Work was never meant to compete with worship. It was meant to become an offering.

In this episode of Eleven Talents, biblical scholar Dr. John Bergsma returns to the Garden of Eden to present Adam as the first CEO, a leader entrusted with people, resources, responsibility, and a mission. Adam’s fall becomes history’s first leadership failure, revealing what happens when stewardship is separated from obedience to God.

Dr. Bergsma also draws business lessons from Solomon, the wisest king of the Old Testament, whose life demonstrates that wisdom, wealth, and success are not enough when ambition loses its proper order.

The conversation then becomes deeply personal as Dr. Bergsma reflects on the loss of his son and his profound encounter with redemptive suffering. His Catholic faith gave him more than an explanation for pain; it showed him how suffering united to Christ can be transformed and offered.

This conversation challenges Catholic leaders to reintegrate work with worship, treat success as stewardship, and entrust both life’s highest joys and deepest losses to God.

On paper, Alessandro DiSanto was succeeding. In reality, everything around him was beginning to disintegrate. 

Then his best friend, a McKinsey consultant, encountered the peace of God through prayer. That experience changed the direction of their lives and helped lead to the founding of Hallow. 

Alessandro joins Legatus President Stephen Henley to discuss his early addiction to success, why Hallow chose a for-profit model, and what surrender looks like after raising more than $130 million in capital. He also shares advice for young entrepreneurs learning to recognize and sharpen their God-given gifts. 

Six months before this conversation, Brig Sorber’s wife of 40 years, Fran, died by suicide. In the grief that followed, Brig made a decision: he would not run away from the storm. 

Brig compares it to the difference between a buffalo and a cow. The cow runs away from the storm, while the buffalo moves directly into it. For Brig, “being the buffalo” means trusting Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to carry him through pain he cannot carry alone. 

Brig also shares how he helped grow Two Men and a Truck from a $200 pickup into a major franchise with more than 3,200 trucks. He explains why business success ultimately left him feeling empty, how he surrendered the company to Christ and how his faith shaped the way he led through growth, recession and the eventual sale of the business. 

Brig joins Legatus President Stephen Henley for an honest conversation about faith, family, leadership, grief and choosing to run into life’s storms instead of away from them. 

Dr. Andrew Abela—Dean of the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America, author of Super Habits, and editor of A Catechism for Business—joins the Eleven Talents Podcast for a thought-provoking conversation on what it truly means to live out your Catholic faith in the marketplace.

From rediscovering his faith during business school in Switzerland to helping shape the next generation of ethical business leaders, Dr. Abela shares why virtue isn't just good theology—it's the foundation of lasting success. He explains how habits rooted in prudence, justice, courage, and self-discipline can transform the way we lead, make decisions, and build thriving organizations.

The conversation also explores the importance of Catholic community, raising children in the faith, forming workplace cultures that prioritize people over profits, and why businesses that genuinely serve their employees often outperform their competitors over the long term.

Whether you're an executive, entrepreneur, young professional, or anyone seeking to integrate faith into your daily work, this episode offers practical wisdom and timeless principles for becoming both a better leader and a more faithful disciple.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why virtue is the ultimate "super habit"
• How faith shapes authentic business leadership
• The connection between company culture and long-term success
• Practical ways young professionals can stay rooted in their faith
• Why treating people with dignity is both morally right and good business

This conversation is a compelling reminder that true success isn't measured only by profit—it's measured by the lives we impact and the character we cultivate.

What happens when a business leader is not afraid to make his faith known?

Tim Busch has built a career across hospitality, law, wine, and professional sports, including his involvement with the Vegas Golden Knights. Along the way, he has remained open about his Catholic faith and says it has only helped him in business.

In this episode of the Eleven Talents Podcast, Tim joins Legatus President Stephen Henley to discuss how his faith influences the way he leads, makes decisions, and responds to the responsibilities that come with success.

He also talks about Pacific Hospitality Group, the Napa Institute, Catholic education, evangelization, and why business leaders should think beyond profit.

For Tim, faith is not separate from his work. It is at the heart of how he lives and leads.

https://napa-institute.org/

https://trinitascellars.com/

https://business.catholic.edu/

“Was it alive?”

That question changed everything.

Mother Concepta and Sister Maris Stella of the Sisters of Life join Eleven Talents for a powerful conversation on abortion, human dignity, mercy, vocation, and the sacredness of every human life.

Mother Concepta shares the remarkable story of growing up with a father who performed abortions — and how God called her to become a Sister of Life, dedicating her life to serving women, accompanying families, and witnessing to the dignity of every person.

This episode is a moving reflection on healing, redemption, spiritual motherhood, and the truth that every life is a gift.

Chris McMahon joins Eleven Talents for a powerful conversation on faith, finance, stewardship, and the responsibility that comes with success. As a Catholic wealth advisor and Legatus’ 2024 Ambassador of the Year, Chris shares how business leaders can think more deeply about what their money supports, how wealth can become a tool for mission, and why faithful leadership must extend into every part of life, including our investments. 

Stephen Henley sits down with Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Lev, a Rome-based art historian, author, professor, Vatican Museums consultant, and renowned guide for world leaders, actors, filmmakers, and cultural figures visiting the churches, museums, and sacred art of Rome.

For more than 25 years, Liz has helped people encounter the beauty, history, and faith behind the Eternal City. Her expertise has also led her to consult with major cultural figures including Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, Kevin James, and others seeking to better understand Catholic history, the Vatican, and the stories behind some of the world’s most famous works of art.

Together, Stephen and Liz explore the truth behind Da Vinci’s Last Supper, why beauty matters in an efficiency-driven culture, and what Catholic business leaders can learn from sacred art, reflection, and wonder.

For CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs, this conversation is a reminder that beauty is not decoration; it's formation. It shapes how we see, how we lead, and how we build cultures worthy of the human person.

Immaculée Ilibagiza, author of Left to Tell, joins Eleven Talents to share her extraordinary story of surviving the Rwandan genocide, discovering God in the midst of terror, and choosing forgiveness after unimaginable loss. 

In this deeply moving conversation, Immaculée reflects on prayer, suffering, mercy, the Rosary, and the courage it takes to forgive. Her witness offers Catholic leaders a powerful reminder that faith is not theoretical — it is lived in the hardest moments of life, when trust, courage, and surrender matter most. 

Jason Shanks wasn't supposed to survive. In late 2020, he spent 45 days intubated in a COVID-19 coma, his organs shutting down. Today, he is a walking miracle who is helping lead the National Eucharistic Congress—one of the largest Catholic gatherings in US history. 

In this episode of the 11 Talents Podcast, Jason takes us through the incredible chapters of his life. We explore his intellectual and spiritual journey from a Protestant worldview to the Catholic Church, driven by a deep study of the Eucharist. We also dive into his entrepreneurial mindset as the former President of the OSV Institute, where he championed a "Catholic Shark Tank" approach to fund bold, risk-taking ministries that push the Church forward. 

Now serving as the President of the National Eucharistic Congress, Jason shares the raw, emotional details of his medical crisis and the beautiful spiritual revelation he received while paralyzed in a hospital bed: the profound connection between human suffering and the presence of Christ in the Tabernacle.