serving audiences long after publication. Rather than spreading yourself across every platform, Gabe recommends choosing one primary channel, remaining consistent, and repurposing content intentionally. 5. Steward Your Time and Focus on the Next Right Step Busyness isn't the same as fruitfulness. Gabe recommends starting the week with prayer, reviewing how time was spent, creating a stop-doing list, batching work, and selecting one priority to pursue over the next 90 days. Recommended podcast positioning: Lead with the tension between business growth and social media exhaustion. Use Gabe's personal story to capture interest, then emphasize the deeper message: obedience, meaningful relationships, focused stewardship, and eternal Kingdom impact. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/9w0K0m_hR5Y 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

What happens when your business is growing, but you begin asking a deeper question: “Lord, who do you want me to serve?” In this conversation, Tom Carter sits down with Garrett Maroon, founder of Two 10 Realty Group and The Faithful Agent, to talk about what it looks like to live out Christian faith honestly and openly in business. Garrett shares how he entered real estate in 2014, went five and a half months without selling a house, nearly quit several times, and eventually built a thriving business. But his story became about much more than professional success. After losing his mother in 2022, Garrett began seriously questioning what God wanted him to do with his work. That journey led to The Faithful Agent, a community and podcast serving Christians in real estate. Garrett discusses why faith cannot simply be turned on and off depending on the room, why Christian professionals need community and accountability, and why profitability should not automatically be confused with faithfulness. He also challenges the traditional business scoreboard of income, sales, and recognition. Instead, he encourages leaders to consider the legacy they are building through their faith, marriages, families, and the way they steward their work. This conversation is an honest look at humility, leadership, discipleship, and what it means to keep the gospel at the center while building a business. 00:11 Introduction01:05 Garrett's Background02:55 Defining Ministry Moments06:00 Impact on Agents07:00 Overcoming Challenges10:37 Personal Growth18:12 Concluding Reflections 5 Key Takeaways 1. Your faith should not be something you take on and off. Garrett describes his faith as inseparable from who he is. When asked not to discuss Christianity during a podcast appearance, he explained that his faith was not a “backpack” he could simply remove depending on the environment. 2. The most profitable decision is not always the most faithful decision. Garrett challenges Christian business owners to stop assuming that the decision producing the most money must automatically be the right decision. Instead, he encourages them to ask what faithfulness requires. 3. Success needs a different scoreboard. Money, transactions, and professional statistics can easily become the primary measurement of success. Garrett encourages leaders to think about what they want their lives and legacy to represent beyond business performance. 4. Community should include accountability. Garrett believes Christian business leaders need people who are willing to speak honestly into their lives. His community is designed not only to encourage believers, but also to challenge them when their priorities begin moving in the wrong direction. 5. Business can shape the person building it. Garrett describes entrepreneurship as a humbling experience that has exposed his own pride and continually challenged him to keep the gospel central. Building the business has also become part of his own spiritual growth. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/yl5rNKfNgMs Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What happens when building a business becomes less about forcing your own plan and more about surrendering to God’s direction? In this Kingdom Impact Summit conversation, business strategist Buki Ekeowa shares the journey that took her from working in the City of London to entrepreneurship, property, YouTube, coaching, and helping women grow businesses online. Her path was not a straight line. After leaving her job in response to what she believed God was telling her, Buki experienced seasons of success, setbacks, experimentation, and plenty of questions. Eventually, she reached a place of surrender: “Not my will, but yours be done.” That posture changed the direction of her business. Buki shares how she felt led to start a YouTube channel even though being on camera did not come naturally. By simply sharing what she had learned, new opportunities began to open. Steve and Buki also explore what Kingdom impact can look like through ordinary business. It is not only about openly presenting the Gospel. It can mean serving people well, solving real problems, working with excellence, building trust, and allowing transformation to be demonstrated through the way you show up. Buki also introduces the O-I-L framework connected to her book Beyond Abundance: offering yourself in surrender, imagination with God, and launching out with your gifts. This conversation is an invitation to stop hiding what God has given you, stay open to His direction, and let your business become a place of service, excellence, and Kingdom impact. 00:00 Introduction01:06 Meet Buki Ecoa02:21 Finding Purpose03:35 The Journey Begins06:14 Uncovering Framework09:13 A Leap of Faith11:09 Surrender to God15:42 Business Excellence24:42 Faith and Work26:45 A Personal Touch30:13 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Surrender can change the direction of your business. Buki describes surrender as the posture of saying, “Not my way, Lord, but yours,” while remaining open to new directions, ideas, and actions. 2. Stop assuming God’s direction will look like your plan. Buki resisted starting YouTube because it did not seem like an obvious path to building a business. Yet sharing what she had learned eventually opened the door to coaching. 3. Kingdom impact happens through service. A business does not have to be overtly Christian in every interaction to serve people for Christ. Buki emphasizes solving problems, helping people, and showing up with a posture of service. 4. Excellence builds bridges. The conversation highlights how doing excellent work can build trust, create conversations, and open opportunities to share how God has worked in your life. 5. Use the “oil” God has already given you. Buki connects the widow’s oil in 2 Kings 4:1–7 with the gifts and expertise God has placed in people. Her encouragement is to recognize those gifts, stop hiding them, and launch out with them. Buki explicitly describes surrender as being open to God’s direction, letting go when needed, embracing new ideas, and acting boldly despite discomfort. Her YouTube story and its connection to coaching appear earlier in the conversation. The service, excellence, and Kingdom-business discussion comes from the later portion of the interview. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/Y5v2OceCoYw Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What does it take to go from being the world’s best-kept secret to becoming an influential trusted authority? In this episode, Ann Marie Cross shares how coaches, consultants, and multi-passionate entrepreneurs can clarify what makes them unique, uncopyable, and unforgettable—and position themselves as the choice versus just a choice for their ideal clients. At the center of the conversation is a simple formula: Clarity + Consistency + Time = Momentum. Ann Marie explains why clarity must come first, including clarity around your ideal client, your message, your positioning, and the expertise you want to become known for. She also unpacks the five pillars of her Core Business Foundations: your lucrative niche, signature brand, signature system, signature programs, and digital asset. Drawing from her own business journey—including what she describes as her worst business failure and the podcast that unexpectedly generated two four-figure clients—Ann Marie shows how challenges, milestones, and lived experience can become part of your unique message. You’ll also hear how to create an umbrella statement, identify three core themes, develop focused content topics, find your “tip of the spear,” and use a digital asset such as a self-evaluation or quiz to help potential clients identify their gaps. If your expertise is broad but your message feels unclear, this episode offers a practical way to bring greater focus to your brand, message, and visibility. ▶️ Watch the full long-form video: https://youtu.be/W3jtZlyI5g4 🌍 IBAM: Join the mission: www.ibam.org 5 Key Takeaways 1. Clarity + Consistency + Time = Momentum. All three matter, but Ann Marie emphasizes that clarity is the starting point. 2. Your message needs focus. Becoming an influential trusted authority requires consistency not only in how often you communicate, but in what you consistently become known for. 3. Build the foundations before relying on more marketing. The five Core Business Foundations discussed are your lucrative niche, signature brand, signature system, signature programs, and digital asset. 4. Find your “tip of the spear.” One specific area of expertise can become the conversation starter that helps you cut through the noise and connect with what your ideal client is already struggling with. 5. Your story can strengthen your authority. Significant challenges, markers, milestones, and results can form an “invisible thread” that validates the methodologies and steps you now teach others.

Can you build a purpose-driven business without returning to hustle, grind and exhausting work hours? In this episode, Kingdom business coach Gail Root shares what she has learned about entrepreneurship, calling and Kingdom impact in the second half of life. Gail reflects on her own entrepreneurial journey and the realization that, although she was a believer, she once viewed her business ambitions as something unworthy of God’s attention. That changed when she felt called to coach Christian women and began approaching business as a partnership with God. She explains three important shifts she helps women make: releasing the hustle, reclaiming their calling and building systems that create greater rhythm and flow. The conversation also explores stewardship. Gail discusses money, time, social media, automation and AI as tools that can be used for good when they remain in their proper place and are governed intentionally. She also shares how Kingdom principles can reshape marketing and sales. Marketing becomes less about amplifying yourself and more about helping the people you are called to serve hear you. Sales becomes an invitation rather than something pushy, spammy or driven by anxiety over the outcome. Throughout the conversation, Gail returns to the importance of seeking God first, working from rest, staying connected through fellowship and allowing purpose, peace and joy to coexist with meaningful marketplace impact. 00:00 Introduction00:56 Second Half Life03:23 Purpose Driven05:11 Biblical Insights08:38 Empowering Tools18:17 Sales Approach20:57 Kingdom Principles22:00 Global Mission 5 Key Takeaways 1. Release the hustle. A successful, purpose-driven business does not have to require constant hustle and grind. Gail encourages women in the second half of life to embrace a different rhythm that allows room for peace, joy, family, travel and meaningful work. 2. Reclaim your calling. Experience matters. Gail describes the second half of life as a season in which wisdom, clarity and what a person has already walked through can equip them to serve others through their calling. 3. Build systems that create rhythm and flow. Systems can help create greater freedom. Gail especially highlights automation as a tool that can save time and allow entrepreneurs to spend more time with people instead of behind screens. 4. Steward the tools you have been given. Money, time, social media, automation and AI are all discussed as tools. Rather than fearing or demonizing them, Gail encourages intentional self-governance and using them for good while keeping God first. 5. Shift the way you see marketing and sales. Marketing does not have to be about self-promotion. It can help the people you are called to serve see and hear you. And sales, Gail says, is simply an invitation—one that builds through relationship while leaving the outcome with God. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/Q8kfr-4T47E Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

Can business success and wholehearted faith really belong together? In this episode, Tom Carter talks with entrepreneur, bestselling author, speaker, and King’s Council founder Rylee Meek about his journey from pursuing financial success to building businesses from a biblical worldview. Rylee shares how, by 2019, he had reached what felt like the financial pinnacle of his companies while feeling spiritually bankrupt and deeply unfulfilled. That season forced him to wrestle with a question that had followed him for years: Could he be successful and still be a good Christian? His search took him back to Scripture, including Joshua 1:8, and ultimately helped shape the King’s Council, a ministry focused on discipling entrepreneurs through a biblical framework. Rylee also walks through the business framework he sees in the Genesis creation account—from vision and atmosphere to structure, order, momentum, multiplication, dominion, and Sabbath. He explains how entrepreneurs can use that framework to identify where their businesses may be out of alignment. The conversation also explores fear, indecision, wise counsel, and the difference between constantly asking God for clarity and having faith to take the next step. As Rylee puts it, “God blesses our footprints, not our butt prints.” If you are an entrepreneur, business leader, or someone considering stepping into business, this conversation offers a challenging look at what it means to pursue excellence, steward your gifts, and bring Kingdom culture into your work. 00:00 Introduction01:22 Riley Meek's Journey05:38 Discovering Purpose09:58 Impactful Business13:05 Framework for Success22:00 Practical Advice24:15 King's Council26:07 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Financial success does not automatically produce fulfillment. Rylee describes reaching a financial high point in 2019 while feeling spiritually bankrupt and asking whether that was really what life was about. 2. Scripture can shape the way entrepreneurs build. Rylee says studying Joshua 1:8 and the Bible for himself changed how he viewed success, business, and stewardship. 3. Genesis provides a framework Rylee applies to business. He connects creation with vision, atmosphere, structure, order, momentum, multiplication and dominion, and Sabbath. 4. Fear can keep entrepreneurs trapped in indecision. Rylee encourages seeking counsel and wisdom while refusing to stay stuck on what he calls “the fence of indecision.” 5. Faith does not always come with complete clarity. Rylee explains that his prayer shifted from asking God for constant clarity to asking for faith to move in a direction while trusting God with the outcome. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/gNSrYDGGn5I Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What happens when faith stops being something you practice only on Sunday and becomes part of how you lead, work, and serve every day? In this episode, Tom Carter speaks with Michelle Schaffer, founder of Kingdom Alliance, author, speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneur, about bringing Christ boldly into the marketplace and using business as an opportunity for discipleship. Michelle shares her journey from keeping her faith relatively quiet in her early career to building a faith-centered community focused on personal development, professional growth, leadership, and discipleship. She explains why she believes business can reach people who may never walk into a church or attend a Bible study—and why the way believers lead can give others an opportunity to encounter Christ. Michelle also opens up about the structure behind her academies, including studying Scripture, weekly activations, accountability, engagement, biblical affirmations, and putting what participants learn into action. She shares the remarkable transformation of one reluctant participant whose life changed through the discipleship experience. The conversation also explores Kingdom identity, leadership modeled after Jesus, pursuing wisdom and excellence, overcoming complacency, and using your voice in a way that encourages others to use theirs. For Michelle, the goal isn't simply to create people who receive information. It's to develop people who activate what they learn—and ultimately become disciples who raise up disciples. 00:00 Introduction00:36 Meet Michelle Schaefer02:27 Michelle's Story11:58 Discipleship Success19:48 Michelle's Books22:51 Practical Tips26:52 Global Impact30:16 Conclusion Five Key Takeaways 1. Business can become an opportunity for discipleship. Michelle believes people who may never enter a church or Bible study may still interact with believers through business—and can encounter Christ through those relationships. 2. Faith is meant to move from information to action. Her discipleship approach combines studying Scripture with activations, accountability, engagement, workbooks, and biblical affirmations. 3. Leadership should point back to Jesus. Michelle says everything in her programs models the leadership of Jesus and continually turns participants back to the Word of God. 4. Kingdom identity can influence every area of life. She describes seeing participants change careers, start businesses and ministries, improve relationships, increase income, and reconsider where God was calling them to focus. 5. Believers should resist complacency. Michelle encourages Christian business leaders to keep learning, pursue wisdom and excellence, actively pursue Christ, find a community that pushes them forward, and live their faith beyond simply showing up at church. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/1YUF-UwIZEw Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What happens when following God means walking away from everything familiar and starting again with almost nothing? In this episode, Steve Adams sits down with author, redemption speaker, and transformational storyteller Selvin Hicks to hear a remarkable story of adversity, faith, business, and purpose. Selvin shares openly about being arrested 19 times, carrying 12 felonies and five misdemeanors, and spending much of his twenties working in the secular entertainment industry. Then his life began to change. After stepping away from his businesses and spending months seeking God, Selvin felt led to leave Atlanta and move to Tampa—with just $199 to his name. Now, while rebuilding his life and business, Selvin is serving people experiencing homelessness through food and clothing campaigns and using his entrepreneurial work to support that mission. Steve and Selvin explore how business can disciple us, why difficult seasons can break pride and deepen faith, and how adversity can help remove the masks that keep us from living authentically. Selvin also explains the principles behind discovering your true North Star, removing the mask, and aligning purpose with action. For entrepreneurs walking through uncertainty, Selvin leaves one clear encouragement: pray your way through it. Keep God at the center when you make the plan, when you launch, and when the hard seasons arrive. 00:00 Introduction00:48 Inspiring Stories01:11 Selvin Hicks' Journey03:22 Personal Transformation06:27 Finding Purpose14:11 Challenges and Faith24:01 Coaching and Guidance27:23 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways Adversity can become preparation for purpose. Selvin views much of what he experienced earlier in life as preparation for what he is walking into now. Business can disciple you. Selvin says the harshness he experienced in business created a longing for something more and ultimately pointed him toward God. Removing the mask is part of discovering your calling. Selvin explains that you have to move beyond the facade and become honest about who you actually are before identifying your true North Star. Knowing where you are going changes everyday decisions. A clear guiding direction makes it easier to determine whether individual choices align with the person you are striving to become. Prayer belongs at every stage of entrepreneurship. Selvin encourages believers to pray before making plans, while building their businesses, and throughout difficult seasons—not merely after trouble arrives. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/9eSDwqWrM5E Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What if the way you run your business could create opportunities for conversations that go far beyond business? In this episode, Tom Carter speaks with Scott Beebe, founder and head coach of Business on Purpose, about building businesses around biblical principles while helping owners move from chaos toward greater clarity and purpose. Scott shares the four foundational areas his team focuses on with business owners: purpose, people, process, and profit. He explains why these four areas can either become cornerstones of a healthy business or sources of pain when they are neglected. One of Scott's central ideas is simple: “Your process is your product.” Products can look similar from one company to another, but the process through which they are delivered can become a meaningful differentiator. The conversation also explores vision, mission, unique core values, the difference between principle-based and strategy-based leadership, and Scott's own journey through seminary, sales, pastoral ministry, nonprofit work in Nigeria, and eventually business coaching. Scott also shares a powerful story of a successful business owner who admitted, “I've got everything I've ever wanted and I could not be more unsatisfied.” Years of excellent coaching created the trust that opened the door to a deeper conversation about Jesus. You'll also hear Scott's perspective on profit, generosity, scaling a coaching business, the challenges of people and money, spiritual disciplines, and removing technological distractions so leaders can make space for quietness and walking with Jesus. 00:00 Introduction00:48 Kingdom Impact01:36 Guest Scott Beebe04:18 Empowering Businesses06:00 Business Story08:46 Business & Faith13:06 Core Values24:54 Distraction & Focus26:08 Get in Touch27:32 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Your process can become your differentiator. Scott argues that in many businesses the product itself may be a commodity. What differentiates the business is the process through which that product or service is delivered. 2. Purpose, people, process, and profit are foundational. Scott describes these as the “four Ps.” They can function as foundational cornerstones—or become four areas of pain when they are not intentionally developed. 3. Build from enduring principles, not only changing strategies. Strategies can change as circumstances and innovation change. Scott emphasizes grounding business leadership in principles drawn from God's Word. 4. Excellent work can earn the opportunity for deeper conversations. Scott's story about one of his team's clients illustrates how years of being a “world class coach” created enough trust for a two-hour conversation about the gospel. 5. Faith and business cannot be completely separated. Scott says life and business “necessarily intersect.” What happens at home follows us into work, and what happens at work follows us home—making spiritual disciplines, quietness, and time with God's Word especially important. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/wRvBbiXwS-0 Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What if the story you have been holding back is exactly what someone else needs to hear? In this episode, Devin Shubert shares how an unexpected experience involving Willie Robertson became a powerful confirmation of his calling, his approach to influence, and the reason he believes entrepreneurs need to stop hiding their stories. Devin introduces the SOS Method: Social Media, Opportunities, and Stages—a simple approach to becoming more visible, building meaningful relationships, and getting your message in front of more people. For social media, he breaks the strategy down even further with the ABCs: Attention, Beliefs, and Call to Action. Get people’s attention. Be bold enough to shift beliefs. Then clearly tell people what to do next. But influence is not only about attracting customers. Devin explains why people who never buy from you can still become dedicated followers, advocates, referral partners, collaborators, and connections who open unexpected doors. His challenge is to prioritize relationships over busy work and recognize the opportunities already around you. He also shares what entrepreneurs need when they want to take their message to bigger stages, including a clear niche, a signature framework or talk, a place of influence, and speaker or media materials. The episode closes with Devin’s deeply personal story of nearly losing his life, the moment he believes Jesus told him he still had a story to tell, and the mission that followed. His challenge is simple: Stop hiding. Start sharing. Don’t take your story to the grave with you. 00:00 Welcome & Introduction01:15 Inspiration & Achievement04:14 Adoption Story09:30 SOS Method17:13 Power of Story26:29 Voice & Influence35:21 Legacy & Mission36:11 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Your Presence Online Should Match Your Calling Offline Social media is a place to intentionally share your message, story, and business. Devin challenges listeners to stop posting simply for likes and start posting for legacy. 2. Use the ABCs of Social Media Devin’s framework is simple: A — Attention: Give people a reason to stop and notice you. B — Beliefs: Be bold enough to shift what people believe. C — Call to Action: Give people a clear next step. 3. You Don’t Need More Followers—You Need the Right Relationships Not everyone who connects with you will become a customer. They may instead become an advocate, referral partner, collaborator, supporter, or someone who introduces you to another opportunity. 4. Take Your Story to Stages Stages can include podcasts, summits, panels, virtual stages, and physical stages. Devin encourages people to prepare their message so they are ready when opportunities appear. 5. Your Story Is Not Just About You Devin’s closing message is that your story can meet someone else’s need. His challenge is to stop hiding what you have lived through and start sharing it with the people who need to hear it. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/52C23g5HT4A Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

Is building wealth compatible with faithful Christian living? In this episode, David and Jason Benham explore what the Bible says about wealth, work, multiplication, and Kingdom impact. They explain that wealth is not the problem. The deeper issue is our motivation for gaining it and our intention for using it. Drawing from Scripture, they outline three biblical aspects of wealth: the reason, the requirement, and the reward. The reason is to provide for family and future generations while promoting God’s Kingdom agenda. The requirement is faithfulness, which they describe as multiplication. The reward is income, inheritance, and influence. The brothers also challenge the divide between sacred and secular work. They share how they came to understand that believers in the workplace are ministers right where they are, are already on mission, and can view their work as worship. Using the image of a bucket and a river, they distinguish riches from wealth and explain why they pursued both business growth and investment income. They also recount the loss of their HGTV show and the moment they realized a promised platform had become more important than the One who gave it. Through business success, public opposition, fear, repentance, and renewed courage, their message remains clear: believers were made for impact. Income is not the final goal. It is a resource that can be leveraged to provide, promote, multiply, and advance truth in every area of life with boldness today. 00:00 Introduction01:03 Wealth & Kingdom06:49 Cultivating Resources10:06 Rewards of Wealth19:38 Mission & Ministry30:58 Stand Boldly31:55 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Wealth Is a Resource, Not the Source The Benham brothers define wealth as a financial resource that gives people options. God remains the source, while resources can be cultivated and used to provide for others and promote His Kingdom agenda. 2. The Reason for Wealth Is to Provide and Promote Biblical wealth has two purposes: providing for your family and future generations, and promoting God’s Kingdom agenda on the earth. When impact is absent, income can easily become an idol. 3. Faithfulness Means Multiplication Using the parables of the talents, David and Jason argue that faithfulness is not merely maintaining what has been entrusted to you. Faithfulness involves multiplying spiritual and financial resources. 4. Your Workplace Can Be Your Ministry Believers do not need a traditional ministry position to be in full-time ministry. They are ministers where they are, they are on mission, and their work can become worship. 5. Kingdom Impact Requires Courage Kingdom impact involves a collision between opposing forces. Believers should not shrink back to protect income, influence, or platforms. They are called to move forward by faith, stand for truth, and use what they have been given for impact. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/o-aNZtvT2WM Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What does it mean to lead a business as a Kingdom CEO? In this episode, business and podcasting coach Stephanie Gass shares how she moved from hustle, striving, and trying to build what she thought would succeed to operating in partnership with God. Drawing from 15 years as a full-time entrepreneur, she explains why God—not the business owner—is the true CEO and why major decisions should begin with prayer, stillness, and the question, “Lord, what would You have me do?” Stephanie organizes the conversation around three key practices: surrender, speak, and steward. Surrender means committing plans to God and refusing to carry the weight of business or ministry alone. Speak means recognizing that your voice is part of your assignment, whether you communicate through a podcast, a book, a training, or a room. Stephanie also shares how starting a podcast with simple equipment helped her reach more people in less time than years of short-form social media effort. Stewardship extends beyond money. It includes time, energy, family, health, boundaries, rest, and the capacity to serve well. Stephanie encourages Kingdom leaders to build rhythms of rest, work, and worship, and to plan their week around God first, family second, and business third. This episode is an invitation to stop striving, stop hiding, and stop burning out. Instead, lead with surrender, use your voice boldly, and steward what God has entrusted to you with wisdom, obedience, and trust, so work remains sustainable, peaceful, and aligned with the calling God has given you. 00:00 Introduction00:57 Meet Stephanie03:07 Operating as CEO06:10 Surrendering to God09:07 Speaking Boldly14:56 Stewardship Talk19:08 Final Thoughts 5 Key Takeaways 1. God Is the True CEO Kingdom leaders may carry important titles, but God remains the ultimate authority. Before making major business, hiring, ministry, or leadership decisions, bring the plan to Him, become quiet, listen, and ask: “Lord, what would You have me do?” 2. Surrender Makes the Burden Lighter Business and ministry become heavy when leaders try to carry everything alone. Surrender means actively partnering with God, committing plans to Him, and trusting Him to establish the way forward. 3. Your Voice Is Your Assignment Whether you speak through a podcast, a book, a virtual training, an in-person room, or written content, you are called not to hide. Fear, comparison, and concern about what others think should not stop you from sharing the message God has given you. 4. Long-Form Content Can Create Sustainable Impact Stephanie explains that podcasting allowed her to reach more people while spending less time than she had spent producing short-form social media content. A growing library of long-form episodes can build trust, generate leads, and continue reaching people in the future. 5. Stewardship Includes Your Whole Life Stewardship is not limited to finances. Kingdom CEOs must also steward their time, energy, health, family, rest, boundaries, and capacity. Sustainable leadership follows a rhythm of rest, work, and worship—and plans around God first, family second, and business third. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/JGWPtrDpivo Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

John’s business journey did not begin with momentum, polished systems, or a clear strategic roadmap. It began with broken equipment, leaking roofs, outdated operations, regulatory pressure, and a company that was barely surviving. In this conversation, John shares how military discipline, perseverance, prayer, mentors, and a commitment to integrity helped him lead the family business through years of uncertainty. What started as one of the smallest companies in its category eventually became the largest, serving major retailers and earning vendor recognition. But this episode is about more than growth. John and Steve explore what it means to put faith into action, lead with excellence, care for employees, choose the right people, and continue doing the right thing even when others appear to prosper by compromising. John also reflects on the mentors who helped him avoid unnecessary mistakes, the responsibility he felt toward employees and suppliers, and the role Psalms and Proverbs played in keeping him grounded during difficult seasons. The conversation closes with a powerful reminder for Christian leaders: success does not remove struggle. Leaders still have to get up, press forward, and depend on God every day. John’s challenge is simple and practical: put your faith into action, talk less, do more, and never give in. 00:00 Introduction01:01 John's Faith Journey03:01 Family and Faith04:20 Military Career09:58 Business Struggles14:04 Keys to Success21:04 Balancing Family27:33 Excellence and Faith32:57 Business Growth40:16 Transition and Legacy49:50 Encouragement Five Key Takeaways 1. Perseverance often matters more than appearance or natural advantage John did not see himself as the strongest or most obvious candidate during military training, but he refused to quit. That same perseverance carried into business. 2. The right mentors can shorten the learning curve Retired industry professionals helped John identify practical improvements and avoid mistakes they had already experienced. 3. Faith should become visible through action Core beliefs have little value if they never affect decisions, leadership, integrity, or the way people are treated. 4. A company reflects the standards of its leader When leaders compromise, others often follow. When leaders pursue excellence and consistency, they set the tone for the organization. 5. Finishing strong requires continued dependence on God John does not present himself as someone who has mastered every challenge. His message is to keep pressing forward, get up after failure, and continue putting faith into action. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/L84hKxup4z4 Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What does it really look like to integrate faith into the everyday realities of business? In this episode, Steve Adams sits down with Chris Chancey, president and CEO of the Jacksonville Area National Christian Foundation, for a practical conversation about faith, work, risk, failure, generosity, and spiritual impact. Chris shares how his journey began with plans for traditional ministry, but while studying at seminary, his understanding of work began to change. Scripture helped him see business not as something separate from ministry, but as a place where people can serve, worship, grow, and influence others. That conviction eventually led Chris and his wife into entrepreneurship. One of the companies they built was a staffing agency that placed around 20,000 refugees into jobs across the United States over eight years and grew to 14 offices. Along the way, Chris wrestled with an important question: How can a company pursue meaningful spiritual impact while also remaining financially healthy? He shares a simple approach built around spiritual integration activities and spiritual formation outcomes, helping business leaders think intentionally about what they can do, what they can measure, and what they must ultimately trust God to accomplish. The episode closes with three practical encouragements for faith-driven entrepreneurs: pursue faith-aligned mentors, pursue faith-aligned capital, and practice intentional generosity. This is an honest conversation about persistence, stewardship, dependence on God, and learning to see business as a place of discipleship. 00:00 Introduction01:15 Guest Intro03:51 Bridging Ministry07:57 Business and Discipleship12:20 Business Journey19:18 Tools for Business24:10 Final Insights32:02 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Business can be a place of discipleship Chris explains that business creates daily opportunities for dependence on God, growth, refinement, and faith. The pressures, decisions, risks, and uncertainty of business can draw a person closer to the Lord when they are open to that process. 2. Spiritual impact should be intentionally connected to the business model Chris describes the importance of identifying opportunities for spiritual impact within the existing mission, goals, relationships, and stakeholders of the company rather than creating activities that compete with the financial health of the business. 3. Measure the activities you can control and pray for the outcomes you cannot The conversation distinguishes between spiritual integration activities, such as prayer, devotionals, counseling, chaplaincy, or other intentional practices, and spiritual formation outcomes, such as people coming to faith or becoming involved in a local church. Leaders can measure whether activities happened while recognizing that spiritual outcomes are ultimately not theirs to control. 4. Persistence changes the meaning of failure Chris and Steve discuss how failure can become a source of learning when a person continues, adapts, and refuses to quit. As Steve puts it in the conversation, without persistence, failure becomes final and costly; with persistence, lessons can emerge from it. 5. Faith-driven entrepreneurs should pursue aligned relationships and generosity Chris closes with three areas of encouragement: work hard to find faith-aligned mentors, pursue faith-aligned capital before it is urgently needed, and practice generosity with time and resources. He also shares how generosity surrounding the sale of his business changed his perspective and eventually connected with his work at the National Christian Foundation. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/dgS4qUp-OV0 Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

What if you do not have to leave business to enter ministry? In this episode of the Kingdom Impact Summit, Steve Adams sits down with Jim and Martha Brangenberg of I Work for Him for a candid conversation about faith, work, entrepreneurship, marriage, and purpose. Jim and Martha both committed their lives to full-time ministry as teenagers. For years, they believed that calling would eventually lead them into seminary or a formal church role. Instead, they built businesses, served clients, raised a family, and eventually discovered a truth that changed the direction of their lives: their work mattered to God, and their workplace was already a mission field. They share how that realization led to I Work for Him and a growing collection of podcasts, stories, and collaborative projects designed to encourage believers to live out their faith through their work. The conversation also explores how business can expose character, how pressure reveals what is inside us, and why serving employees, customers, vendors, families, and communities changes the way we think about business. Jim and Martha also open up about 39 years of marriage, working together, protecting family priorities, choosing friends wisely, apologizing quickly, and making prayer together a consistent part of their relationship. The episode closes with a challenge for those entering retirement: almost everyone knows what they are retiring from, but far fewer know what they are retiring to. 00:00 Introduction00:26 Three Fish Principle02:53 Jim & Martha's Journey06:34 Faith and Work Insight08:19 Cultural Mandate15:02 Marriage and Business20:28 Marriage Secrets27:04 Ministry Overview36:54 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Your work can be ministry Jim and Martha spent years believing that meaningful ministry required leaving business for a formal church role. Their turning point came when they realized they were already in ministry through their work. 2. The workplace is a mission field The people believers interact with through calls, emails, clients, coworkers, vendors, and employees are not interruptions to ministry. Those relationships can become opportunities to live out faith. 3. Business reveals your character Pressure, conflict, deadlines, criticism, and unexpected moments reveal what is inside a person. The conversation challenges listeners to ask whether difficult moments bring out the flesh or the character of Jesus. 4. Business or ministry should not destroy your marriage Jim and Martha strongly reject the idea that success in business or ministry requires neglecting marriage and family. They emphasize prayer, shared time, family priorities, humility, forgiveness, and choosing relationships wisely. 5. Retirement should include purpose Through I Retire for Him, Jim and Martha challenge the idea that retirement is simply an extended vacation. Their question is direct: you may know what you are retiring from, but do you know what you are retiring to? Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/_6nF9YAvx9c Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org