Catholic Founders

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

News / Updates:

* In NYC, on December 16th, we’re hosting our Catholic Founders dinner. Location TBD, and total space available TBD. We could use help pulling this together, so if you have a location or can help sponsor, please reach out. Register here.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today

In Today’s Issue:

* 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:

* Matthew Harvey Sanders| Longbeard

* Matthew sits at the crossroads of Catholicism and cutting-edge tech. He’s the founder of Longbeard, the venture studio building a new wave of Catholic technology products. His path is anything but linear: political science, discerning the priesthood, serving in the Canadian military, working for the Archdiocese of Toronto, then jumping full-time into digital evangelization and tech innovation. The studio is also known for building Magisterium AI, the first large language model trained directly on Church documents. Matthew works closely with Church leaders on the ethics of AI and runs the Builders AI Forum in Rome, pushing for a moral, human-centered approach to tech.

Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

Core Lesson:

Catholics must actively build and lead in the AI space because it is a “critical battleground” and the only way to combat its misuse is to steer the technology morally.

Here’s the deal: As Catholics, we need to be involved AND leading in the AI transformation. Because it’s a battleground for our Faith. There big moral questions at stake with many aspects of AI, and Catholics, possessing the fullness of the Truth, cannot abdicate the responsibility to lead in this time.

If we do nothing, many souls will be lost.

Using our moral perspective, we must steer AI to be used for good. We must be the modern St. Pauls of our time.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Key Episode References:

* Magisterium AI (an AI large language model trained on Church documents, Bible, and catechism)

* Longbeard (Matthew Harvey Sanders’ studio/venture studio)

* Paulist Fathers (the order Matthew was discerning with)

* Paulist Press (pioneered by the Paulist Fathers)

* Builders AI Forum

Select Quotes:

* “And given that this [AI] technology in particular is going to reshape the world like nothing we’ve ever seen before, if we decide that we’re just not going to use it, well, the devil is going to. And I guarantee he’ll use it to wreck us. So just consider this a critical battleground. And I don’t think we can cede the field, especially with this technology, to the enemy.” — Matthew

* “If we are passive and we’re not focused on evangelization as a church, if we’re not willing to take risks and proclaim the gospel, there are souls that are only gonna be lost on this earth because of that. And we have to take responsibility for that. That’s on us.” — Matthew

* “...the biggest civilizational risk is, that people use it [AI] as a proxy for real human relationships or spiritual life, thinking that somehow AI is going to be able to fill those vital roles.” — Matthew

* “Ultimately, what’s gonna make you happy is becoming friends with God, with loving and worshiping God, and making deep and meaningful connections with other human beings. Nothing else will suffice.” — Matthew

* “The whole point is to ensure that individuals and civilization flourish…[making] sure that the technologies we’re developing are pointed at the right problems or what we call the impediments to human flourishing.” — Matthew

* “If you’re attracted by what the role of the priest is and you feel that they’re vital and you feel that you may have the gifts to do it, just go and try it. I guarantee you, going into seminary and coming out again, you’ll be a better person for it.” — Matthew

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 Introduction to Matthew Harvey Sanders

* Introduction to Matthew Harvey Sanders’ background

* 06:43 Journey into Technology and Faith

* Matthew explains how his desire to effectively reach young people for evangelization led him to embrace and start a company focused on leveraging technology for the Church.

* 09:27 The Role of AI in Evangelization

* Matthew states that we must view AI as a critical battleground, drawing on the Church’s long tradition of using new technologies to proclaim the Gospel.

* 12:11 Navigating the Challenges of AI

* The conversation covers the need for strong Catholic formation to responsibly wield AI and the idea that fear of technology is often a fear of ourselves and others.

* 14:45 Human Flourishing in the Age of AI

* The biggest civilizational risk is using AI as a proxy for human and spiritual relationships, emphasizing that the telos must be human flourishing—becoming friends with God and making deep human connections.

* 18:19 The Builders AI Forum and Church Engagement

* An initiative faturing experts, academics, and ministry workers, focused on ensuring Artificial Intelligence is properly adopted and used to advance the Catholic Church’s mission.

* 37:33 Catholic Leadership in AI

* The discussion begins on how to effectively encourage Catholics to become leaders and builders in the field of artificial intelligence

* 44:36 The Role of Small Businesses in AI

* Discussion on human talent and the use of AI

* 55:00 Ambition and Greatness in Catholicism

* Redefining ambition and having a hunger for excellence

* 01:03:30 Co-Creators with God: The Entrepreneurial Spirit

* We are called to hone our gifts and put them at the service of others

* 01:12:23 Embracing Responsibility in the AI Age

* A Wrap Up and an invitation to reflect on what is our part in ensuring AI is pointed at the right problems and serves human flourishing

Hire Catholic Overseas Talent

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

News / Updates:

* Today I’m in SF for a gathering of Catholic Entrepreneurs — if you’re in SF and not attending, LMK, would love to find time to meet while I’m here

* In NYC, on December 16th, we’re hosting our Catholic Founders dinner. Location TBD, and total space available TBD. We could use help pulling this together, so if you have a location or can help sponsor, please reach out. Register here.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today

In Today’s Issue:

* 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:

* Mike Parrott | Novo Inspire Studios

* Mike Parrott is a former Marine Corps officer and Wall Street finance professional who transitioned into the film industry (working on projects like Sound of Freedom and Cabrini) before becoming a serial entrepreneur, successfully building and selling three home services businesses. Currently, he teaches at Benedictine College and researches the connection between modern franchising and medieval guilds. His core philosophy, which he developed through his career and as a father of eight, emphasizes the importance of making life and career decisions “in service of their families,” valuing self-employment and tangible work, and passionately advocating for a return to dynastic family businesses as the ideal social and economic unit, viewing the sale of a family legacy for cash liquidity as a cultural tragedy.

Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

Core Lesson:

Through building God-centered businesses, we can cultivate a true sense of identity for our families. In so doing, we help our children avoid years of wandering in the desert to ‘find themselves,’ thus allowing for more compounding in life.

An idea exists that man must ‘find himself’ through some sort of discovery process. But truthfully, we have been given the cards God wants us to play.

We were born into this specific family, at this time in history, in this geography, with all of the other circumstances that surround us.

Do you really think God just rolled the dice on that?

No, He gave you those specific circumstances.

Now, look at it the other way. As a parent, you get to build something to pass on to your children. Not the money or the business — but the identity.

Through building a life (personal and business) centered around God, you can bestow on your children a true sense of identity. Nothing quite like this in life.

Don’t take this opportunity for granted.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers

Key Episode References:

* Novo Inspire Studios

* 360 Painting of Saint Joseph

* Benedictine College

* Cabrini

* Monster Summer

* Sound of Freedom

Select Quotes:

* “The fundamental building block of a society is a family...” –Mike

* “I think we should mark the death of a family when the entrepreneurial venture that was family-owned for 100 years now gets sold to some private equity vulture, merely to placate the liquidity desire for the children.” –Mike

* “It is French revolutionary principle that the idea that your estate is equally divided amongst all your heirs... One of the things that held Christendom together was a contrary idea to that called primogeniture, in which the firstborn son was sort of dubbed as the heir to the empire and the family assets.” –Mike

* “The guy who can come and fix your clogged toilet. That guy has real value and that will never go away and AI cannot replace it.” –Mike

* “The home is a sacred space, it’s where families are raised, it’s where children are raised. We believe that the home should be beautiful, that children should be surrounded by beautiful things...” –Mike

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 Introduction and Welcome

* Mike Parrott opens the conversation by stating that elite franchising is the “new Ivy League.”

* 03:00 Mike Parrott’s Background

* Mike summarized his varied career in the Marines, finance, film, and home services.

* 09:20 Family Legacy and Identity

* Mike discusses how his career decisions were guided by family needs and relying on God’s providence.

* 18:00 The Role of Mentorship

* Mike talks about mentorship across generations in companies and organizations.

* 26:00 The Family is the Basic Unit of Society

* 27:00 Franchises and Medieval Guilds

* Mike argues against modern individualism, stating that true freedom is choosing the “good path” laid out by one’s father.

* 36:00 The French Revolutionary Principle

* Mike critiques the “French revolutionary principle” of equal inheritance, which he says forces the sale of family businesses.

* 45:00 Building a Legacy

* Silas reflects on how disconnected work can lead to a general decay in stewardship over one’s home and life.

* 58:13 On Subsidiarity

* Discussion on subsidiarity as a Catholic Social Teaching

* 1:04:00 Rapid Fire and Conclusion

Hire Catholic Overseas Talent

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Hey everyone — Silas here with another Catholic Founders podcast episode.

Today, we are talking about money with the host of the Theology of Money podcast, Daniel Catone.

News / Updates:

* This past Tuesday evening, we hosted a dinner with Catholic Founders in Chicago — thank you to all who attended! If you’d like to attend the one we’re hosting in NYC, reach out (penciling in a date soon).

* This coming Tuesday, we have a Catholic Founders Guild call on the topic of considering our legacy.

* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).

* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today

In Today’s Issue:

* 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:

* Daniel Catone | Arimathea Investing

* Daniel Catone, founder of Arimathea, is redefining what it means to grow wealth with purpose. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, he believes finance can—and should—serve the common good. He experienced leading Golden State family of companies’ $4.5B investment network, and throughout the years has built a career proving that faith and finance aren’t opposites. With a master’s in Catholic Theology and years of pro-bono service to the Church, he’s on a mission to show that impact investing is true stewardship a way to multiply God’s gifts while transforming the world.

Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

Core Lesson:

The world tells us, cover your own financial needs first, then others, and then, if there is any leftover, you can give to The Church. A proper ordering is the exact opposite. God first. Others. And then ourselves.

This is not something easy for us to entertain with any amount of seriousness. Mainly because we imagine if others around us did that, we’d call them crazy.

However, if you think it’s crazy you need to ask yourself why Jesus told his Apostles not to worry about their own provisions. In Luke 12:29-31 He said:

“As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry any more. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides.”

(The entire passage from verse 13 through 34 is incredible. I’d encourage you to read it today)

Acting on this teaching is not easy. But it is possible when we ask God for the grace to desire it. So, in human terms. Maybe it is crazy. But a lot of people probably considered the Apostles to be crazy. We know they were not.

This tells us is that—through a human lens, some things may look crazy. But through the lens of the faith, with grace, they are the only things that do make sense. I think this is one of them.

If you hear this and don’t immediately think—wow I want to do that. Don’t worry—you’re like the rest of us. Human. But if you spend some time pondering this and asking God to help you understand this. You might get to the point of wanting to pursue it.

Not because you want it, but because you know it’s the right thing. Once you reach that point, it’s time to ask God for the grace to desire this teaching—the properly ordered perspective on spending our money.

God bless and Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers

Key Episode References:

* Arimathea Investing

* The Theology of Money Podcast

* Saint Joseph of Arimathea

* Rerum Novarum

* Rerum Novarum in 2025: Applying it to Your Business | Travis Callaway

* The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Select Quotes:

* “This ordering of goods or ordering of goals is the exact opposite of what our Lord teaches. Our Lord teaches us that we are to put God first, others second, and ourselves last because He puts us first. We don’t have to worry about ourselves.” — Daniel

* “Money is a tool in service to the common good, and so I would caution any entrepreneur to not begin the path of entrepreneurship with the intention of accumulating wealth. That’s a byproduct of other actions.” — Daniel

* “What the Lord is calling us to do is integrate every aspect of our life under His authority so that whether we’re at work or at home or at church, we are engaged with the Holy Spirit, we are engaged with Christ.” — Daniel

* “We must approach the rain with an open hand and not try to grasp... it helps us reframe that ambition so that rather than it being self-serving, it becomes other-serving.” — Daniel

* “The truth is we are touching people’s souls first and then offering them a product... wealth is inferior to the eternality of a soul.” — Daniel

* “I kind of adopted him as the true CEO of my company... every once in a while, I got a knock on his door and say, St. Joseph, this is a problem I can’t fix, I need to take care of it. And he does...”— Daniel

* “We leave everyone better off for having met us... treat everyone... with infinite human dignity.” — Daniel

* “Man cannot be smaller than his money... if your character and capability is not of a significant heft, the money will fall through your fingers.” — Daniel

Key Moments: (outline)

* 01:06 Introduction

* Introduction of Daniel Catone, CEO and Co-Founder of Arimathea, a financial asset manager that screens investments for alignment with Catholic teachings.

* 03:41 The Catholic Approach To Money

* Reorder goals: God first, others second, and self last.

* 06:13 The Foundational Sources of Catholic Financial Teaching

* including Sacred Scripture, Church Fathers (St. John Chrysostom), Encyclicals (Rerum Novarum), and modern documents.

* 10:18 Cautioning entrepreneurs against accumulating wealth as the primary goal.

* The business journey should start with prayer and focus on serving the common good.

* 12:46 A Deep Dive Into Ambition

* Daniel suggests that the proper approach towards ambition.

* 15:22 The Necessity of Living a Full…

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Hey y’all — welcome back to another episode of the Catholic Founders podcast! Today’s episode will not disappoint.

News / Updates:

* We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago this 4th of November. Email us if you’re interested in attending (we are near capacity but if you reach out soon we can likely squeeze you in).

* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).

* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today

In Today’s Issue:

* 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:

* Seamus Coughlin | Freedom Toons

* 💰 Help them hit their fundraising goal! 📈

* Seamus Coughlin is showing what happens when you use creativity as a weapon for truth. He is the founder of Freedom Toons, one of the most influential Catholic animation channels on YouTube. Through humor, storytelling, and sharp satire, he’s reaching millions with messages that defend truth, reason, and faith — all while making people laugh.

Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

Core Lesson:

The most powerful way to transform culture is to create good work, work so excellent, it points back to God. And the best way to do that, is to allow God to transform your own heart.

In this episode, Seamus said something very interesting about the priest shortage. He said that the priest shortage is actually just a holiness shortage.

Most people are not living out their vocations faithfully. This is what is leading to a lack of priests and a lack of nuns and a lack of holy families (and even children because they are all prevented from being born or worse, aborted).

A key goal of ours at Catholic Founders is to help rally business owners to use their skills to bring the culture back to God. But we cannot do this if our own hearts are not transformed.

And only God can do this.

The good news is, He is trying to. But we prevent him. If we start asking for the grace to desire a total transformation of heart, we are one step closer.

When transformed, the work we do will also be transformed. When this happens, the work will be good and beautiful. And it will bring people back to God.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers

Key Episode References:

* Freedom Toons

* Help Them Raise Money for the Full-Length Series

* Jordan Peterson

* Charles Schultz

* Father Chad Ripperger

* Shawshank Redemption

Select Quotes:

* “We really just have a holiness shortage. Almost no one’s living out their vocation. Well, unfortunately. So if you just live out your vocation well, the effect you will have on the world will be unbelievable.” - Seamus

* “God gave you a vocation, live that vocation out.” - Seamus

* “For media to be effective, it has to A, be something that’s going to appeal to people outside of your group and B, the moral that you’re trying to deliver has to be delivered naturally through the story and through the jokes and not through these ham-fisted monologues.” - Seamus

* “The most extraordinary thing in the world is just an ordinary family.” - Seamus

* “God doesn’t make rules that don’t make sense if we follow God’s commandments. This is not the prosperity gospel I’m not saying that your life will always be great But we know that societies that follow God’s commandments are more likely to be successful than ones that don’t...” - Seamus

* “Anytime we create anything, we’re participating with God and His creativity.” - Seamus

* “Your work should sanctify you and you should use it to sanctify the world in some way But it does not have to be explicitly religious in order for you to be able to do so.” - Seamus

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 Intro

* 04:25 Freedom Toons and Cultural Transformation

* Seamus introduces himself and Freedom Toons, explaining his mission to fight back against entertainment media controlled by those with opposing values

* 06:32 Seamus’s Faith Journey and Media Concerns

* Seamus shares his faith journey, falling away, and returning at 20

* 09:23 Reaching the Younger Generation with Good Media

* Offering an alternative to what the younger generation are constantly being sold

* 10:22 Faith Deepening and Content Evolution

* Seamus details how his deepening faith led to change his political views

* 15:24 Freedom, Submission, and Choosing the Good

* A discussion on what is true freedom

* 18:40 The Creative Process and Overcoming Writer’s Block

* Seamus talks about his creative process for Freedom Toons

* 22:46 Integrating the Holy Spirit in Creativity

* The role of the Holy Spirit in Seamus’ creative process

* 25:17 Building Good Companies vs. “Catholic” Companies

* The importance of Catholics building “good companies” and creating undeniable products, rather than just “Catholic” versions of existing things

* 33:17 Heart Transformation and Truthful Products

* Personal heart transformation as the foundation for transforming the culture

* 44:20 Life as a Story: Earning Big Moments

* Understanding life through the lens of story can help in personal growth

* 48:18 Ambition, Humility, and God at the Center

* The idea of ambition and achievement within a Catholic context

* 52:28 The Universal Call to Change the World

* The universal call to change the world, even in seemingly small ways

* 54:45 Changing Culture: Vocation and Family

* Changing the world involves faithfully living out one’s vocation and the importance of family and personal holiness as the starting point for cultural transformation.

* 59:32 Conclusion

Hire Catholic Overseas Talent

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Hey y’all — welcome back to another episode of the Catholic Founders podcast! Today’s episode will not disappoint.

News / Updates:

* Ellen Twomey is teaching the CF Guild how to scale on October 28th. Upgrade to attend.

* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).

* We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago this 4th of November. Email us if you’re interested in attending — we need your input to finalize details.

* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today

In Today’s Issue:

* 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:

* Mallory Root | Roots Brew Shop & The Cottage on Turner

* Following God’s lead, Mallory Root moved to Grand Rapids to open Roots Brew Shop, a coffeehouse built on faith, community, and authentic human connection. Guided by her faith in God, she embraced the challenges of entrepreneurship as an act of stewardship, trusting that her role was to build with God. Since opening in 2016, Roots has become a warm, welcoming space where strangers become friends and people encounter Christ through everyday conversation and genuine hospitality.

Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

Core Lesson:

We need to make the transactional relational.

Mallory’s whole approach to business can be summed up in one line.

And honestly, I love that.

It’s the heartbeat of what makes her business, Roots Brew Shop, special. Every customer interaction, every cup of coffee, every conversation is a chance to actually see the person in front of you. Mallory’s not running a shop just to sell coffee, but instead she’s building relationships, restoring what’s been lost in a world that moves too fast and connects too little. It has become a place that invites people back to God through their experience and eventually brings dozens of conversions.

In the same way, we are invited to design our products and experiences to have something special. Where the simple moments and typical transactions are transformed into encounters with Christ.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers

Key Episode References:

* Roots Brew Shop

* Rerum Novarum in 2025: Applying it to Your Business

* Mother Cabrini

* Servant of God, Father Walter Cizek

Select Quotes:

“Our mission is to make the transactional relational.”

“If I have a relationship with the Lord, everything should exude from that.”

“We should be fully integrated in all the things we do.”

“Beauty disarms. When people walk into Roots, they encounter goodness and truth through beauty.”

“All that we own is for the common good, and we are stewards of that.”

“If we are not building one another in virtue and we’re not building in virtue, what is the purpose of our labor?”

“Hold it all loosely, and something that is good to foster is that spirit of detachment (detachment that it isn’t mine). Steward what God gives you today, and be ready to let it go tomorrow.”

“If you’re serious about leadership, you have to be rightly ordered, and that means making time for God.”

Key Moments: (outline)

* 02:46 Introduction

* 04:27 Faith as a Rubric for Business

* Mallory discusses how her faith permeates every aspect of running her coffee shop, serving as the guiding principle for all decisions

* 10:01 Subtle Evangelization Through Business

* Learn about Roots Brew Shop’s unique approach to evangelization

* 13:24 Underutilized Methods of Evangelization

* The importance of responding to the dignity of the human person and the dignity of work, especially when interacting with diverse guests, including those experiencing homelessness.

* 15:19 Training Staff in Virtue and Dignity

* Discover how Roots Brew Shop trains its employees through monthly sessions on the dignity of the human person and the dignity of work

* 19:08 Low Employee Turnover and Formation

* Mallory shares how their focus on building relationships and investing in employee formation leads to remarkably low turnover

* 25:23 Maintaining a Spirit of Detachment and Stewardship:

* Mallory views her business as a gift from God to be stewarded

* 30:57 Engaging and Serving the Community

* Mallory discusses how Roots Brew Shop interacts with its community

* 35:18 The Impact of Daily Mass for Entrepreneurs

* The spiritual benefits and the importance of prioritizing one’s relationship with God.

* 38:41 Spiritual Growth Through Entrepreneurship

* Mallory reflects on how her entrepreneurial journey has deepened her trust in God, taught her to say “yes” more readily, and provided numerous opportunities to love her neighbor with compassion.

* 43:09 Mallory’s Founding Journey

* Mallory recounts her path from an art major to a coffee shop owner, including her discernment process, the influence of her family, and the two-year journey to opening Roots Brew Shop

* 49:48 Conclusion

*

Hire Catholic Overseas Talent

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsAbout a month ago, I participated in the SENT Summit alongside other Catholic founders who are building bold businesses rooted in faith. It was one of those experiences that reminded me why this movement matters — why faith and entrepreneurship aren’t separate callings, but deeply connected. Here are six core things I learned: first, one good Catholic institution can change everything. Second, unity is our hidden advantage — when we’re truly united in Christ, we can change the world. Third, the sacraments will keep you steady when the storms of leadership come. Fourth, good leadership is always virtuous leadership. Fifth, as entrepreneurs, we have a special calling to live and exemplify the virtue of hope. And sixth, the power of connecting in person with other like-minded, driven Catholics simply cannot be dismissed.

If you don’t yet have a strong community of Catholic builders around you — build one or join one. And if you want an online version of this kind of fellowship, join the Catholic Founders Guild. You can sign up at CatholicFounders.com/subscribe — it’s $10 a month or $100 a year.

Before I wrap it up here I want to shout out some upcoming events. 

News / Updates:

Join us for our upcoming events — or share them with others who should attend.

*Ellen Twomey is teaching the CF Guild how to scale on October 28th. Upgrade to attend.

*Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners a 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up, including past CF guest, Rob Kaczmark).

*We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago the first week of November. Stay tuned for more info.

*There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.

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

Upcoming Events:

* Our CF Guild topic call is next week, Tuesday. Topic: Competition. Upgrade to paid to attend.

* Ellen Twomey is teaching the CF Guild how to scale on October 28th. Upgrade to attend.

* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).

* We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago the first week of November. Stay tuned for more info.

* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today! It's $10/month or $100/year so anyone can afford it. Don't build alone -- join 50+ Catholic business owners building, learning, and praying together. https://www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe

* Intro to the Guest and Topic

* Core Takeaway: Build Family-Centered Company Culture

* Episode References

* Select Quotes

* Key Moments

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

Today’s Topic & Guest:

* John Johnson | Patmos | Pizza Norcia | Albertus Magnus Institute

* John is the founder of Patmos, Albertus Magnus Institute, and Pizza Norcia. Today, we discuss ambition in Catholic men, the dignity of employees, the stewardship of wealth, and the integration of faith and AI in business. John shares his unique perspective on building successful enterprises while staying true to Catholic principles. This is a truly inspiring episode.

PS: We apologize for the poor audio quality in some places — I made some mistakes setting up the recording, and we had to do some patching together in order to salvage the audio at all. Poor as the audio quality is, we feel very strongly that the content is top-tier.

[sponsored content]

Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.

The best part, it's built by Catholics.

Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.

Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️

Core Lesson:

Catholics must build company cultures that promote family values, because family is the basis of society.

At Patmos, they pay bonuses when employees get married or have babies. Recently, they agreed to pay the salaries of the spouses of their employees who are affected by the government shutdown (repayable without interest).

Where most corporate cultures promote a culture of death, Patmos is upholding the culture of life. They are also treating their employees with respect as individuals, which leads to the flourishing of the human individual. No more just surviving and suffering through endless bureaucracy and HR rules.

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

[sponsored content]

Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers

Trying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet.

Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads.

Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days.

Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out.

158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast.

Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.

Key Episode References:

* Episode 18 with Daniel Francis (Abel Police)

* Episode 24 with Daniel Egan (St. Joseph Mural)

* Episode 29 with Joe Coleman (Saint Kolbe Studios)

* Joe Coleman from Saint Kolbe Studios

* Episode 30 with Drago Dimitrov (Holy Habits)

* Dave Durand

* Frank Hanna

* Lilies of the Field — Matthew 6:28-34

Select Quotes:

In case you’re not already sold on listening to the episode, here are some killer quotes.

* “Ignorance is my superpower. If I had any idea what I was getting into these things, I never would have done it.” — John Johnson

* “We have an amazing potential to be co-creators, not just generators of our progeny.” — John Johnson

* “There’s a real problem with it, especially men who have grown addicted to comfort over the years, where we’re so addicted to security, ease, then golden handcuffs.” — John Johnson

* “If you can sell Jesus to teenagers, you can pretty much sell anything.” — John Johnson

* “If anybody really wants to be successful, there’s no better practical way of forming yourself than through a real liberal arts education.” — John Johnson

* “You have to first understand the reality of material things... things of the material world elicit in us a great desire that when we have them, they make us miserable.” — John Johnson

* “Money is like fun. If you set out trying to have it, you’re not going to.” — John Johnson

* “First employees have names and infinite dignity. No matter who they are, no matter what the background is, they’re worthy of respect.” — John Johnson

* “We have bonuses for when employees have babies. We have bonuses for when employees get married. Big tech base employees effectively to abort their progeny. We do the opposite.” — John Johnson

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today! It’s $10/month or $100/year so anyone can afford it. Don’t build alone -- join 50+ Catholic business owners building, learning, and praying together. https://www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 Intro to John Johnson

* 01:57 His Empire: Patmos, Albertus Magnus, and Pizza

* 02:20 The Secret Behind His Pizza Perfection

* 06:29 The Drive to Build: Ambition in Catholic Men

* 07:31 Ignorance as a Founder’s Superpower

* 08:23 Co-Creation and Divine Guidance in Entrepreneurship

* 09:53 Escaping Comfort: The Entrepreneurial Adventure

* 11:12 Unlocking Your Creative Potential: Discovering God’s Call

* 13:17 Ambition vs. Calling: The Truth About Material Desires

* 15:19 Beyond Mercenaries: The Power of a Mission-Driven Business

* 16:01 The Entrepreneur’s Edge: Why Theology and Liberal Arts Matter

* 18:36 Leisure vs. Labor: Redefining Education’s Purpose

* 19:06 Balancing Ambition with Family and Faith

* 20:12 John’s Advice on Scaling: From Heroics to Systems

* 24:41 The Visionary and the Operator: Building a Strong Team

* 26:24 Radical Respect: Dignity and Family-First Policies for Employees

* 28:18 Beyond Market Rates: The Philosophy of Just Wages

* 29:22 Stewardship, Wealth, and the True Meaning of Blessing

* 31:31 The Parable of Talents: Embracing Risk for God’s Glory

* 33:55 Wealth as a Tool: Detachment and Purposeful Stewardship

* 34:23 Investing with Intention: Tithing and Proximate Charity

* 36:49 Faith in the Workplace: Cultivating Culture with Diverse Teams

* 39:00 Beyond Resumes: Hiring for Culture and Innate Intelligence

* 39:52 AI’s Dark Side: The Counterfeiting of the Human Person

* 42:47 Navigating the AI Landscape: Caution and Limits

* 45:01 Rapid Fire:

* Favorite Scripture: John’s Gospel, Enthymemes

* Favorite Saints

* Favorite Devotions: Rosary and the Office of Prime

* 49:22 Final Thoughts: Patmos, Albertus Magnus, and Prayers

Join The Catholic Founders Guild

Do you see your business as a tool to re-insert God into the culture? Join 50+ Catholic business owners who share that view. We are building an Army of Catholic Entrepreneurs who are putting God in His rightful place — at the center of culture.

Guild Member Benefits: Member Directory | Monthly calls | Bonus content | Guild-member-only dinners

You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Choose wisely!

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

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

Before we start:

* Join our October Rosary Challenge: Pray 1 more rosary each day than usual

* Chicago Catholic Founders meetup: Tent date: Nov 3rd (details pending)

* SF Catholic founders meetup: Tent date: Nov 20th (details pending)

Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today!

* 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:

I’ve mentioned Ecclesiastical Ventures many times on the pod and in our CF Guild calls. Now we are finally breaking down what an Ecclesiastical Venture is, and how we can bring them back.

We really appreciate Mark taking the time to share his learnings — we hope this inspires you.

* Mark Wilson | Nicodemus Ventures

[sponsored content]

Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.

The best part, it's built by Catholics.

Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.

Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️

Core Lesson:

You Can Run a Profitable Business Even if Your First Objective is Not Profit

The underlying principle of an Ecclesiastical Venture is that we are not focused soley on profit. We are focused on using the venture to get to heaven. We build our way of life around the goal of heaven.

Daily mass — prayer throughout the day — a spiritual director — etc. All of these things are in service of eternity. But most secular business owners wouldn’t consider these a good ROI.

When you focus on what truly matters most (heaven) first, you’re actually doing yourself a favor because you’re putting the right things first. Doing so has very positive downstream effects. Because when you do the right thing in one area you do it in others.

Doing the right thing for your customers leads to positive customer reactions which leads to new customers (as Tim Connors told us on the pod he did with us).

God Bless & Happy Building!

~Silas Mähner

[sponsored content]

Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers

Trying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet.

Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads.

Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days.

Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out.

158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast.

Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.

Key Episode References:

* Nicodemus Ventures

* Saint Kolbe Studios

* VersoJobs

* The Saintly CEO (newsletter)

* Daughters of Charity

* Marian Friars Minor

Select Quotes:

* “When you dedicate it to God or you surrender it to Him, He’s in charge. And I’ve learned that you can abandon it, right? You can abandon this commitment... But you can’t undo it. You’ve given it over to God, now He’s in charge.”

* “Their goal was not profit. Their goal was not success. Their goal was a salvation of its founders, managers, and employees. That was the purpose of work.”

* “It’s like a magnet. People say, I want that. I want to be in that environment. I want to be with those people... And then over the course, they realize, hey, wow, it’s Jesus. And then when they recognize that, they convert.”

* “The primary objective is salvation. Life is short. So where do want your eternal soul to go? And that’s really what they were focused on, and worshiping God, and living a penitent lifestyle.”

* “Every day you should be growing, becoming more holy. The environment is one in which you’re sanctifying yourself and others and your work.”

* “You’re never gonna outdo God in generosity. Well, when God sees that you’re so detached from this stuff, He knows He can entrust you to do the right things with His wealth.”

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 - Introduction and Mark Wilson’s Background

* 04:02 - Discovery and History of Ecclesiastical Ventures

* 08:26 - Core Purpose: Salvation Over Profit

* 17:28 - Characteristics of Ecclesiastical Ventures

* 22:06 - Examples and Impact of Ecclesiastical Ventures

* 33:10 - Managing Finances and Tithing

* 40:21 - How to Rebuild Ecclesiastical Ventures Today

* 45:47 - Trusting God and the Role of Faith

* 52:39 - Future Vision and Contact Information

* 59:39 - Conclusion

Join The Catholic Founders Guild

Do you see your business as a tool to re-insert God into the culture? Join 50+ Catholic business owners who share that view. We are building an Army of Catholic Entreprenuers who are putting God in His rightful place — at the center of culture.

Guild Member Benefits: Member Directory | Monthly calls | Bonus content | Guild-member only dinners

You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Choose wisely!

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

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

Get Chris’ Book: From Work to Vocation 📚

Welcome back, everyone! If you’re a fan of entrepreneurship through acquisition, today’s guest should really excite you because after starting his career in the military, he became a serial entrepreneur. In total, he has bought and sold 4 companies, most of which were turnaround businesses. He has also started a company from scratch and sold it. This is also his first-ever podcast appearance!

Read on for more info!

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

Today’s Topic & Guest:

* Chris Farls | The Vocation Project (Substack) | The Vocation Project (Website)

* Because this is Chris’ first podcast appearance, we covered his career journey from the military to getting started as a business turnaround person and the lessons learned in that arena. Chris’ faith has always been important to him, though, so we also got to hear how he integrated his faith into how he ran his businesses. There are some incredible nuggets of advice in here on how to treat your employees well.Perhaps most interesting to our community are his thoughts on how to engage your community through your employees.

[sponsored content]

Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.

The best part, it's built by Catholics.

Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.

Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️

Core Lesson:

You can invest in your community properly and uphold the dignity of your workers by getting to know your employees well.

One of Chris’ biggest focus areas with his employees was ensuring he knew them. Knew what they liked to do. Knew what their kids were up to. Knew that they liked to bowl on Thursday nights, etc. By knowing them, he not only upheld their dignity in his own eyes (because they were not just a number). This also provided him a window into what matters to his employees and, by extension, what matters in the local community.

For any of you with local employees, take note as this is a very impactful thing you can do.

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:

* The Vocation Project

Select Quotes:

* “The formula for negotiating a good deal is taking the time to ask and listen to what the seller is looking for in the deal.” — Chris Farls

* “I think confidence is gained through action and activity. I don’t think you can sit and read a book and then talk yourself into it.” — Chris Farls

* “I think the bigger problem a lot of times is, people know what the right thing to do is, but doing it’s hard.” — Chris Farls

* “You know, you have a certain circle of influence where you can make an impact and that’s where you need to act.” — Chris Farls

* “You want to create an environment where they can flourish... you want to give them opportunities to flourish and grow and have input into their work. So there’s a human dignity element to that as well.” — Chris Farls

* “What do you feel good about looking backwards? I think I’ve had that validated a little bit because when I mentor and talk to young aspiring entrepreneurs, I talk to them about these intangible rewards that you get.” — Chris Farls

* “If you’re doing it right, you end up with many more employees at the end than you did when you started.” — Chris Farls

* “Decide how you want to live it and live it that way and have the courage and fortitude and perseverance.” — Chris Farls

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 Introduction to the Catholic Founders Podcast and Chris Farls’ background

* 02:07 His early entrepreneurial journey and the influence of his upbringing and family

* 04:34 The importance of confidence, mentorship, and taking action in building a career

* 06:51 His transition from military to corporate life and then into running a small business

* 10:09 How an MBA and strategic networking helped launch his entrepreneurial career

* 13:30 The model of acquiring old economy businesses and their financial structures

* 16:38 His experience turning around a railroad services business and achieving a quick exit

* 18:12 Key strategies for business turnaround, focusing on competitive strategy and understanding owner personalities

* 21:18 The multifaceted responsibilities of a business leader, including employees, partners, and community

* 25:36 Navigating ethical conflicts and making difficult decisions in business

* 28:01 The role of a business owner in community engagement and supporting employees’ interests

* 32:25 His approach to upholding employee dignity and fostering a flourishing work environment

* 35:08 The evolution of his perspective on business, from financial gain to humanitarian reasons

* 38:56 Stories of providing employment opportunities to individuals with challenging backgrounds

* 43:32 The power of actions over words and the positive impact of ethical business practices

* 44:58 Balancing efficiency and ethical considerations when acquiring and restructuring businesses

* 49:06 Ensuring that new buyers respect employees and align with company values during a sale

* 52:58 The impact of financial success on his personal outlook and transition to mentoring

* 55:29 Developing a strong sense of identity and purpose, aligning career with faith

* 57:50 How entrepreneurship shaped his relationship with God and led to a focus on serving others

* 1:00:31 The importance of intentional living and integrating spiritual habits into daily life

* 1:04:30 Introduction to The Vocation Project, an initiative to help people find meaning and purpose in their work

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 Casts

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Catholic Founders!

Today, we’ve got another episode mostly focused on AI and how to engage with your spouse as an entrepreneur. But Lucas has an incredible history of entrepreneurship and brought a lot of value to the discussion of being a Catholic entrepreneur.

Before we start!

* On Friday, we are hosting a Catholic Founders Guild call. Open-ended topic, but with the intention to discuss Competition.

* If you’d like to join, become a paid member of the CF Guild today!

In today’s post:

* 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:

* Lucas Wall | Almma.ai

* AI — Family — Living through tragedy and more

[sponsored content]

Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.

The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.

The best part, it's built by Catholics.

Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.

Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️

Core Lesson:

You cannot Run From Pain — Going Through Pain is the Only Way to understand God’s Grace for you from that Pain

Lucas lost his son at a young age. This, after having endured a lot of sacrifice in his move from Argentina to the US. This, plus his experience enduring the pains of entrepreneurship—including shutting down a company because of Covid—makes Lucas a great person to learn from on the topic.

I gained a lot from this discussion with him. His story really moved me in a deep way. I hope you listen thoroughly to the entire episode to reap the same benefit.

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:

* The Bible:

* Book of Job

* Genesis

* St. Paul's Epistles/Works

Select Quotes:

* "AI is so big, so transformational that it's going to give us a chance. We still have a chance in front of us. So let's ride the wave together." — Lucas

* "The moment we allow machines to take our dignity, is when we lost the entire discussion." — Lucas

* "If a machine can replicate your thinking, maybe your thinking needs upgrade." — Lucas

* "You cannot run from your pain. You cannot run from your sadness. You have to go through the experience to understand the grace of God." — Lucas

* "Timing is the number one thing that we entrepreneurs cannot move forward. We cannot speed up time. We cannot slow down time." — Lucas

* "Share your gifts. Become an entrepreneur to share your gifts and learn with the community. We belong to communities. We're not islands. give yourself a try." — Lucas

Key Moments: (outline)

* 00:00 Engaging with your spouse about business stress

* 00:26 Introduction to Catholic Founders podcast and Lucas Wall

* 02:25 Lucas Wall's introduction and background

* 03:31 Explanation of Alumm.ai and its mission

* 04:47 How Alumm.ai aims to democratize wealth in the AI revolution

* 06:24 Illustrative example of an AI agent

* 08:18 AI as a change of eras and its distribution, unlike past technologies

* 10:39 Exaggeration of AI's benefits and drawbacks

* 13:13 AI and the questioning of human value/thinking

* 16:21 Human dignity and AI from a Catholic perspective

* 19:51 Benefits of technology in revealing truth for the Church

* 22:35 Role of Catholic entrepreneurs in the AI era

* 26:01 Importance of human dignity over ROI and AI's role in small businesses

* 31:07 Catholic Founders Guild advertisement

* 31:59 Using AI to resolve disagreements and build connections

* 33:45 Spouse as the first business partner

* 36:27 Tips on engaging your spouse as an entrepreneur

* 39:04 Managing expectations and stress with your spouse

* 40:00 De-risking a startup and involving your spouse

* 43:23 Minimizing risk in entrepreneurship

* 48:42 The option to pause a company instead of shutting down

* 49:53 Importance of timing in entrepreneurship

* Rapid Fire:

* 50:43 Favorite scripture/holy reading: St. Paul

* 54:08 Favorite entrepreneur: Elon Musk, and a discussion on suffering

* 59:20 Favorite saint: St. Paul and a personal relationship with God

* 1:00:58 Favorite devotion: Hail Mary and Mother Mary's protection

* 1:01:52 Call to action: share your gifts and become an entrepreneur

Join The Catholic Founders Guild

The Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs 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)