Starting any new business involves a leap of faith. But the reward is that you get to use your gifts to do something you’re passionate about. When you are aligned with what God has gifted you to do and what you are passionate about, even though it’s not an easy path, the burden is light. We see it again and again in our work with entrepreneurs.

That’s why we are so excited to talk with guest Scott Behrends. Scott took what might seem like a quirky passion – an interest in athletic training based on the obstacle courses and the general mayhem of American Ninja Warrior – and turned it into a business.

We talk with Scott about the power of niching down, clear communication, and what it takes to build a business while keeping your day job. It’s never been easy, but in those moments when he got nervous about the path forward, God pushed him through the doorway and on to the next steps. That’s when exciting things can happen in our lives, and we talk with Scott about all those peaks and valleys along the way.

Scott married his high school sweetheart and has 3 kids (occasionally more because they are also a foster family). He attended the University of Northern Iowa and studied Personal Training, but then changed his major to Computer Science. He keeps up with all things tech and has worked in IT since graduating.

Scott fell in love with ninja when he first saw American Ninja Warrior. It was the sport he always wished existed as a kid (he was a climber)! When his sons kept making obstacle courses in the backyard & timing themselves, Scott recorded them & uploaded one to YouTube. “Backyard Ninja Kids” was born, and it now has over 4,500 YouTube subscribers & over 7,000 Instagram followers. Scott and his sons (Ben & Jason), daughter (Lia), and wife (Lindsey) have enjoyed being part of the ninja community.

Scott and his two business partners recently started Ninja U, a gym with the vision to encourage, educate and engage kids of all ages.

  what you will learn in this episode:

• How to grow your passion on a budget
• How to shift a hobby into a business
• Why niching down is the smart business move
• The time investment it takes to build a business
• The importance of choosing good partners
• Why building a business is likely to be one of the most challenging times in your life
• How God expands your capacity when you need it most
• How to be open to the unknowns as you prepare your business for the future
• Why the burden is light when you are in alignment with God’s purposes for you