Better Way To Build with Shay Cochrane

If your business feels like it's in crisis right now, this episode will reframe everything about what that actually means. Shay makes the case from Scripture that crisis isn't a sign of God's absence — it's one of the primary settings where He shows up miraculously. Walking through the Red Sea, the widow's oil, Shadrach and his friends in the furnace, Lazarus — she traces the pattern that biblical miracles almost always happen at the point of human impossibility, then applies it directly to the hard seasons every entrepreneur faces. She shares her own story of stepping out in obedience to church plant in Florida, ending up on food stamps, and how that desperate season became the birthplace of everything God built next. Whatever you've been holding out for in your business — this episode is your invitation to open your hands and trust what's possible on the other side of the hard. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Miracles in Difficult Seasons 01:55 Personal Stories of Miracles and Faith 04:13 Biblical Examples of Miracles in Crisis 08:02 Why Miracles Often Happen in Intense Circumstances 10:53 Dependence on God in Wilderness and Crisis 13:10 Strength in Weakness and God's Power 15:15 Obedience as a Pathway to Miracles 18:00 Obedience in Challenging Situations 19:46 Encouragement to Trust and Surrender 24:05 Prayers and Blessings for Difficult Seasons Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork

Your goals may not be where you hoped — and this episode will give you permission to be proud of yourself anyway. One year after publicly announcing Ilūme Network, Shay sits down for an honest personal reflection on what building something new has actually looked like: the insecurities she didn't expect, the goals she hasn't hit, the things God confirmed before she even started, and why she keeps throttling back growth to protect her marriage, her kids, and the season she's in. This isn't a highlight reel — it's the real internal processing of an entrepreneur who's surrendering pace and outcome to the Lord and learning what it means to adventure with Him even when the path is foggy. Wherever you are in your building journey heading into Q4, this episode is your invitation to look back, acknowledge what you've done, and tell yourself you're proud. Chapters 00:00 Facing Personal Narratives and Limiting Beliefs 03:42 Reflecting on a Year of Building and Launching 07:46 The Revelation of Building a National Christian Women's Entrepreneurial Network 11:02 Trusting God's Provision and Timing 14:17 Overcoming Insecurity and Embracing Limitations 17:10 Celebrating a Year of Growth and God's Faithfulness 18:07 Challenges of Showing Up on Camera and Content Creation 19:01 Balancing Excellence and Imperfection in Content 20:27 Leaning Into Uniqueness and Authenticity 22:22 Measuring Effectiveness and Impact in Business 23:50 Balancing Family, Capacity, and Business Growth 24:47 Working on Personal Narratives and Self-Belief 26:07 Upcoming In-Person Event and Community Retreats 28:25 Building Community Through In-Person Connections 29:51 Inviting Women to Join the Loom Network 30:46 Future Plans for Regional Gatherings and Retreats 33:30 God's Provision and Support in Building the Network 34:42 Encouragement to Celebrate Progress and Trust God's Timing 39:01 Adventuring with the Lord in Entrepreneurship 43:24 Prayers for Blessing, Presence, and Deep Love for God's Word Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

The real enemy of your growth in business isn't laziness, distraction, or lack of strategy — and this episode will prove it. Shay makes the case from Genesis to John 15 that self-sufficiency is the single biggest growth blocker in God's economy — and that the solution isn't more discipline or better information, but a willingness to ask: ask God, and ask others. She unpacks why we were designed for dependency from the very beginning, what Jesus' name "I Am" actually reveals about how God wants to meet our needs, and why the women inside Ilūme Network who grow the fastest are the ones most willing to expose what they don't know. If you've been grinding alone and calling it ownership, this episode is the invitation to put it down and ask. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The real enemy of growth in business and life 01:49 Identifying the true enemy: Self-sufficiency versus other challenges 05:06 The biblical foundation of dependency: Genesis and God's design 07:03 The significance of community and interdependence in God's plan 09:52 The name 'I am' and God's provision for our needs 11:58 The importance of asking God and others for help 16:07 Overcoming pride and the barriers to asking for help 19:49 Building community in business: The role of mentorship and support 25:03 Practical steps to depend on God and others for growth 29:50 Closing prayer and encouragement to embrace dependence Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

If you've ever wondered whether God actually wants to weigh in on your hiring decisions, your partnerships, and your business pivots — or whether that's just wishful thinking — this conversation will settle it. Shay sits down with Natasha Miller, co-founder of Called Coach Institute and Ilūme Network member, for one of the most grounded and honest conversations this podcast has hosted about what it actually looks like to hear God's voice in business — not theoretically, but decision by decision, season by season. Natasha and her husband Jamal have built multiple businesses together, lost hundreds of thousands in a pivot they didn't pray through, and then rebuilt from scratch into a program that has now certified over 1,800 spirit-led coaches. She shares the framework she and Jamal use to pursue God's direction before big decisions, what she looks for when she's not sure if it's Him or just her own thoughts, and how she held her faith together through the seasons where she followed God and things fell apart anyway. If you've been keeping faith in one box and business in another, this is the episode that collapses the wall between them. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Natasha Miller and her journey in faith and business 01:56 The importance of hearing God's voice outside of scripture 03:59 Navigating seasons of uncertainty and failure 05:53 Partnering with God for divine guidance in decision-making 07:59 The role of wisdom and peace in making business decisions 09:46 How prophetic words and divine confirmation influence choices 12:00 Trusting God's timing during transitions and pivots 14:04 Balancing ambition with surrender and faith 16:01 Lessons learned from setbacks and trusting God's plan 18:02 The significance of legacy and empowering others 20:09 Personal stories of divine guidance and obedience 21:59 Encouragement for entrepreneurs navigating valleys and peaks 23:55 Practical ways to seek God's direction in business 26:04 The prize of knowing God and partnering with Him in entrepreneurship 28:00 Final thoughts on faith, trust, and divine guidance in business Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

If your mind is too loud to hear God right now — this episode is your way back in. Shay shares the one practice she has used for three years that consistently gets her into the presence of God — even on the most anxious, overwhelming mornings — and backs it up with both Psalm 100:4 and the neuroscience that proves why it works. She introduces two versions of the practice: a simple daily 10-item gratitude list that rewires your brain's default track over time, and a deeper situational practice for specific seasons of setback or struggle in business or marriage. Thanksgiving isn't just a posture — it's the door. And if you've been wandering around outside the wall, this episode shows you where the gate is. Chapters 00:00 Gratitude's Impact on Brain and Longevity 01:35 Partnership with God in Business 02:30 Silence and Seasons of Waiting 03:57 The Secret Strategy to Connect with God 08:14 The Power of Gratitude in Scripture 19:06 Neuroscience of Gratitude and Brain Rewiring 20:59 Gratitude and Longevity 23:56 Two Practical Gratitude Strategies 36:47 Recap and Practical Application Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

If you're tired of solving the same business problems on repeat, this episode will show you why you're solving them at the wrong level. Shay introduces the concept of a keystone solution — the one ask that makes most other problems disappear — and builds the case from 1 Kings 3 that Solomon became the wealthiest, wisest leader who ever lived not by solving a million problems, but by asking God for the one thing that prevented them: wisdom and discernment. She walks through Solomon's three-part framework (Servant, Sight, and Source) and shows exactly how to bring it into the decisions, hires, and challenges sitting on your desk this week. Stop asking God to fix 50 problems and start asking for the wisdom that keeps them from happening in the first place — and if this reframes how you've been praying over your business, send it to another entrepreneur who needs to hear it. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Power of Wisdom in Business 02:46 Making One Shift for Downstream Benefits 05:06 Identifying Your Biggest Business Ask 07:21 Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom and Discernment 09:47 What Would You Ask for if Given a Wish? 12:10 Seeking God's Guidance Daily 13:39 The Danger of Self-Confidence in Business Decisions 14:30 The Need for Divine Discernment 15:54 Humility and Admitting Lack of Knowledge 17:32 The Power of Asking God for Wisdom 18:18 Solomon's Example: Wisdom as the Keystone Solution 19:17 Ask for Wisdom to Solve or Prevent Problems 20:11 The Importance of Asking God for Discernment 21:32 Downstream Problems vs Keystone Solutions 22:53 God as the Primary Source of Wisdom 25:32 The Promise of Divine Wisdom and Prosperity 26:58 Three Keys: Servant, Sight, and Source 27:27 The Ultimate Source of Wisdom: God 28:22 Practical Application: Seek Divine Wisdom Daily 29:19 Closing Prayer and Encouragement Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

If you've been grinding to earn your place in the marketplace — anxious, exhausted, and afraid to slow down — this episode will show you the game you've unknowingly been playing and what it looks like to opt out. Shay draws a sharp line between two completely different business economies: the kingdom of the world, where authority comes from impressive performance, and the kingdom of God, where authority comes from identity and alignment with Him. She shares her own story of walking into a room of eight-figure entrepreneurs feeling like she had nothing to offer — and what happened when she stopped trying to perform her way to confidence and started doing the identity work instead. She walks through what it practically looks like to ask God who He says you are, references Jamie Winship's Living Fearless, and shows how everything — strategy, clarity, confidence, answered prayer — flows out of that one foundational shift. If you're tired of fighting for a position that God has already given you, this episode is the permission to stop. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Kingdom Principles in Business 02:00 Fleeting Nature of Worldly Authority 04:22 Kingdom of God vs Kingdom of the World in Business 07:38 Personal Journey of Identity and Confidence 10:22 Walking in Confidence Through Identity Work 12:39 Layers of Identity Revelation 16:16 The Power of God's Identity and Names 18:37 Living Out Your God-Given Identity 21:28 Freedom to Try and Follow God's Call 24:16 Rewards of Obedience and Alignment with God 25:35 Praying in Line with God's Will 26:31 The Path of Walking in God's Will 27:31 Path Cleared by Walking in God's Will 28:00 Operating with God-Given Confidence and Authority 29:22 Practical Steps to Activate Identity and Alignment 30:19 Asking God for Your True Identity 31:16 Choosing God's Way Over the World's 32:14 The Better Way to Build in Business 33:32 Praying for Boldness and Clarity 34:31 Sharing the Message to Dispel Exhaustion in Entrepreneurship Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/ Jaime Winship Book Living Fearless

She built a national brand from her kitchen, scaled it to eight figures in under two years, and walked away with a life-changing exit — and she'll be the first to tell you what it almost cost her along the way. Shay sits down with serial entrepreneur, product innovator, and bestselling author Amy Lacey — founder of Cali'flour Foods and now Livyond and Soursop Nutrition — for one of the most honest conversations this podcast has hosted. Amy pulls back the curtain on the four things every entrepreneur actually needs to break through: mentorship, peer support, God as a real strategic partner, and people who care about your whole life — not just your business. She shares the moments where she followed money instead of God, what it cost her relationship with her youngest son, how a forced sabbatical led to her next company, and the one prayer she prayed on her hands and knees that changed everything. If you've been running fast and quietly wondering what it's costing you — this is the episode to slow down for. Chapters 00:00 Amy's journey through COVID and divine redirection 02:02 Amy's entrepreneurial success and faith-based brands 04:00 The importance of mentorship and peer support 06:03 Amy's mentors and the power of women supporting women 09:46 Balancing success with family and setting boundaries 14:55 Hearing God's voice and divine guidance in business 20:04 The lessons from setbacks, betrayal, and divine redirection 25:06 The importance of patience and trusting God's timing 29:56 Building authentic brands and serving others 34:54 Amy's faith journey and the role of prayer 39:48 Divine dreams and divine strategy in business 45:03 Slowing down, listening, and trusting God's plan 50:00 Involving family in business and teaching resilience 54:58 The importance of community, confidentiality, and support 59:59 Final thoughts: Faith, resilience, and divine redirection Amy Lacey is on a mission to help the woman she once was. A serial entrepreneur, national best-selling author, speaker, philanthropist, and mom of three, Amy's life changed after being diagnosed with lupus and Sjögren's syndrome. Her health journey led her to build businesses that help others live healthier lives. Amy founded Cali'flour Foods, creating the "first cauliflower pizza crust" to hit the market developing the category in the better-for-you food space. After being in the top 4% of women to successfully exit a company in 2019, she launched Soursop Nutrition and co-founded Livyond Skincare—brands rooted in natural, science-backed wellness. Beyond business, Amy supports causes close to her heart. She has partnered with the Lupus Foundation and The Mentor Project, as well as The Wellspring in support of the Tim Tebow Foundation, helping young girls get off the streets. She has also provided scholarships to women starting e-commerce businesses. Guided by her Christian faith, Amy believes success is measured by impact. Her mission is simple: help others turn adversity into purpose and discover their greatest calling Shop Amy's business, Livyond! Use SHAY20 to receive 20% off sitewide, no minimum purchase required. OR use this link and have your discount applied automatically at checkout: https://www.livyond.com/discount/SHAY20 Follow Amy: https://www.instagram.com/heyamylacey/ Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

If you're putting in the effort but not seeing the breakthrough — this episode will show you why more hustle is the wrong answer. Shay pulls a deceptively simple business strategy from Ecclesiastes 10:10 — the sharp axe versus the dull axe — and applies it directly to why some entrepreneurs keep breaking through ceiling after ceiling while others stay stuck at the same level despite working just as hard. She builds a practical five-part framework (S-H-A-R-P) for diagnosing where you've gone dull and exactly how to get sharp again — spiritually, physically, intellectually, relationally, and in how you protect it all. If business has started to feel like hacking at a tree with a dull blade, this episode is the sharpener. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The importance of being at your best in business 01:16 What separates women who break through in business 02:13 The analogy of the dull axe versus a sharp axe 07:31 The impact of a dull axe: exhaustion and slow progress 11:19 Building with wisdom versus brute force 12:14 Practical wisdom for staying sharp in business 14:08 Spiritual sharpness: Daily interaction with God's word 16:25 Maintaining mental and physical health 22:34 Intellectual sharpness: Learning and applying new skills 26:37 Relational sharpness: Mentors and peer support 28:50 The SHARP framework: Summary and application 33:28 Prayers and encouragement for entrepreneurs 35:25 Closing thoughts and next steps for listeners Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from value-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/

You have access to more advice than any entrepreneur in history — and you're still making expensive mistakes. Here's what Solomon says you're actually missing. In this episode, Shay unpacks one of King Solomon's most overlooked business strategies from Proverbs 15:22 — the difference between accumulating advice and having true personal advisors — and makes the case that the most costly business mistakes aren't made from a lack of information, but from a lack of trusted counsel from people who actually know you. She walks through why most entrepreneurs don't have this, what it practically looks like to build it, and how to identify and formalize your own personal board of advisors starting this week. If you've ever made a hire, signed a contract, or launched something that didn't go the way you hoped — and you made that call alone — this episode is the one to send to yourself on repeat. Chapters 00:00 The challenge of deep relationships in entrepreneurship 01:18 The cost of business mistakes and the value of counsel 03:36 Wisdom from Proverbs on counsel and success 04:34 The difference between advice and personal counsel 06:18 Who should be in your personal board of advisors? 08:42 Why entrepreneurs struggle to build these relationships 11:18 How to formalize your board of advisors 14:25 The importance of intentionality and sacrifice 17:36 Balancing business growth with personal priorities 22:15 Mentorship and peer support in entrepreneurial communities 23:38 Practical steps to develop your board of advisors 25:46 Making decisions with your advisors' feedback 27:01 The spiritual foundation of wise counsel 28:23 Asking God and community for guidance 29:23 Encouragement to build intentional, supportive relationships Ilūme Network is a faith-based, application-only, entrepreneurial network for 6-8 figure Christian female entrepreneurs who want mentorship from women ahead of them in business, peer support and accountability from values-aligned women at their level, a deeper, more vibrant partnership with God in business and a room where the conversations go beyond revenue and goals to how you are really doing in the rest of life. Find out more at www.ilumenetwork.com. Join the Ilume Network: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/ Get a preview of the mentorship inside Ilūme: https://www.ilumenetwork.com/growth Follow Shay: https://www.instagram.com/shaycochrane/ Follow Ilūme Network: https://www.instagram.com/ilumenetwork/