Episode 69: What Faith Driven Entrepreneurship Looks Like with Henry Kaestner

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We spend more time at our work than anywhere else during our week. Additionally, we spend more time with co-workers and employees than with any other people. In today’s society, it has never been more important to be a bold witness of your faith in your workplace. For your clients, co-workers, and employees, you are often the closest someone will come to being inside a church or having an encounter with God. It is vital that we live in a manner worthy of the gospel. We are blessed to have Henry Kaestner on today’s show. Henry is co-founder of Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor Ministries. He has particular expertise in what it means to be a follower of Christ first and on mission in the workplace. Today we are diving into his upcoming book, Faith Driven Entrepreneur co-authored with J.D. Greear, Chip Ingram, and with a foreword by recording artist Lecrae. Buckle up for an exciting episode as we dig into the calling of the Lord and what that looks like in the workplace for entrepreneurs.

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3 Key Takeaways

1. Faith-driven entrepreneurs are in many cases the closest thing to a pastor that non-believers in the workplace will ever see.
2. Truly great leaders are those that are vulnerable and transparent with their people and are not ashamed to express second thoughts or mistakes.
3. The secret of business success is retaining your loyal customers and delighting them.

Show Notes

Top three takeaways from co-writing his book Faith Driven Entrepreneurship.

• 1. The fear and trepidation. Any person of humility should have some anxiety when writing a book to be the undergirding of a movement.
• 2. The importance of unifying structural truths. It is vital to fully encompass both foundations that are not only relevant to entrepreneurship but also digging deep into the psyche of entrepreneurs.
• 3. The power of collaboration. Henry learned the importance of collaboration and bringing other great writers together to face the undertaking.

As an entrepreneur, God gives me an idea and I run with it, and oftentimes I fail fast. But when you write a book like this you want to make sure you truly get it right. And that is why the power of collaboration is so important. - Henry Kaestner

How is the mindset of a “caste system” among believers changing?

• For a long time, believers had a scale of comparison where pastors and missionaries are at the top of the food chain and entrepreneurs are at the bottom.
• More people are talking about faith in the marketplace and how their work matters to God. 
• The American market has become a place where you can talk more openly about your beliefs.
• There is a need for more of a tribe that understands the struggle of entrepreneurs.
• It is difficult in emerging cultures where business and corruption go hand in hand to boldly present God to people.

Three unifying principles of the Faith Driven Entrepreneurship movement.

• 1. We are called to create. We are made in the image of a creative God who worked 6 out of 7 days and His work continues to this day. We are invited into the work that God is doing.
• 2. We are called to be faithful, not willful. God’s plan will go on with or without us, but we are to be responsible and good stewards of what God has given us. 
• 3. We are called to have the identity of a child of God. It is so easy to fall into the trap of wrapping up your identity in what your title and position are. We have a calling to live as sons and daughters of the Lord.

When an entrepreneur can return to the workplace with the knowledge that they are a child of God and that God loves us unconditionally, that is powerful! - Henry Kaestner

The keys to achieving total transparency and vulnerability with your business partners?

• You need to cultivate vulnerability and openness to discussing important decisions with complete transparency with your partner.
• Additionally, transparency with your team and company as a whole on your own mistakes is important in cultivating vulnerability into your culture.
• People want a strong leader that can point out the direction and people to each task while freely acknowledging that they don’t know every step and welcoming collaboration.

Vulnerability is evidenced by willing to share second thoughts and asking for advice from collaborators. - Henry Kaestner

How do you ensure that there is more alignment between entrepreneurs and pastors?

• Pastors should stop hiding in their offices at church.
• They should get out into the community of their congregation, strategically visiting the businesses of their congregation during the week to understand their people.
• Introduce your pastor to your team, business life, and culture so they can better understand how to better disciple you.

• Entrepreneurs are change agents in culture. Too many pastors miss out on the opportunity to work through those with influence in the community.

Introduce them to your foreman, share with them your mission and strategy so they can better disciple you. When you are at your best spiritually, your employees and the community at large are blessed. - Henry Kaestner

3 reasons why having an ethics-based business is important.

• Your business culture is healthier and your employees are happier.
• You find more reliable customers and retain more loyal customers more sustainably. 
• Your competition, peers, and the community at large see that your company stands out from the crowd.

The secret of good business is retaining your customers and delighting them. It is infinitely more valuable to retain a loyal customer than to find a new one. - Henry Kaestner

What is it like sharing the gospel in the workplace?

• It is vital for an entrepreneur to be able to clearly explain to people why they do what they do.
• Sharing the gospel happens in settings where you have the chance to hear someone else’s story and share your own.
• People may not like you preaching at them about why they need Jesus, but your personal story and how God has worked for you is typically well-received. 
• Always be ready to pray for someone in Jesus’ name. People are always most receptive to prayer when they or a loved one are hurting. This is an open door.

Don’t wait for someone to come ask you to pray for them. If someone is in crisis and you have a relationship with them, you need to make the first move to offer prayer. - Henry Kaestner

Resources For You:

• Pre-order your copy of Faith Driven Entrepreneur at https://www.faithdrivenentrepreneur.org/
• If you need help building (or selling) a valuable business, reach out to Cathedral Consulting at [email protected]
• Questions for Seth? Send us your feedback at [email protected]
• Pick up your copy of Ambition: Leading With Gratitude