Catholic Founders

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Hey there folks! Sorry, this is a tad late. I’m in California for a wedding, and my calendar is out of whack. But we are still here.

As an FYI, we’ll be skipping The Saintly CEO this coming Monday for the same reason. I just won’t have the time to write up the newsletter. Consider it my 4th of July recess.

Don’t Forget! If you’re a Catholic Founder in San Francisco, I’ll be hosting a dinner for members of the community. If you’re interested, DM me for details.

In this Email:

* Intro to the Guest and Topic

* Core Takeaway

* Episode References

* Select Quotes

* Key Moments

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

Today’s Topic & Guest:

* Jennifer Baugh | Young Catholic Professionals

* Today, we are speaking with Jennifer Baugh, founder of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP), a chapter-based association helping young Catholics integrate their faith into their work lives across 42 U.S. cities. YCP has become something most young Catholic professionals, in any major US city, are familiar with. We wanted to take time today to cover some of her journey and understand the lessons she learned through it. Some of the core topics discussed are:

* What virtues are required to succeed in the workplace: courage, perseverance, and trust.

* How much spiritual and personal growth we can experience through work.

* Her thoughts on non-profit vs for-profit mission-oriented endeavors.

* How she balanced family as an entrepreneur.

* Why Catholics need to be more willing to share their success stories instead of living in the shadows.

I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did!

Core Lesson:

Sharing Your Success AND Your Failures is Required In Humility

Often, Catholics who achieve great success are relatively quiet about it. They don’t want to boast or draw attention to themselves. It comes from a good place. But ultimately, it’s the wrong thing to do.

We learned from Jennifer today, in fact, we witnessed it in this episode, how Catholics who achieve great things ought to speak about their success. She takes an attitude that throughout this entire endeavor, she has simply been a vessel for God’s work. She doesn’t take credit for what it has become.

Because of this, she is willing to share how well things have gone. And when things went poorly. She puts it all in God’s hands as His venture and recognizes she’s just partaking in His mission.

In so doing, she’s inspiring a future generation of Catholic entrepreneurs. I think we all need to do the same.

(I wrote about this more in this issue of The Saintly CEO)

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Get in front of Catholic decision makers today!

Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America.

Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).

Key Episode References:

* Scripture:

* Romans 5:1-5 | […] (3) Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; (4) perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

* Proverbs 3:5-6 | (5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Books:

* The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

* Good to Great by Jim Collins

* People & Saints:

* Jeff Schiefelbein (check out episode #9 for more from him)

* St. Joseph (Patron of YCP, and Jennifer’s favorite Saint)

Select Quotes:

* "Work is part of our path to heaven. We can't just view it as something where we make a paycheck or go through the motions... We have to see it as part of our higher calling, and that transforms our everyday." — Jennifer Baugh

* "I really think that I had to cultivate some key virtues in order for the ministry... to be viable. And through acquisition of these virtues, my faith was able to grow deeper than perhaps it would have on its own." — Jennifer Baugh

* "Our fear can actually make us selfish... Are we actually limiting what God has in store for us through this venture, through this entrepreneurial effort? We make it too much about ourselves." — Jennifer Baugh

* "In humility, you recognize that this is God's apostolate and you know, he has ordained the effort, you know, and millions of people have contributed to the success. And so it's easy to talk about the success because you know that so many hands have gone into this." — Jennifer Baugh

Help us grow by sharing one of these quotes on social media! Just highlight the one you like, and click share. It will make a nice graphic and everything.

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 - Cold Open

* 00:31 - Intro to the episode

* 04:44 - Silas's experience with YCP and its importance

* 05:37 - YCP's founding and growth over 15 years

* 06:27 - The business world as a mission field

* 09:21 - Personal and spiritual growth through work

* 12:20 - Virtues for entrepreneurship and faith flourishing

* 16:44 - Balancing faith, business, and over-spiritualizing decisions

* 17:55 - Jennifer's journey to entrepreneurship

* 19:49 - Traits of successful entrepreneurs

* 22:23 - Overcoming hesitation and fear in starting a venture

* 25:11 - Her framework for putting outcomes in God's hands

* 28:10 - Non-profit vs. For-profit for mission-oriented endeavors

* 33:03 - Balancing family and entrepreneurship as a Catholic

* 37:34 - The importance of vulnerability and honesty

* 40:22 - Feelings and challenges of humility with visible success

* 44:14 - Encouraging successful Catholics to share their stories

* 47:25 - Dealing with tough times and anxiety in business

* 49:48 - What's next for Jennifer

* 52:57 - Rapid Fire: Inspiring scriptures for entrepreneurs

* 53:29 - Rapid Fire: Inspiring entrepreneur

* 54:14 - Rapid Fire: Favorite saints

* 55:51 - Rapid Fire: Favorite devotion

* 55:59 - How to connect with Jennifer and YCP resources

Join The Catholic Founders Guild

The Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do.

Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business.

Guild Member Benefits:

* Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinners

You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders?

It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now)

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsGuest: Juan Acosta, Founder of Tabella (a free app for parish engagement) and Co-founder of SENT Angels (an angel network of Catholic investors).Episode Highlights:

04:13 Why Sending Parishioners to Facebook is a Bad Idea

10:33 From Poverty to Purpose: Juan's Miraculous Immigrant Journey

17:47 Recognizing God’s Hand in His Journey

21:36 Beyond the Pew: How to Build REAL Catholic Community in Individualistic America

28:42 Is Money Evil? A Catholic Entrepreneur's Surprising Take on Wealth and Stewardship

38:12 Hiring with Heart: Why Tabella Gives Opportunities Where Others Won't

46:50 The Catholic Angel Network: Investing in Faith-Aligned Ventures

56:52 Spin Instructor by Night, Tech Founder by Day: How Juan Balances Faith, Family, and Fitness

1:03:38 Don't Over-Spiritualize Your Business: Finding God's Will Without Losing Your Mind

1:10:39 The Daily Prayer that Fuels a Tech CEO's Entrepreneurial Journey

1:11:59 More Than Musk: The Unsung Entrepreneurial Hero Who Inspires Juan

1:13:45 The Game-Changing Devotion for Every Busy Entrepreneur

Key Quotes:

"A lot of that has forced me to learn how to trust God more... I truly am not in control. And it's forced me to put everything in front of God and just saying, God, you take this."

"I've been on the other side for a long time of not having, you know, money to, you know, even make ends meet... I think money really is an amplifier... If we don't have God at the at the center... if you have money, it'll naturally amplify all the things that lead either others away from God or lead yourself even farther."

"How cool would it be to be in a position where no matter the global, like where you are globally, that you could pay an engineer the same rate that say a Silicon Valley engineer earns."

"Truly when I started sitting at adoration... in those moments, I've had sparks of ideas that have come or, you know, feeling better about a particular decision. Adoration has been that for me."

Core Lesson: Catholic business leaders need to lead the charge in transforming our parishes by building and strengthening communities with genuine care and love for fellow Christians.Call to Action: Loved these quotes? Share your favorite on social media to help us spread the word about the Catholic Founders Podcast and Juan Acosta's inspiring journey! Every share helps us reach more entrepreneurs seeking to run their business like a saint!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

Some people romanticize poverty. Nathan Crankfield is not one of them.If you're a Catholic entrepreneur looking for permission to succeed and pursue sanctity — this episode is going to hit.

Hey everyone! Silas here 👋

Announcements!

* On Monday night, we’re hosting a Catholic Founders Guild hangout call. If you’d like to join us, become a paid member today. Just click upgrade to paid here in Substack.

* On July 8th, we’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in San Francisco — share this with your Catholic Founder friends. (Email me for details)

* I’ll be speaking on a panel with DOMINUS Labs on July 31st (event details forthcoming).

In this Email:

* Intro to the Guest and Topic

* Episode References

* Summary of Discussion

* Key Moments

* Select Quotes

* Core Takeaway: Regardless of Your Situation, You Should Consider a Side Hustle

* Full Transcript (bottom of post)

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

Today’s Topic & Guest:

* Nathan Crankfield | Seeking Excellence + Hallow

* Why Catholic men need to build wealth, pursue influence, and become standard-bearers in every area of life — from spiritual to financial. Nathan walks us through how to strive for greatness without losing your soul in the process.

Episode References:

* Revolt Against Reality (book) – critique of compartmentalized Catholicism

* Poop Troop: Side hustle Nathan heard about

Summary of Discussion:

In this episode, I sat down with Nathan Crankfield, founder of Seeking Excellence — to talk about why Catholics need to pursue financial security so we can exert influence on the world. We also spent a bit of time talking about side hustles.

We went deep into the tension between humility and ambition, why so many Catholic men settle for mediocrity, and how to build a life that’s excellent across all dimensions: spiritual, financial, professional, emotional, relational, and physical.

Nathan also shared his own path: from being broke in Army training to building multiple income streams, coaching programs, and a podcast — all while prioritizing family and faith.

And yes, we also talked about poop-scooping businesses. Seriously. Stay to the end.

Key Moments: (outline)

* 04:54 – Converting at age 13… and why middle schoolers hate being treated like kids

* 07:25 – Raising the bar on responsibility (even for 14-year-olds)

* 10:03 – The self-esteem lie: why only competence builds confidence

* 11:59 – What Seeking Excellence means (and why he launched it in 2020)

* 13:53 – Taking massive pay cuts, doing ministry… and still planning to become a millionaire

* 16:10 – The power of real estate, side hustles, and Airbnb-ing your basement

* 18:19 – Multiple streams of income; a Catholic duty

* 20:58 – The 6 Pillars of Excellence: a framework for Catholic lay holiness

* 22:11 – Why financial stewardship is a spiritual issue

* 25:20 – Afghanistan, DR, and why American Catholics should build wealth

* 26:14 – The truth about time: discipline, tradeoffs, and building for the long game

* 31:33 – When you prioritize God, time actually multiplies

* 32:31 – Social media as a Catholic: resisting the rage bait trap

* 34:51 – Accepting “small” reach when you're doing God's work

* 37:51 – Catholics & money: how to avoid both greed and laziness

* 41:15 – The real reason people criticize financial ambition

* 45:28 – What if Elon Musk were a devout Catholic? Why influence matters

* 48:53 – How donor wealth already shapes the Church

* 50:08 – Side hustle ideas, from poop-scooping to stroller golf carts

* 54:23 – “Do things you don’t enjoy. Sainthood looks like discipline.”

* 55:48 – The final call: cast a long-term vision and pursue personal greatness

Select Quotes:

* “Poverty isn’t a virtue. Stewardship is.” - Nathan

* “There’s no such thing as self-esteem — there’s only competence.” - Nathan

* “If you’re making just enough to scrape by, and you're still gone 12 hours a day... what exactly are you giving your family?” - Nathan

* “We don’t need more comfort. We need more men willing to suffer for a purpose.” - Nathan

* “Being a Catholic entrepreneur means being excellent at what God gave you.” - Nathan

Like this episode? Share your favorite quote on LinkedIn or Twitter and tag us @CatholicFounders. Help us reach more Catholic entrepreneurs like you.

Seeking Sponsors

If you’d like to become a sponsor of Catholic Founders reach out today.

We offer packages that cover the entire project. As well as bespoke offerings for only the podcast or only the newsletter.

Get your offering in front of hundreds of Catholic Business owners today!

Core Lesson:

Regardless of Your Situation, You Should Consider a Side Hustle

Most Catholics can pursue a side hustle without it interfering with family life. This will help them to provide a better life for their families but also to be more generous in supporting their favorite apostolate.

I used to assume that entrepreneurship was not for everyone, but after today’s conversation, I’m convinced that pretty much every Catholic should build some side hustle.

It supports your family financially, it offers you an opportunity to be an example of effort and excellence to your children, and it allows you to support the Church through the talents that God gave you.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

We’re building the largest vetted community of Catholic Founders. Do you want to be part of it?

Benefits? A network of like-minded Catholic Founders. Monthly discussions. A directory. Advice from incredibly experienced entreprenurs. Access to in-person meetups.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

~~~~~~~~

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like). Or become a sponsor today!

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.

Full Transcript:

Nathan Crankfield (00:00)

The main thing that people need to realize is that poverty in itself is not a virtue. I think that poverty can contribute growth in a lot of virtues, but it's not in and of itself a good thing or a virtue. It's not something to seek after, especially as a lay person.

Silas Mähner (00:18)

Welcome back to the Catholic Founders podcast where we discover how to run your business like a saint. Today, we are speaking with another Catholic podcaster and LinkedIn influencer. don't know if you'd like me calling him that, but at least that's one of the ways I consider him, Nathan Crankfield. Nathan is a sales manager at Hallow and also runs a project called Seeking Excellence, which is kind of similar to the structure of Catholic Founders. He's got an online community. He runs a podcast and he also does some coaching through this Seeking Excellence kind of journey or this objective.

And I wanted to have him on to discuss pursuing additional streams of income because this is something he talks a lot about on his show. He's pretty big into promoting good finance for Catholic families. And I wanted to ask him about his journey of building a side income with his Airbnb work and with his work with Seeking Excellence. I think something a lot of Catholics can pursue even if they're not interested in fully diving into kind of a full-time entrepreneurship journey. I also thought it'd be a great opportunity to discuss how to do social media as a Catholic because

The social media algorithms tend to reward not exactly virtuous behavior, rage-baiting, things like that. And on top of this, we actually did cover some of his story. We talked a lot about finance and we also discussed the importance of Catholics really striving to be the best at what they do so that together we can shape the society to become more godly. So a lot of really interesting things there. One more thing before we do get into the show. If you are looking for a community of other Catholic entrepreneurs,

Join the Catholic Founders Guild today. It's $10 a month or $100 a year. Just click upgrade to paid in Substack today and we'…

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

Welcome back to another discussion with a cracked engineer and recent convert to the faith. I promise you’ll enjoy the hot takes and clippable moments today.

Hey everyone! Silas here 👋

We’ve reformatted the structure of the email that goes along with the pod. Have a look at let us know how you like it. Outline below.

In this Email:

* Intro to the Guest and Topic

* Episode References

* Summary of Discussion

* Key Moments

* Select Quotes

* Core Takeaway: As Grand as Our Visions Are, We Must First Love Our Neighbor

* Full Transcript (bottom of post)

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

Today’s Topic & Guest:

* Daniel Francis | Abel Police

* Why most Catholics overlook sins of omission, “What I have failed to do” — and why building excellent things is part of our duty to God.

* How the chaotic ups and downs of entrepreneurship ("the wild") can actually deepen your faith and reliance on God.

* Building a shrine to Bl. Carlo Acutis in San Francisco — and why Catholic entrepreneurs should support beauty in culture.

Episode References:

People:

* Paul Skallas (LindyMan) — referenced for his thinking on entrepreneurship and stability vs. payoff

* Steve Jobs — Daniel’s entrepreneurial inspiration

* Bl. Carlo Acutis — inspiration for programmers, shrine project

* St. Peter — Daniel’s baptismal name, inspiration

* St. Paul — inspiration for leadership

* St. Isidore of Seville — patron saint of computer programmers

* St. Teresa of Lisieux — referenced during discussion of “little way”

Media:

* House of David (TV series) — mentioned as part of a Christian media effort (produced by people associated with the Federalist Society)

* 4-HL essay by Paul Skallas (aka LindyMan) — concept of stability space vs. payoff space (entrepreneurial risk)

* The Lindy Effect — longevity of ideas/concepts as a marker of robustness (discussed via Paul Skallas)

Organizations / Groups:

* Federalist Society — referenced as an example of long-term cultural/legal influence

* Catholic Founders Guild — referenced during conversation about financial success and lifestyle

* Star of the Sea Parish (San Francisco) — site of the Carlo Acutis shrine project

Summary of Discussion:

A lot of Catholics talk about loving humanity. Few seem interested in actually fixing their own neighborhoods. In this conversation, Daniel Francis (founder of Abel Police) talks about why restoring God’s order in your local community is where Catholic builders should start—and why so many of us overlook that calling. We also get into the sin of failing to act, why startup life drives you closer to God, and how Daniel is building a shrine to Bl. Carlo Acutis right in San Francisco. You’ll walk away challenged to think bigger.

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 - Restoring God’s order in your community; focus on loving your neighbor

* 00:29 - Episode intro; who Daniel Francis is; preview of topics

* 02:13 - Daniel intro; what Abel Police does (AI-generated police reports)

* 03:14 - Origin story of Abel Police; personal experience with domestic violence case; police staffing shortages

* 05:35 - Entrepreneurial mindset; childhood drive to improve products; writing letters to companies

* 08:13 - Impact of policing tech; reducing police burnout; improving policing outcomes

* 09:59 - Why Catholics should build public service tech; restoring God’s order locally

* 11:40 - How faith and business interact; Daniel’s approach to compartmentalizing; priest advice before starting company

* 13:30 - Startup life bringing one closer to God; "payoff space" vs. "stability space"; "No Church in the Wild" reference

* 19:07 - Ambition & Catholic culture; importance of acting on talents; failure to act as a sin; call for Catholic excellence

* 23:40 - How deca-millionaires could influence culture; Catholic media, art, beauty; Federalist Society as model

* 28:53 - Rightward cultural shift; danger of a godless right wing; importance of Christian influence

* 31:42 - Should you bring faith to work? Daniel’s practical approach; faith visible but not forced; Mass-work balance

* 36:22 - Appropriate ways to bring faith to work; visible signs (rosary, medal); witnessing when opportunities arise

* 41:45 - Pursuing financial success; Daniel’s detachment from personal wealth; focus on building a successful company

* 45:00 - Shrine to Bl. Carlo Acutis; praying for intercession on technical problems; project at Star of the Sea parish

* 47:40 - Desire to fund Catholic art and projects long term

* 48:13 - Favorite Scripture for entrepreneurs: Pentecost, Peter, Paul, talents; Acts of the Apostles

* 50:25 - Favorite entrepreneurs: Steve Jobs; bringing beauty into products

* 51:45 - Favorite saints: Peter, Paul, Isidore of Seville, Teresa, Carlo Acutis

* 52:43 - Final words: "I hope everyone goes out and does something really well."

Seeking Sponsors

If you’d like to become a sponsor of Catholic Founders reach out today.

We offer packages that cover the entire project. As well as bespoke offerings for only the podcast or only the newsletter.

Get your offering in front of hundreds of Catholic Business owners today!

Select Quotes:

Here are some quotes to tease the conversation. (Pro-tip: if you want to help us grow, you can highlight one of these and share it)

* "It’s insane to me—Catholics confess ‘what I have failed to do,’ and yet so few of us seem to take that seriously. If you have the ability to build something good and you bury it, that’s a sin." - Daniel

* "I think it’s a tragedy: the right without Christianity becomes pure cruelty. A godless right wing is far more horrifying than the religious right of the ’90s." - Daniel

* “I really disagree with the title of the Kanye West song, ‘No Church in the Wild,’ because I think in the wild is exactly where you find your church. Frontier people exactly knew this. This is like — you’re out here on the edge, and you’re in a foxhole basically — you must believe in God in such a situation.” - Daniel

* "If Catholics can’t set the cultural vision for what we should be building, who else will? Do we really want Mark Andreessen to be the one shaping it?" - Silas

* "Restoring God’s order in your community should be your top priority. People talk about loving humanity—you should start by loving your neighbor and making your city better." - Daniel

Thanks for sharing these to help us grow.

Core Lesson:

As grand as our visions are, we must first love our neighbor.

Early in this discussion, Daniel reminded us of Christ’s words that we must first love our neighbors. He said this in the context of how many Catholics express concern for humanity, but in a way that thinks about distant peoples.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. This is intentionally. We first must love those around us and seek the good of those around us. In our communities. Not some distant group of people.

It’s not to say we can’t show concern for those elsewhere, but we must help and love those closest to us first. Our families. Our literal neighbors. Our communities. Our parish. Our fellow citizens.

You get the picture.

As you achieve success and have more resources to help others, remember to focus on those closest to you first. Not in a nepotism type of way. In a genuine concern for your neighbor type of way.

This also doesn’t always mean giving money away or donating. In many cases, it’s through building great products that serve those people. Just like what Daniel is doing with Abel Police.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

There is no perfect playbook to pursue sainthood through our entrepreneurial endeavors.

That’s why we’re building the Catholic Founders Guild. A vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building for God.

If you’re looking for Fellowship, Advice, Network, & Resources, the Catholic Founders Guild is for you.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Want to support our mi…

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

Marketing is part of every business. But how can we do it in a way that is fair, true, and humble?

If this is a question you’ve ever thought about, this is a great episode for you.

Hey everyone! Silas here 👋

Quick announcement! We recently completed the Catholic Founders Guild Directory. If you want access to the directory, become a member of the CF Guild today.

In Today’s Podcast:

* How to market as a Ctholic — the things to avoid, and how important it is that marketing is integrated with the heart and culture of the company, before joining

* Marcellino D’Ambrosio

* Core Lesson: Marketing needs to be fully integrated with the company in order to avoid untruthful and misleading marketing.

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

About Today’s Guest:

* Marcellino D’Ambrosio is a creative who has an incredible taste for marketing. Together, he and his brother run Sherwood Fellows.

* Sherwood Fellows is a full-service branding and marketing agency that acts as a fractional CMO for companies under $30m in revenue. In addition to the marketing, they are producing a film called Triumph of the Heart - about St. Maximilian Kolbe. (NOTE: You can support the production of this film here. Supporting it actually comes with some cool perks.)

* 🎁 [free giveaway] Brand Strategy Document from Sherwood Fellows

* Triumph of The Heart - Movie

* More about St. Maximilian Kolbe

* More about St. Thomas More

* Book: Becoming a King

* Book: Shoe Dog

* Inter Mirifica - from Pope Paul VI

* Kruptos Podcast about Jacques Ellul | Kruptos

Key Moments:

* 4:25 Intro to Marcellino and Sherwood Fellows

* 5:50 What it takes to succeed at marketing

* 9:20 Why you need to call out an ‘enemy’ to run a good marketing campaign

* 12:30 Can you have an enemy while still being charitable in your marketing

* 14:00 Why good marketing is actually just truth-telling

* 15:40 How to market within the Church’s guidance (ref: Inter Mirifica) — The moral responsibility to integrate marketing fully into the company and product

* 21:30 The danger of large companies, degrading the value of the human — “The point of scale is removing the human beings.”

* 27:50 Shrinking your margins to support your employees — Short-term vs long-term approaches to business

* 30:10 How entrepreneurship has helped him develop spiritually — A story of a big challenge he’s just gone through — How the same day his daughter was born, he had to start laying people off

* 34:00 How God leverages the challenges of business to bring us closer to Him

* 36:30 The challenges they face working with Catholic-owned businesses

* 38:00 The danger of overspiritualization as a Catholic entrepreneur

* 40:20 Why do top business people throw out their business sense when it comes to Catholic projects

* 42:00 Trying to balance family as a Catholic entrepreneur

* 45:45 Rapid Fire Questions (favorite books, entrepreneurs, saints, & devotions) Prayer Style of Imaginative Prayer (Bob Schuchts)

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Core Lesson:

Marketing needs to be fully integrated with the company in order to avoid untruthful and misleading marketing.

Part of the point of today’s show was to ask the question, how can a Catholic business owner market ethically and in line with the Church’s teachings about truthfulness? Because we all know marketing has been known for its manipulative and misleading statements.

Marcellino did an incredible job showing how marketing will never be unethical if the marketing function is integrated with the company. If the product is truly differentiated, marketing has an easy time. If the product sucks. Marketing will resort to dirty tactics to sell the product.

It’s an interesting parallel to how we want to live our lives — fully integrated, just as Jeff told us on episode #9.

So, in other words, founders! If your marketing team is having a hard time marketing effectively, it might be time for you to adjust the product. In a way, the market will pull your product out of your hands if it’s truly valuable.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

There is no perfect playbook to pursue sainthood through our entrepreneurial endeavors. That’s why we’re building the Catholic Founders Guild.

A vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building for God.

If you’re looking for Fellowship, Advice, Network, & Resources, the Catholic Founders Guild is for you.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like).

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

Happy Feast of the Ascension, everyone! Silas here 👋

Today we’ve got a mini podcast for you because all the recordings I had scheduled last week had to get rescheduled.

Today’s episode is a reflection of 3 core things I like to consider on this feast.

* Why Jesus had to leave the Apostles

* I believe the Eucharist gave them confidence

* Our moral responsibility to develop our employees

~Silas Mähner

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

Referenced Links:

* The readings from today

* Check out the post we had this day last year

* Subscribe on YouTube to help us reach 1,000 subs

* Nominate a Heavenly Hustler for the Saintly CEO Newsletter

* Support our work by upgrading to paid today (top right corner in browser)

* Growing biz? Need a VA? Reach out to us ([email protected]) and we’ll help you.

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

There is no perfect playbook to pursue sainthood through our entrepreneurial endeavors. That’s why we’re building the Catholic Founders Guild.

A vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building for God.

If you’re looking for Fellowship, Advice, Network, & Resources, the Catholic Founders Guild is for you.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like).

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

As AI eats the world, it’s more important than ever for Catholics to shape and lead the discussion and practices of this technology. Thankfully, we have just the person to discuss it.

Hey everyone! Silas here 👋

In Today’s Podcast:

* How we are called to be the leaven of society, especially as entrepreneurs

* Our unique path to God through our entrepreneurial journey

* Trusting in God’s will in entrepreneurship, not just ministry

* Core Takeaway: To fulfill our unique calling in life, we must lean into our entrepreneurial tendencies and fully trust in God

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

Busy? We have the main topic time stamps below for you to skip around as needed. (We’ve got you)

About Today’s Guest:

Our guest today is Andreas Widmer. If you don’t know him already, I’m very pleased to introduce you to him.

Originating from Switzerland, he ended up getting into the Swiss Guard for aesthetic purposes. He could never have imagined what this would lead to.

Throughout his time in this role, he came to know Pope Saint John Paul II and had a profound deepening of faith.

He would go on to work in many types of businesses and is now one of the most influential Catholic business personalities in the US.

Not only does he teach at the Catholic University of America (founded by Pope Leo XIII), but he also co-founded the Bush School of Business there with Andrew Abela.

He’s the author of The Pope and the CEO, and most recently, The Art of Principled Entrepreneurship. He’s also an advisor to Magisterium AI and SENT Ventures.

On top of all this, he’s involved in social impact entrepreneurship in parts of East Africa, which is especially close to my heart, given that my wife is from there.

So when I call him ‘The King of Catholic Entrepreneurship,” I mean it.

* Andreas Widmer

* The Catholic University of America | The Art Ciocca Center

* The CEDE summer program for high school students

* Book: The Art of Principled Entrepreneurship

* Book: The Pope & The CEO

* Book: The Economics of the Parables

* Book: Recapturing the Spirit of Enterprise

* Engage Andreas for coaching (post-revenue companies)

Key Moments:

* 2:45 What Andreas Does Now

* 4:30 Becoming a Swiss Guard | How God used his natural interests to lead him deeper into the Faith

* 8:30 Discerning our journey | How leaning into our interests and non-evil desires is the way God guides us

* 14:05 Understanding that our journey with God is the only thing that matters. Everything else is an illusion. Yes, including financial success and public recognition.

* 18:45 How to know if we should change our business to align our business with the Faith.

* 21:05 Why most Catholics don’t start a business

* 23:00 The cycle of trusting in God over and over

* 25:50 How to be the leaven of society | Applying Catholic Social Teaching

* 31:05 What it means to bring the faith to work

* 35:35 Doing business in a way that is sanctifying. | Enterprise solutions for impact investing.

* 39:40 Starting a call center inside a jail

* 41:10 What America would look like if business owners acted like Christ | An economy that celebrates the human person

* 46:30 Working is how we imitate God

* 47:00 Where to reach Andreas

Catholic Founders is Sponsored by Paraclete VA

Consider hiring a Catholic Virtual Assistant through ParacleteVA.

Thousands of Catholic VAs in the Philippines want to work for a Catholic employer. Instead of working for morally questionable companies that do not view them with dignity, they want to work for you. They want to be part of a bigger mission.

If you’re looking for support as your business grows, reach out to me or Karen with what you’re looking for ([email protected]) and we’ll connect you.

How it works: Pay a $500 finder’s fee when you hire, and $500 if you’re still happy with the hire 30 days in.

Change the life of a family today using ParacleteVA.

Core Lesson:

Be the leaven of society. | Lean into your entrepreneurial tendencies to come closer to God.

This discussion had two things that hit me in the face.

First of all, the importance of us being the leaven in society. Something I knew already, but that is reinforced in this current moment in time with Leo XIV ascending to the chair. Andreas further drove this point home to me that this journey is not a straight line of ‘being the leaven’ we are constantly having to trust fall into God’s arms, and do it again.

This leads to the second point. That the way we come into a deeper relationship with God is through this constant loop, if you will. Hopefully, we grow each time. Through constantly embracing God and turning to Him, we can start to understand our unique calling in life.

This requires patience (something I’m pretty bad at). God has charted out the entire journey. Even when we make a mistake, God instantly corrects the symphony to continue to create something beautiful.

This was a really powerful validation our desire to build, to create, to achieve is not in conflict with our journey closer to God. This is something I’ve often felt — that there is a certain dissonance. But after this conversation, I no longer feel that way.

I know it’s okay to lean into my interests, into my skillset… through this I will learn who God wants me to become. Even though I don’t know the full picture yet, I put one foot in front of the other, knowing that God will lead me.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

If you’d like to join our next Catholic Founders Guild discussion where we will probably discuss this exact topic (journey closer to God as an entrepreneur) upgrade today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Upgrading also gets you access to all of our paywalled content.

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like).

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild (Peer Group): $10/month or $100/year

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

If you’re Catholic and often wonder if it’s okay to desire to make big money, this is a good episode for you.

Hey everyone! Silas here 👋

Quick note, this weekend, we’ll be hosting a hangout call for the paid members of Catholic founders (the Catholic Founders Guild) — if you’d like to join, become a paid supporter today!

In Today’s Podcast:

* As Catholics, is it okay for us to want to be billionaires?

* Will O’Brien

* Core Takeaway: Money enables you to do a lot of things — and if you pursue it for the right reasons, you can be a massive force for good.

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

About Today’s Guest:

* Will O’Brien is a proud Irishman, the Co-Founder of Ulysses, and a recent revert to the Faith. He’s based in SF.

* Ulysses builds autonomous robots for the ocean. They will enable the maintenance of the $3 trillion ocean economy.

* Will on My First Million

Key Moments:

* 08:49 His Faith Journey: From Nepal to SF to Catholicism

* 21:20 Catholicism & ClimateTech | Human Flourishing

* 24:50 Stewardship Technology

* 33:50 San Francisco is Turning… Christian? (80 Baptisms at Easter Vigil)

* 39:45 Catholics Should Be Leading Technologists — We Are Called to Create Heaven On Earth (This is a really interesting take on the case for Catholicism being a ‘pro-tech’ organization.)

* 45:15 Beyond Consciousness — Spiritual Gifts

* 49:10 Ambition — Becoming a Billionaire — Impact

* 55:00 We Are All Called to Create In Some Way

Catholic Founders is Sponsored by Paraclete VA

Consider hiring a Catholic Virtual Assistant through ParacleteVA.

Thousands of Catholic VAs in the Philippines want to work for a Catholic employer. Instead of working for morally questionable companies that do not view them with dignity, they want to work for you. They want to be part of a bigger mission.

If you’re looking for support as your business grows, reach out to me or Karen with what you’re looking for ([email protected]) and we’ll connect you.

How it works: Pay a $500 finder’s fee when you hire, and $500 if you’re still happy with the hire 30 days in.

Change the life of a family today using ParacleteVA.

Core Lesson:

God created us to lead. Therefore, we ought to enter willingly into leadership positions knowing that He is by our side.

While many Catholics are trying to hide from the world, that’s not what we are called to do. We are called to go where God is sending us, and be a witness in those places, wherever they may be.

God also gave us ambition that we can steer (with God’s help) with our reason and will. Therefore, we ought to enter leadership roles without being afraid. Knowing that God will guide us if we constantly give glory to Him.

This even includes becoming wildly successful, financially speaking. The money is not evil. In fact, money enables us to do many things. In short, we must answer the call to leadership. God didn’t create us with ambition so we could hide in the closet.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

There is no perfect playbook to pursue sainthood through our entrepreneurial endeavors. That’s why we’re building the Catholic Founders Guild.

A vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building for God.

If you’re looking for Fellowship, Advice, Network, & Resources, the Catholic Founders Guild is for you.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like).

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today - $10/month or $100/year

Habemus Papam! What an exciting week for us as Catholics. Especially Americans, and especially us good ole Midwesterners. Long Live Pope Leo XIV!

Hey everyone! Silas here 👋

In case you missed it, check out this week’s issue of The Saintly CEO discussing how to manage your calendar with the Holy Spirit in mind.

In Today’s Podcast:

* Why a lot of Church media is not great

* The importance of leaning into your role as a leader

* What to do when you face the darkest moments of your entrepreneurship journey

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

About Today’s Guest:

* Rob Kaczmark: Born and raised in Chicago, Rob never intended to start a business, but ended up hosting a radio show called Spirit Juice. Eventually would go on to build an incredible media production business.

* Spirit Juice: To date, they have worked with people like Bishop Baron, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Hallow, Knights of Columbus, Jonathan Roumie, Mark Wahlberg, and many others. They have also won a couple of Emmys.

Key Moments:

* 2:30 Why Most Catholic Media Sucks — Because They Don’t Usually Value Non Physical Things

* 8:45 From Ministry to Radio Show to Winning Some Emmys

* 11:30 Training People to Care As Much As He Did — Learning to Relinquish Control — Learning to Let People Fail

* 16:15 Learning to Reflect On Your Day-to-Day So That You Can Further Integrate Your Faith Into Your Business

* 18:10 Hiring for Existing Skills or for Future Potential

* 23:45 Just Because You’re Catholic Doesn’t Mean You Won’t Face Challenges — Recognize the Consolation Your Faith Brings

* 26:00 The Darkest Moments Of His Career — “Is There Anything Else You’d Rather Do?”

* 29:50 How They Integrate The Faith Into The Business

* 32:30 Does Your Ambition Come From God or Is It Selfish Desire For Recognition

* 37:00 Leaning Into Your Leadership Role

* 40:30 Finding A Community of Catholic Entrepreneurs

Catholic Founders is Sponsored by Paraclete VA

Consider hiring a Catholic Virtual Assistant through ParacleteVA.

Thousands of Catholic VAs in the Philippines want to work for a Catholic employer. Instead of working for morally questionable companies that do not view them with dignity, they want to work for you. They want to be part of a bigger mission.

If you’re looking for support as your business grows, reach out to me or Karen with what you’re looking for ([email protected]) and we’ll connect you.

How it works: Pay a $500 finder’s fee when you hire, and $500 if you’re still happy with the hire 30 days in.

Change the life of a family today using ParacleteVA.

Core Lesson:

God Put You In a Leadership Position, Own It.

Rob, like many of us, felt a sense of guilt for having people call him the CEO at one point. He didn’t want to have the fancy title. He wanted to do good work.

Eventually, his team told him he ought to lean into it. Now he’s come to accept the situation he’s in. God put him in this role, so it’s okay for him to lean into it. When he does, it helps him stay more accountable to his Faith because he recognizes he’s got more responsibility. He needs to live by example.

All of us can do the same. Whatever leadership role we find ourselves in, lean into it. Take the reins and lead. Lead with Jesus at your side and our Blessed Mother in your heart. Lead with patience, humility, and courage. Use the gifts God gave you and use them well. No burying your talent in the sand.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

There is no perfect playbook to pursue sainthood through our entrepreneurial endeavors. That’s why we’re building the Catholic Founders Guild.

A vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building for God.

If you’re looking for Fellowship, Advice, Network, & Resources, the Catholic Founders Guild is for you.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like).

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Super glad to be back with another incredible discussion full of wisdom. If you have not already, check out our free Monday newsletter, The Saintly CEO.

Also, quick housekeeping, as you may have noticed, we’re shifting our publishing schedule of the podcast to Thursdays — posting it the day after the newsletter felt a little punchy.

And, if you have not already, please fill out the listeners’ survey to help us learn how to better serve you.

In Today’s Podcast:* How Monika set aside her career to raise her children* Tenets of entrepreneurship as a Catholic mother* How she helped a brand go from inception to a $200m exit in 5 years

First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.

About Today’s Guest:

We’re speaking with Monika Elling. Someone I met in the Catholic Entrepreneurship scene in NYC during the time I lived there. She has accomplished a lot in her career, including helping a brand sell for $200m. But most importantly, she didn’t sacrifice family to do so. She stepped away from her career to raise her children.

For these reasons, I think she’s a great guest to discuss how a Catholic woman should think about entrepreneurship.

* Monika Elling* Foundations Marketing Group

Key Moments:* 15:19 Balancing Family and CareerShe was never willing to put work above her family duties.* 18:27 Navigating Challenges as a Catholic EntrepreneurWe have the trust to keep going because God calls us, and He walks with us. So we just put one foot in front of the other.* 32:49 Family Influence on EntrepreneurshipConsider that your work as an entrepreneur is likely to inspire your children towards this life as well.* 34:21 The Evolution of Entrepreneurial CultureRemember that entrepreneurship is not about hustle-porn and making money for money’s sake — it’s what we do to provide for our families, and the families of those we employ.* 42:59 Connecting with Decision MakersWhen you need to reach someone, have a compelling value proposition.* 55:27 Building a Supportive Catholic Entrepreneur EcosystemThere is a huge need for a community around Catholic Entrepreneurship — especially investors, mentors, and advisors who will help the next generation reach new heights.

________Catholic Founders is Sponsored by Paraclete VAConsider hiring a Catholic Virtual Assistant through ParacleteVA.

Thousands of Catholic VAs in the Philippines want to work for a Catholic employer. Instead of working for morally questionable companies that do not view them with dignity, they want to work for you. They want to be part of a bigger mission.

If you’re looking for support as your business grows, reach out to me or Karen with what you’re looking for ([email protected]) and we’ll connect you.

How it works: Pay a $500 finder’s fee when you hire, and $500 if you’re still happy with the hire 30 days in.

Change the life of a family today using ParacleteVA.

________Core Lesson:

Putting Our Spiritual Vocation First Doesn’t Mean Neglecting Our Earthly Vocation

Throughout hearing Monika’s story, it is clear that we must put our vocation first. In the case of many Catholic women, this is to marriage and motherhood. This is a spiritual vocation that God calls us to. However, as we see through her story, that doesn’t mean doing nothing with our Earthly Vocation. The things we are called to use our God-given skills for during this life.

This goes for men as well. We cannot use our state as husband and father as an excuse to not use our God-given earthly skills. And for those tempted the other way, we cannot neglect our Spiritual Vocation.

Over the next few days, let’s reflect on how well we are giving due time to each of these callings in our lives.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

________Don’t Build Alone, Join the Catholic Founders Guild

There is no perfect playbook to pursue sainthood through our entrepreneurial endeavors. That’s why we’re building the Catholic Founders Guild.

A vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building for God.

If you’re looking for Fellowship, Advice, Network, & Resources, the Catholic Founders Guild is for you.

To sign up, upgrade to paid today.

For a limited time, all paid supporters of Catholic Founders get access. It’s $10/month or $100/year.

This offer is only for a limited time, so sign up today.

Want to support our mission further? Consider becoming a member of The Magis Club, starting at $360 a year (give more if you like).

*Magis is derived from the Ignatian principle of Magis, meaning doing more for God’s glory.