Catholic Founders

#76 He's Putting Virtue Into Exercise | Chase Crouse of Hypuro Fit

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🤝 We host a lot of events. Upcoming in Wisconsin (on saturday), and Dallas (July 18). Check out our events here.* ⭐ Check out last week’s episode of CF with John Cannon, founder of Sent Ventures and Monk Mindset* 🎙️I recently got a chance to talk with Ben Black (The Dynastus Letters) on his pod, The Dynastus Podcast. Give it a listen.* 🤖 We recently launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayWe have 130+ members in the Guild today. People like Jimmy Coleman, Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Zuhair Madanat, Derek McMonagle, and Matchmaker Madigan - to name a few. What are you waiting for? Join today and get access to all the benefits of the guild. The Groupchat | Member Directory | Online Events | Recordings | Special Guild Discounts from Members | CF Content AI ChatBot Our annual membership fee is $100, so joining is a no-brainer. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Intro to the Guest and Topic — Chase Crouse, Theologian turned personal trainer. * Core Takeaway: Be fit to properly give.* Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:Chase Crouse | Hypuro FitEver wonder how to build a workout plan/routine that is based on Theology of the Body rather than just in service of vanity? Well, you’re in the right place because our guest built that exact thing. Our guest is Chase Crouse. He and his wife built Hypuro Fit. A fitness training/coaching service built on the principles of our Faith. This in itself is interesting and part of our discussion. However, we covered a lot of other things like…* Why they put their pricing transparently on their site… and how that leads to better customer calls. * When he tries to do things his way, it usually doesn’t work out as well. But when it’s God’s way, it’s much better. I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy this convo. Do us a favor, reach out to Chase and tell him he should join the Guild because he’s missing out 😆. Want to sponsor this podcast and get your biz in front of hundreds of Catholic business owners each week? We are taking sponsors now, for as low as $55 per issue. Reach out today: admin@catholicfounders.com Core Lesson: Being fit is important to being able to fully and freely give to others.Chase frames fitness through a profound lens borrowed from St. John Paul II and St. John of the Cross: you cannot give what you do not have. Too often, we look at physical health as either a vanity project or an afterthought. Instead, we should view exercise and nutrition as vital tools for building the capacity to serve our families, our businesses, and our communities with technical excellence. Because if we are to offer our lives to the Lord and for the cause of the mission, shouldn’t we be the best version of ourselves?God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts, and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days (half if they are only part time). To get started, reach out to admin@catholicfounders.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:Organizations* Avila InstituteSpiritual Concepts, Prayers & Church Documents* Theology of the Body* Gaudium et Spes* Divine Mercy Chaplet* Litany of Humility* Eucharistic AdorationBooks* $100 Million Money Models* They Ask, You AnswerScripture Passages* John 3:30Select Quotes:* “People are people to be loved not objects to be used.” - Chase Crouse* “My coaches, they're not means to an end. They are the end, right? They're people.” - Chase Crouse* “We're authentically Catholic while being technically excellent at the same time.” - Chase Crouse* “A lot of this is as a founder as an owner has been just learning to manage my expectations and stay in my lane and being okay with things being done differently as long as they're still done well and managing my expectations of timeline.” - Chase Crouse* “That perfection mentality around like, I can't get somebody to 100 % of the way I do it is I think it's personally something I've struggled with a lot. I have accepted the fact that there's going to be some variance there, but I think it's what holds a lot of founders back from growing the team” - Silas Mähner* “Self donation or self gift is impossible without self mastery.” - Chase Crouse* “Exercise, nutritional discipline, lifestyle, recovery, they're all tools to conquer yourself to better give off yourself.” - Chase Crouse* “I'm not a spiritual director, right? We're not spiritual director, we're coaches, but we don't have to leave our faith at the door.” - Chase Crouse* “I have to be okay with making less money for the sake of spending time with my family and resting.” - Chase Crouse* “We do have to have a detachment to arbitrarily hitting a certain number goal if it means we're not living and serving our vocational state to the best of our ability.” - Chase Crouse* “Marketing sales is inherently manipulative. But I don't want to manipulate somebody as a means to an end of making money.” - Chase Crouse* “That fear of rejection is typically rooted in It's sneaky pride. It's subtle pride.” - Chase CrouseKey Moments: (outline)* (00:00) - Intro: Why entrepreneurship is a divine calling and an introduction to Chase Crouse.* (02:45) - Embracing Family Realities: Shedding professional shyness and finding the beauty when kids interrupt your business calls.* (03:23) - Career Background: Transitioning from full-time parish ministry into health coaching.<...

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#75 Silas' Appearance on The Dynastus Podcast with Ben Black

4d ago01:17:02Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 📆 If you’re in Wausau (Central Wisconsin) this Saturday, we’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup! Join us or check out our events page for an event near you.* We just dropped a killer episode with the legendary Flip Howard. Check it out here! (PS: if you’re not already, pls follow us on your favorite podcast player to never miss a beat). Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* What is this episode? First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Episode:Usually, I’m the one asking the questions here at Catholic Founders, but recently I had the pleasure of sitting down on the other side of the mic. I joined Ben Black on the Dynastus Podcast for a special cross-post episode.Ben runs an incredible Substack called The Dynastus Letters—honestly, it’s one of the few pieces of media I happily pay to subscribe to. We dive deep into what it actually looks like to build an intentional, multi-generational family legacy, the raw instinct of entrepreneurship, and how our Catholic faith completely reshapes the blueprint of a successful business.If you have not already, I recommend checking out his pod and getting in touch with him for building a family dynasty. It’s really fascinating to help understand your family's multi-generational potential. Learn more here: The Dynastus Letters.PS: I personally really liked the posts he did on the Johnson family from Wisconsin (here is Part 1). Hire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:Books & Literary Works* American Nations by Colin Woodward* Leaving a Legacy by Johann Kurtz* Family Fortunes by Bill and Will Bonner* Raising Heirs by Bill BonnerSaints & Spiritual Devotions* Father Michael J. McGivney* Saint Thomas Aquinas* Saint Thérèse of Lisieux* Exodus 90Bible Passages* Genesis 1:28* The Parable of the TalentsOrganizations & People* Knights of Columbus* Dr. Daniel Tatahe (Mercy Dental Group)* Tim Connors* Becoming NobleSelect Quotes:* “We are created in the image and likeness of God. And what does that mean, right? It has nothing to do with appearances. It has everything to do with the nature of who we are.” - Silas Mähner* “If a family wants to maintain its wealth over the long period, there has to be a a sense of continued growth and continued building.” - Silas Mähner* “We are choosing to enter into the I the the act of co-creation so that we may become an instrument of God's will in the world.” - Silas Mähner* “Well it's a really it's purpose versus reason, isn't it? You can come up with a million reasons but you can only really have one, maybe two purposes.” - Ben Black* “Purpose and intention massively change the outcome.” - Silas Mähner* “If you're an entrepreneur, you just can't help it. You have to do it. Like it's something that eventually will come out of you.” - Silas Mähner* “He(God) doesn't promise us success financially, right? He promises us to be with us” - Silas Mähner* “The world is incomplete when you don't live out your gifts.” - Silas Mähner* “With a bit of unity, what your family can accomplish with that shared faith and with the shared name is immense.” - Ben Black* “And the the idea is you are the genesis. If you aren't inheriting something or you aren't taking over something, then you are the genesis of this. And you are the person that is going to set the things in motion for the next generation.” - Ben BlackKey Moments: (outline)* (00:04) - Intro: Silas introduces the cross-post interview with Ben Black, highlighting Ben’s work with The Dynastus Letters.* (00:58) - In-Group Preference: Ben and Silas talk about how ethnic and religious groups historically preserve faith and wealth by doing business together.* (03:59) - Cultural Geographies of America: Silas references Colin Woodward’s American Nations to explain the deep-rooted cultural differences across US regions.* (05:36) - Openness and the Survival Instinct: An exploration of early Christian survival mechanisms versus modern cultural security and economic collaboration.* (13:14) - Co-Creation and Transcendentals: Silas defines the entrepreneurial urge as an extension of mankind’s role as co-creators, filtering through truth, goodness, beauty, and unity.* (19:58) - Purpose vs. Profit in Business: St. Thomas Aquinas’s bread-baking analogy is used to demonstrate how intent shapes customer satisfaction and organizational culture.* (23:42) - The Calling of an Entrepreneur: Silas breaks down his personal transition out of corporate bureaucracy and reframes financial risk through divine providence.* (33:04) - Radical Stewardship of Employees & Capital: A deep dive into modern workplace management, including living wages and treating business capital as God’s money.* (41:28) - Doctrine and Business Strategy: Playing devil’s advocate on whether Christian moral constraints limit long-term business growth and ...

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#74 How to Unlock Ambition that Doesn't Fuel Your Ego | Flip Howard

1w ago00:58:35Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🤝 We host a lot of events. Upcoming in Dallas (tomorrow), Houston (Monday), and Wisconsin (27th). Check out our events here.* ⭐ Check out last week’s episode of CF with John Cannon, founder of Sent Ventures and Monk Mindset* 🤖 We recently launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* 💸 Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Intro to the Guest and Topic: Flip Howard, Private Office Mogul * Core Takeaway: * Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:Flip Howard | Lucid Private OfficesWorking from home is the answer for some. Most of us see it as a great way to be close to our families. But today’s guest, Flip Howard, the founder of Lucid Private Offices, thinks we should have separation between work and home via physical office space. He has built Lucid into a thriving office space provider with 29 locations around the country. And the thing he spends most of his time really thinking about and chewing on is how he can not ruin his kids with the wealth he’s creating. So we end up talking a lot about that as well. We also cover his perspective on ambition as a Catholic. I’m convinced you’ll enjoy this episode, which I was able to record in person with Flip in Nashville a few weeks ago. Have a listen and let us know your thoughts. Should we work from home? How can we not ruin our children as we gain wealth? And how do you think about ambition as a Catholic? Get in front of 100s of Catholic Business Owners! Sponsor this newsletter to get your product or service in front of many value-aligned buyers of your products or services. Inquire at admin@catholicfounders.com Core Lesson: Be intentional about the workspace that you create for yourself and for your employees. Work is a good thing — God gave us the commandment to work even before the fall of man. God chose to create the universe. Working is, in some ways, an imitation of this. Because this is true, it’s important for us to consider how we create our space to help elevate our souls to do good work and to keep us in a virtuous mode. A priest once told me, "A beautiful and well-ordered exterior is a reflection of a beautiful and well-ordered interior.” Consider this for yourself, and for your employees. Can you help elevate work by making the space beautiful? Regardless of whether you’re in white-collar office work or blue-collar factory/shop work, there are ways for you to elevate your work space and help lift your soul and the souls of your workers. Just ask yourself, does this space look like a space where humans can flourish? God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:Businesses & Venues* Lucid Private Offices* Augustine InstituteLiterary Works & Documents* “On Human Work” (Laborem Exercens) - St. JPII Encyclical* Leaving a Legacy - Johann KurtzPlaces & Landmarks* Vatican Valley, Las Colinas, Dallas* Carnegie Library* Library of Congress* Franciscan University of SteubenvilleScripture* Philippians 4:8* John 6Select Quotes:* “Like, what was Mother Teresa? Clearly she was ambitious. You know, would you say she had ambition? Well, that makes it seem like it was for her, but she was clearly ambitious.” - Flip Howard* “And humans are the only creatures who are able to actually participate in creation through work. And work is what makes us fully human.” - Flip Howard* “And rich people are surrounded by beauty all the time. And that's really the main difference between someone who's rich and someone who's not.” - Flip Howard* “It is important for kids to see their dad work. You know, not work too much, not love work, but work.” - Flip Howard* “You can keep working from the beach, but you're not gonna really move the ball forward. You're not gonna be advancing the thing while you're doing it. And that to me, that's what, you know, remote work is like.” - Flip Howard* “And the answer is hire the ones that would naturally do that kind of thing. It's not about changing adults. Like that was their parents' job.” - Flip Howard* “But to me it's not really It doesn't come from some, like you said, heady philosophical understanding of Catholic social teaching. It comes from just trying to love in a gospelsy sort of way, in a very simplistic. I just I think that people can tell when they're being used.” - Flip Howard* “You're not doing anybody any favors leaving someone in a job they're not thriving in.” - Flip HowardKey Moments: (outline)* (00:00) - Intro: Silas introduces Flip Howard and sets the stage for a discussion centered on real estate, beautiful workspaces, virtuous ambition, and family succession.* (03:03) - The In-Person Pivot: Silas welcomes Flip to the studio in Nashville and asks for a quick breakdown of his identity and his upscale co-working company, Lucid Private Offices.* (05:07) - From Laundry to Luxury Real Estate: Flip shares how he graduated from Franciscan University and stumbled into the executive suite industry after initially running a campus laundry business.* (09:15) - Identity and Joy in Entrepreneurship: A conversation on how to avoid tying your identity entirely to your business and how t...

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#73 Asking God to Crush Your Venture Might Be Your Highest Act of Leadership | John Cannon

2w ago01:00:41Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🤝 We host a bunch of events. In cities like Nashville (tonight), Washington D.C. (next week), Houston (22nd), Dallas (20th), and Wausau, WI. Check out our events here.* ⭐ Check out last week’s episode of CF with Juan Dominguez of Ad Aeternum Media* 🤖 We recently launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* 💸 Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Guest: John Cannon - Topic: When to Close a Chapter* Core Takeaway: Take the Next Step* Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:John Cannon | Monk MindsetToday’s guest is the one and only John Cannon. He started SENT Ventures after many years as a monk. SENT currently puts on one of the biggest conferences for Catholic builders every year (happening in Denver this year). But now John is on to his next venture. We take some time to discuss his journey, and we spend a bit of time on what it looks like to close a chapter and go onto the next one. It’s a core focus of the discussion. John’s genuine spirit and care for the work he’s doing is very evident to all who meet him. Hopefully that comes through in this interview. Do what John has promoted, build like the saints! Want to get your business in front of hundreds of business owners? Sponsor this podcast! — Reach out, admin@catholicfounders.com Core Lesson: The journey you’re called on, is going to be a lot crazier than you imagine. God is helping you take step after step — He doesn’t usually share the next 100 steps. But trust Him! John’s journey, like many of us, did not go in a straight line. As entrepreneurs, we have lived this and seen how many ups and downs the entrepreneurship life has.But what’s funny is often when we start out, we think it’s going to be in a straight line. Growth is going to be up and to the right, and before you know it, we’re going to be millionaires.Anyone who’s been in this for any period of time knows that’s not exactly how it goes.However, despite all of these ups and downs, the point is we must trust in God and take the next step and the next step and the next step. We must follow Him with trust, knowing that He will be with us. The road ahead isn’t likely a straight line, but I assure you its the journey of a lifetime. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:* SENT Ventures* Monk Mindset* Hallow* Missionaries of Charity - Calcutta* Institute of Christ the King* Mystery of Transfiguration of Jesus* Come Holy Spirit Prayer* Her Last Conversations (book)Select Quotes:* “The faith had transformed my life so much. I was like, well, why don't people like take this seriously out there?” - John Cannon* “It just got me seeing that entrepreneurship has actually been a key ingredient to how the church has renewed historically.” - John Cannon* “I found that there was like a lot of them, one of the things that they really benefited from or that was most important or meaningful to them was having like a community or at least a few other entrepreneurs they could really like, they trusted and they could bring hard problems or issues too to get.” - John Cannon* “There's a saying in entrepreneurship, fail fast, and that's actually preferable. If you just fail very quickly, then you know that doesn't work, and you can move on to the next thing. Like it's actually really painful to fail slowly because then you don't actually know you're like failing over a long period of time.”- John Cannon* “God, if you don't want this, like just crush it or have it fail or like, like actually praying that prayer.” - John Cannon* “The wheat and the weeds are all together, right? A little bit in almost any human endeavor.” — John Cannon* “I think the hard part for me sometimes feels, though, that there are two or three viable options that it feels like God's kind of saying, like, Hey, it's up to you to choose. Right? Like at the end of the day, still want you to be, to use your agency, to use your free will...” — Silas Mähner* “God will help open those doors in that path. And then I think on the human and natural level, like we're not relieved of doing the work there too, right?” - John CannonKey Moments: (outline)* [00:00] Intro Silas introduces John Cannon and sets the stage for discussing monastic life, high-level business networks, and the transition into fresh vocational missions.* [05:08] Founding SENT: John describes his deep-dive study into historical church renewal leaders like St. Benedict and St. Francis, highlighting the entrepreneurial core driving these major movements.* [07:56] Navigating the Evolution of Ideas An exploration of how early concepts begin as amorphous goals and must adapt continuously through initial feedback loops.* [10:38] Building Community Among Entrepreneurs: Discussing the critical value of trusted peer circles where founders can openly process professional and spiritual hurdles.* [13:11] Balancing of Faith & Entrepreneurship: Reflecting on the integration of everyday business with a life of prayer, including the practice of praying for non-viable paths to be cleared away.* [15:59] From Nonprofit to For-Profit: John details the early structural considerations of Sent Ventures and how its mission evolved over time.* [20:23] Reflections on the Impact: Discussing the unique synergy that occurs when sharp business operators and spiritua...

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#72 How to reclaim Christian masculinity and build a parallel economy | Juan Dominguez

3w ago00:59:59Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🤝 We host a bunch of events. In cities like New York, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, and even Central Wisconsin. Check out our events here.* 🇻🇦We released an emergency episode last Tuesday to break down the newest Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV: Magnifica Humanitas.* ⭐ Check out last week’s episode of CF with Zak Slayback and Edmund Mitchell* 🤖 We recently launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* 💸 Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Intro to the Guest and Topic* Core Takeaway * Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:Juan Dominguez | Ad AeternumWelcome back, everyone, to another episode of the Catholic Founders Podcast. If you’ve spent any time bouncing around the Catholic part of Substack over the last few years, you have almost certainly crossed paths with the work of today’s guest. I am joined by Juan Dominguez, the founder of Ad Aeternum. A best-selling Substack publication formerly known as Simple Man. Juan has built an incredible global community dedicated to a massive mission: helping young men recover deep virtue, shake off the epidemic of modern loneliness, and start living with radical purpose.In this conversation, we talk about living a faithful life in this modern age. The interior life. Sharing our faith publicly. How building a business can satisfy the desire to conquer in modern times. And what to do about the AI situation (this was recorded pre Magnifica Humanitas FYI). I really had fun chopping it up with Juan. I hope you enjoy this episode as well! Wanna sponsor this podcast or the newsletter? Reach out to Admin@catholicfounders.com to get started, and to get your business or service in front of hundreds of Catholic Business owners… every week (for very affordable rates). Core Lesson: True Catholic entrepreneurship is not false humility. It’s about us using our God-given talents to answer the calling He has for us. Humility doesn’t mean being small. It doesn’t mean disagreeing with people when they compliment a skill you have. Humility is recognizing where it all comes from and directing the praise towards Him. Humility is realizing you’ve been given a mission calling, and answering it, regardless of how unworthy you feel. Humility is what allows you to run a wildly successful business without it going to your head, because you don’t see it as yours at all. Now, in the new AI era, it’s more important than ever that we take this responsibility seriously. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:Creative Works & Publications* Ad Aeternum Substack* Ad Aeternum YouTube Channel* Becoming Noble by Johann Kurtz* Simple Man (Song)* The Fountain of Youth by Dave DurandScripture & Parables* “Be the light of the world” Gospel (Matthew 5:14)* Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)* Isaiah 6:8Select Quotes:* “At times like this, the halos are hanging from the lowest branches.” - Juan Dominguez* “Sanctity and holiness is there for the taking. It’s really up to you to decide to be one of the few ones who are a light in this world, and the encouragement and the motivation are for you to actually do it and strive to become a saint.” - Juan Dominguez* “You are the representation of the Gospel. You are the representation of what the Catholic Church stands for. So it’s a huge responsibility to carry, even if you’re not doing it publicly, of course, especially if you’re doing it publicly, but just in day-to-day life, in the conversations that you have with other people, it’s we have that a huge burden to bear and I think we really haven’t been understanding that and taking it with the seriousness that it deserves” - Juan Dominguez* “If you are called to build, then build and do it for the glory of God.” - Silas Mähner* “It’s usually just a cop out and just an excuse for cowardice to not put yourself out there and try, you know, it’s way easier to just accept what is, not try to build anything better, not try to go anywhere better, not try to be better in any way.” - Juan Dominguez* “The coward’s way out is just using this false humility, like you said, to masquerade a cowardice that keeps you from actually doing what you need, like what your duty is, and that is to put your talents to good use” - Juan DominguezShare your favorite quote from above! Key Moments: (outline)* (00:00) - Intro : Juan Dominguez frames the vital need for promoting virtue and guiding young men back to Christ.* (00:35) - Mission Statement : Silas Mähner outlines the core objective of Catholic Founders and introduces Juan Dominguez.* (02:23) - The Origin of Ad Aeternum : Juan discusses his background as a Colombian writer and entrepreneur growing his Substack community.* (04:38) - Rediscovering the Faith : Juan details how a secular masculinity project unintentionally led him back to the Catholic Church.* (07:34) - The Heavy Burden of Hypocrisy : A deep look at why mod...

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#71 Edmund Mitchell & Zak Slayback Discuss Magnifica Humanitas on Catholic Founders

4w ago01:19:17Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🤝 We host a bunch of events. In cities like New York, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, and even Central Wisconsin. Check out our events here. * 🇻🇦We released an emergency episode last Tuesday to break down the newest Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV: Magnifica Humanitas.* ⭐ Check out last week’s episode of CF with Matt Ingold* 🤖 We recently launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* 💸 Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.Intro to our Guests & the Point of Today’s PodcastZak Slayback is a Venture Capital Investor and well-read convert to Catholicism (2020). Edmund Mitchell is a serial entrepreneur and is very plugged into the AI world, especially on the Catholic side of the scene. We brought them on today to discuss their key perspectives on Pope Leo’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas. We cover a wide range of topics, but we are just scratching the surface, so let me know if you’d like to hear another one of these. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Select Quotes:* “The fundamental anthropology that is proposed in Rerum Novarum […], is that the primary unit of society is man and his family.” - Zak Slayback* “Unemployment is a grave evil. That is one thing that is noted in the document, citing back to John Paul II’s social encyclicals. Why is it a grave evil? Well, one, because work is a good thing for man.” - Zak Slayback* “Pope Leo doesn’t give us the room to outsource our thinking to this document or outsource our thinking to any, you know, podcast or news clip, right? Like we I think sometimes we want to find a justification for things we’re already doing when often the opposite is the case, these encyclicals challenge us to change.” - Edmund Mitchell* “The social function of credit remains irreplaceable. Finance for its own sake is fundamentally different from finance aimed at the development. Creation and evolution of work.” - Zak Slayback (Quoting from Magnifica Humanitas)* “ROI maxing is not the purpose of being an entrepreneur. It shouldn’t be at least. It shouldn’t be the purpose behind making an investment.” - Silas Mähner* “The call to action from the Holy Father is to develop more sustainable technologies, it’s not necessarily to tear the data. Centers down or to not build them.” - Zak Slayback* “The decision to invest in one place rather than another, and one productive sector rather than another, is always a moral and cultural choice, and that’s italicized in the original document.” - Zak Slayback* “Technology itself is one of the talents that we’re granted. And I was thinking a lot about the fact that we were intentionally put in this time of history to be to use the things that are at our disposal.” - Silas Mähner* “We can use the tools that are at our disposal in our time and our own journey of sanctification is intentionally set up. to be in this time of history.” - Silas MähnerKey Episode References:Church Documents & Papal Teachings* Magnifica Humanitas Encyclical | Rerum Novarum | Quadragesimo Anno | Populorum Progressio | Pacem in Terris | Redemptor Hominis | Laborem Exercens | Centesimus Annus | Caritas in Veritate | Laudato si’ | Fratelli Tutti | Gaudium et Spes | Antiqua et nova | Evangelium Vitae | Veritatis Splendor | Casti Connubii | Humanae Vitae | Second Vatican Council Documents | Paul VI - Address to the United Nations (“No war, no more war”)Popes & Church Figures* Pope Leo XIV | Pope Leo XIII | Pope Pius IX | Pope Pius XI | Pope Paul VI | Pope John XXIII | Pope John Paul II | Pope Benedict XVI | Pope Francis | Fr. Jean Gove, Archdiocese of Malta | Second Vatican CouncilOrganizations, Projects & Media* Digital Continent* SENT Ventures* The Faith and AI Project* “Delete Magisterium AI Debate” by Matthew Sanders and Mark Barnes* Catholic Answers<...

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#70 Your Business IS Your Mission Field and It's Where God Draws You Closer | Matt Ingold

May 2800:53:19Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🤝 We have events happening in Dallas, Nashville, Wisconsin, and Columbus. Register to attend.* 🇻🇦We released an emergency episode last Tuesday to break down the newest Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV: Magnifica Humanitas.* ⭐ Check out last week’s episode of CF with Matt Pinto* 🤖 We recently launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* 💸 Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Intro to the Guest and Topic: Matt Ingold, Founder of Metanoia Catholic* Core Takeaway * Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:Matthew Ingold | Metanoia CatholicAlright folks, welcome back to another episode of the Catholic Founders Podcast. Today, we are bringing you a powerful conversation recorded live at the YCP conference in Dallas with the one and only Matt Ingold, co-founder of Metanoia Catholic. They have been building for 7 years and have evolved into a premier coach training academy that helps form executive and life coaches who integrate the Catholic faith into human development and personal growth.We discuss:* How founders can reclaim the entrepreneurial space from modern hustle culture. * How looking closely at our daily biz ops can help us with our interior diologue with the Father. * What it’s like to run a business with your wife. * How to see God’s hand in the ups, and the downs, of running a business.* And much more. Regardless of what type of biz owner you are, and how far along you are on your journey, I think you’re going to like this. Core Lesson: Your business serves as an architectural space for your personal sanctification and a visible manifestation of the unique, unrepeatable dialogue you share with the Father.Running your company IS your ministry. It’s God’s way of bringing others to Him through you, and bringing you to Him through the work. The challenges of running a business are many. For Catholics, it has a new meaning though, because we know there is more to life than pursuit of money and status. We know that the only thing we can take with us when we die are the other souls that we bring along. As entrepreneuers, we get the opportunity to affect and touch the lives of many many people in a meaningful way throughout our life. This is our mission field. Mission is the point. Bringing others to know God is the point. When this clicks, your business is no longer about the specific mission you solve or making oodles of money, as much as it is a mission to bring more ppl to know God. Perhaps the most fascinating thing that comes from this is, that God uses this experience to help us be sanctified. The daily challenges, the way He teaches us about ourselves, and about His providence and love; it all contributes to bringing us closer to Him… if we allow it. So, next time you’re thinking about your business challenges, or planning the future, or wanting to complain, realize that this is your mission field. Through answering the call to enter into the mission field willingly, you’ll bring more people to know God, and you will come to closer to God, and eternal life. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:* Organizations & Websites* Metanoia Catholic* Young Catholic Professionals (YCP)* Catholic Coaching* FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students)* His Way at WorkBooks & Literary Works* The Purgative Way - How to make your coaching Catholic Course* Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard* Clear Path to Making Missionary Disciples by Jim Jansen* The Reed of God by Caryll HouselanderAssessments* StrengthsFinder* Working GeniusSaints, Devotions, & Scripture* St. John Paul II* St. John Vianney* St. Thérèse of Lisieux* Mother Teresa* Our Lady of Sorrows* Ezekiel 37: Valley of the Dry BonesPeople* Venerable Fulton Sheen* Christopher Pereira* Ryan Foley* Alex HormoziSelect Quotes:* “Something happens when you enter an environment where you got a lot of Catholics th...

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#69 Key Takeaways From Magnifica Humanitas for Catholic Founders

May 2600:40:43Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Emergency Pod! As many of you know, yesterday Pope Leo XIV published his first encyclical. It has been heavily anticipated because ever since he announced his name as Leo, we knew this was the reason and that this was coming. We are in the midst of another industrial revolution, this time caused by AI systems. Yesterday, instead of relaxing and enjoying the holiday, I took the whole day to read through the encyclical. Admittedly, I thought it would take me about 4 hours to read and make a pod, but it ended up taking me all day. The only breaks I took were to eat and help my wife with a few things. I’m genuinely surprised at how long it took me. Nevertheless, it is here. Join Our Encyclical Discussion📆 For anyone interested, this Wednesday (tomorrow) at 12:30 pm Central Time, the Catholic Founders Guild (paid members) is having a discussion on this encyclical. You must be a paying member of our Substack to attend, so if you’d like to, please join up right away, and we will ensure you get the invite. The Structure of My Breakdown: Summary + Key Considerations for Business OwnersThis is not some scholarly take going deep into the theology. I am not a theologian. Heck, half the time I can barely speak English properly. Instead, I summarize the key components of the introduction, 5 chapters, and the conclusion. Then I dive into the key components of each section that I thought were interesting to focus. Along the way, I offer my commentary on what each of these means for us as business owners. This is by no means an extensive exploration. It is meant to help you understand the key items. I will be writing more about this in the coming weeks and months, and I will likely do additional podcast episodes on key components of it. But I hope that this helps you figure out which part of the encyclical to focus on reading, and the key things that you, as a business owner, should be aware of. I Need Your HelpPlease, help me out by sharing this around with your friends. Ideally, please reach out to a fellow member of the Catholic Founders Guild to discuss it with. I cannot emphasize enough that each of us has a role to play in building the city of the future that Pope Leo speaks of in this encyclical. We all have a role to play. None of us is on the bench. This is a Church-wide effort. We must work in union. Please share this, and please reach out with your key observations for business owners so that I can continue to formalize my understanding of how this applies to Catholic Founders. Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.Key Moments: (outline)Here are the timestamps for your podcast show notes, organized cleanly by the key chapters and themes discussed in the transcript.Podcast Timestamps: Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas* 00:00 – Introduction: Reflecting on recording late and the release of Magnifica Humanitas on May 25th.* 00:46 – Setting expectations: A non-theologian’s summary focusing on business owners and major takeaways.* 01:21 – Why this encyclical matters: The significance of the name “Leo XIV” and the historical connection to Catholic Social Teaching (Rerum Novarum and Laborem Exercens).* 02:18 – High-level overview of the document’s structure (Introduction, 5 Chapters, and Conclusion).* 04:02 – Deep Dive: The Introduction – The Tower of Babel vs. the walls of Jerusalem, technology as non-neutral, and the human heart.* 05:43 – Chapter 1: The Church’s Journey with Humanity – Continuous tradition, initiating good processes, and moving away from cultural strongholds.* 06:50 – Chapter 2: Core Principles & The Spicy Take on Data – Restating human dignity and the common good; why data, patents, and algorithms are now considered universal goods.* 07:54 – Chapter 2 (Cont.): Subsidiarity & Solidarity – The role of the state, environmental impacts of data centers, and avoiding exploitation.* 09:30 – Chapter 3: The Dangers of AI – Why AI is not human, the trap of fake objectivity, and the simulation of human connection.* 11:15 – Chapter 3 (Cont.): Critiquing the Technocratic Paradigm – Why human suffering is a feature, not a bug, and a response to transhumanism.* 12:54 – Chapter 4: Truth, Work, and Modern Slavery – The pursuit of truth and a direct challenge to business owners regarding layoffs and profit margins.* 14:41 – Chapter 4 (Cont.): The Dark Side of Tech Infrastructure – Data labeling exploitation, child labor in supply chains, and the hijacking of attention spans.* 16:11 – Chapter 5: AI in Warfare – The socialization of war and the absolute necessity of keeping humans in the loop for lethal choices.* 17:33 – Chapter 5 (Cont.): Building a Civilization of Love – The 5 pillars of peace, reviving dialogue, and a practical challenge to know your neighbors.* 19:10 – Conclusion & Final Reflections – The Incarnation through Mary, our role as “weavers of hope,” and final thoughts for Catholic entrepreneurs.Hire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts, and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe

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#68 His Company Helped Bring Fr. Mike to the World, Now He Advises and Invests in Startups | Matthew Pinto

May 2101:06:48Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * 🚀 We just hired Oscar Shingledecker to help us grow! Our first FT hire. So if he reaches out to you, it’s legit. * 🤝 We have events happening in Dallas, Nashville, Wisconsin, and Columbus. Register to attend.* 🎵 Check out last week’s episode of CF with Will Hickl — the Catholic Spotify* 🤖 We just launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* 💸 Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the community/group chat, our AI Chatbot trained fully on CF Content, and the CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Intro to the Guest and Topic: Matthew Pinto — Founder of Ascension Press & Ascension Presents* Core Takeaway: Build for Eternity* Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:Matthew Pinto | Ascension Press, Catholic Catalyst, The Genesis GroupHey folks! Excited to share this discussion with Matthew Pinto. He is an absolute legend. Not only did he found one of the most widely known Catholic media assets today (Ascension Press / Presents, yes, the place Fr. Mike Schmitz Publishes), but he also does coaching of startups and angel investing. Matthew is one of the rare people who deeply understand that their money is not for themselves. He views his role as a servant of God here to leverage the connections and network that he has with the excess capital he has to help advance the kingdom of God. Oh, and he’s a serial entrepreneur. In addition to Ascension Press, he founded CatholicExchange.com, the Theology of the Body Institute, and Envoy Magazine. It would be an understatement to say that Matthew is a giant in the history of Catholic Media in the modern age. But, you wouldn’t know it by his humility. Check out the Faithful Steward!If you’re a Catholic and want to invest in other Catholics, sign up for our free deal flow newsletter today.Go to https://catholicdealflow.com and start getting deals in your inbox.Core Lesson: As Catholic builders, we need to think in Decades.Behind every massive, visible breakthrough we witness in the Church today (ie, the success of Father Mike Schmitz’s video content) lies a decade (or more) of hidden groundwork. There was infrastructure in place to handle the growth when it happened. This means, as we build our companies, we need to be thinking in decades. As founders, it can be super frustrating if things aren’t ‘taking off’ right away, but, as is evident through Matt’s story, sometimes the time is necessary. Jesus gave us the same example. 30 years of preparation for 3 years of ministry. Let’s build for the future — let’s build for eternity! We as Catholics should understand this better than anyone else. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:* Books & Publications* Companion Book to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ* Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove* The Great Adventure Bible / Bible TimelineScripture & Parables* Book of Revelation* Parable of the TalentsMovies* The Passion of the ChristSelect Quotes:* “I think this is the... I guess you could say in some ways the challenge of our age is like if we're going to try to be good Catholics in the world, it's a very challenging world to be in in so many ways, but we cannot become paralyzed by fear of making a mistake or, you know, fear of the wrong decision because then we have no momentum.” - Silas Mähner* “One is the book of Revelation with the Lord when he says, I'd rather you be hot or cold, just not lukewarm. I'm of the opinion that we're supposed to use prudence. You know, it's the mother of all virtues… I think the Lord would rather us strike out than not swing.” - Matt Pinto* “So I encourage anyone who's listening, who loves the Lord, loves the Church, wants to do things, pray specifically for a double portion of blessing and zeal and fervor for the faith.” - Matt Pinto* “Praise if everything depends on God. Work if everything depends on you.” - Matt Pinto* “And believe me, the celebration is not in oneself. It's in what the Lord did through broken instruments. Yes, we had skills, but it was all a gift.”- Matt Pinto* “She said, money in the right hands is a very good thing.” - Matt Pinto (quoting a prominent mother in Philadelphia)* “But what they do is they guard, they build safeguards when you don’t fully trust yourself. And at the end of the day, no human being should fully trust him or herself.”- Matt Pinto* “If you think of an idea and it looks like it works out from the different angles that you look at it, be bold and go for these things.” - Matt Pinto* “Think big, but realize that you gotta lock in and you gotta put in the time.” - Matt Pinto* “Think big, but realize that you gotta lock in and you gotta put in the time. Very few things are cultural phenomena. Even the viral things that we see pop up. Well, for every one viral phenomena, how many videos are produced that are not viral? 500,000? Have optimism, have zeal, pray for zeal. But I'm sorry guys, most instances you gotta get...

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#67 High Ground: Human Dignity as a Competitive Advantage Against Giants | Will Hickl

May 1501:04:16Tap to summarize

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * Shout out to Fio for sponsoring this recording at the recently held YCP Conference 🙌🏼* We have events happening in Dallas, Nashville, Wausau, and Columbus. Register to attend.* I recently went on the BeatiDudes podcast. Check it out here.* We just launched a bot to help you learn from ALL the content we’ve produced. Join the Guild today to gain access.* Want to invest in other Catholic projects/companies/ventures? Subscribe (for free) to the Faithful Steward newsletter.Join the Catholic Founders Guild TodayGet access to all CF Guild online events, the recordings, paywalled content, the CF Guild community/group chat, and CF Guild member directory.Many members have reported doing business with other CF Guild members within months of joining.With an annual membership fee of $100, it’s a total no-brainer to join. Consider this an association of Catholic business owners, not a high-commitment community that will sap your time.Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month.In Today’s Issue:* Intro to the Guest and Topic: Will Hickl — Taking on the Music Giant: Spotify* Core Takeaway: Build for the Long Haul* Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:Will Hickl |Fio, Novum RecordsI’ve known Will for a while now. Ever since he liked one of my posts about Catholic Founders stuff, he’s been ensnared in my web muahhahaha. Just kidding. However, when he liked that post, I reached out to see what he thought of the content. This led to him eventually joining the Catholic Founders Guild and becoming one of the most active members. Always being helpful and shares his witness with the world. In the time we’ve known each other, I’ve seen Will go through some challenging times in life, things out of his control, and the way he handled them was truly inspiring to me. It was about time we had him on the podcast to tell his story and to share more about what he’s doing to take on Spotify (among other things). It’s also because of Will that I ended up getting to record these in-person interviews in Dallas at the YCP conference. So… shoutout to him for that. If you’re not already, go download the Fio app, become a paying member, and go subscribe to our podcast on there 🤣. Check out the Faithful Steward! If you’re a Catholic and want to invest in other Catholics, sign up for our free deal flow newsletter today. Go to https://catholicdealflow.com and start getting deals in your inbox. Core Lesson: Taking the Long view is, in most cases, the Catholic ‘way’ to be an entrepreneur. This manifests in two ways with Will’s story. First, he’s building Fio slowly but surely. He hasn’t given up despite not seeing huge uptake from day one. He’s building the business slowly but surely. He takes his excess income and invests it in Fio to keep it going. This has led to them having a strong position in the market, and the compounding continues. Also worth noting that in some cases this has meant not focusing solely on the artists ‘financial appeal’ so that he can invest in them and give them a chance when others may not. Second is building a platform that rewards the artists more than Spotify. He’s taking a long view on this, meaning that he’ll draw in more artists who want better payment per stream. Sure, they are giving up more of the profit to the artists, but the artists make the platform. This is the key behind Catholic entrepreneurship. We do the right thing in the long view. We build companies that make a profit for the long term. Not just for one quarter. This is how we win. Build good companies that do good, for the long haul. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerHire Catholic Overseas TalentIn LatAm and the Philippines, there are millions of Catholic remote workers (across all domains) who want to work for ethical bosses.Often, they’re treated as second-class citizens or work for organizations that ask them to do questionable things. They reach out to us in search of a Catholic boss.So, we started ParacleteVA (website coming soon).With ParacleteVA, we’ll find you vetted, Catholic overseas talent who will help you move your business forward.How it works: Pay a $500 finders fee when the candidate starts and $500 if you’re still happy with them after 30 days.To get started, reach out to catholicfounders@gmail.com with what you’re looking for, and we’ll get started.Key Episode References:* YCP Conference* Novum Records* Fio.fm* Grace Lee* The Church Needs Your Dreams (Will Hickl’s talk)* St. John Nepomucene* Our Lady of WalsinghamSelect Quotes:* “ I think entrepreneurs and business people should know their industry or what they're trying to do, I think they should know it well. I think they should be a subject matter expert if they want to do it well” - Will Hickl* “ You need to understand the basics and be willing to have that learning spirit the same way that we have to have that learning and willingness in our faith. ” - Silas Mähner* “ God is not going to ask me, you know, hopefully I'm talking to him before the gates of heaven and he's not going to be like, hey, how many artists did you like get a million streams for? How many artists got like big Instagram followings? He's going to be like, hey, like, did you love them well? Did you treat them with dignity? Did you help them glorify me through their gifts? ” - Will Hickl* “ I genuinely think it'll be a different generation will see it and I'm okay with that and I love that idea even that I like I want to build something that like, you know will last generations ” - Will Hickl* “ I think the church deserves excellence… I have zero qualms with ambition as a Catholic. I think, honestly, think God deserves it. ” - Will Hickl* “… regardless if you have a lot of horsepower upstairs or you don't, like you are called to use whatever horsepower you were given to take it as far as God will take you. ” - Silas Mähner* “ If you know, if you think to yourself, if you go to bed and you're like, I should do this, but I don't know, and you dream about like, or you think to yourself like, am I gonna regret this in 30 years that I didn't do this? And the answer is strongly yes, you've got your answer. ” - Will Hickl* “ …no matter what anxieties I had about work like once I see the crucifix and I realized like none of that stuff matters like eternity is all that matters… ” - Silas MähnerKey Moments: (outline)* 00:26 - Podcast Introduction : Silas welcomes listeners to the episode recorded live at the YCP conference in Dallas and introduces Will Hickl.* 02:32 - Architectural Motivations and Childhood Legos : Will shares how his love for building Lego sets guided his approach to early ideation a...

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#71 Edmund Mitchell & Zak Slayback Discuss Magnifica Humanitas on Catholic Founders

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