The Wow Factor

Alan Fuerstman is Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Montage International, a luxury hospitality management company encompassing Montage Hotels & Resorts, Pendry Hotels & Resorts, Montage Residences, and Pendry Residences. Before founding Montage in 2002, Alan was the opening vice president of hotel operations at Bellagio in Las Vegas. He served as president and managing director of The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he also oversaw The St. Regis Aspen and The St. Regis Houston. Alan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the Board of Directors for Environmental Media Association's Corporate Sustainability Board, Board of Trustees Emeritus for Gettysburg College, and the Northern Arizona University School of Hotel and Restaurant Management Advisory Board.

Alan joins me on the podcast to discuss how his long experience in the luxury hospitality industry and his time working in different hotel departments gave him a broad perspective on building a forward-thinking company culture that makes a hotel really successful. He shares when he decided to indulge his entrepreneurial spirit and build a brand around his first hotel and why naming the brand was such a struggle! Alan also shares the importance of learning how to lead and the importance of developing the tools to inspire others how to do a great job.

"I think the lesson is you never know who it is you're talking to, and what the potential or possibility is." - Alan Fuerstman

"I had an entrepreneurial spirit that drove me to want to create something new, but first, I had to develop the skill set to be successful." - Alan Fuerstman

"As you grow and mature as a leader it becomes less about how you individually interact with a guest, and more about how you motivate others." - Alan Fuerstman

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• Lessons learned from Alan's first job as a hotel doorman
• Why Alan pivoted away from Political Science towards the hospitality industry
• How a chance meeting led to a tremendous career opportunity for Alan
• Alan's experience of working for Marriott for nearly 20 years
• What resort development involves and when Alan moved into that niche
• Why Alan felt he wanted to found his own luxury hospitality brand
• Entrepreneurs and mentors that Alan has looked up to throughout his career
• How Alan raised the capital for his first hotel, who his first investor was, and how they made the deal
• How Alan models the culture he wants to prioritize in his organization, and why the value-driven aspect of his company is their North Star and the aspiration of what we want to be
• What Alan enjoys about working with his son on the Pendry Hotels brand

Alan Fuerstman's Words of Wisdom:

The essence of Montage is to enrich lives — whether it's enriching the lives of our associates, enriching the lives of our guests that stay with us, or enriching the lives of the communities in which we operate. As leaders, we have a huge responsibility and innumerable opportunities to influence and enrich lives in the way we behave and the things that we do.

Connect with Alan Fuerstman:

• Montage Hotels Website
• Pendry Hotels Website
• Montage Hotels on Instagram
• Pendry Hotels on Instagram

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Jeffrey Rosen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Constitution Center (NCC), a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution. He became President and CEO in 2013 and has developed the Center's acclaimed Interactive Constitution, which brings together the top conservative and liberal legal scholars in America to discuss areas of agreement and disagreement about every clause of the Constitution. Jeffrey is also a professor at The George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. He is an acclaimed journalist and author of six books, including Conversations with RBG: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law. He is a graduate of Harvard College; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Yale Law School.

I'm delighted to welcome Jeffrey to the podcast to share why it's so meaningful for him to be involved with the only institution in America to be created to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people on a nonpartisan basis. We dive into the philosophical principles behind the creation of the Constitution and what the Founding Fathers envisioned when creating it. Jeffrey also explains why he is so passionate about giving people access to the Constitution in a way that genuinely allows them to learn and understand what it stands for and how the Interactive Constitution does just that.

"It is such a meaningful, crucial mission in these polarized times where people disagree so much about politics, to be able to convene conversations about areas of agreement and disagreement about this one document of human freedom that unites us — which is the US Constitution!" - Jeffrey Rosen

"Ultimately, we feel better when we act selflessly, and that's why we're hardwired to do it." - Jeffrey Rosen

"What all of the founders agreed about is we have the capacity to try. They had such faith in the potential of the human mind to cultivate our faculties of reason and reflection." - Jeffrey Rosen

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• How Jeffrey's outstanding high school experience influenced his later life and career
• Some of his teachers and professors at Harvard and how they inspired his love of American literature and history
• Why the NCC created the Interactive Constitution for people to access online
• The fantastic scholars who have contributed to the learning platform
• How the constitution came into being and why it's so miraculous
• How Jeffrey experiences the Constitution and what he has learned from it
• Why the Founders believed we the people as individuals and in self-government need to be virtuous so that we can achieve what they called the social or benevolent passions and emotions
• What the Founders meant when they talked about the pursuit of not feeling good, but doing good
• How the Constitution is based on faith traditions in that it exhorts us to be kind and to serve others
• The difference between self-discipline and self-mastery, and why it's so critical to think about what will allow us to achieve our potential so that we can serve others and the common good
• Jeffrey's unique conversation town hall with Justice Gorsuch

Jeffrey Rosen's Words of Wisdom:

Slow down and read, and you'll discover that the fountain of wisdom flows through books. It's ancient Greek wisdom, but it applies as much today as it ever did. Taking the time to read, learn, and grow is a capacity we all have within us every day. None of us is perfect, and we're never going to achieve our potential every day, but we can always try.

Connect with Jeffrey Rosen:

• National Constitution Center Website
• National Constitution Center on Facebook
• Interactive Constitution
• An Evening with Justice Neil M. Gorsuch Town Hall Video
• My Voice Will Go With You by Dr. Sidney Rosen
• Understanding Ericksonian Hypnotherapy: Selected Writings of Sidney Rosen

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Scott Reddig is CEO of Christian Care Ministry, the non-profit which administers the Medi-Share program. Medi-Share is designed as an affordable alternative to health insurance for the Christian community, which employs more than 700 employees at their Melbourne, FL headquarters and in Colorado Springs. Scott is a graduate of The Ohio State University and served 31 years in the property and casualty insurance industry, serving as Chief Actuary with three different companies and Chief Operating Officer for Guide One Insurance, one of the largest insurers of churches in the country.

I'm excited to have Scott on the podcast this week to share about leading Christian Care Ministry during the pandemic, and how his experience as an actuary helps him evaluate, manage, and advise on financial risks. We discuss how Medi-Share works, why it's different from health insurance, and how members unite to care for their community when they need medical help. Scott also shares his leadership philosophy and emphasizes the importance of transparency in gaining the trust and buy-in of your team.

"What has actually always been more important to me in any organization I've been in is to generate that conversation … that might really tell me the full story and help me do a better job of anticipating the future and help manage my organization through a lot of ups and downs." - Scott Reddig

"What's interesting about Medi-Share is, it's really a community first. It's a community of Christians that come together, and they promise each other to be there to share burdens, i.e., medical needs medical expenses when they arise." - Scott Reddig

"Transparency means I will take any question, and everything's fair game." - Scott Reddig

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• Scott's experience's growing up in Northeastern Ohio and why he became interested in sports and music from a young age
• What Medi-Share does and how the COVID-19 impacted their business practices
• Why Medi-Share isn't the same as health insurance
• The two key ways that the Medi-Share program responds to health needs
• How the Medi-Share program is governed by member-voted guidelines which define what is and is not eligible for sharing.
• The joy that the call handlers and healthcare management teams find in supporting and praying for their community
• How transparency informed Scott's leadership during a challenging time.
• How they leverage technology and social media to help and inform others
• How the pandemic brought home the generosity and commitment of their members
• What excites Scott about the future of the Christian Care Ministry
• How they reward members who take care of their health and why understanding wellness is a form of stewardship

Scott Reddig's Words of Wisdom:

I would emphasize transparency. It is my wiring as a leader, but I've really learned from past experiences, good and bad, and tried to apply them in my current role. We're open and real with our folks, which is essential to have your team's confidence.

Connect with Scott Reddig:

• Medi-Share Website
• Scott Reddig on LinkedIn
• Medi-Share on Facebook
• Medi-Share Instagram
• Medi-Share Twitter
• Christian Care Ministry LinkedIn

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Founder and CEO of Open Door Solutions Pasquale Russo is committed to fostering a business of integrity, where customers are valued and served with respect. The team offers turn-key solutions to the professional hair care and beauty industry whereby they provide all components necessary to create and maintain a successful product line. Pasquale has been in the professional beauty market for over 30 years bringing energy, motivation, and loyalty to all business transactions with his can-do attitude and establishing valued and respectful relationships throughout his journey.

Pasquale joins me on The Wow Factor podcast to explore why abiding and obeying God is essential. He explains that when he is connected to God and he gets a nudge in a certain direction then it's important to obey — and when he does, it is unbelievably fulfilling because the joy of giving without expecting anything in return is a blessing. Pasquale also shares the advances and reverses that Open Door Solutions has made over the last 18 months, including a surprising high-speed pivot and a mistake that led to a ministry opportunity.

"I think we all need somebody that believes in us." - Pasquale Russo

"Looking back is an unbelievable thing that I think we should all do. Remember, remember, remember — when we remember then we see God's good hand, even in our missteps where he has righted a wrong path." - Pasquale Russo

"The reality is, everybody has their own way of giving and it could be time, talent, or treasure." - Pasquale Russo

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• Pasquale's experience of immigrating to the USA at the age of nine
• The leap of faith that Pasquale took when he moved from a stable job to a new start-up
• How Pasquale found an opportunity in the business of hair care products
• Why Pasquale was inspired to start his own business and how he found his very first client
• The process of Open Door Solution's evolution from formula only, through finished goods to a complete turnkey solution
• The company culture at Open Door Solutions and why it's essential to Pasquale to live that culture
• Vulnerability and authenticity as a leader is critical to the mission
• Why the company made a short term pivot into fabricating hand sanitizer instead of hair care products for salons and retail outlets
• How COVID-19 springboarded the business to new opportunities
• Why Pasquale is so keen to give his team the chance to give back to their community and ways in which Open Door Solutions helps others
• Identifying the moments when you are supposed to step into an opportunity

Pasquale Russo's Words of Wisdom:

Business is a byproduct of relationships: you've got to work hard, you've got to do the right things, but ultimately, you really need to be in tune with what God is asking you to do. Each and every day choose to serve God with open hands and give blessings, then move them on to somebody else. Be a distributor of His love, of His treasure and time.

Connect with Pasquale Russo:

• Open Door Solutions

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Peter Greer is the president and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered economic development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

Before joining HOPE, Peter worked internationally as a microfinance adviser in Cambodia and Zimbabwe and as managing director for Urwego Bank in Rwanda. As an advocate for the Church's role in missions and alleviating extreme poverty, Peter has authored fourteen books, including Mission Drift, Rooting for Rivals, and is releasing The Gift of Disillusionment in 2022.

Peter joins me on the podcast this week to share why he feels that his life of purpose lies in bringing HOPE to others and helping others experience working and earning and providing for themselves and their communities. He describes why his favorite part of his role is listening to the stories that the entrepreneurs HOPE serves share about their journey into entrepreneurship and the joy they feel that HOPE believes in their fledgling businesses. Peter also shares his core leadership principles, why they are non-negotiable, and how they help his team grow.

"Because it's not just business success in places of poverty. It's not; it's then watching individuals that then take that and use that in their community. And generosity is not something that is confined to those with massive bank accounts. We see incredible generosity around the world." - Peter Greer

"...receiving an investment is a strong message of saying, We believe in your capacity, we see that." - Peter Greer

"When you show up and walk with someone when you care for them in a long-term way, there is so much good that comes from that." - Peter Greer

This Week on The Wow Factor

• How the concept of microenterprise development works to alleviate extreme poverty
• What Peter learned from his time working in Africa
• What Peter learned at Harvard that prompted his interest in microfinance around the globe
• How he came to join HOPE International and some of the things he has done during his 17 years with them
• How the process of engaging with HOPE works for people who need help, and how the generosity ripples out across the community
• The key performance indicators that HOPE measures to understand their impact
• The importance of culture, and why HOPE incorporate prayer into their culture
• The three attributes that leaders who engage with HOPE International have in common

Peter Greer's Words of Wisdom:

Live with a we, not me mentality. Live as if you're not the center of the story and appreciate that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. That we, not me mentality increases joy; it increases the ability to have an outward focus. I believe that's where the inspiring work is happening in our world — with an outward focusing mindset.

Connect with Peter Greer:

• HOPE International Website
• HOPE International on Instagram
• HOPE International on Facebook
• Rooting for Rivals by Peter Greer
• Peter Greer's Blog & Books

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Pray.com is a social impact company whose mission is to grow faith and cultivate community. Pray.com is the world's No. 1 app for daily prayer, helping you prioritize prayer with daily devotionals, hear the Bible come to life with original content, and fall asleep to soothing Bedtime Bible stories, elevating the faith experience for consumers, churches, and B2B2C organizations.

I'm excited to have Matthew join me today to share the story behind Pray.com and how he felt the hand of God in his life, prompting him to get together with his co-founders to create something extraordinary. He discusses why and when he felt he should shift his mindset and perspective on how he looked at his life and his work. Matthew also reveals pray.com's next steps and what they plan to do with the app and website over the next few years.

"When God gives you the opportunity to merge your passion with your skill, you got to jump in with both feet." - Matthew Potter

"We don't celebrate, we accelerate." - Matthew Potter

"If you want unconventional results, it requires unconventional methods." - Matthew Potter

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• Why passion is critical to any business
• Why Matthew dropped out of college just one credit short
• Matthew's fascination with the Apple App store and the opportunities it presented
• Ventures that Matthew was involved with before Pray.com
• Why Matthew felt like he wasn't living his purpose despite being so successful
• The tragedy that led to Matthew's partnership with the co-founders of Pray.com
• The importance of hiring specialists who are smarter than you are
• How COVID-19 impacted how the team made the Pray.com content available
• How Pray.com navigates supporting different denominations and different organizations
• Why their business model is 'freemium' and what that means

Matthew Potter's Words of Wisdom:

Unconventional results require unconventional methods.

Connect with Matthew Potter:

• Pray.com on Instagram
• Pray.com on Facebook
• Pray.com on Twitter
• Pray.com

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Since 1997 Kelly Shackelford has been President and CEO of First Liberty Institute, the largest legal firm in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to protecting religious freedom for all Americans. Kelly is a constitutional scholar who has argued before the United States Supreme Court, testified before the U.S. House and Senate, and has won several landmark First Amendment and religious liberty cases. He was recently named one of the 25 greatest Texas lawyers of the past quarter-century by Texas Lawyer and is the recipient of the prestigious William Bentley Ball Award for Life and Religious Freedom Defense for pioneering work protecting religious freedom.

I'm delighted to welcome Kelly to the show to discuss his work at the First Liberty Institute, what they are trying to achieve, and some of the recent cases that they have won in their bid to support religious freedom. He shares his thoughts on why most people don't understand that religious freedom is a massive issue for everyone and why our founders understood that if you lose it, you'll lose all your freedoms. Kelly and I also discuss the difficulty of finding good quality, balanced and truthful information about what is going on in the USA politically today.

"Religious freedom is our first freedom because our founders understood that if you lose it, you'll lose all your freedom." - Kelly Shackelford

"if you remove religious freedom, unbelievable evil will replace it." - Kelly Shackelford

"We've got to keep fighting and winning these lawsuits. And that takes people and businesses and individuals standing up, even if it might cost them and all the people we represent I consider heroes because they're doing that." - Kelly Shackelford

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• Why Kelly headed to Texas after completing his law degree at Baylor Law School
• What Kelly's Pastor advised him to do when he was torn between going into ministry or law
• Why he turned down many job offers and a substantial salary to join a new nonprofit where he could represent pastors, churches, religious freedoms, and the country's founding principles
• Why we are currently facing such a battle to uphold our religious freedom
• Why Kelly thinks that people are so anti-religion at the moment
• How we can help business leaders across America recognize and exercise their rights
• Kelly shares some of the recent cases that First Liberty Institute has been involved with
• Why its time to take a moment to look back at the Constitution, to look back at history and decide how you want the future to look

Kelly Shackelford's Words of Wisdom:

I've never seen so much darkness around us, but everywhere we're going, there's light — we can make a difference in our lifetimes. We are moving forward positively, and the courts are taking us back to the Constitution. Hopefully, we might be able to look back 10 or 20 years from now and say that we handed down more religious freedom to our children and grandchildren than we had in America.

Connect with Kelly Shackelford:

• First Liberty Institute Website
• First Liberty Institute on Instagram
• First Liberty Institute on Facebook
• First Liberty Institute on Twitter

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

The Co-Founder and CEO of Impact Foundation, Jeff Johns, brings extensive experience and insight in business development and fundraising to the leadership team. Before launching Impact Foundation, Jeff spent 12 years at the National Christian Foundation (NCF), concentrating on network expansion. His affiliate team grew annual charitable contributions from $40 million to more than $850 million and raised more than $4 billion for Kingdom impact and positive change. Co-Founder and CIO/General Counsel Aimee Minnich serves as Chief Impact Officer and General Counsel of Impact Foundation. Before founding Impact Foundation, she served as President and General Counsel for the National Christian Foundation, Heartland, where she designed and implemented the foundation's Missional Investing Program to allow the investment of donor-advised funds in social impact companies.

Aimee and Jeff join me on The Wow Factor to discuss how each of their backgrounds gave them a front-row seat to hard work in business and the power of generosity, and why they both came to be entrepreneurial in nature. The pair share how they met and when and why they were drawn together to found Impact Foundation. We also dive into the power of prayer as a means to connect with each other, with God, and a way of finding a quiet moment to really find your purpose.

"Whether you have a lot of money or a little bit of money, greed is awful, and it ruins relationships, and it ruins our heart … but generosity is one of these tools that God uses to enliven us to bring us back to him, to bring us closer together." - Aimee Minnich

"People need Jesus and a good job. It's not that complicated — and the good jobs part has to come through a business that's funded by like-minded people with capital that can advance their cause." - Aimee Minnich

"Every company has an agenda, and that agenda is one that should align with your passions and your beliefs and the good you want to see done in the world." - Jeff Johns

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• How Aimee got started with NCF Heartland after graduating as a lawyer
• What Jeff's travels taught him about how important it is to get aligned with your passion
• The importance of connecting authentically with people in your network
• How they got together to found Impact Foundation and why impact investing is so essential
• The practical process of starting a charitable foundation and some of the bumps along the road
• Why prayer inspires prayer and why that is so important as you grow through life and business
• The culture at Impact Foundation and why the team enjoys the practice of coming before the Lord, to worship Him, to be in fellowship with Him, to be quiet, and to ask for His help
• Whether Jeff and Aimee took the time when they were planning the foundation to decide how they would work through any disagreements that arose
• They dive into the mission and vision of impact Foundation

Jeff Johns' Words of Wisdom:

Align with what you're passionate about, and you get so much more excited about being involved in helping other people and being generous with your time and wisdom.

Aimee Minnich's Words of Wisdom:

If you want to take the next step into philanthropy, look around and do what's right in front of you. There's probably something right in your midst that you can do in the impact investing space. It might be as simple as serving your employees on a deeper level or getting involved in your local community.

Connect with Jeff Johns and Aimee Minnich:

• Impact Foundation Website

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Fred Smith is the Founder of The Gathering, which he led for three decades through the end of 2018. He was the Founder of Fourth Partner, a local foundation in Tyler focused on philanthropy and community development within the East Texas area. Fred spent several years as a teacher and administrator at Charlotte Christian School in North Carolina and The Stony Brook School in New York.

Fred is also the author of The Edge of the Inside, filled with insights into the Scriptures.

Fred joins me on the podcast to share his journey to creating The Gathering, how it came into being and why it was so important to create a place where people can meet to exchange knowledge and build relationships. He shares his lifelong love of teaching Sunday school and the lessons he learned through sharing and exploring God's word. Fred also discusses why the best way to start something big is often with the smallest step and why people who don't understand that don't succeed when trying to create something significant.

"I love getting God a better return on what he's invested in people." - Fred Smith

"Once you've built up an asset of relationships and trust and a track record, you really don't need money going in." - Fred Smith

"The Gathering is learning in the context of a relationship." - Fred Smith

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• How Fred got to know his father as an adult and how that has shaped his work
• What Fred learned from his time in the Navy
• Why Fred decided to apply to the Divinity School at Harvard Graduate School
• How Fred started the Leadership Network with Bob Bulford and why he was so inspired to get a group of his peers together to discuss philanthropy
• Why Fred founded the Fourth Partner Foundation to focus on the assets a community can exploit for good.
• How Fred found one of the biggest backers of The Gathering
• When Fred decided to participate in The Gathering as a full-time commitment
• Why Fred dislikes setting goals for himself
• How Fred created the core values of The Gathering and made a map to find the next President

Fred Smith's Words of Wisdom:

You can have money, fame, talent, and education, but you're impoverished if people don't trust you. The most important aspects of building something great are trust and the understanding that you only have to do one small thing to begin creating something huge.

Connect with Fred Smith:

• The Gathering Website
• Fred's Thursday Blog
• The Gathering on Instagram
• The Gathering on Facebook
• The Gathering on Twitter

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter

Grace's Table was born out of Lisa's struggle and prayers as a teen mama. When she entered motherhood at age 17, she felt alone, isolated, and scared, and there were times when she had to choose between keeping a roof over her son's head or keeping food on the table. Grace's Table is a hedge of protection around fragile families; their giving partners are defenders, shielding them as they grow and linking arms with them as they navigate the road to a fulfilling life and future for their family. Together, they preserve families.

I welcome Lisa on to the podcast this week to share her feelings about when she found out at the age of 17 that her life would change forever. She discusses how she transitioned from hosting a bible study group alongside her full-time job in finance to inviting young moms in need to eat at her table, and when she felt that tap on the shoulder from the Lord to build something life-changing for such a vulnerable group of people. Lisa also shares how she came up with the name Grace's Table and tells the story of who she is honoring and how they helped her.

"Grace's table is a way of me ... extending God's grace to every mom that comes to the table." - Lisa Anderson

"We really don't know what the person sitting across the table from us has carried, or is still holding." - Lisa Anderson

"I knew that there was something more that needed to be done because we had moms without education, without stable housing, without food. And I want to always radiate Jesus in the things that I do, but I also want to meet tangible, practical, needs that can allow them to take their next steps." - Lisa Anderson

This Week on The Wow Factor:

• What Lisa learned from her parents about serving others and serving in the church
• How her foundation was fractured at the age of 15
• How she managed to survive when her son was born and the people who walked with her and shone God's light and love in broken places
• What led to Lisa and her two-year-old son couch surf for a time and how Lisa moved past that and found a stable job in the corporate world
• Why Lisa was so moved to support young moms who are lonely and isolated and how she built the community that embraces them
• How Lisa's son supported his mom's work with mothers and small children
• Examples of some of the knocks from young mothers that Lisa has had on her door and how she starts to walk alongside them
• Lisa's practical advice for families, parents, and grandparents to be on how to have challenging conversations
• What's next for Grace's table and how they are extending their support to young families

Lisa Anderson's Words of Wisdom:

It's so important to have dedicated time to invest in yourself — in getting quiet and praying. It can help you clear your head, then come back and engage with your team in a much better way.

Connect with Lisa Anderson:

• Grace's Table Website
• Grace's Table on Instagram
• Grace's Table on Facebook

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter