Podcast Summary

Podcast: Going Big! with Kevin Gentry
Episode: Going Big with Tim Busch: Serial Entrepreneurship, Faith, and Cultural Renewal
Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Kevin Gentry
Guest: Tim Busch

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kevin Gentry interviews Tim Busch—serial entrepreneur, lawyer, philanthropist, and founder of the Busch Group—about his lifelong journey of "going big" in business, faith, and culture. The discussion covers Tim’s early entrepreneurial beginnings, risk-taking in business, the integration of faith and work, his role in founding influential Catholic institutions, and his vision for cultural renewal in America through faith and education.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Early Entrepreneurial Drive and Family Influence

[03:35]

• Tim Busch recalls having entrepreneurial instincts as early as age four or five, inventing “companies” in play.
• His father’s role as a small-town supermarket owner modeled entrepreneurship without a limiting “glass ceiling.”
• Early work included organizing bottles at age 7, growing to managing paper routes and odd jobs, which fostered discipline and business management basics.

Quote:

"It was the greatest formation for me. I had to be in to work on a particular time... It was a small business. You had money, you had products, sort of a franchise, you had customers. It was really enlightening."
— Tim Busch [05:02]

2. Taking Risks and Building Businesses

[09:01]

• After law school, Tim launched his own law firm with little capital, facing payroll challenges and uncertainties.
• He diversified into real estate in the 1980s and gradually built multifaceted enterprises.
• The move to California was influenced by family and the entrepreneurial climate in Orange County.

Quote:

"That was a pretty scary move... I didn't have a lot of money. My father was not the kind that... paid for our education. He just thought, you know, you gotta do it on your own."
— Tim Busch [09:01]

3. Deep Integration of Faith and Business

[13:52]

• Foundation in Catholic education and faith began early, continued through involvement with Tom Monahan’s Legatus, a group for Catholic CEOs.
• Led to the founding of the Magis Institute and Napa Institute, both focused on integrating faith, reason, and leadership.
• Tim is candid about praying in business settings and creating a culture that doesn’t hide faith.

Quotes:

"If we could get CEOs practicing their faith and leading their faith, they impact hundreds, if not thousands of people. And that's what I did. If most of my companies together, there's about 5,000 employees."
— Tim Busch [13:52]

"Don't hide your faith. You know, be who you are, you will be much more happy... Because if you deny God, why shouldn't he deny us?"
— Tim Busch [13:52]

4. Founding and Vision of Major Institutions (Napa Institute, Magis Institute, Catholic Schools)

[21:41]

• Inspired by the biblical phrase “Duc in Altum” (Put out into the deep), Tim describes his commitment to stepping outside his comfort zone and trusting God’s lead.
• Started successful Catholic schools and spearheaded the founding of the Napa Institute, which now hosts frequent events fostering faith-based leadership and renewal.
• Emphasizes vision over specifics, acting as “God’s soldier” open to unexpected opportunities.

Quote:

"You become God's soldier. And you... surrender to God's will, not yours. All of a sudden other things happen."
— Tim Busch [21:41]

5. Cultural Renewal and Leadership

[27:27]

• Tim frames his dyslexia as an asset—giving him powerful imagination and vision.
• Sees potential for societal renewal: “Just as you can lose freedom in one generation, you can regain freedom and faith in one generation.”
• Draws inspiration from mentors like Charles Koch and Tom Monahan, who continue to make a difference later in life.

Quote:

"Vision is about the only thing I can contribute... my secret was imagination. I could see things people just never saw."
— Tim Busch [27:27]

6. Transformative Impact at Catholic University of America (The Busch School of Business)

[29:17]

• Significant philanthropic investment (with other donors) created the Busch School of Business, catalyzing growth and further donations.
• The gift revitalized Catholic University, inspiring large-scale gifts in other disciplines and reinforcing the school’s mission as a pontifical university.

Quote:

"It was a $50 million aggregate gift. It put the school on the map. Today, the school represents 24% of the undergrads. It didn't exist nine years ago... That triggered $450 million of additional gifts."
— Tim Busch [30:02]

7. Reflections on the Church, Unity, and the Future

[35:46]

• Tim discusses the resilience of the Catholic Church, the uniqueness of the Magisterium, and church unity across time.
• Reflects on historical splits (like Anglicanism) and recent gestures towards unity.
• Advocates for returning to core creeds (Nicene, Apostles) as unifying principles among Christians.

Quote:

"It's the only organization in the history of the world that has lasted for 2000 years. And it isn't because of the geniuses that are running it... it's because of the Magisterium."
— Tim Busch [35:46]

8. Advice for Purposeful “Going Big” in Life

[43:39–50:22]

• To young people or his younger self: Take more risks, pursue vision, don’t get paralyzed seeking perfection, and pray daily.
• To anyone of any faith tradition: Be a “good one” in your faith; live by your deepest beliefs and seek faith if you don’t have it for the hope and mercy it provides.
• Argues for unity, authenticity, and courageous faith as the path to meaning.

Notable Closing Quote:

"If you're a Catholic, be a good one. If you're Evangelical, be a good one. If you're a Protestant, be a good one. If you're a Muslim, be a good one. If you're a Jew, be a good one... That's what we need to do if we follow our faith."
— Tim Busch [48:05]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On formative work:
  "Paper routes at the time...really developed...a small business. You had money, you had products, sort of a franchise, you had customers." [05:02]

• On faith in the workplace:
  "I've had Muslims and Jews, Mormons and evangelicals who really come up and admire being brave to bring the faith into the marketplace." [13:52]

• On vision and imagination:
  "My secret was my imagination. I could see things people just never saw." [27:27]

• On legacy and unity:
  "Unity. My goal, that we should all be one. Let's bring everybody back together. There's no reason for us to be apart." [44:27]

• On inclusive faith and purpose:
  "If you're a Catholic, be a good one...If you're a Jew, be a good one...embrace your faith and if you don't have one, get one, because you're going to have a lot easier road to go with Jesus on your side." [48:05]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Tim’s early business experience & lessons from growing up: [03:35–08:14]
• First big leap in business (law firm, real estate): [09:01–10:47]
• How faith has shaped Tim’s leadership: [13:52–20:32]
• Vision and founding of faith-based institutions: [21:41–26:35]
• Building Catholic schools & the Napa Institute: [21:41–26:35]
• Revitalizing Catholic University’s Busch School of Business: [29:17–34:47]
• Perspectives on the Catholic Church, unity, and legacy: [35:46–43:39]
• Advice for young people/next generation: [43:39–44:27]
• Final message to all listeners about living with purpose: [48:05–50:22]

The Original Language and Tone

Tim Busch speaks from candid personal reflection, humble faith, and practical entrepreneurial experience. The dialogue is friendly, earnest, and peppered with wisdom, memorable stories, and encouragement for listeners to embrace courage, faith, and vision in their own journeys to “go big.”