Dr. Barry Ham discusses faith, family, and purpose.

Key Takeaways

- Dr. Ham emphasizes the importance of integrating faith into daily life, not just relegating it to Sundays

- He advises parents to build strong relationships with kids early on, not waiting until just before college

- Dr. Ham's book "Living on Purpose" explores finding God's broader purpose for one's life beyond specific decisions

Topics

Dr. Ham's Background and Faith Journey

- Has two master's degrees (psychology, marriage/family counseling) and doctorate in clinical psychology

- Taught psychology/sociology at University of Colorado Springs and Colorado Christian University for 25 years

- Came to deeper personal faith in his 30s after period of questioning and study

Advice for Families

- Prioritize staying connected as a couple during child-rearing years (e.g. daily 15-min check-ins, date nights)

- Build relationships with kids through shared activities and giving them your "best stuff", not just leftovers

- Allow teens safe opportunities to try things while still under parental influence at home

Integrating Faith into Daily Life

- Make quiet time with God a priority, but vary the approach (e.g. prayer walks, gratitude practices)

- Weigh decisions in light of scripture and God's leading

- Let your life and actions speak to others, not just words

Passing Faith to Next Generation

- For grandparents: Be understanding of limitations if adult children aren't believers

- For parents: Focus on building strong relationships and trust to have spiritual influence

- Do fun, connecting activities regularly to establish open communication

Book: "Living on Purpose"

- Explores God's broader purpose beyond specific life decisions

- Stemmed from Dr. Ham's intensive 30-day Bible study during faith crisis

- Available on Amazon and through Dr. Ham's website

You can subscribe to the podcast at https://matthewefird.com.

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Chris Carneal, founder and CEO of Booster, discusses entrepreneurship, business growth, and leadership insights.

Key Takeaways

- Momentum is crucial for early-stage businesses; focus on accelerating growth while addressing critical issues

- Self-awareness is foundational for leadership success; regularly seek feedback and assess strengths/weaknesses

- Establishing clear company virtues/values helps guide culture and decision-making as organizations scale

- Balancing entrepreneurial drive with family/personal life is an ongoing challenge; prioritize regular check-ins

Topics

Chris's Entrepreneurial Journey

- Started as a college baseball player giving lessons, which sparked his entrepreneurial spirit

- Launched Booster from his dorm room, initially guaranteeing $3,000 to first client school

- Grew from side hustle to $100M+ company with 1000+ employees over 23 years

- Wrestled with tension between ministry/non-profit work and for-profit business early on

Momentum in Business Growth

- Theme for the year: "I create momentum in myself, with my team, for my clients"

- Crucial to maintain momentum, especially in early startup/scale-up stages

- Advice: Focus on core growth drivers while addressing critical issues, don't get overly distracted

Self-Awareness and Leadership

- Self-awareness rated as #1 trait for CEO success in recent survey

- Recommended tactics:

- Take multiple personality assessments (Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, etc.)

- Establish a personal board of advisors for honest feedback

- Regularly assess strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots

- Goal: Spend 80% of time leveraging strengths, delegate or systemize weaknesses

Establishing Company Values/Virtues

- Initially had 4 core values: integrity, enthusiasm, leadership, results

- Transitioned to 6 virtues after 15 years: gratitude, wisdom, care, courage, celebration

- Virtues are timeless, actionable, aspirational, and apply both professionally/personally

- Define, display, and regularly reinforce virtues throughout the organization

Balancing Entrepreneurship and Family

- Acknowledged running at an unsustainable pace that exhausted his wife

- Advice: Schedule regular marriage/family check-ins (annual trips, conferences, etc.)

- Set appropriate boundaries and prioritize self-care to stay healthy/fueled

You can subscribe to the podcast at https://matthewefird.com.

Are you a seasonal business owner who's struggling to make ends meet during the winter months? Do you hate losing great staff when the weather turns cold because you don't have enough work to keep them employed year-round?

You could be a perfect fit for a Lighting Pros Franchise location! Learn more about Lighting Pros Franchise here: https://lightingprosfranchise.com

Would you consider yourself a corporate refugee or portfolio investor looking to get into business ownership in the emerging market of outdoor lighting? Would you be interested in an award-winning system focused on permanent holiday lights, landscape lighting, and temporary Christmas lights? Did you know that you can do outdoor lighting all year long? You could be a perfect fit for a Lighting Pros Franchise location! Learn more about Lighting Pros Franchise here: https://lightingprosfranchise.com

Interested in having Matthew speak at your upcoming Event? Go here: https://matthewefird.com

Looking for the best AI Notetaker? Check out my link to FathomAI and get a month of premium for free! https://fathom.video/invite/UT2ZaQ

Kyle Cravens discusses his faith journey, career at LifeWay, and advice for Christian living.

Key Takeaways

- Kyle's 25-year career at LifeWay stemmed from volunteering in youth ministry and working summer camps, illustrating how following God's calling can lead to unexpected opportunities

- Maintaining consistent faith practices (church, small groups, Bible study) helped Kyle navigate challenging seasons of caregiving for ailing parents and supporting his son through health issues

- Kyle emphasizes the importance of parents prioritizing church involvement and creating a faith community for their children to foster spiritual growth and provide additional adult mentors

Topics

Kyle's Faith Journey

- Grew up attending a small country church, accepted Christ at age 8

- Loved serving in church from a young age, reading Bible/having quiet time by age 10

- Initially pursued accounting career, but felt called to ministry through camp experiences

- Transitioned from 10-year CPA career to 25-year (ongoing) career at LifeWay Christian Resources

Discerning God's Call

- Completed "Experiencing God" study, felt led to work summer camp staff

- CPA firm allowed unpaid summer leave with benefits, opening door to camp ministry

- Initially saw camp work as temporary, but doors kept opening for full-time LifeWay career

- Emphasizes importance of being open to God's leading, even when it's unexpected/challenging

Integrating Faith and Work

- Easier in Christian work environment, but possible anywhere through:

- Showing basic kindness, positive attitude, quality work

- Building relationships to understand how to minister to coworkers

- Finding your "sweet spot" - work you're passionate about with people you enjoy

Navigating Difficult Seasons

- 10-year period of caregiving for parents with health issues (diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's)

- Simultaneously supporting teenage son through anxiety, eating disorder

- Maintained faith practices: church attendance, small group, prayer, Bible reading

- Adopted mindset of "play the cards you're dealt" - step up and do what's needed

- Chose to trust God's sovereignty rather than becoming bitter

Advice for Parents on Faith Formation

- Make church attendance a consistent priority, even as kids get older/busier

- Ensure children/teens are involved in age-appropriate church activities

- Foster long-term small group relationships to provide additional adult mentors

- Include kids in family small group gatherings when possible

- Recognize importance of teens "owning their faith" for college/adulthood

Technology and Student Ministry

- Increase in devices/social media has changed youth culture significantly

- LifeWay adapting camp programs while maintaining core elements like guided Bible study

- Book recommendation: "The Anxious Generation" on impact of smartphones on teens

Kyle's New Ministry Venture

- Recently launched website (kylecravens.com) for weekly devotionals, monthly articles

- Felt God's prompting to write and share, even without paid assignments

- Focusing on obedience and potential impact, rather than audience size metrics

Next Steps

- Visit kylecravens.com to sign up for "Tuesday Treats" weekly devotionals

- Consider reading recommended books: "Experiencing God", "I Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at My Table"

- Parents: Prioritize consistent church involvement for children/teens

- Evaluate how to integrate faith practices in daily life and work environments

You can subscribe to the podcast at https://matthewefird.com.

Are you a seasonal business owner who's struggling to make ends meet during the winter months? Do you hate losing great staff when the weather turns cold because you don't have enough work to keep them employed year-round?

You could be a perfect fit for a Lighting Pros Franchise location! Learn more about Lighting Pros Franchise here: https://lightingprosfranchise.com