Faith Driven Entrepreneur

What does it look like to lead in the midst of chaos, brokenness, and division?

The recent events in Israel and Gaza have made the brokenness of the world even more acute and visible.

There are a lot of thoughtful places where you might go to find perspective on politics, faith or even breaking news, but we wanted to bring something different to the table.

We’ve brought on two Faith Driven Entrepreneurs, Mordechai Wiseman and Bader Mansour, to talk about what it’s like to lead businesses in the face of tragedy.

Bader Mansour is the founder of NAZDAQ, a company that develops data solutions in Nazareth. He’ll get more into this but he comes from a unique perspective as a Palestinian and also an Israeli citizen, but most importantly a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. As an executive for a network of 17 churches and one of the founders of a local seminary, Bader is also a recognized national leader within the Arab-speaking Christian community.

Mordechai Wiseman is also featured in the story and will be highlighted in another one that will be released soon. In addition to running an investment fund and consulting firm, Mordechai is the founder and chairman of Israel Firstfruits, an economic development agency for the local community of faith in Israel. He is also founder of the Messianic Business Fellowship, which is the only national network for marketplace believers in Israel, both Jews & Arabs.

The two have worked together for many years, have a deep relationship that transcends ethnic roots, and are rooted in their love for Jesus.

They graciously join the podcast for a conversation about how their faith has informed their perspectives on leadership, identity, and the current conflict.

Find out more about the work they’re doing in this video that premiered at the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySOzMWsSc3U

If you’ve never heard of Scott Harrison or Charity: Water, you’re going to be glad you tuned in today. His story starts when after a decade as a nightclub promoter, Scott declared spiritual, moral, and emotional bankruptcy.

As Scott shares, he tried every vice imaginable before he found himself looking for something more. In a search for meaning, he spent two years on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia, taking photos and experiencing the effects of dirty water firsthand.

In 2006, he came back to New York City on a mission. Having seen the effects of dirty water, Scott turned his full attention to the global water crisis and the (then) 1.1 billion people living without access to clean water.

What happened next is worth hearing for yourself...

Today’s episode features two entrepreneurs who have created a product that has saved more than 5,000 lives. Seriously.

Eric and Evan Edwards are entrepreneurial twins who created pocket-sized auto-injectors that help those suffering from a severe allergic reaction or opioid overdose. Their ingenuity is changing the game for easy-to-use, accessible healthcare, and they’re on the frontlines of the current battles facing the American healthcare system.

Recently, a new Company Eric has co-founded was awarded a contract from the Government for over $300 Million to lead one of the country’s efforts to build up our ability to respond to Covid. Tune in to hear how they’re working to help America—and the rest of the world—response to our current crisis.

Useful Links:

Kaleo

Twins Create Life-Saving Allergy Device

Elite Entrepreneurs - Eric and Evan Edwards

In the midst of a global pandemic, healthcare workers have become modern day super heroes—risking their lives every day for the health and safety of their patients.

Today’s guest is Jessica Kim, Co-Founder of IanaCare, a passionate team of caregivers, supporters, patients, and medical professionals. They’ve been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle faithfully working with the hopes that all 43.5 million caregivers in America will feel the love and support they deserve.

Jessica shared what life looks like for IanaCare amid this global crisis, as well as her entrepreneurial journey—including raising $1mil for a business she started in college—and all the stories that led her to where God has her today.

In this episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast, host Justin Forman sits down with Steve Preston, CEO of Goodwill Industries, to discuss his remarkable journey from Wall Street executive to nonprofit leader. Unlike the typical path of chasing wealth and status, Steve shares how he made intentional decisions to prioritize purpose over prestige throughout his career.

After starting at Lehman Brothers, Steve felt a tug that his faith was calling him toward a different path. He made a deal with God that he would "never make a decision for money, for prestige, or for power," which ultimately led him to leave banking on the cusp of making partner. His journey continued through corporate America, government service (including running the Small Business Administration during Hurricane Katrina recovery), and eventually to Goodwill, where he now leads one of America's most recognized nonprofit organizations.

Key Highlights:

• Steve's countercultural decision to leave Wall Street's wealth and prestige to follow God's calling
• The rich history of Goodwill beginning as a church-based ministry to help Boston's poorest residents
• How Goodwill provides holistic support to help people overcome barriers to employment
• The innovative prison education programs helping reduce recidivism rates to just 5%
• The power of corporate partnerships in scaling social impact
• How writing a personal mission statement helped Steve identify his calling
• The importance of seeing potential in people that they don't yet see in themselves

Quotable Moments:

"I felt like God said, I've taken you thus far. Will you really go where I'm taking you? And worse, most of the people in my close-in circle said, you're crazy... And I had this moment where I thought to myself, I have been like every other American watching these horrific stories on television and wondering what I could do."

"Our founder's story and our founder's vision 125 years later is still very much a part of who we are... It was all deeply based in the conviction that every human being has embedded potential."

"I often say, when somebody comes through our door, we often see more in them than they see in themselves."