Join host Justin Forman for an intimate conversation with bestselling author and entrepreneur Jon Acuff in his Nashville home office. Surrounded by international editions of his books and personal reminders of his journey, Jon shares hard-won wisdom about the mental battles every entrepreneur faces—and how to win them.

This episode dives deep into the soundtrack constantly playing in every entrepreneur's mind, exploring practical strategies to retire broken thought patterns and replace them with empowering ones. From his early days with "Stuff Christians Like" to building an 11-book writing career while scaling his business, Jon reveals the mindset shifts that separate successful entrepreneurs from those stuck in cycles of self-doubt.

• Why entrepreneurs need new levels of fear at new levels of growth
• The "CEO of your actions, not outcomes" mindset that changes everything
• How to retire broken soundtracks and build empowering thought patterns
• The difference between burnout and boredom in entrepreneurial life
• Building sustainable rhythms when transitioning from solopreneur to team leader
• Creating practical tools for meaningful family conversations about entrepreneurship
• Why resilience is just giving yourself permission to start again

"You should always have new levels of fear at new levels of growth. If you tell yourself, 'I've beaten fear forever,' guess what you feel like when you find new levels of fear? You feel like a failure." - Jon Acuff

"I'm the CEO of my actions, not the CEO of my outcomes." - Jon Acuff

"Great thoughts turn into great actions. Great actions turn into great results." - Jon Acuff

Join host Justin Forman as he sits down with Stephen Phelan, Chief Spiritual Integration Officer for Faith Driven Entrepreneur, in the iconic red-walled Movement Mortgage offices. Stephen shares practical, proven strategies for creating workplace cultures that truly love and value people—addressing the crisis where 98% of Gen Z feels burned out at work.

Drawing from over a decade of experience at Movement Mortgage, Stephen reveals the four fundamental human needs every employee has and how meeting them transforms both culture and business outcomes. From launching "Love Works" benevolence programs to implementing mentoring systems that make disciples, this episode provides actionable steps any business can take, regardless of size.

• The four fundamental human needs every employee has when they come to work
• How to implement "Love Works" programs that create authentic community (from 5-person teams to 57,000 employees like Hobby Lobby)
• Why mentoring isn't another burden for entrepreneurs—and who should actually lead it
• Building small groups in business that mirror successful church models
• Creating cultures where 91% of stressed Gen Z workers find life and purpose
• From "sneaky Jesus" conversions to baptizing employees: real transformation stories
• Practical systems for loving teammates, customers, and communities

"People that are walking through your doors, they have four fundamental human needs. Here's the first one - when they come in, they want to have friends at work." - Stephen Phelan

"We all want these relationships at work. And as a follower of Jesus, you want to be able to say yes to Jesus." - Stephen Phelan

"Jesus snuck up on me at movement, people just started loving me, and they started living out the things that they believed." - Stephen Phelan (sharing employee testimony)

Join host Justin Forman as he sits down with bestselling author and pastor Francis Chan for a profound conversation about the tension between building and being, success and faithfulness, and the danger of running on life's treadmill without stopping to ask why. Speaking from his experiences in Hong Kong's fast-paced culture, Francis shares vulnerable insights about his own journey from mega-church pastor to someone seeking deeper relationship with God.

This episode challenges entrepreneurs to examine their motivations, embrace dependence on God, and discover the freedom that comes from living with eternal perspective. Francis opens up about his decision to give away book royalties, the wisdom of Proverbs 30:7-9, and why he believes entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to live differently and impact others through their choices.

Key Topics:

Breaking free from the cultural treadmill of endless achievement and busyness

Why Francis wishes he could tell his younger self to focus on the main commands of Scripture

The danger of coveting in entrepreneurship and how to combat it through eternal perspective

Learning to be quick to listen, slow to speak in a world that rewards constant talking

How entrepreneurs can use their success as a platform to live counter-culturally

The relationship between taking risks of faith and experiencing deeper fellowship with God

Why Francis asked God not to make him rich and what that prayer teaches us

Notable Quotes:

"He tells me whether I eat, drink, whatever I do, do it all for the glory of God, and so even now, are the words coming out of my mouth giving glory to him." - Francis Chan

"Don't you want to be a person that is known for their love and to be so much like Christ, who didn't consider equality with God something to be held on to." - Francis Chan

"You don't want to be lazy with what God's given you, I would just challenge you to go, Hey, once you're on that road to success and it's actually happening, you have an incredible opportunity to live differently." - Francis Chan

Join host Justin Forman as he sits down with Benjamin Fernandes, founder of Nala and Rafiki, for an extraordinary conversation about resilience, rejection, and revolutionizing cross-border payments. From covering the World Cup as a 21-year-old sports anchor in Tanzania to building infrastructure that serves millions across Africa and Asia, Benjamin's journey is filled with divine appointments, Stanford miracles, and the grit required to solve problems for the next billion customers.

This episode explores the massive diaspora remittance market ($129 billion to India alone), the entrepreneurial challenge of building FinTech infrastructure in emerging markets, and why the greatest export from developing nations might just be talent. Benjamin vulnerably shares the power of rejection as fuel, the importance of gratitude, and why sometimes you have to build the bridge for the next 200 entrepreneurs coming after you.

• The $129 billion remittance market and why diaspora communities are economic powerhouses
• From failing high school to Stanford MBA: A miracle story of divine provision
• Building payment rails in Africa vs Asia: Infrastructure challenges and opportunities
• Why 30-35% of Nala customers are entrepreneurs funding businesses back home
• The power of rejection letters as entrepreneurial fuel
• Going church to mosque: The gritty early days of customer acquisition
• How migrants enable local economies to thrive in exponential ways

"There's something that's very powerful when someone tells you you can't do something." - Benjamin Fernandes

"With privilege comes responsibility." - Benjamin Fernandes

"I don't believe the lowest income region the world should be charged the most amount for fees, for payments." - Benjamin Fernandes

Join host Justin Forman for an enlightening conversation with Carey Nieuwhof, leadership expert and former lead pastor, as they tackle one of the most important conversations in the modern church: bridging the gap between pastors and entrepreneurs. From his unique perspective of having served in both pastoral ministry and entrepreneurial ventures, Carey reveals why there's mutual intimidation between these two groups and how churches can unleash the untapped potential of their entrepreneurial members.

This episode explores the crisis of community in entrepreneurship, why 50% of retired CEOs die within two years, and how churches possess the "convening power" to create lasting connections. Carey shares practical insights from leading churches that are successfully engaging their business leaders beyond "handing out programs and parking cars."

• The entrepreneurial isolation crisis: Why there's "no default community" for business leaders
• Mutual intimidation: Why pastors feel inadequate around entrepreneurs and vice versa
• The spiritual gift of entrepreneurship: Learning from the Apostle Paul's business model
• Moving beyond volunteer tasks to meaningful engagement for high-capacity leaders
• How churches can serve as "incubators" for Kingdom-minded business ventures
• The difference between "real friends" and "deal friends" in entrepreneurial communities
• Practical steps for pastors to start entrepreneur-focused ministries

"I think for entrepreneurs, there's no default community. You're on your own. It's sort of the hero's journey. You start by yourself, that pioneer spirit. Within two years of retiring as a CEO, 50% of CEOs are dead." - Carey Nieuwhof

"Pastors are thinking, I don't make a million dollars a year like I haven't got staff and employees like you do. I don't feel like I measure up, and I don't know, I've talked to so many pastors who are like, I know this guy or woman could give $3 million I'm terrified of making the ask." - Carey Nieuwhof

"You've got some in your church, and they don't know how to contribute, and they're feeling alone and they're feeling isolated." - Carey Nieuwhof

Join host Justin Forman as he sits down with Jordan Raynor to explore why most biographies fail to inspire and how reimagining these stories can transform faith-driven entrepreneurs. Through the lens of LEGO's miraculous founding story and innovative AI-powered storytelling, discover how play, perseverance, and proximity to our heroes can reshape how we view our calling in the marketplace.

Jordan shares his mission to create "binge-worthy biographies" that compete with Netflix and TikTok for attention, revealing untold stories of mere Christians who weren't pastors but transformed industries. From CS Lewis's scandalous past to Ole Kirk Christiansen's Job-like trials in building LEGO, these stories prove that the same Holy Spirit who empowered history's heroes is at work in today's entrepreneurs.

• Why traditional biographies are "way too freaking long" and boring
• The untold faith story behind LEGO's founding through fires, Nazis, and family tragedy
• How AI video technology is revolutionizing storytelling for modern audiences
• The theology of play: Why entrepreneurs need permission to find joy in their work
• Moving from retreat to redemption: Why entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to engage darkness
• The four counterfeit quests that distract from true Kingdom work

"It wasn't the founder of Lego going to work every day. It was the Holy Spirit in him." - Jordan Raynor

"We can play within the business. We can play within the four walls of the mission." - Jordan Raynor

"Entrepreneurs every day say, I go into a space talking to people that don't think like me, don't act like me, don't talk to me, don't get me." - Justin Forman

Join host Justin Forman from a stunning lakeside location in Malawi as he sits down with President Lazarus Chakwera, one of the rare world leaders who transitioned from pastoral ministry to the presidency. In this remarkable conversation, President Chakwera shares his extraordinary journey from leading the Assemblies of God for over 30 years to answering God's call to "pastor the nation."

This episode explores the critical shift happening across Africa—from aid dependence to investment partnerships—and reveals why Malawi's vision for becoming an "inclusively wealthy, self-reliant economy" represents a blueprint for continental transformation. President Chakwera offers profound insights on how faith-driven investors can partner with African nations to create lasting impact while maintaining dignity and mutual respect.

• The miraculous journey from 30+ years of pastoral ministry to the presidency
• Why Africa is shifting from aid to investment—and why this matters globally
• Malawi's ATM strategy: Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining as pathways to prosperity
• How faith-driven investors can avoid exploitation and build trust-based partnerships
• The power of synergy: When pastors, entrepreneurs, and government leaders unite

"I didn't leave ministry. This is ministry." - President Chakwera

"You cannot reap without sowing... we can prosper together, just like God can prosper everyone without him running out of stuff." - President Chakwera

"Investing for me is using what God has given me in order that I might be a blessing to other people." - President Chakwera

Join host Justin Forman for a compelling conversation with Andy Crouch, bestselling author and senior fellow at Praxis, about the cultural moment we find ourselves in—one he describes as "pandemonium." In this thought-provoking episode, Andy unpacks why institutional trust has collapsed, what it means for entrepreneurs, and how the church's calling to serve offers a pathway forward.

Drawing from his deep understanding of cultural dynamics and three-generation rebuilding cycles, Andy reveals why small businesses and the military are the only institutions maintaining trust above 50%—and what that means for Kingdom-minded entrepreneurs navigating uncertain times.

• Why our current moment is best described as "pandemonium" rather than chaos
• The collapse of prestige hierarchies and rise of dominance-based leadership
• How COVID accelerated institutional trust erosion that was decades in the making
• The three-generation cycle of cultural rebuilding (lessons from Genesis)
• Why small businesses maintain high trust levels while other institutions fail
• Jesus's radical alternative to both dominance and prestige hierarchies
• Practical strategies for lean, mission-focused entrepreneurship in uncertain times

"Institutionalism is when the actual mission of the institution becomes less important than just protecting the institution itself. You go off mission, and your mission becomes just protect our thing." - Andy Crouch

"In the kingdom of God, anyone can be great because anyone can serve." - Andy Crouch (quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

"If you aim for community, sometimes you get community, but rarely do, but if you aim for mission, oftentimes community is just a natural byproduct, and you're probably gonna get mission too." - Justin Forman

Andy Crouch is a bestselling author, cultural commentator, and senior fellow at Praxis. His books include "Culture Making," "Strong and Weak," and "The Tech-Wise Family." He brings decades of experience analyzing cultural shifts and helping leaders navigate complex societal changes with wisdom and faith.