Business as Mission Canada Podcast

In this episode of the BAM Canada Podcast, Aubrey Tozer and Ann Chow are joined by Tom Cameron of Step Up Industries, a Winnipeg-based construction business rooted in faith, community, and meaningful work.

Tom shares how Step Up grew from a small construction initiative connected to Inner City Youth Alive into a growing general contracting business, and how his faith has shaped the decisions along the way. From turning down potential contracts that didn't align with the company's mission to integrating prayer, discipleship, and mentorship into the everyday rhythms of work, Tom offers an honest look at what it means to build a business that is both financially sustainable and deeply committed to people and community flourishing.

Together, they explore the tensions that come with leading a mission-driven business, including the importance of setting boundaries, learning to receive mentorship, and trusting God's provision while making wise business decisions. Tom also reflects on how his understanding of community has grown, recognizing that everyone, regardless of their background or position, needs connection, support, and opportunities to grow.

Our hope is that Tom's story encourages you as you navigate the challenges and opportunities of integrating faith and business, and inspires you to consider how you can remain faithful to your mission while building a sustainable business.

Resources from this episode:

STAY CONNECTED WITH US:

WEBSITE: www.businessasmission.ca

LINKEDIN: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada

JOIN OUR NETWORK: www.businessasmission.ca/network

Welcome to Season 2 of the BAM Canada Podcast! 

This season, we're focusing on real stories of Business as Mission in action. We'll hear from Christian entrepreneurs and business owners about the moments that have tested and stretched them, the difficult decisions they've had to navigate, and the ways their faith has shaped how they lead, make decisions, and run their businesses. Along the way, we'll explore the tensions, challenges, and opportunities that come with building businesses that are both sustainable and deeply rooted in purpose, and how God has been at work through both successes and setbacks. 

In this season-opening conversation, Aubrey Tozer is joined by longtime BAM Canada leader, educator, and entrepreneur Ann Chow. Ann shares how her own journey from ministry work into entrepreneurship shaped her understanding of faith, work, and the quadruple bottom line. Together, they introduce the heart of Season 2 and the honest conversations ahead about what it really looks like to integrate faith and business. 

Our hope is that these conversations encourage you as you navigate the realities of building and leading a business, and inspire you to consider how your faith can shape the way you do business. 

Resources from this episode: 

STAY CONNECTED WITH US: 
WEBSITE: www.businessasmission.ca 
LINKEDIN: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada 
JOIN OUR NETWORK: www.businessasmission.ca/network 

When Chad Vandervalk shifted from pastoring across Canada (literally coast to coast!) to launching Purpose Pivot and leading Strand 360, he set out to integrate faith and purpose into everyday business. Drawing on his pastoral background and entrepreneurial journey, Chad reveals how business can serve others, reflect God’s heart, and create lasting impact beyond the church.

In this episode, we discuss the realities of moving from ministry to business, practical ways to discover your purpose at work, and how faith can inform authentic leadership. Whether you’re a pastor or an entrepreneur, you’ll find inspiration to bridge faith and work in any context.

Resources from this episode:

• Chad’s book: Your Sacred Cottage
• Insights on Redemptive Entrepreneurship (Praxis framework)
• Amy Sherman's book: Kingdom Call: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good

STAY CONNECTED WITH US:

• Website: ⁠www.businessasmission.ca⁠

• LinkedIn: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada

• Our Community: ⁠www.businessasmission.ca/network

When Anthony Ho stepped into the North End of Winnipeg — one of the poorest postal codes in Canada — he didn’t just see boarded-up homes and broken systems. He saw potential.

As Director of Operations at Inner City Youth Alive and Step Up Construction, Anthony helps men find purpose through meaningful work, bringing a movement of transformation — equipping fathers, husbands, and leaders to rebuild their lives and their community.

Through construction projects and daily discipleship, Step Up Construction provides more than job skills — it offers belonging, accountability, and hope. The team’s upside-down model of leadership, where the newest crew member is served first, is redefining what Kingdom business can look like in action.

In this episode, Anthony shares his journey, the power of work to transform lives, and why he believes God is using work to restore the North End of Winnipeg.

Resources from this episode:

• Inner City Youth Alive

• Step Up Construction

• IBEC Ventures

• Kaleo Labs

• Book: Kingdom Calling by Amy Sherman

STAY CONNECTED WITH US:Website: www.businessasmission.caLinkedIn: Business As Mission (BAM) CanadaOur Community: Join the BAM Canada Network

When Sam Dick and his partners brought the first green coffee beans from Myanmar to Canada, they weren’t just starting a coffee company — they were stepping into a story of hope, dignity, and transformation.

As co-owner of Lighthouse Coffee, Sam has seen firsthand how business can restore communities and provide alternatives to harmful industries like opium farming. By partnering with local producers in Myanmar through Bright Lantern Coffee, Lighthouse Coffee is helping families move toward sustainability and purpose, while also roasting high-quality beans for coffee lovers across Canada.

In this episode, Sam shares his journey of integrating faith and business, what it means to steward even the smallest beginnings for Kingdom impact, and how everyday purchasing decisions — like the coffee in your breakroom — can ripple across the world.

Resources from this episode:

• Lighthouse Coffee
• Praxis (Course Sam mentions he took)

STAY CONNECTED WITH US:

• Website: www.businessasmission.ca

• LinkedIn: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada

• Our Community: www.businessasmission.ca/network

Raised as a missiologist and trained as a cross-cultural missionary, Chris Morris never imagined business would become central to his calling. But through his journey from Canada to the middle-East, and back, Chris discovered the powerful role that business can play in advancing the Kingdom.

Now serving as the National Director of BetterIt Workplace Chaplains, Chris is mobilizing chaplains across industries and communities to bring care, wellness, and Kingdom impact into the workplace. His story highlights how integrating faith and business creates more pathways for mission than we often realize.

Listen in to hear Chris share his personal journey, how his faith has shaped his ambition, and why business leaders in Canada should embrace their role as missional leaders.

Resources from this episode:

• Chris Morris on LinkedIn

  
  

STAY CONNECTED WITH US:

• Our Community: www.businessasmission.ca/network

How many times does God have to call you to something before you can no longer say no? Does it take one sign? Or maybe two or three?

For James and Jen, owners of Phnom Climb Community Gym, it took prayer, faithfulness, and many miraculous signs before they said yes to God's call to Cambodia. Now, four years later, God has given them an opportunity to do BAM in a very unique way.

Resources from this episode:

• Phnom Climb Community Gym

STAY CONNECTED WITH US: 

WEBSITE: www.businessasmission.ca 

LINKEDIN: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada 

OUR PRIVATE COMMUNITY: www.businessasmission.ca/network

What does it mean to "finish well"? How do we set our sights on God even after a lifetime of mistakes and bad starts?

John Kok, President of Navigator Ministries and Navigator Financial, explores what it means for his clients to finish well through Christ-centered financial and estate planning. Through his own hardships, John has explored what it means to finish well in his own life, trusting God every step of the way.

Resources from this episode:

• John Kok LinkedIn
• Navigator Financial
• Navigator Ministries

STAY CONNECTED WITH US: 

WEBSITE: www.businessasmission.ca 

LINKEDIN: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada 

OUR PRIVATE COMMUNITY: www.businessasmission.ca/network

What does it look like to integrate family and business? How do you balance that integration while honouring God throughout it all?

For Nouver Cheung, Co-Founder of Wakefield Agency, this integration took form in a videography business. With a background in engineering, it took adjustment for Nouver to see the way God was working for his family through video entrepreneurship. Little did he know, this business would bless his whole family through the doors it opened and mission it started.

Resources from this episode:

STAY CONNECTED WITH US: 

WEBSITE: www.businessasmission.ca 

LINKEDIN: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada 

OUR PRIVATE COMMUNITY: www.businessasmission.ca/network

What makes someone an entrepreneur? Is it a lengthy resume, a heavy academic record, a successful business? Or does being an entrepreneur mean something else entirely...

Dylan Gallagher, Founder of OndeWork, has been exploring what it means to be an entrepreneur ever since he was a kid. With years of youthful exploration and practical experience in the business world, Gallagher has developed a successful people-driven company that is built on a foundation of trust in God. Through this business, God has shown him what it means to be an entrepreneur and a Kingdom-seeker.

Resources from this episode:

• Dylan's LinkedIn
• OndeWork's Website

STAY CONNECTED WITH US: 

WEBSITE: www.businessasmission.ca 

LINKEDIN: @ Business As Mission (BAM) Canada 

OUR PRIVATE COMMUNITY: www.businessasmission.ca/network