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What if the way you run your business is one of the most powerful ways you live out your faith? In this episode, Tim Russell, President of Life Financial Group, challenges Christian entrepreneurs and business owners to recognize that their work matters far beyond the bottom line. His message centers on three powerful truths: Your business matters to God, your community, and the Kingdom. Therefore, be excellent, courageous, and unapologetic. Drawing from Genesis 2:15, Tim explains how work was part of God's design before the fall. We're called not only to cultivate and develop the world around us but also to faithfully care for what God has created. He explores how business owners become culture creators through the way they treat employees, serve customers, engage suppliers, and influence their communities. Even profitability plays an important role, creating opportunities for employment, generosity, and meaningful impact. But what does it mean to run a business Christianly? Tim reminds us that faith isn't something we practice only on Sundays. It's reflected in our integrity, the quality of our work, our care for people, and our willingness to stand confidently in what we believe. Through Matthew 5, Proverbs 28:1, and Joshua 1:9, he encourages believers to shine their light, be bold as lions, and trust God through uncertainty. Your business matters. How you operate matters. And your faith belongs in every part of it. 00:00 Introduction01:30 Business Matters to God12:16 Community Impact19:48 Kingdom Focus25:18 Conclusion Five Key Takeaways 1. Your business matters to God, so pursue excellence. Work existed before the fall and is part of God's design for humanity. Christian entrepreneurs are called to cultivate creation, practice faithful stewardship, and provide excellent products and services that bring glory to God. 2. Your business shapes culture, starting with your employees. The way you treat employees, customers, suppliers, and vendors matters. When people are treated with dignity, respect, and integrity, a healthy business culture creates ripple effects that reach families and communities. 3. Profit and generosity are connected. Profit isn't inherently bad. Healthy, profitable businesses create employment, support innovation, and provide resources for generosity. Tim challenges entrepreneurs to be courageous in pricing, marketing, and operating their businesses effectively. 4. Being unapologetic about faith doesn't mean being obnoxious. Running a business Christianly doesn't require evangelizing every customer or serving only Christians. It means living your faith consistently, applying the Golden Rule, caring about people, and demonstrating your beliefs through everyday business decisions. 5. Courage comes from confidence in God. Drawing from Proverbs 28:1 and Joshua 1:9, Tim encourages Christian business owners to be bold as lions, face uncertainty with courage, and trust that God is with them through the opportunities and challenges ahead. Your business isn't just influencing your bottom line. It's shaping people, communities, and culture. The question is: What kind of culture are you creating? 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/5zMGMg5dGDo 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

What if the most important business strategy you need isn't found in the latest marketing advice, coaching program, or AI tool, but begins with seeking God's direction? In this Kingdom Impact Summit conversation, host Tom Carter welcomes Nadine Mullings, CEO and Partner of She Elevates Media, for an inspiring discussion about faith, entrepreneurship, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide business decisions. After more than 15 years in corporate America, Nadine faced an unexpected turning point when her position was eliminated in 2012. She chose to use her severance package as seed money to launch a marketing agency. What began as a professional transition gradually became a deeper journey of integrating her Christian faith into her business. Today, Nadine helps women of faith amplify their authority through books, podcasts, and summits. But her approach begins with one important principle: Be Spirit-led, not just expert-led. Nadine shares her daily business meetings with God, walks through the practical PRAYED Method, and explains why journaling, prayer, and listening to the Holy Spirit matter in business. She also shares client experiences, including one woman who described activating her faith and another who reportedly reached $10,000 a month through Spirit-led business activities. Drawing from Matthew 7:7, Nadine challenges listeners to ask, seek, and knock, combining spiritual guidance with meaningful action. Whether you're building a business or navigating a new season of entrepreneurship, this conversation encourages you to seek God first and take faithful action. 00:00 Introduction00:35 Steve Adams Interview01:03 Nadine Mullings Insights03:18 Faith and Business Journey13:11 Spirit-Led Strategy19:54 Final Nuggets 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/MgIjDJExQjg 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org Five Key Takeaways 01 Be Spirit-led, not just expert-led. Before turning to business coaches, marketing experts, or AI tools, Nadine encourages Christian entrepreneurs to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance. External resources can be helpful, but she believes spiritual direction should come first. 02 Make time for a daily business meeting with God. Nadine uses journaling and the PRAYED Method: Praise, Review and Reflect, Ask, Yield, Engage in Scripture, and Declare. This creates intentional time to seek direction before beginning her workday. 03 Entrepreneurship is a faith journey. After losing her corporate position, Nadine used her severance package to begin her entrepreneurial journey. Over time, she learned to share her faith openly through her business rather than keeping her professional and spiritual lives separate. 04 Spiritual growth can shape how entrepreneurs show up in business. Nadine shares two client experiences: one woman described activating her faith through daily spiritual practices, while another reportedly reached $10,000 in monthly business revenue after acting on what she described as spiritual downloads. 05 Faith requires action: Ask, Seek, Knock. Drawing from Matthew 7:7, Nadine encourages business owners to ask God for direction, seek the right people and resources, and take practical action through activities such as sales calls, client follow-ups, and requesting help when needed.

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your calling isn't a lack of opportunity, but the decision to finally begin? In this episode of the IBAM Podcast, host Tom Carter welcomes Sebastian Uzcategui, founder of Stocks University, for an inspiring conversation about faith, financial education, entrepreneurship, and finding freedom through purpose-driven work. Growing up as an only-child immigrant in the United States, Sebastian watched his family endure exhausting 12-hour shifts while searching for the American dream. Those experiences motivated him to explore investing and entrepreneurship as pathways toward financial independence. Today, Sebastian shares how he's using financial education to help others, including Christian students and church leaders, pursue greater financial stability. He explains how his investing work has helped support churches and mission trips, and why he believes wealth means far more than money. The conversation also explores the challenges Sebastian faced while building his business. Drawing from Proverbs 10:22, he shares how putting his faith, voice, and business purpose first led to an unexpected turning point in his entrepreneurial journey. And his greatest lesson? Just start. Whether you're considering a new business, seeking financial independence, or learning to live your faith more boldly, Sebastian's story offers encouragement to take that first step. 3. Five Key Takeaways 01 Financial education can help break cycles of struggle. Sebastian believes a lack of financial knowledge contributes to ongoing financial instability. His approach prioritizes education and helping students see results before charging for his services. 02 Business success can support Kingdom work. Sebastian describes how investing has enabled him to generate funds for church leaders, churches, and mission trips, connecting financial progress with his desire to serve others. 03 Wealth is about more than money. Reflecting on Proverbs 10:22, Sebastian describes wealth in terms of freedom, prosperity, family, and relief from the struggle of simply surviving. 04 Putting faith and purpose first can change how you approach business. Sebastian recounts how embracing public speaking, Christian values, and the purpose behind his business preceded a fourfold increase in his business. 05 Don't let perfectionism keep you from starting. Sebastian's most memorable advice comes from a question he heard at 18: "At what point is procrastination, disobedience?" His answer is simple: start, accept that you'll stumble, and learn as you go. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/h6HZxEd4WJs 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

What if your business could do more than generate sales? What if it could transform lives and advance God's Kingdom? In this episode of the Kingdom Impact Summit Podcast, host Tom Carter welcomes Christopher Harold, founder of God's Masterpiece and the self-proclaimed Kingdom Marketing Superman, for a conversation about building a business with God instead of simply working for Him. With more than 20 years of digital marketing experience, Christopher shares how personal struggles, burnout, and a season of spiritual realignment changed his approach to business. His defining revelation? Moving from sales funnels to soul funnels—shifting the focus from chasing income, influence, and conversions to creating meaningful transformation and making disciples in the marketplace. Christopher walks through his five-stage Soul Funnel framework: Attract, Engage, Convert, Transform, and Multiply. He explains how Christian coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs can grow their businesses while honoring biblical principles and fulfilling their God-given assignments. The conversation also gets deeply personal as Christopher shares how business success and failure affected his identity, why he had to learn to separate his worth from his results, and how keeping God first transformed his perspective. He closes with three principles for Kingdom-minded entrepreneurs: Alignment, Identity, and Assignment. Whether you're growing a business, navigating challenges, or searching for deeper purpose in your work, this conversation offers encouragement to pursue impact beyond income. Five Key Takeaways 1. Move from sales funnels to soul funnels. Business isn't only about making sales. Christopher challenges Christian entrepreneurs to use their marketing, offers, and services to make disciples and create Kingdom impact. 2. Build through the five stages of a Soul Funnel. Attract with authority and anointing, engage through Spirit-led messaging, convert with God-honoring offers, transform through meaningful outcomes, and multiply through systems and processes. 3. Don't let business results determine your identity. Christopher shares how his struggles taught him that God's love doesn't increase with business success or decrease with failure. Identity must be grounded in Christ, not income. 4. Prioritize alignment, identity, and assignment. Christopher's three guiding principles encourage believers to seek God's Kingdom first, understand who they are in Christ, and faithfully fulfill their calling in the marketplace. 5. Recognize your business as an opportunity for ministry. Christopher explains that Zoom meetings, social media platforms, and everyday business relationships can become opportunities to demonstrate biblical principles and reach people beyond the walls of a church. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/MLvziKI8HAs 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

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