The Founder Collective Podcast

Before Chris Rickstrew knew Jesus, he lived with yogis in the Himalayas, and surrendering to the universe came easily. So partway through this conversation he asked the room a question a lot of believers quietly carry: why is it harder to surrender to God than it ever was to surrender to a thing? The answer he found in real time traced all the way back to a grandfather on a couch who rarely looked away from the TV.

Part 2 picks up after Alejandra Crisafulli's teaching and opens the floor. Pastor Anthony Hart asks the question Jesus asked at the pool of Bethesda, "Do you want to be healed?", and talks about why unhealed wounds get infected the moment someone touches your testimony. Tamra Andress shares what surrender looks like while running FounderCon with a newborn on her lap. Community members Kelly Clossin, Jamal Maxsam, and Tamara Fox add their own stories, and the conversation lands on the difference between owning your calling and stewarding it, and why only one of those lets you rest.

If you've ever felt like God is the hardest person in your life to impress, this one is for you. Start with Part 1 if you missed Alejandra's teaching.

What You'll Learn About Surrendering to God

• Why surrender can feel harder after you know Jesus, andwhat relationship has to do with it
• How old approval patterns quietly shape the way youhear Scripture, including the parable of the talents
• What living as a son or daughter changes about rest,pressure, and performance
• Why ownership keeps you exhausted and stewardship lets you hand the results back to God
•  A simple test Pastor Anthony uses to know whetheryou're in God's will

Resources Mentioned

• The Surrender Map from Alejandra Crisafulli:[INSERT LINK]

•   Part 1 of this episode (Alejandra's fullteaching): [INSERT LINK]

•   FounderCon tickets: [INSERT LINK]

•   Alejandra's 21-Day Surrender Challenge

•   Melissa Hughes on "expansionsyndrome," speaking at FounderCon

Scripture referenced: John 5:1–9; Luke 15:11–32; Revelation 12:11; Matthew 11:28–30 (MSG); John 14:16; Matthew 3:17; Timothy 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Mark 4:39; Philippians 4:7; John 8:1–11; Matthew 25:14–30; Genesis 3

If this conversation stirred something up, come sit in the room with the people who had it. FounderCon is three days with Christian founders, pastors, and coaches who decided a long time ago they don't want to do this alone, and this year sponsors have brought tickets down to $25. Grab your ticket at https://thefoundercollective.org/.

Connect with Alejandra

Website. - ⁠https://theballercoach.com/⁠

Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theballercoach/⁠

Get the Surrender Map - ⁠https://link.180methodgroup.com/widget/form/BFgK296UbPB3V6XsEVQe⁠

FounderCon tickets : ⁠https://thefoundercollective.org/⁠

Alejandra Crisafulli has coached more than 6,000 entrepreneurs and leaders over 22 years.

She also didn't learn to read until she was twelve, and for a long time the little girl who believed she wasn't smart enough had a quiet vote in how Alejandra carried her message.

In this Founder Collective Encounter, Alejandra names the gap so many faith-driven founders live in. You know what God says about trusting Him, you mean it when you pray it, and then something unexpected hits and you're back to running scenarios and managing outcomes. More information rarely closes that gap. When your nervous system learned that control equals safety, surrender is going to register as danger, and the answer is healing what's underneath instead of white-knuckling your way through it.

What You'll Learn About Surrendering to God

• Why you can believe every promise in Scripture andstill grab for control the moment life gets uncertain

• The difference between dealing and healing, and between calming the alarm and changing what sets it off

• How four younger versions of you may be the ones answering criticism, rejection, and the unknown

• What changes when surrender becomes something you keep doing instead of a box you check once

• Why stewarding your calling carries a lighter load than owning it

Scripture referenced: 1 Peter 3:15; Proverbs 3:5–6; Psalm 46:10; 1 Peter 5:7; Romans 7; John 5:1–9; Revelation 12:11; Luke15:11–32; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:28–30; John 14:16; John 8:1–11; Matthew 25:14–30; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Philippians 4:7

If this conversation stirred something up, come sit in the room with the people who had it. FounderCon is three days with Christian founders, pastors, and coaches who decided a long time ago they don't want to do this alone, and this year sponsors have brought tickets down to $25. Grab your ticket at https://thefoundercollective.org/.

Connect with Alejandra

Website. - https://theballercoach.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theballercoach/

Get the Surrender Map - https://link.180methodgroup.com/widget/form/BFgK296UbPB3V6XsEVQe

FounderCon tickets : https://thefoundercollective.org/

AI can be an incredible tool for business, but where’s the line between using it wisely and allowing it to replace something we were meant to steward ourselves?

In this episode of The Founder Collective, Misty Phillip joins Tamra Andress and Pastor Anthony for a conversation about leading with wisdom and discernment in the age of AI. They explore how Christian founders can embrace new technology without outsourcing their calling, creativity, relationships, or ability to hear from God.

Misty challenges us to keep people over outputs, purpose over speed, and discernment at the center while allowing AI to do what it does best: support the work rather than lead it.

In this episode we talk about:• Using AI as a tool without allowing it to become a crutch• Why your calling and vision shouldn’t be outsourced• Practical guardrails for using AI in your business• What AI can do well and what should remain distinctly human• Staying rooted in Scripture as technology rapidly changes• Why founders should “pray before they prompt”

The takeaway: Stay the gardener. Keep the tool in your hand, but don’t give it control of what God has called you to cultivate.

Links:

Grab your ticket to FounderCon 2026 - https://https://thefoundercollective.org

Connect with Misty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mistyphillip

What happens when you have more information, more tools, and more voices available to you than ever before... but you trust yourself less?

In this episode of The Founder Collective, Jennifer Watson challenges founders and leaders to stop outsourcing the very things God designed them to use: discernment, critical thinking, intuition, and the wisdom carried within the mind and body.

AI can be an incredible tool, but Jennifer points out that in a fast-moving world, it's easy to hand over our agency and become disconnected from what she calls our original design.

And sometimes what we're calling burnout or lack of clarity isn't actually either one.

It may be distortion under stress.

Jennifer walks the Founder community through her three-part SHIFT technique: Anchor. Move. Discern. It's a practical framework for navigating identity shifts, high-stakes decisions, uncertainty, and those seasons when God seems to be giving you one step instead of the entire plan.

In This Episode

Jennifer shares how to:

• Recognize when stress, noise, and outside opinions are distorting your decision-making

• Return to your "original design" instead of continually outsourcing discernment

• Navigate the uncomfortable space between who you've been and who you're becoming

• Identify the people, opportunities, habits, or old identities you may need to release

• Move forward with conviction and enough clarity, even when you can't see the entire strategy

• Distinguish between something being wrong and simply being unfamiliar

• Pay attention to the difference between truth and a trigger

• Use the "Over the Mountain" exercise to identify what you actually want your goals to create in your life

• Begin living pieces of that future identity now instead of waiting until you've reached the goal

You don't have to wait until the revenue comes, the business grows, the opportunity opens, or everyone else validates the calling before you begin becoming who God has called you to be.

Anchor.

Take the next step.

Discern the signal from the noise.

And trust the God who already knows what's on the other side of the mountain.

About The Founder Collective

The Founder Collective is a community for faith-driven founders, entrepreneurs, leaders, and kingdom builders who want to grow businesses, ministries, and influence without separating their faith from the way they lead.

These conversations are about more than business strategy. They're about becoming the kind of people who can steward what God has entrusted to us and using our gifts to serve one another well.

Get your tickets for Founder Con at https://thefoundercollective.org

What if the places you’ve walked through—both the beautiful ones and the painful ones—have been forming you all along?

In this Founder Collective Experience, Jessica Shakir invites us into a rich, theological conversation about Scripture through the lens of place. Rather than seeing the Bible as a collection of disconnected stories, she reveals how God consistently uses physical locations to communicate spiritual realities and shape His people.

From Eden to Gethsemane, from wilderness to mountaintops, Jessica explores how environments become invitations into deeper intimacy with God. She reminds us that our current season isn't random—God is often doing His deepest work in the very places we'd rather leave.

If you've ever questioned why God has you where you are, this conversation offers fresh perspective, biblical insight, and hope that every place has purpose in His Kingdom story.

• Why physical places matter throughout Scripture

• How environments shape our spiritual formation

• The connection between Eden, Gethsemane, and God's redemptive plan

• What it means to stay awake in seasons of suffering

• Why Jesus chose specific locations during pivotal moments of His ministry

• The symbolism behind the Garden of Gethsemane as the "garden of crushing"

• The clash between earthly kingdoms and God's Kingdom

• How our identity is formed by God's presence—not our circumstances

• Why your current season may be preparing you for future purpose

"God uses physical places to shape spiritual people."

"Stay awake in the pain with Me. I want to show you something."

"Our environments shape us, but they don't define us. God uses them to form us."

"The only environment humanity was originally designed for was perfect communion with God."

God is intentional with place.Throughout Scripture, locations aren't simply settings—they're part of God's message. Gardens, mountains, deserts, rivers, and cities all carry spiritual significance.

Your current environment is not wasted.Whether you're experiencing abundance or adversity, God often uses seasons and places to develop character, deepen faith, and prepare you for what's next.

Pain can become purpose.Gethsemane reminds us that crushing often precedes calling. Jesus transformed the place of deepest surrender into the beginning of our redemption.

Identity begins in God's presence.Like Adam and Eve in Eden, we were created for communion with God. Every longing we experience ultimately points us back to Him.

• Genesis 1–3

• John 18

• Psalm 23

• Garden of Eden

• Garden of Gethsemane

• Where has God placed you in this season?

• What might He be teaching you through your current environment?

• Are there places in your story that you now recognize as sacred?

• How is God inviting you to remain awake and attentive instead of rushing through discomfort?

• What would change if you viewed your circumstances as part of God's formation process?

Founder Collective exists to equip Christian entrepreneurs to build businesses rooted in Kingdom values while pursuing intimacy with Christ first.

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that God is present—even in the places that feel difficult.

In This Episode, We Discuss:Memorable QuotesKey TakeawaysScripture MentionedReflection QuestionsConnect with Founder Collective

In this Founder Encounter, leadership coach, author, and entrepreneur Lucas Sherraden shares a powerful message on breaking free from the cages that keep leaders stuck. Drawing from his experiences in ministry, entrepreneurship, real estate, and leadership development, Lucas challenges listeners to rethink how they view calling, success, wealth, and impact.

Through personal stories, biblical insight, and practical leadership principles, he explores how many leaders unknowingly operate from autopilot thinking, limiting beliefs, and inherited narratives. The key to freedom, he argues, is learning to take ownership of the meaning we assign to life's experiences.

This conversation is both challenging and encouraging for founders, entrepreneurs, and leaders who sense there is more available than the comfortable confines of certainty and mediocrity.

• Why many leaders remain trapped in invisible cages

• The difference between praying for change and partnering with God in action

• How faith and business can work together to create meaningful impact

• What the biblical concept of an apostle reveals about leadership today

• Why context matters more than circumstances

• The danger of autopilot thinking

• How limiting beliefs shape our decisions and outcomes

• Why greatness requires stepping beyond certainty

• The story that inspired The Uncaged Leader

• How to rewrite the narratives that are holding you back

• The leadership shift that changed Lucas's life and career forever

Life constantly presents us with events, challenges, and circumstances. According to Lucas, the event itself is rarely the determining factor. What matters is the meaning we attach to it.

The most effective leaders learn how to place empowering context around difficult circumstances rather than becoming victims of them.

Lucas shares the story of a lion raised in captivity that was released into the wild, only to return to its cage. The familiar felt safer than freedom.

Many leaders do the same thing. They remain inside familiar patterns, beliefs, and behaviors because certainty feels more comfortable than growth.

One of the central themes of this conversation is that believers are called to bring heaven's culture into every sphere of influence, including business, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

Rather than settling for "good enough," founders are challenged to pursue excellence and greater impact for the benefit of others.

If we don't intentionally define our future, the world will gladly define it for us. Uncaged leaders choose to lead from vision rather than from fear, history, or circumstance.

A pivotal moment in Lucas's journey came during a difficult season of financial struggle. Through an interaction with his daughter, he realized how much his internal dialogue was shaping his reality.

That realization became the foundation for his work helping leaders recognize and rewrite the stories that keep them stuck.

• Leaders navigating transition or growth

• Professionals seeking greater impact and purpose

• Individuals interested in leadership development and mindset transformation

• The Uncaged Leader by Lucas Sherraden (Pre-order today!)

• The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Founder Collective exists to encourage, equip, and activate leaders who want to bring their faith into every area of influence. Through conversations, teaching, and community, founders are challenged to grow personally, lead courageously, and create lasting impact.

Subscribe to The Founder Collective Podcast and share this episode with a leader who may be ready to step out of the cage and into the calling they've been created for.

In This EpisodeKey Takeaways1. Great Leaders Create Meaning2. Comfort Can Become a Cage3. Your Calling Is Bigger Than Mediocrity4. Vision Must Be Intentional5. The Stories We Tell Ourselves MatterMemorable QuotesQuestions This Episode AnswersWho This Episode Is ForResources MentionedConnect with The Founder Collective

Episode Overview

You know you're called. You know God put this business on your heart. But if no one can find you — are you really shining your light?

This month's Founder Encounter brought together guest speaker Darin Adams, who works alongside the team at Thrive, to unpack something deeply practical and deeply spiritual at the same time: why so many faith-driven entrepreneurs are hiding online — and what to do about it. Tamara and Pastor Anthony rounded out the conversation with rich theological grounding, connecting the practical steps to God's call for His people to be a city on a hill.

What started as a teaching on the five new rules for getting found online quickly became something more — a prophetic invitation to stop shrinking and start shining. Whether you're a business owner, author, podcaster, or marketplace leader, this session will give you tangible tools and a renewed sense of purpose for putting yourself out there.

• The marketplace has shifted — AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are now the gatekeepers of discovery. Getting found starts with getting chosen by them.

• Your Google Business Profile is the new website. It's free, it's powerful, and most people haven't optimized it.

• Consistency across all your online listings builds trust with AI search engines — even if your customers never visit those platforms.

• Online reviews carry as much weight as personal referrals. Asking for them, and responding quickly, matters more than you think.

• Most businesses don't lose customers to competitors — they lose them to silence. The follow-up is where the business actually happens.

• Visibility is an act of stewardship. When God calls you to shine, hiding is not humility — it's disobedience.

"Most businesses don't lose customers to competitors. They lose them to silence." — Darin Adams

"Relationships start with visibility. If we are all hiding, we can't be in relationship." — Tamara

"You're not answering to your customers to be the best business. You're answering to God for how you steward what He's called you to do." — Pastor Anthony

Darin Adams is a business strategist and marketplace leader who works alongside the team at Thrive to help small business owners and entrepreneurs maximize their online presence. With a heart for integrating faith and business, Darin brings practical digital strategy tools together with a kingdom perspective — helping founders not just grow their businesses, but shine their light in the marketplace. His teaching centers on one conviction: what you do can change people's lives, but only if they can find you.

• Online Visibility Audit — run a free scan of your business: getthrivenow.com/ova

• Google Business Profile — business.google.com (free to set up)

• Thrive — business growth platform including social media scheduling, review management, website builder, and AI follow-up tools

• 2 Corinthians 5:16 — "From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh..."

• Matthew 5:14-16 — "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden..."

• Matthew 22:14 — "Many are called, but few are chosen."

What happened in this room on a Thursday afternoon is just a taste of what God does when His people gather intentionally. FounderCon is our annual in-person conference where faith and business collide — deep teaching, genuine community, and encounters that stick with you long after you leave.

FounderCon 2025 | Hampton Roads, Virginia | November

Learn more and register at https://thefoundercollective.org/foundercon

Key TakeawaysPull QuotesAbout the GuestResources MentionedJoin Us at FounderCon

In this powerful Founder Encounter session, prophetic leader, author, and leadership coach Jamal Maxsam joins host Tamara to dismantle six common myths that keep Christian entrepreneurs, founders, and marketplace leaders from walking in supernatural power. If you’ve ever wondered whether miracles are reserved for Sunday church services or believed that spiritual gifts only apply to ordained ministers, this episode will radically shift your perspective.

Jamal unpacks what Scripture actually says about signs, wonders, and the glory of God — and why every believer is designed and equipped to operate in the miraculous, no matter their industry, platform, or season of life.

Jamal Maxsam is a prophetic voice, author, leadership coach, and the host of a prophetic podcast and YouTube channel. Known for his deep prophetic ear and his commitment to equipping the saints rather than hoarding spiritual gifts, Jamal and his wife Dr. Val bring a ministry perspective rooted in Scripture, marketplace application, and Holy Spirit intimacy. He is a core intercessor and speaker within the Founder community.

• Why believers should stop praying for miracles to happen to them and start believing for miracles to happen through them

• The Greek meaning of “miracle” and how understanding it changes the way you pray

• Why ministry and marketplace are not separate in God’s eyes — and what Acts 5 says about signs and wonders in the streets

• The difference between the gift of miracles and the ability to operate in the miraculous

• How Paul’s tent-making tools became instruments of kingdom occupation and healing (Acts 19)

• Why the supernatural is not an event you rev up for — but an atmosphere you already live in

• The correct interpretation of Romans 3:23 and why you do not fall short of God’s glory

• How Jesus gave His glory to believers (John 17:22) and what Isaiah 60 says about the glory on your life

• Why not everything supernatural is demonic — and how to discern angelic activity

• How the glory realm, not just anointing, releases mass healing and breakthrough simultaneously

• Mark 16:17–18 — Signs follow those who believe

• Acts 1:8 — You will receive power (dunamis) when Holy Spirit comes upon you

• Acts 5:12–16 — Signs and wonders among the people; Peter’s shadow heals the sick

• Acts 19 — Extraordinary miracles through Paul; aprons and handkerchiefs carry healing

• 1 Corinthians 12:7–10 — Gifts of the Spirit distributed to each one for the common good

• John 11 — Lazarus raised from the dead; Jesus declares “I am the resurrection and the life”

• John 17:22 — Jesus gives His glory to believers

• Romans 3:23 — All have sinned and fall short (past tense, before Christ)

• Isaiah 60:1–2 — Arise and shine, for your light has come; the glory of the Lord has risen upon you

• Hebrews — Christ ascended and placed His blood on the heavenly altar; we come to the sprinkled blood

Founder is a community built for Christian entrepreneurs, ministry leaders, and marketplace messengers who are done separating faith from business. Through monthly Founder Encounters, an annual conference, intercessory prayer, and a network of kingdom-minded leaders, Founder creates the space for sons and daughters to be equipped, encouraged, and sent.

FounderCon 2025 — November 3–5 in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Get your tickets and learn more at the Founder website.

• Prophetic Podcast — Search “Jamal Maxsam” on your favorite podcast platform

• YouTube Channel — Search “Jamal Maxsam” for prophetic teaching and word releases

• Book — Referenced in episode; check Jamal’s website or Amazon for his published work

Ever feel the tension between your faith and your business — like you have to choose one or tone one down?

In this powerful Founder Collective Monthly Encounter, Krystal Parker challenges Christian entrepreneurs to rethink that lie and step into a bold, authentic way of leading, building, and influencing. Her message is both convicting and deeply encouraging: the marketplace isn’t separate from your calling — it is part of it.

In this session, you’ll discover:

• The biggest myths that keep believers silent about their faith at work

• Why influence in business can reach people traditional ministry never will

• How fear, busyness, and insecurity quietly hold leaders back

• What it actually looks like to live your faith out with courage and wisdom

• One simple starting step if you want to lead boldly but don’t know how

About the Guest:

Krystal Parker is a marketplace leader and national voice helping Christian business professionals step into purpose-driven leadership and impact through faith-centered entrepreneurship.

Why This Conversation Matters:

Many believers assume faith should stay private or inside church walls — but Krystal reminds us that people may encounter Christ through our lives long before they ever step into a church.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself:If someone experienced your leadership or your business today… would they encounter hope?

Want to be part of our conversation? Plan to be part of our next Founder Collective Encounter, the 3rd Thursday of every month.

More info at : FounderCollective.com

Or join us in our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/thefoundercollective

In this Founder Collective session, Tamra and Anthony welcome entrepreneur, coach, and board member Steven Scoggins for a candid conversation about what really keeps founders stuck.

Rather than focusing on strategy, systems, or scaling, Steven takes the room inward — naming five internal constraints that quietly shape every decision a leader makes: arrogance, ignorance, impatience, fear, and insecurity. He argues that these are not just personal struggles, but the very forces that drive business outcomes.

Drawing from his own journey — including an exit, an identity crisis, and a season of deep inner work — Steven makes a compelling case that alignment begins on the inside. Real growth, he says, comes not from moving faster, but from learning how to be fully present, teachable, and rooted in identity.

This conversation is part masterclass, part spiritual formation, and part leadership reflection — a timely invitation for founders who are building something meaningful, but don’t want to lose themselves in the process.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why business “problems” are often rooted in inner misalignment

• The five constraints that block clarity and growth

• Why presence — not patience — is the real opposite of impatience

• How fear functions as an emotional indicator rather than an enemy

• The difference between performing for validation and leading from wholeness

• A simple but profound journaling practice for hearing from God

• How stewardship applies to thoughts, choices, and identity

• Why your “cave season” may be shaping you for kingship

Key Takeaways

1. Alignment is an inside job.Strategy matters, but your inner state drives your behavior — and your results.

2. The Five Constraints Every Leader Faces:

• Arrogance → Humility

• Ignorance → Teachability

• Impatience → Presence

• Fear → Fortified Faith

• Insecurity → Compounded Identity

3. Presence, not patience, is the game-changer.Rushing isn’t a time problem — it’s a presence problem.

4. Fear isn’t your enemy — it’s a signal.Fear points to where attention is needed, usually inward before outward.

5. Identity shapes impact.When you lead from “I am whole,” your voice carries weight without striving.

6. Your “cave season” is formative.Like David, you may be becoming king in the quiet before you ever sit on the throne.

Memorable Quotes

• “The constraints drive the behavior. Change the constraint, and the results follow.”

• “The opposite of impatience isn’t patience — it’s presence.”

• “Fear is simply an emotional indicator that something needs attention.”

• “When you can put your hand on your heart and say ‘I am whole,’ that is alignment.”

• “You become king in the cave, not the palace.”

• “The two most valuable things you steward are your thoughts and your choices.”

Resources Mentioned

• Steven Scoggins’ forthcoming book (title TBA)

• “The Art of Rest” by Adam Mabry

• FounderCon (Hampton Roads, VA — Nov 3–5, 2026)

Next Steps & Call to Action

If this conversation stirred something in you, you don’t have to process it alone. Founder Collective meets every third Thursday for teaching, worship, prayer, and real community.

To learn more about upcoming guests and to join the next gathering, visit the Founder Collective site and get in the room.

And if you’re wrestling with alignment, presence, or identity in your leadership, take Steven’s challenge this week:Write “What I Hear You Say Is” at the top of a page. Then sit, listen, and write what you hear — no agenda, no striving, just presence.

STAY CONNECTED:

Want to be part of our conversation? The Founder Collective Experience is a great opportunity for you to get plugged in and start seeing where God will lead you! 3rd Thursday or every month at 1pm EST. 

https://thefoundercollective.org

Thank you for listening! To hear more from us, visit us at:

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