The Ardent Approach

Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring, interviews Henry Kaestner, Co-Founder of Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor, about faithful leadership, scaling companies with conviction, stewarding capital, and integrating faith into marketplace leadership. Henry, who also co-founded Bandwidth Inc. and Sovereign’s Capital, contrasts willfulness with faithfulness, challenging leaders to examine their motives and pursue success defined by obedience rather than achievement. He shares how community, partnership, and accountability can help entrepreneurs remain grounded in their values as they grow.

Henry also shares a pivotal story from Bandwidth, where the company discovered that a significant deal conflicted with its values. Rather than compromise, the team walked away from the business while still honoring the sales representative’s commission, ultimately changing its compensation structure to better align incentives with the company’s convictions. Ryan and Henry explore joy and gratitude as marks of Christian leadership, entrepreneurship as a vehicle for solving meaningful problems, collaboration across sectors, identifying personal blind spots, and the qualities Henry looks for in investable leaders.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:54 Willful Versus Faithful Grit
06:00 Faith First Values Test
10:24 Joy, Gratitude, and Witness
15:15 Entrepreneurs Solving Problems
21:45 Partnering Across Sectors
25:28 What Am I Blind To?
30:11 Traits of Investable Leaders
34:28 Mentoring Through Questions
36:30 Resources and Closing

Resources Mentioned

Sage Stage: https://sagestage.org/

12 Marks of a Faith Driven Entrepreneur: https://faithdrivenentrepreneur.org/the-marks/

Eternal Perspective Ministries (Randy Alcorn): https://www.epm.org/about/staff-board/randy-alcorn/

The Chosen: https://watch.thechosen.tv/

Solving the World’s Greatest Problems: https://solving.org/

Kaleo Ventures: https://kaleo.vc/

Faith Driven Entrepreneur: https://www.faithdrivenentrepreneur.org/

Faith Driven Investor: https://www.faithdriveninvestor.org/

Ardent Mentoring: At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at https://www.ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.

If you would like to be notified about our upcoming live podcast recordings, join live, and participate in the Q&A, you can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/34f4f5e9413e/subscribe.

Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring, interviews Aimee Minnich, former Ardent mentee and Co-Founder, Chief Impact Officer, and General Counsel of Impact Foundation, about integrating faith, profit, and mission through entrepreneurship and investing. Aimee shares how mentorship shaped her transition from law to ministry and leadership, including learning to lead with surrender, vulnerability, and an identity rooted beyond title or achievement.

She also tells the story behind Impact Foundation and its use of charitable impact investing to complement traditional philanthropy and fund missional companies. Ryan and Aimee explore how sustainable profit can strengthen rather than compete with mission, restoring dignity through meaningful work, what makes a venture investable, avoiding mission drift, and balancing thoughtful risk management with faith and discernment.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction
01:44 Mentorship Journey
02:29 Mindset Shifts in Leadership
04:31 Leading with Vulnerability
06:00 Why Impact Foundation Exists
10:52 Dignity Through Investment
13:21 Profit Mission Misconceptions
15:49 Blending Theology and Tax Code
21:20 What Makes Ventures Investible
23:48 Mentors and Blind Spots
27:17 Risk Management and Faith
29:14 How to Connect and Closing

Books & Authors Referenced

Toxic Charity — Robert D. Lupton
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062076213

When Helping Hurts — Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=When+Helping+Hurts+Steve+Corbett+Brian+Fikkert

Sacred Pace — Terry Looper
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Sacred+Pace+Terry+Looper

Good to Great — Jim Collins
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Good+to+Great+Jim+Collins

N.T. Wright — Author & Theologian
https://ntwrightpage.com/

Impact Foundation:
https://www.impactfoundation.org/

Ardent Mentoring:
At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at https://www.ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.

If you would like to be notified about our upcoming live podcast recordings, join live, and participate in the Q&A, you can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/34f4f5e9413e/subscribe.

Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring interviews Dr. Richard Mutura, CEO of Community Transformation Center (CTC) Africa in Kenya, about CTC’s integrated discipleship ecosystem serving conflict-affected, hungry, climate-impacted, and refugee communities. He explains CTC’s shift from short-term aid to restoring identity, dignity, and agency through asset-based engagement, vision, mentorship, trauma-aware support, and practical business training within a communal ecosystem. Mutura also highlights strengthening women’s leadership and marketplace influence.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:30 A Refugee Story Zairi

04:53 Restoring Hope and Purpose

10:02 Beyond Aid Building Agency

15:55 Women Leaders Rising

22:35 Discipleship Ecosystem Model

27:38 How You Can Support CTC

31:42 Closing and Next Steps

Community Transformation Center (CTC) Africa Website: ctcafrica.or.k

Ardent Mentoring:
At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at https://www.ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.

If you would like to be notified about our upcoming live podcast recordings, join live, and participate in the Q&A, you can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/34f4f5e9413e/subscribe.

In this episode, Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring, interviews Jessica Jackley, co-founder of Kiva and CEO of Vow for Girls, about scaling social impact while keeping human dignity central. Jackley describes launching Kiva despite expert regulatory objections by keeping the model simple and “trying anyway.” Drawing from her book Clay Water Brick, she highlights entrepreneurs living with extreme scarcity and Howard Stevenson’s definition of entrepreneurship as pursuing opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled. She argues there’s no real tension between serving people and scaling if founders start humbly, listen deeply, avoid vanity metrics, and keep returning to user needs. The conversation covers being willing to be wrong, respecting customers as experts, valuing nonprofit structures, and her focus at Vow for Girls on preventing child marriage by supporting grassroots organizations.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

01:23 Meet Jessica Jackley

02:53 Launching Kiva Anyway

05:53 Kiva Model Explained

09:05 Entrepreneurship Definition

11:11 Clay Water Brick Story

15:42 Scaling With Dignity

20:43 Power of Being Wrong

25:23 Rethinking Nonprofit Value

28:40 From Kiva to VOW

33:56 Privilege and Allyship

38:28 What Changed Over Time

41:39 Closing Thanks

Links & Resources MentionedClay, Water, Brick: Finding Inspiration from Entrepreneurs who Do the Most with the Least - Jessica Jackley

https://a.co/d/0jkaHp9c
Howard Stevenson - Definition of Entrepreneurship

https://bigthink.com/videos/a-new-definition-of-entrepreneurship/

Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad... and How Great Companies Stay Great - Eric Ries

https://a.co/d/06CICwBb

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses - Eric Ries

https://a.co/d/055sOIxS

The Why and How of Effective Altruism - Peter Singerhttps://a.co/d/0a8jQl8j

https://www.effectivealtruism.org/peter-singer-ted
Jessica Jackley:
jessicajackley.com
VOW for Girls: vowforgirls.org/
Kiva: https://www.kiva.org/

Ardent Mentoring:At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at https://www.ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.

If you would like to be notified about our upcoming live podcast recordings, join live, and participate in the Q&A, you can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/34f4f5e9413e/subscribe.

In this episode, Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring, sits down with Peter Greer, CEO of HOPE International, to explore the constellation of relationships leaders need to thrive, how to guard against mission drift, why success can be more dangerous than failure, and the daily habits that help leaders finish well.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

02:19 Building Support Constellations

07:41 Identity Beyond Metrics

14:31 Spotting Mission Drift Early

21:12 When Success Becomes Risky

25:40 Rooting for Rivals

33:03 Speed, Habits, and Guardrails

40:41 Vision Beyond Microfinance

42:51 Prayer Requests and Closing

Resources Mentioned

Books & Articles

• Connecting: The Mentoring Relationship You Need to Succeed in Life – NavPress
• Constellation of Relationships – Peter Greer (Medium)
• Eulogy Virtues – David Brooks (NYT)
• The Second Mountain – David Brooks
• The Making of a Leader – Robert Clinton
• Finishing Well – Robert Clinton (Free PDF)
• How the Mighty Fall – Jim Collins
• 3 Ways to Pass Faith to the Next Generation – Tim Keller

Peter Greer's Books

• Rooting for Rivals
• Mission Drift
• How Leaders Lose Their Way
• All of Peter Greer's Books

Tools & Worksheets

• How Leaders Lose Their Way – Worksheets & Tools

Connect

• HOPE International
• Ardent Mentoring

About Ardent Mentoring

At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.

If you would like to be notified about our upcoming live podcast recordings, join live, and participate in the Q&A, you can sign up here.

Topics Covered

• Building a constellation of mentors using the Two-Two-Two Plan
• Separating identity from title: eulogy virtues vs. resume virtues
• Early warning signs of mission drift — and how mentors can help
• Why success breeds hubris, isolation, and exceptionalism (the three H's)
• Commitment → Complacency → Compromise (Tim Keller's three C's)
• Rooting for rivals and moving from a scarcity to an abundance mindset
• Daily rhythms and guardrails for leaders building something meaningful

• Why only 1 in 3 leaders finish well — and how to beat those odds

In this episode, Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring interviews Sheeba Philip, founder and CEO of the IMPART Group in a live podcast episode recording, about shaping purpose-driven brands and leaders. Sheeba explains Oreo’s “glocal” approach and shares lessons from helping JCPenney shift toward digital by overcoming internal fear and listening to consumer insight. She also recounts her transitions into IJM and Akola as a journey of obedience and identity in Christ, and encourages women leaders to pursue opportunities with confidence in God’s calling.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

02:25 Oreo “Glocal” Branding

08:17 Local Innovation Lessons

10:38 JCPenney Digital Shift

16:00 Consumer Insight Culture

18:14 Calling Beyond Corporate

24:36 Redemptive Entrepreneurship

28:30 Faithfulness Over Outcomes

32:10 Women in Leadership Advice

37:13 How to Support Sheba

39:26 Ardent Mentoring Invitation

40:36 Final Thanks and Close

Links & Resources Mentioned:

Terry Looper — Sacred Pace: https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Pace-Hearing-Aligning-Yourself/dp/0785223371
Additional Research/Discussion on Women Applying for Roles:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.3109
https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/breaking-through-the-self-doubt-that-keeps-talented-women-from-leading
https://www.bi.team/blogs/women-only-apply-when-100-qualified-fact-or-fake-news/

Sheeba Philip:
https://www.sheebaphilip.com/

IMPART Group: https://impartgroup.co/

Ardent Mentoring:At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at https://www.ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.

If you would like to be notified about our upcoming live podcast recordings, join live, and participate in the Q&A, you can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/34f4f5e9413e/subscribe.

In this episode, Ryan King, CEO of Ardent Mentoring, sits down with Tiger Dawson, co-founder of Edify, in a live podcast episode recording to discuss building organizations that serve, grow, and last. Tiger shares lessons on finding a niche in the marketplace, scaling through COVID, maintaining culture and mission, fundraising with integrity, and his deeply personal journey with cancer and faith. Shortly after this recording, Tiger went to be with the Lord. We invite you to continue to pray for his wife Leslie and the Dawson family during this tender time.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 — Introduction
• 1:45 — Finding the Gap in the Market
• 4:43 — The Three-Part Model
• 7:05 — Listening Well and Cultural Adaptation
• 9:54 — Scaling Through COVID
• 10:56 — Maintaining Culture While Scaling
• 15:51 — Fundraising and Donor Relationships
• 20:10 — Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
• 24:07 — Journey with Cancer and Faith
• 32:50 — Closing Prayer

Links & Resources:

• Ardent Mentoring — ⁠https://www.ardentmentoring.org/⁠
• When Helping Hurts — ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802409989⁠
• Sacred Pace by Terry Looper — ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785223371⁠
• Rooting for Rivals by Peter Greer — ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764231251⁠
• A Dream and a Coconut Tree — ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578480603⁠

Ardent Mentoring:

At Ardent, we would be excited to meet with you to explore finding a high-quality mentor who can help you scale your enterprise and multiply your impact.

You can view a brief overview of Ardent Mentoring and our work supporting high-capacity entrepreneurs at https://www.ardentmentoring.org/mentees, and learn even more about us from our testimonial and vision videos on our homepage or impact page.