Catholic Founders

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * In NYC, on December 16th, we’re hosting our Catholic Founders dinner. Location TBD, and total space available TBD. We could use help pulling this together, so if you have a location or can help sponsor, please reach out. Register here.Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today Get 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:* Matthew Harvey Sanders| Longbeard* Matthew sits at the crossroads of Catholicism and cutting-edge tech. He’s the founder of Longbeard, the venture studio building a new wave of Catholic technology products. His path is anything but linear: political science, discerning the priesthood, serving in the Canadian military, working for the Archdiocese of Toronto, then jumping full-time into digital evangelization and tech innovation. The studio is also known for building Magisterium AI, the first large language model trained directly on Church documents. Matthew works closely with Church leaders on the ethics of AI and runs the Builders AI Forum in Rome, pushing for a moral, human-centered approach to tech. Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs. Verso Jobs has built a gamified, data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values. Their team understands your needs, goes out to qualified candidates, tests them through the gamified application. Then presents you with candidates who truly share your mission. If you’re a Catholic or conservative organization looking to cut through the fog, reach out to Verso Jobs to help you today. Whether you’re hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom. Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights. ⛰️Core Lesson: Catholics must actively build and lead in the AI space because it is a “critical battleground” and the only way to combat its misuse is to steer the technology morally.Here’s the deal: As Catholics, we need to be involved AND leading in the AI transformation. Because it’s a battleground for our Faith. There big moral questions at stake with many aspects of AI, and Catholics, possessing the fullness of the Truth, cannot abdicate the responsibility to lead in this time. If we do nothing, many souls will be lost. Using our moral perspective, we must steer AI to be used for good. We must be the modern St. Pauls of our time. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerKey Episode References:* Magisterium AI (an AI large language model trained on Church documents, Bible, and catechism)* Longbeard (Matthew Harvey Sanders’ studio/venture studio)* Paulist Fathers (the order Matthew was discerning with)* Paulist Press (pioneered by the Paulist Fathers)* Builders AI ForumSelect Quotes:* “And given that this [AI] technology in particular is going to reshape the world like nothing we’ve ever seen before, if we decide that we’re just not going to use it, well, the devil is going to. And I guarantee he’ll use it to wreck us. So just consider this a critical battleground. And I don’t think we can cede the field, especially with this technology, to the enemy.” — Matthew * “If we are passive and we’re not focused on evangelization as a church, if we’re not willing to take risks and proclaim the gospel, there are souls that are only gonna be lost on this earth because of that. And we have to take responsibility for that. That’s on us.” — Matthew * “...the biggest civilizational risk is, that people use it [AI] as a proxy for real human relationships or spiritual life, thinking that somehow AI is going to be able to fill those vital roles.” — Matthew * “Ultimately, what’s gonna make you happy is becoming friends with God, with loving and worshiping God, and making deep and meaningful connections with other human beings. Nothing else will suffice.” — Matthew * “The whole point is to ensure that individuals and civilization flourish…[making] sure that the technologies we’re developing are pointed at the right problems or what we call the impediments to human flourishing.” — Matthew * “If you’re attracted by what the role of the priest is and you feel that they’re vital and you feel that you may have the gifts to do it, just go and try it. I guarantee you, going into seminary and coming out again, you’ll be a better person for it.” — Matthew Key Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Introduction to Matthew Harvey Sanders* Introduction to Matthew Harvey Sanders’ background* 06:43 Journey into Technology and Faith* Matthew explains how his desire to effectively reach young people for evangelization led him to embrace and start a company focused on leveraging technology for the Church.* 09:27 The Role of AI in Evangelization* Matthew states that we must view AI as a critical battleground, drawing on the Church’s long tradition of using new technologies to proclaim the Gospel.* 12:11 Navigating the Challenges of AI* The conversation covers the need for strong Catholic formation to responsibly wield AI and the idea that fear of technology is often a fear of ourselves and others.* 14:45 Human Flourishing in the Age of AI* The biggest civilizational risk is using AI as a proxy for human and spiritual relationships, emphasizing that the telos must be human flourishing—becoming friends with God and making deep human connections.* 18:19 The Builders AI Forum and Church Engagement* An initiative faturing experts, academics, and ministry workers, focused on ensuring Artificial Intelligence is properly adopted and used to advance the Catholic Church’s mission.* 37:33 Catholic Leadership in AI* The discussion begins on how to effectively encourage Catholics to become leaders and builders in the field of artificial intelligence* 44:36 The Role of Small Businesses in AI* Discussion on human talent and the use of AI* 55:00 Ambition and Greatness in Catholicism* Redefining ambition and having a hunger for excellence* 01:03:30 Co-Creators with God: The Entrepreneurial Spirit* We are called to hone our gifts and put them at the service of others* 01:12:23 Embracing Responsibility in the AI Age* A Wrap Up and an invitation to reflect on what is our part in ensuring AI is pointed at the right problems and serves human flourishingHire Catholic Overseas Talent In 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

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube News / Updates: * Today I’m in SF for a gathering of Catholic Entrepreneurs — if you’re in SF and not attending, LMK, would love to find time to meet while I’m here* In NYC, on December 16th, we’re hosting our Catholic Founders dinner. Location TBD, and total space available TBD. We could use help pulling this together, so if you have a location or can help sponsor, please reach out. Register here. Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today Get 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:* Mike Parrott | Novo Inspire Studios* Mike Parrott is a former Marine Corps officer and Wall Street finance professional who transitioned into the film industry (working on projects like Sound of Freedom and Cabrini) before becoming a serial entrepreneur, successfully building and selling three home services businesses. Currently, he teaches at Benedictine College and researches the connection between modern franchising and medieval guilds. His core philosophy, which he developed through his career and as a father of eight, emphasizes the importance of making life and career decisions “in service of their families,” valuing self-employment and tangible work, and passionately advocating for a return to dynastic family businesses as the ideal social and economic unit, viewing the sale of a family legacy for cash liquidity as a cultural tragedy.Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs. Verso Jobs has built a gamified, data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values. Their team understands your needs, goes out to qualified candidates, tests them through the gamified application. Then presents you with candidates who truly share your mission. If you’re a Catholic or conservative organization looking to cut through the fog, reach out to Verso Jobs to help you today. Whether you’re hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom. Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights. ⛰️Core Lesson: Through building God-centered businesses, we can cultivate a true sense of identity for our families. In so doing, we help our children avoid years of wandering in the desert to ‘find themselves,’ thus allowing for more compounding in life. An idea exists that man must ‘find himself’ through some sort of discovery process. But truthfully, we have been given the cards God wants us to play. We were born into this specific family, at this time in history, in this geography, with all of the other circumstances that surround us. Do you really think God just rolled the dice on that? No, He gave you those specific circumstances. Now, look at it the other way. As a parent, you get to build something to pass on to your children. Not the money or the business — but the identity. Through building a life (personal and business) centered around God, you can bestow on your children a true sense of identity. Nothing quite like this in life.Don’t take this opportunity for granted. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerLaunch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers Trying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet. Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads. Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days. Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out. 158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast. Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.Key Episode References:* Novo Inspire Studios* 360 Painting of Saint Joseph* Benedictine College* Cabrini* Monster Summer* Sound of FreedomSelect Quotes:* “The fundamental building block of a society is a family...” –Mike* “I think we should mark the death of a family when the entrepreneurial venture that was family-owned for 100 years now gets sold to some private equity vulture, merely to placate the liquidity desire for the children.” –Mike* “It is French revolutionary principle that the idea that your estate is equally divided amongst all your heirs... One of the things that held Christendom together was a contrary idea to that called primogeniture, in which the firstborn son was sort of dubbed as the heir to the empire and the family assets.” –Mike* “The guy who can come and fix your clogged toilet. That guy has real value and that will never go away and AI cannot replace it.” –Mike* “The home is a sacred space, it’s where families are raised, it’s where children are raised. We believe that the home should be beautiful, that children should be surrounded by beautiful things...” –MikeKey Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Introduction and Welcome* Mike Parrott opens the conversation by stating that elite franchising is the “new Ivy League.”* 03:00 Mike Parrott’s Background* Mike summarized his varied career in the Marines, finance, film, and home services.* 09:20 Family Legacy and Identity* Mike discusses how his career decisions were guided by family needs and relying on God’s providence.* 18:00 The Role of Mentorship* Mike talks about mentorship across generations in companies and organizations.* 26:00 The Family is the Basic Unit of Society* 27:00 Franchises and Medieval Guilds* Mike argues against modern individualism, stating that true freedom is choosing the “good path” laid out by one’s father.* 36:00 The French Revolutionary Principle* Mike critiques the “French revolutionary principle” of equal inheritance, which he says forces the sale of family businesses.* 45:00 Building a Legacy* Silas reflects on how disconnected work can lead to a general decay in stewardship over one’s home and life.* 58:13 On Subsidiarity* Discussion on subsidiarity as a Catholic Social Teaching* 1:04:00 Rapid Fire and ConclusionHire Catholic Overseas Talent In 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

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeHey everyone — Silas here with another Catholic Founders podcast episode.Today, we are talking about money with the host of the Theology of Money podcast, Daniel Catone. News / Updates: * This past Tuesday evening, we hosted a dinner with Catholic Founders in Chicago — thank you to all who attended! If you’d like to attend the one we’re hosting in NYC, reach out (penciling in a date soon). * This coming Tuesday, we have a Catholic Founders Guild call on the topic of considering our legacy. * Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today Get 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:* Daniel Catone | Arimathea Investing* Daniel Catone, founder of Arimathea, is redefining what it means to grow wealth with purpose. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, he believes finance can—and should—serve the common good. He experienced leading Golden State family of companies’ $4.5B investment network, and throughout the years has built a career proving that faith and finance aren’t opposites. With a master’s in Catholic Theology and years of pro-bono service to the Church, he’s on a mission to show that impact investing is true stewardship a way to multiply God’s gifts while transforming the world.Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs. Verso Jobs has built a gamified, data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values. Their team understands your needs, goes out to qualified candidates, tests them through the gamified application. Then presents you with candidates who truly share your mission. If you’re a Catholic or conservative organization looking to cut through the fog, reach out to Verso Jobs to help you today. Whether you’re hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom. Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights. ⛰️Core Lesson: The world tells us, cover your own financial needs first, then others, and then, if there is any leftover, you can give to The Church. A proper ordering is the exact opposite. God first. Others. And then ourselves. This is not something easy for us to entertain with any amount of seriousness. Mainly because we imagine if others around us did that, we’d call them crazy. However, if you think it’s crazy you need to ask yourself why Jesus told his Apostles not to worry about their own provisions. In Luke 12:29-31 He said: “As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry any more. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides.” (The entire passage from verse 13 through 34 is incredible. I’d encourage you to read it today)Acting on this teaching is not easy. But it is possible when we ask God for the grace to desire it. So, in human terms. Maybe it is crazy. But a lot of people probably considered the Apostles to be crazy. We know they were not. This tells us is that—through a human lens, some things may look crazy. But through the lens of the faith, with grace, they are the only things that do make sense. I think this is one of them. If you hear this and don’t immediately think—wow I want to do that. Don’t worry—you’re like the rest of us. Human. But if you spend some time pondering this and asking God to help you understand this. You might get to the point of wanting to pursue it. Not because you want it, but because you know it’s the right thing. Once you reach that point, it’s time to ask God for the grace to desire this teaching—the properly ordered perspective on spending our money. God bless and Happy Building!~Silas MähnerLaunch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers Trying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet. Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads. Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days. Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out. 158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast. Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.Key Episode References:* Arimathea Investing* The Theology of Money Podcast* Saint Joseph of Arimathea* Rerum Novarum* Rerum Novarum in 2025: Applying it to Your Business | Travis Callaway* The Psychology of Money by Morgan HouselSelect Quotes:* “This ordering of goods or ordering of goals is the exact opposite of what our Lord teaches. Our Lord teaches us that we are to put God first, others second, and ourselves last because He puts us first. We don’t have to worry about ourselves.” — Daniel* “Money is a tool in service to the common good, and so I would caution any entrepreneur to not begin the path of entrepreneurship with the intention of accumulating wealth. That’s a byproduct of other actions.” — Daniel* “What the Lord is calling us to do is integrate every aspect of our life under His authority so that whether we’re at work or at home or at church, we are engaged with the Holy Spirit, we are engaged with Christ.” — Daniel* “We must approach the rain with an open hand and not try to grasp... it helps us reframe that ambition so that rather than it being self-serving, it becomes other-serving.” — Daniel* “The truth is we are touching people’s souls first and then offering them a product... wealth is inferior to the eternality of a soul.” — Daniel* “I kind of adopted him as the true CEO of my company... every once in a while, I got a knock on his door and say, St. Joseph, this is a problem I can’t fix, I need to take care of it. And he does...”— Daniel* “We leave everyone better off for having met us... treat everyone... with infinite human dignity.” — Daniel* “Man cannot be smaller than his money... if your character and capability is not of a significant heft, the money will fall through your fingers.” — DanielKey Moments: (outline)* 01:06 Introduction* Introduction of Daniel Catone, CEO and Co-Founder of Arimathea, a financial asset manager that screens investments for alignment with Catholic teachings.* 03:41 The Catholic Approach To Money* Reorder goals: God first, others second, and self last.* 06:13 The Foundational Sources of Catholic Financial Teaching* including Sacred Scripture, Church Fathers (St. John Chrysostom), Encyclicals (Rerum Novarum), and modern documents.* 10:18 Cautioning entrepreneurs against accumulating wealth as the primary goal.* The business journey should start with prayer and focus on serving the common good.* 12:46 A Deep Dive Into Ambition* Daniel suggests that the proper approach towards ambition.* 15:22 The Necessity of Living a Fully Unified Life * and recognizing that work is a vocation that impacts people’s souls, which is superior to the acquisition of wealth.[* 17:05 Staying Away From The Modern Tendency to Artificially Segregate Life * The importance of recapturing the rhythm of a fully integrated life.* 18:49 Practical Tips for Integration of One’s Life* 25:47 Discerning One’s Unique Mission * Talent is “meaningless without virtue,” with prudence being a core entrepreneurial virtue* 31:00 Personal Testimony* Daniel shares a story of leaving a successful a secular company because the work was “vacuous” and unfulfilling, leading to a new, liberating mission * 53:16 Saint Joseph of Arimathea* 1:00:00 Conclusion* Rapid Fire Hire Catholic Overseas Talent In 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

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeHey y’all — welcome back to another episode of the Catholic Founders podcast! Today’s episode will not disappoint. News / Updates: * We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago this 4th of November. Email us if you’re interested in attending (we are near capacity but if you reach out soon we can likely squeeze you in).* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today Get 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:* Seamus Coughlin | Freedom Toons* 💰 Help them hit their fundraising goal! 📈* Seamus Coughlin is showing what happens when you use creativity as a weapon for truth. He is the founder of Freedom Toons, one of the most influential Catholic animation channels on YouTube. Through humor, storytelling, and sharp satire, he’s reaching millions with messages that defend truth, reason, and faith — all while making people laugh.Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs. Verso Jobs has built a gamified, data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values. Their team understands your needs, goes out to qualified candidates, tests them through the gamified application. Then presents you with candidates who truly share your mission. If you’re a Catholic or conservative organization looking to cut through the fog, reach out to Verso Jobs to help you today. Whether you’re hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom. Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights. ⛰️Core Lesson: The most powerful way to transform culture is to create good work, work so excellent, it points back to God. And the best way to do that, is to allow God to transform your own heart. In this episode, Seamus said something very interesting about the priest shortage. He said that the priest shortage is actually just a holiness shortage. Most people are not living out their vocations faithfully. This is what is leading to a lack of priests and a lack of nuns and a lack of holy families (and even children because they are all prevented from being born or worse, aborted). A key goal of ours at Catholic Founders is to help rally business owners to use their skills to bring the culture back to God. But we cannot do this if our own hearts are not transformed. And only God can do this. The good news is, He is trying to. But we prevent him. If we start asking for the grace to desire a total transformation of heart, we are one step closer. When transformed, the work we do will also be transformed. When this happens, the work will be good and beautiful. And it will bring people back to God. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerLaunch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers Trying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet. Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads. Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days. Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out. 158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast. Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.Key Episode References:* Freedom Toons* Help Them Raise Money for the Full-Length Series* Jordan Peterson* Charles Schultz* Father Chad Ripperger* Shawshank RedemptionSelect Quotes:* “We really just have a holiness shortage. Almost no one’s living out their vocation. Well, unfortunately. So if you just live out your vocation well, the effect you will have on the world will be unbelievable.” - Seamus * “God gave you a vocation, live that vocation out.” - Seamus * “For media to be effective, it has to A, be something that’s going to appeal to people outside of your group and B, the moral that you’re trying to deliver has to be delivered naturally through the story and through the jokes and not through these ham-fisted monologues.” - Seamus * “The most extraordinary thing in the world is just an ordinary family.” - Seamus * “God doesn’t make rules that don’t make sense if we follow God’s commandments. This is not the prosperity gospel I’m not saying that your life will always be great But we know that societies that follow God’s commandments are more likely to be successful than ones that don’t...” - Seamus * “Anytime we create anything, we’re participating with God and His creativity.” - Seamus * “Your work should sanctify you and you should use it to sanctify the world in some way But it does not have to be explicitly religious in order for you to be able to do so.” - Seamus Key Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Intro* 04:25 Freedom Toons and Cultural Transformation* Seamus introduces himself and Freedom Toons, explaining his mission to fight back against entertainment media controlled by those with opposing values* 06:32 Seamus’s Faith Journey and Media Concerns* Seamus shares his faith journey, falling away, and returning at 20* 09:23 Reaching the Younger Generation with Good Media* Offering an alternative to what the younger generation are constantly being sold* 10:22 Faith Deepening and Content Evolution* Seamus details how his deepening faith led to change his political views* 15:24 Freedom, Submission, and Choosing the Good* A discussion on what is true freedom* 18:40 The Creative Process and Overcoming Writer’s Block* Seamus talks about his creative process for Freedom Toons* 22:46 Integrating the Holy Spirit in Creativity* The role of the Holy Spirit in Seamus’ creative process* 25:17 Building Good Companies vs. “Catholic” Companies* The importance of Catholics building “good companies” and creating undeniable products, rather than just “Catholic” versions of existing things* 33:17 Heart Transformation and Truthful Products* Personal heart transformation as the foundation for transforming the culture* 44:20 Life as a Story: Earning Big Moments* Understanding life through the lens of story can help in personal growth* 48:18 Ambition, Humility, and God at the Center* The idea of ambition and achievement within a Catholic context* 52:28 The Universal Call to Change the World* The universal call to change the world, even in seemingly small ways* 54:45 Changing Culture: Vocation and Family* Changing the world involves faithfully living out one’s vocation and the importance of family and personal holiness as the starting point for cultural transformation.* 59:32 ConclusionHire Catholic Overseas Talent In 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

Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeHey y’all — welcome back to another episode of the Catholic Founders podcast! Today’s episode will not disappoint. News / Updates: * Ellen Twomey is teaching the CF Guild how to scale on October 28th. Upgrade to attend.* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).* We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago this 4th of November. Email us if you’re interested in attending — we need your input to finalize details. * There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today Get 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:* Mallory Root | Roots Brew Shop & The Cottage on Turner* Following God’s lead, Mallory Root moved to Grand Rapids to open Roots Brew Shop, a coffeehouse built on faith, community, and authentic human connection. Guided by her faith in God, she embraced the challenges of entrepreneurship as an act of stewardship, trusting that her role was to build with God. Since opening in 2016, Roots has become a warm, welcoming space where strangers become friends and people encounter Christ through everyday conversation and genuine hospitality.Hire Talent That Actually Shares Your Mission with Verso Jobs. Verso Jobs has built a gamified, data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values. Their team understands your needs, goes out to qualified candidates, tests them through the gamified application. Then presents you with candidates who truly share your mission. If you’re a Catholic or conservative organization looking to cut through the fog, reach out to Verso Jobs to help you today. Whether you’re hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom. Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights. ⛰️Core Lesson: We need to make the transactional relational.Mallory’s whole approach to business can be summed up in one line.And honestly, I love that. It’s the heartbeat of what makes her business, Roots Brew Shop, special. Every customer interaction, every cup of coffee, every conversation is a chance to actually see the person in front of you. Mallory’s not running a shop just to sell coffee, but instead she’s building relationships, restoring what’s been lost in a world that moves too fast and connects too little. It has become a place that invites people back to God through their experience and eventually brings dozens of conversions.In the same way, we are invited to design our products and experiences to have something special. Where the simple moments and typical transactions are transformed into encounters with Christ.God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerLaunch Your Podcast — Build Trust With Customers Trying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet. Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads. Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days. Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out. 158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast. Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.Key Episode References:* Roots Brew Shop * Rerum Novarum in 2025: Applying it to Your Business* Mother Cabrini* Servant of God, Father Walter CizekSelect Quotes:“Our mission is to make the transactional relational.” “If I have a relationship with the Lord, everything should exude from that.” “We should be fully integrated in all the things we do.” “Beauty disarms. When people walk into Roots, they encounter goodness and truth through beauty.” “All that we own is for the common good, and we are stewards of that.”“If we are not building one another in virtue and we’re not building in virtue, what is the purpose of our labor?” “Hold it all loosely, and something that is good to foster is that spirit of detachment (detachment that it isn’t mine). Steward what God gives you today, and be ready to let it go tomorrow.”“If you’re serious about leadership, you have to be rightly ordered, and that means making time for God.” Key Moments: (outline)* 02:46 Introduction* 04:27 Faith as a Rubric for Business* Mallory discusses how her faith permeates every aspect of running her coffee shop, serving as the guiding principle for all decisions* 10:01 Subtle Evangelization Through Business* Learn about Roots Brew Shop’s unique approach to evangelization* 13:24 Underutilized Methods of Evangelization* The importance of responding to the dignity of the human person and the dignity of work, especially when interacting with diverse guests, including those experiencing homelessness.* 15:19 Training Staff in Virtue and Dignity* Discover how Roots Brew Shop trains its employees through monthly sessions on the dignity of the human person and the dignity of work* 19:08 Low Employee Turnover and Formation* Mallory shares how their focus on building relationships and investing in employee formation leads to remarkably low turnover* 25:23 Maintaining a Spirit of Detachment and Stewardship: * Mallory views her business as a gift from God to be stewarded* 30:57 Engaging and Serving the Community* Mallory discusses how Roots Brew Shop interacts with its community* 35:18 The Impact of Daily Mass for Entrepreneurs* The spiritual benefits and the importance of prioritizing one’s relationship with God.* 38:41 Spiritual Growth Through Entrepreneurship* Mallory reflects on how her entrepreneurial journey has deepened her trust in God, taught her to say “yes” more readily, and provided numerous opportunities to love her neighbor with compassion.* 43:09 Mallory’s Founding Journey* Mallory recounts her path from an art major to a coffee shop owner, including her discernment process, the influence of her family, and the two-year journey to opening Roots Brew Shop* 49:48 Conclusion* Hire Catholic Overseas Talent In 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsAbout a month ago, I participated in the SENT Summit alongside other Catholic founders who are building bold businesses rooted in faith. It was one of those experiences that reminded me why this movement matters — why faith and entrepreneurship aren’t separate callings, but deeply connected. Here are six core things I learned: first, one good Catholic institution can change everything. Second, unity is our hidden advantage — when we’re truly united in Christ, we can change the world. Third, the sacraments will keep you steady when the storms of leadership come. Fourth, good leadership is always virtuous leadership. Fifth, as entrepreneurs, we have a special calling to live and exemplify the virtue of hope. And sixth, the power of connecting in person with other like-minded, driven Catholics simply cannot be dismissed.If you don’t yet have a strong community of Catholic builders around you — build one or join one. And if you want an online version of this kind of fellowship, join the Catholic Founders Guild. You can sign up at CatholicFounders.com/subscribe — it’s $10 a month or $100 a year.Before I wrap it up here I want to shout out some upcoming events. News / Updates:Join us for our upcoming events — or share them with others who should attend.*Ellen Twomey is teaching the CF Guild how to scale on October 28th. Upgrade to attend.*Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners a 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up, including past CF guest, Rob Kaczmark).*We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago the first week of November. Stay tuned for more info.*There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details. 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsUpcoming Events:* Our CF Guild topic call is next week, Tuesday. Topic: Competition. Upgrade to paid to attend.* Ellen Twomey is teaching the CF Guild how to scale on October 28th. Upgrade to attend.* Fides is offering Catholic Founders Readers/Listeners 15% discount on all upcoming events through the end of the year — just use code: CATHOLICGUILD2025 at checkout. (He has some incredible speakers lined up).* We’re hosting a Catholic Founders meetup in Chicago the first week of November. Stay tuned for more info.* There is a Catholic entrepreneur gathering in San Francisco on November 20th (tentatively) — Stay tuned for more details.Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today! It's $10/month or $100/year so anyone can afford it. Don't build alone -- join 50+ Catholic business owners building, learning, and praying together. https://www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe* Intro to the Guest and Topic* Core Takeaway: Build Family-Centered Company Culture* Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe.Today’s Topic & Guest:* John Johnson | Patmos | Pizza Norcia | Albertus Magnus Institute* John is the founder of Patmos, Albertus Magnus Institute, and Pizza Norcia. Today, we discuss ambition in Catholic men, the dignity of employees, the stewardship of wealth, and the integration of faith and AI in business. John shares his unique perspective on building successful enterprises while staying true to Catholic principles. This is a truly inspiring episode.PS: We apologize for the poor audio quality in some places — I made some mistakes setting up the recording, and we had to do some patching together in order to salvage the audio at all. Poor as the audio quality is, we feel very strongly that the content is top-tier.[sponsored content]Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson:Catholics must build company cultures that promote family values, because family is the basis of society.At Patmos, they pay bonuses when employees get married or have babies. Recently, they agreed to pay the salaries of the spouses of their employees who are affected by the government shutdown (repayable without interest).Where most corporate cultures promote a culture of death, Patmos is upholding the culture of life. They are also treating their employees with respect as individuals, which leads to the flourishing of the human individual. No more just surviving and suffering through endless bureaucracy and HR rules.God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas Mähner[sponsored content]Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With CustomersTrying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet.Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads.Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days.Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out.158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast.Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started.Key Episode References:* Episode 18 with Daniel Francis (Abel Police)* Episode 24 with Daniel Egan (St. Joseph Mural)* Episode 29 with Joe Coleman (Saint Kolbe Studios)* Joe Coleman from Saint Kolbe Studios* Episode 30 with Drago Dimitrov (Holy Habits)* Dave Durand* Frank Hanna* Lilies of the Field — Matthew 6:28-34Select Quotes:In case you’re not already sold on listening to the episode, here are some killer quotes.* “Ignorance is my superpower. If I had any idea what I was getting into these things, I never would have done it.” — John Johnson* “We have an amazing potential to be co-creators, not just generators of our progeny.” — John Johnson* “There’s a real problem with it, especially men who have grown addicted to comfort over the years, where we’re so addicted to security, ease, then golden handcuffs.” — John Johnson* “If you can sell Jesus to teenagers, you can pretty much sell anything.” — John Johnson* “If anybody really wants to be successful, there’s no better practical way of forming yourself than through a real liberal arts education.” — John Johnson* “You have to first understand the reality of material things... things of the material world elicit in us a great desire that when we have them, they make us miserable.” — John Johnson* “Money is like fun. If you set out trying to have it, you’re not going to.” — John Johnson* “First employees have names and infinite dignity. No matter who they are, no matter what the background is, they’re worthy of respect.” — John Johnson* “We have bonuses for when employees have babies. We have bonuses for when employees get married. Big tech base employees effectively to abort their progeny. We do the opposite.” — John JohnsonJoin the Catholic Founders Guild Today! It’s $10/month or $100/year so anyone can afford it. Don’t build alone -- join 50+ Catholic business owners building, learning, and praying together. https://www.catholicfounders.com/subscribeKey Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Intro to John Johnson* 01:57 His Empire: Patmos, Albertus Magnus, and Pizza* 02:20 The Secret Behind His Pizza Perfection* 06:29 The Drive to Build: Ambition in Catholic Men* 07:31 Ignorance as a Founder’s Superpower* 08:23 Co-Creation and Divine Guidance in Entrepreneurship* 09:53 Escaping Comfort: The Entrepreneurial Adventure* 11:12 Unlocking Your Creative Potential: Discovering God’s Call* 13:17 Ambition vs. Calling: The Truth About Material Desires* 15:19 Beyond Mercenaries: The Power of a Mission-Driven Business* 16:01 The Entrepreneur’s Edge: Why Theology and Liberal Arts Matter* 18:36 Leisure vs. Labor: Redefining Education’s Purpose* 19:06 Balancing Ambition with Family and Faith* 20:12 John’s Advice on Scaling: From Heroics to Systems* 24:41 The Visionary and the Operator: Building a Strong Team* 26:24 Radical Respect: Dignity and Family-First Policies for Employees* 28:18 Beyond Market Rates: The Philosophy of Just Wages* 29:22 Stewardship, Wealth, and the True Meaning of Blessing* 31:31 The Parable of Talents: Embracing Risk for God’s Glory* 33:55 Wealth as a Tool: Detachment and Purposeful Stewardship* 34:23 Investing with Intention: Tithing and Proximate Charity* 36:49 Faith in the Workplace: Cultivating Culture with Diverse Teams* 39:00 Beyond Resumes: Hiring for Culture and Innate Intelligence* 39:52 AI’s Dark Side: The Counterfeiting of the Human Person* 42:47 Navigating the AI Landscape: Caution and Limits* 45:01 Rapid Fire:* Favorite Scripture: John’s Gospel, Enthymemes* Favorite Saints* Favorite Devotions: Rosary and the Office of Prime* 49:22 Final Thoughts: Patmos, Albertus Magnus, and PrayersJoin The Catholic Founders GuildDo you see your business as a tool to re-insert God into the culture? Join 50+ Catholic business owners who share that view. We are building an Army of Catholic Entrepreneurs who are putting God in His rightful place — at the center of culture.Guild Member Benefits: Member Directory | Monthly calls | Bonus content | Guild-member-only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Choose wisely!It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsBefore we start:* Join our October Rosary Challenge: Pray 1 more rosary each day than usual* Chicago Catholic Founders meetup: Tent date: Nov 3rd (details pending) * SF Catholic founders meetup: Tent date: Nov 20th (details pending)Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today! It's $10/month or $100/year so anyone can afford it. Don't build alone -- join 50+ Catholic business owners building, learning, and praying together. https://www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe * 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:I’ve mentioned Ecclesiastical Ventures many times on the pod and in our CF Guild calls. Now we are finally breaking down what an Ecclesiastical Venture is, and how we can bring them back. We really appreciate Mark taking the time to share his learnings — we hope this inspires you. * Mark Wilson | Nicodemus Ventures[sponsored content]Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson: You Can Run a Profitable Business Even if Your First Objective is Not ProfitThe underlying principle of an Ecclesiastical Venture is that we are not focused soley on profit. We are focused on using the venture to get to heaven. We build our way of life around the goal of heaven. Daily mass — prayer throughout the day — a spiritual director — etc. All of these things are in service of eternity. But most secular business owners wouldn’t consider these a good ROI. When you focus on what truly matters most (heaven) first, you’re actually doing yourself a favor because you’re putting the right things first. Doing so has very positive downstream effects. Because when you do the right thing in one area you do it in others. Doing the right thing for your customers leads to positive customer reactions which leads to new customers (as Tim Connors told us on the pod he did with us). God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas Mähner[sponsored content]Launch Your Podcast — Build Trust With CustomersTrying to bring in more leads? Launching a podcast might be the best move you haven’t made yet.Saint Kolbe Studios helps Catholic entrepreneurs launch professional, mission-aligned podcasts that build trust and increase leads.Their team walks with you every step of the way, from strategy and recording to branding and editing, so you can launch your podcast in under 90 days.Get 20% off all services for the rest of 2025 because you listen to Catholic Founders. Just mention Catholic Founders when you reach out. 158 million people listen to podcasts every month, and that’s just in the US! Your ideal customer may already be listening to a competitor’s podcast.Visit saintkolbestudios.com to get started. Key Episode References:* Nicodemus Ventures* Saint Kolbe Studios* VersoJobs* The Saintly CEO (newsletter)* Daughters of Charity* Marian Friars MinorSelect Quotes:* “When you dedicate it to God or you surrender it to Him, He’s in charge. And I’ve learned that you can abandon it, right? You can abandon this commitment... But you can’t undo it. You’ve given it over to God, now He’s in charge.”* “Their goal was not profit. Their goal was not success. Their goal was a salvation of its founders, managers, and employees. That was the purpose of work.”* “It’s like a magnet. People say, I want that. I want to be in that environment. I want to be with those people... And then over the course, they realize, hey, wow, it’s Jesus. And then when they recognize that, they convert.”* “The primary objective is salvation. Life is short. So where do want your eternal soul to go? And that’s really what they were focused on, and worshiping God, and living a penitent lifestyle.”* “Every day you should be growing, becoming more holy. The environment is one in which you’re sanctifying yourself and others and your work.”* “You’re never gonna outdo God in generosity. Well, when God sees that you’re so detached from this stuff, He knows He can entrust you to do the right things with His wealth.”Key Moments: (outline)* 00:00 - Introduction and Mark Wilson’s Background* 04:02 - Discovery and History of Ecclesiastical Ventures* 08:26 - Core Purpose: Salvation Over Profit* 17:28 - Characteristics of Ecclesiastical Ventures* 22:06 - Examples and Impact of Ecclesiastical Ventures* 33:10 - Managing Finances and Tithing* 40:21 - How to Rebuild Ecclesiastical Ventures Today* 45:47 - Trusting God and the Role of Faith* 52:39 - Future Vision and Contact Information* 59:39 - ConclusionJoin The Catholic Founders GuildDo you see your business as a tool to re-insert God into the culture? Join 50+ Catholic business owners who share that view. We are building an Army of Catholic Entreprenuers who are putting God in His rightful place — at the center of culture. Guild Member Benefits: Member Directory | Monthly calls | Bonus content | Guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Choose wisely! It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsGet Chris’ Book: From Work to Vocation 📚Welcome back, everyone! If you’re a fan of entrepreneurship through acquisition, today’s guest should really excite you because after starting his career in the military, he became a serial entrepreneur. In total, he has bought and sold 4 companies, most of which were turnaround businesses. He has also started a company from scratch and sold it. This is also his first-ever podcast appearance! Read on for more info! First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:* Chris Farls | The Vocation Project (Substack) | The Vocation Project (Website)* Because this is Chris’ first podcast appearance, we covered his career journey from the military to getting started as a business turnaround person and the lessons learned in that arena. Chris’ faith has always been important to him, though, so we also got to hear how he integrated his faith into how he ran his businesses. There are some incredible nuggets of advice in here on how to treat your employees well.Perhaps most interesting to our community are his thoughts on how to engage your community through your employees. [sponsored content]Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson: You can invest in your community properly and uphold the dignity of your workers by getting to know your employees well.One of Chris’ biggest focus areas with his employees was ensuring he knew them. Knew what they liked to do. Knew what their kids were up to. Knew that they liked to bowl on Thursday nights, etc. By knowing them, he not only upheld their dignity in his own eyes (because they were not just a number). This also provided him a window into what matters to his employees and, by extension, what matters in the local community. For any of you with local employees, take note as this is a very impactful thing you can do. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* The Vocation ProjectSelect Quotes:* “The formula for negotiating a good deal is taking the time to ask and listen to what the seller is looking for in the deal.” — Chris Farls* “I think confidence is gained through action and activity. I don’t think you can sit and read a book and then talk yourself into it.” — Chris Farls* “I think the bigger problem a lot of times is, people know what the right thing to do is, but doing it’s hard.” — Chris Farls* “You know, you have a certain circle of influence where you can make an impact and that’s where you need to act.” — Chris Farls* “You want to create an environment where they can flourish... you want to give them opportunities to flourish and grow and have input into their work. So there’s a human dignity element to that as well.” — Chris Farls* “What do you feel good about looking backwards? I think I’ve had that validated a little bit because when I mentor and talk to young aspiring entrepreneurs, I talk to them about these intangible rewards that you get.” — Chris Farls* “If you’re doing it right, you end up with many more employees at the end than you did when you started.” — Chris Farls* “Decide how you want to live it and live it that way and have the courage and fortitude and perseverance.” — Chris FarlsKey Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Introduction to the Catholic Founders Podcast and Chris Farls’ background * 02:07 His early entrepreneurial journey and the influence of his upbringing and family * 04:34 The importance of confidence, mentorship, and taking action in building a career * 06:51 His transition from military to corporate life and then into running a small business * 10:09 How an MBA and strategic networking helped launch his entrepreneurial career * 13:30 The model of acquiring old economy businesses and their financial structures * 16:38 His experience turning around a railroad services business and achieving a quick exit * 18:12 Key strategies for business turnaround, focusing on competitive strategy and understanding owner personalities * 21:18 The multifaceted responsibilities of a business leader, including employees, partners, and community * 25:36 Navigating ethical conflicts and making difficult decisions in business * 28:01 The role of a business owner in community engagement and supporting employees’ interests * 32:25 His approach to upholding employee dignity and fostering a flourishing work environment * 35:08 The evolution of his perspective on business, from financial gain to humanitarian reasons * 38:56 Stories of providing employment opportunities to individuals with challenging backgrounds * 43:32 The power of actions over words and the positive impact of ethical business practices * 44:58 Balancing efficiency and ethical considerations when acquiring and restructuring businesses * 49:06 Ensuring that new buyers respect employees and align with company values during a sale * 52:58 The impact of financial success on his personal outlook and transition to mentoring * 55:29 Developing a strong sense of identity and purpose, aligning career with faith * 57:50 How entrepreneurship shaped his relationship with God and led to a focus on serving others * 1:00:31 The importance of intentional living and integrating spiritual habits into daily life * 1:04:30 Introduction to The Vocation Project, an initiative to help people find meaning and purpose in their workJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHey everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Catholic Founders! Today, we’ve got another episode mostly focused on AI and how to engage with your spouse as an entrepreneur. But Lucas has an incredible history of entrepreneurship and brought a lot of value to the discussion of being a Catholic entrepreneur. Before we start! * On Friday, we are hosting a Catholic Founders Guild call. Open-ended topic, but with the intention to discuss Competition. * If you’d like to join, become a paid member of the CF Guild today! In today’s post: * 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:* Lucas Wall | Almma.ai* AI — Family — Living through tragedy and more [sponsored content]Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson: You cannot Run From Pain — Going Through Pain is the Only Way to understand God’s Grace for you from that PainLucas lost his son at a young age. This, after having endured a lot of sacrifice in his move from Argentina to the US. This, plus his experience enduring the pains of entrepreneurship—including shutting down a company because of Covid—makes Lucas a great person to learn from on the topic. I gained a lot from this discussion with him. His story really moved me in a deep way. I hope you listen thoroughly to the entire episode to reap the same benefit. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* The Bible:* Book of Job* Genesis* St. Paul's Epistles/Works Select Quotes:* "AI is so big, so transformational that it's going to give us a chance. We still have a chance in front of us. So let's ride the wave together." — Lucas* "The moment we allow machines to take our dignity, is when we lost the entire discussion." — Lucas* "If a machine can replicate your thinking, maybe your thinking needs upgrade." — Lucas* "You cannot run from your pain. You cannot run from your sadness. You have to go through the experience to understand the grace of God." — Lucas* "Timing is the number one thing that we entrepreneurs cannot move forward. We cannot speed up time. We cannot slow down time." — Lucas* "Share your gifts. Become an entrepreneur to share your gifts and learn with the community. We belong to communities. We're not islands. give yourself a try." — LucasKey Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Engaging with your spouse about business stress* 00:26 Introduction to Catholic Founders podcast and Lucas Wall* 02:25 Lucas Wall's introduction and background* 03:31 Explanation of Alumm.ai and its mission* 04:47 How Alumm.ai aims to democratize wealth in the AI revolution* 06:24 Illustrative example of an AI agent* 08:18 AI as a change of eras and its distribution, unlike past technologies* 10:39 Exaggeration of AI's benefits and drawbacks* 13:13 AI and the questioning of human value/thinking* 16:21 Human dignity and AI from a Catholic perspective* 19:51 Benefits of technology in revealing truth for the Church* 22:35 Role of Catholic entrepreneurs in the AI era* 26:01 Importance of human dignity over ROI and AI's role in small businesses* 31:07 Catholic Founders Guild advertisement* 31:59 Using AI to resolve disagreements and build connections* 33:45 Spouse as the first business partner* 36:27 Tips on engaging your spouse as an entrepreneur* 39:04 Managing expectations and stress with your spouse* 40:00 De-risking a startup and involving your spouse* 43:23 Minimizing risk in entrepreneurship* 48:42 The option to pause a company instead of shutting down* 49:53 Importance of timing in entrepreneurship* Rapid Fire: * 50:43 Favorite scripture/holy reading: St. Paul* 54:08 Favorite entrepreneur: Elon Musk, and a discussion on suffering* 59:20 Favorite saint: St. Paul and a personal relationship with God* 1:00:58 Favorite devotion: Hail Mary and Mother Mary's protection* 1:01:52 Call to action: share your gifts and become an entrepreneurJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsWelcome back to the pod, everyone! Today you get to hear from someone who’s YouTube channel recently had a pretty breakout moment. One video put him at nearly 100k views. This led him to pursue the 1-man creator business. He also shares some YouTube video tips and part of his journey. Before we start! * See you at SENT Summit! — If you’re attending, drop me a message so we can connect. * Upgrade to Paid for a Free Book! I have 200 copies of Alex Hormozi’s book, $100m Money Models and every new member of the Catholic Founders Guild get’s a free copy. The value I’ve gotten out of this book so far are worth far more than what I paid for 200 copies. In today’s post: * 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:* Max Haben | The Contemplative Dad* How Max’s YouTube channel took off after his job ended and he invested in it. That’s the core of Max’s story today. But given his wisdom, we spoke broadly about how to grow a YouTube Channel, how to know when God is calling you to go deep in your artistic project, and how to make money on YouTube. This is an especially good episode for anyone who is hesitant to get started on their entrepreneurial journey. Reason being, Max gets pretty real about what it was and is like today, to learn to trust fully in God for his daily bread, as a husband and father who is also a creative. [sponsored content]Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson: Pursuing a ‘Risky’ Artistic Pursuit Might Be What God Is Calling You To, but You’ll Never Know Unless You Spend Time In PrayerTaking the leap into full-time content creator was not easy for Max. He had all the pressures of needing another job to provide for his family. But he invested the time. He has spent a lot of time in prayer trying to figure this out. He thinks he’s found the answer. But the truth is, none of us ever knows all the answers. That’s why we need to pray without ceasing. Through constant prayer we’ll come into a closer relationship with God so He can lead us in different ways as we go on our journey. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* The Contemplative Dad Substack* St. Paul CenterSelect Quotes:Here are 10 incredible quotes from the episode that will hook people into listening:* "Whether you have a full-time job or you're self-employed or whatever you're doing, there is some level of dependence on God." — Max* "Your faith gets stronger when you see God show up and provide for you. …if you want to grow in your faith, then put more dependence on God and put more in his hands." — Max* "I was losing my interior quiet. Like I was losing that sort of ability to listen to God just with all the noise and distraction and stress and anxiety that we're surrounded with." — Max* "This security of having a job where… you're kind of like a slave to the company." — Max* "Most people don't make it, most people fail because they stop or they don't start. That's really the number one reason people don't succeed on YouTube." — MaxKey Moments: (outline)* 0:00 Cold Open & Guest Intro* 4:40 Dependence on God for Provision* 8:30 Illusion of Job Security* 10:56 Why "The Contemplative Dad" Started* 13:08 When to Pursue Creative Callings* 17:08 Going Full-Time with "The Contemplative Dad"* 20:54 Balancing Work & Life as an Entrepreneur* 26:55 Entrepreneurship in 2025: Anyone Can Do It* 30:01 Historical Context of Self-Employment* 31:23 Detachment from the World & Financial Needs* 34:48 Monetizing a YouTube Channel* 39:40 Vision for The Contemplative Dad* 43:18 Who Should Start a YouTube Channel & Basic Principles* Rapid Fire Questions: * 50:18 Inspiring Scripture* 52:24 Inspiring Entrepreneur* 53:17 Favorite Saint* 54:11 Favorite Devotion* 55:18 How to Reach Max* 55:52 Join the Catholic Founders Guild! Join The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHey everyone! Silas here. We’re back with another incredible pod discussion. Before we start, please pray for the families of the shooting yesterday in Minnesota. Announcements:* 📚 Have you collected your free book yet? I bought 200 copies of Hormozi’s new book, $100m Money Models. All existing & new paid members of Catholic Founders get a free copy ($30 value) (note: shipping not included). — Sign up today to get your copy!* Yesterday we had a great Catholic Founders Guild event. If you’re a paid sub and missed it, we’ll have the recording + notes from the discussion posted soon. Note: it’s all advice on how to save money on taxes. We kept it simple so even if you’re a newbie, you can understand. * ☕ Book Club for Catholic entrepreneurs: I’m hosting a book club for Catholic biz owners. The first book is The Pope & The CEO by Andreas Widmer (former bodyguard of Pope St. JPII). On Sep 12th, we’re doing a call with the author to discuss the book. All are welcome — join here.In today’s post: * 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:* Drago Dimitrov | HolyHabits.app* As leaders of our companies, we have a responsibility to hone our skills and invest in ourselves. As Catholics, we understand that this means more than just basic skills to be good at business. Good actions come from practicing doing good things. We call these virtues. So, we wanted to bring on an expert in habit building, Drago — the Co-Founder of Holy Habits. So we are discussing how to build habits, the three levels of the spiritual life, and the three types of entrepreneurs. Plus, how those three types correspond to the levels of the spiritual life. Listen the whole way through for the maximum benefit! [sponsored content]Hire Talent that Actually Cares About Your Mission with Verso Jobs.The team at VersoJobs.com has built a remarkable gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson: Set Triggers That Will Help You Remember to Practice Your HabitHabits are easiest to build when we have a nice trigger to get us started. On your own, or with the use of the Holy Habits app, build that trigger and start to flex that virtue muscle. It will grow. On top of this, keep in mind the weight of responsibility that you have as a business owner. You’re going to be responsible for the financial well-being of potentially thousands of employees. Building strong virtues will help you do that better and weather the tough times. That I can guarantee you. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas Mähner[sponsored content]Advertise to Catholics Only, on FioThink of Fio as Spotify, but only Catholic content creators allowed. That includes music, podcasts and more. The best part, for a limited time, they are offering readers of Catholic Founders Free Advertising Space. So if you’re looking to reach a Catholic audience, learn more at fio.fm/adsPS: They actually pay the first ever streaming royalty for podcasts—something unheard of with all major podcast platforms. So, if you listen to the Catholic Founders podcast, check us out on Fio to indirectly support this project financially. You can follow us on Fio by clicking here.Get in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* (Follow him on X/Twitter)* (Drago’s Substack)* St. Josemaria Escriva (Opus Dei)* Join the Catholic Founders Guild today (and get a free book)* SpiritualDirection.com * Nathan Pinto* VersoJobs.com* fio.fmSelect Quotes:* "It's like the difference between Planet Fitness and Gold's Gym, when you know what you're trying to go after and you have clear targets and goals in mind." — Drago* "People are tired of the nihilistic, hopeless prescription of meaninglessness that the side has to offer." — Drago* "God wants to be the shepherd and we're the sheep and the sheep have no clue what the next three, four steps are. It's like one step at a time." — Drago* "We also have a unique opportunity that others don't have to exercise the virtues... as an entrepreneur." — Drago* "Just treat your people with love... Have their interest in mind and they're not going to leave you." — Drago(psst! Highlight your favorite, then click the share button to spread the word! Thank you! 🙏)Key Moments:* 00:00 Intro* 02:10 Welcome Drago Dimitrov & Holy Habits App * 04:18 Origin Story of Holy Habits * 08:23 Discussion on Spiritual Growth and 4 Transcendentals * 17:03 Core Principles of Building Holy Habits * 24:14 The Three Stages of Spiritual Life * 32:56 Applying Spiritual Stages to Entrepreneurship * 37:41 The Three Types of Entrepreneurs * 44:56 Drago's Entrepreneurial Journey and Faith * 48:55 Rapid Fire QuestionsJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHey everyone! Silas here 👋Sorry, I’m a tad late to publishing this. I must admit, I ended up staying later than planned at pickleball last night and couldn’t manage to finish the edits with the bricks on my eyelids. Better late than never, as they say!Before we start!* Tax Planning Expert: Next week Wednesday, we have a tax expert presenting to the CF Guild group on the tax changes from the recent Big Beautiful Bill. There are quite a few things to consider, so please join us. This is only available for CF Guild (paid) members, so if you’re interested, upgrade to paid and drop me a DM. We’ll get you there. * Book Club With the Author: Also, if you’re interested, we’re currently reading through The Pope & The CEO by Andreas Widmer — and on September 12th, we’ll be having a call with the author to discuss the book. This is open to anyone. Sign up today. In this Email: * 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:* Joe Coleman | Saint Kolbe Studios* Joe runs a podcast production agency for mission-oriented and Catholic organizations. He brings to this years of experience working on audio and video production so it’s a great fit for his skills. He started not that long ago, and recently, he and his wife welcomed their first child into the world. Because of that, I wanted to discuss what it’s like to be building a business in those circumstances. Discover how his trust in God has developed. How he views growing the business? How he tries to balance hustle and family life? And of course we talked a lot about podcasts and Church media in general. It was a fun call — I hope you enjoy it too! [sponsored content]We are excited to announce a sponsorship partnership with Verso Jobs.These guys are incredible at helping Catholic Founders hire people who are actually aligned with your mission.They have built this incredible gamified and data-driven job platform to help you hire people who actually share your mission and values.The best part, it's built by Catholics.Whether you're hiring for your startup, school, parish, or nonprofit — Verso makes it easy to find mission-aligned talent ready to build the Kingdom.Visit versojobs.com or book a demo to get started — To the heights! ⛰️Core Lesson: God often uses our lack of career direction early on to prepare us for the bigger missions down the road. When we start off in our careers, there is so much we don’t know. We look back and say we would do so many things differently. But in many ways, this is likely how God intended for us. He uses this time to guide us and give us experiences that we never considered in order to prepare us for what He wants us to do down the road. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas Mähner[sponsored content]Advertise to Catholics Only, on FioWe’re proud to welcome Fio as a sponsor of Catholic Founders. Think of Fio as Spotify, but only Catholic content creators allowed. That includes music, podcasts and more. The best part, for a limited time, they are offering readers of Catholic Founders Free Advertising Space. So if you’re looking to reach a Catholic audience, learn more at fio.fm/adsPS: They actually pay the first ever streaming royalty for podcasts—something unheard of with all major podcast platforms. So, if you listen to the Catholic Founders podcast, check us out on Fio to indirectly support this project financially. You can follow us on Fio by clicking here.Get in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* Book: The Art of Principled Entrepreneurship by Andreas Widmer* Encyclical: Caritas et VeritateSelect Quotes:* "I think some people are just wired to work for themselves, and they can't really work for somebody else."* "I always say people want to do business with their friends. The next best thing is people want to do business with brands and individuals they trust."* "You don't need thousands of listeners to actually have a valuable podcast."* "I would much rather have smaller growth that's sustainable."* "You need ownership over your time."Key Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Introduction to Joe Coleman and St. Kolbe Studios* 02:10 Joe Coleman's entrepreneurial journey and the founding of St. Kolbe Studios* 07:08 Discussion on the nature of self-employment and ownership* 08:56 Impact of expecting his first child on his approach to work and hustle* 11:46 Benefits of podcasting for building trust and brand relationships* 16:22 The importance of niche and specific offers in podcasting* 19:40 Joe's confidence level in his business and God's providence* 26:14 Joe's philosophy on business growth and scale* 32:08 Discussion on time ownership and entrepreneurial virtues* 33:57 Joe's evolving relationship with faith and God through entrepreneurship* 37:20 Reflection on divine providence and career paths* 43:45 Cool client stories and experiences working with interesting people* 46:35 What's missing in Catholic media* 50:28 Rapid fire questions: inspiring scriptures, entrepreneurs, saints, and devotions* 53:50 Call to action for St. Kolbe Studios and Catholic Founders GuildJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsDon’t forget - tomorrow is the feast of The Assumption — a Holy Day of Obligation in the US. Make your plan for mass — and better yet, take the day off if you can. Whatever you do, be sure to honor our Lady. Hey everyone! Silas here 👋Before we start!* CF Guild Meeting Tonight! If you’re a member of the Catholic Founders Guild, join us tonight for a discussion on the topic of Stewardship as a Catholic Business Owner. (If you’re not a member but want to join, upgrade to paid right away and message me so we can chat prior to the event to get you in — I screen everyone to ensure we maintain quality — hope to see you tonight)In this Email: * 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:* Travis Callaway | Rerum Novarum Partners* What Rerum Novarum states and how to apply it in 2025 (and beyond)Core Lesson: You Pick. And Share. Today’s episode has a LOT of points in it. My goal is for you to pick your favorite takeaway (probably something you’re going to focus on with your business) and share it in the comments of this post. This way, others can learn from what you noticed, and we can all find at least one way to apply this Catholic Social Teaching to our businesses. See you in the comments! ~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* Rerum Novarum* Coffee, Commerce, Catechesis (Travis’ podcast)Select Quotes:* "Legality and morality are not the same thing. And this document does a good job of articulating that." (10:41)* "Rerum Novarum also points to what the socialists were identifying, which is, this struggle between classes is a real problem. And we can solve that problem if we root ourselves in human dignity." (20:06)* "Doing the bare minimum, just so you can meet the legal threshold, certainly doesn't seem to qualify as what's required from the perspective of a just wage." (34:52)* "What you have is not meant for you, right? He didn't give us the skills to... for us to provide for ourselves. He gave us these skills to become instruments of his will in the world." (40:50)* "Work is a good thing. And we shouldn't be trying to get the robots to do it all for us." (48:43)Key Moments: (outline)* 0:00 Introduction to the Catholic Founders Podcast* 1:42 Guest Introduction: Travis Callaway * 3:37 Background of Rerum Novarum and its relevance* 7:11 Core points of Rerum Novarum* 8:43 Duties of employers to employees* 13:36 Short-term versus long-term thinking in business* 19:39 Harmony between classes* 21:50 Importance of associations (unions)* 24:02 Christian charity and eternal life* 26:47 Applying Rerum Novarum in 2025: Human dignity in the workplace* 29:33 Ensuring good working conditions* 33:46 The concept of a just wage* 38:53 Social responsibility of wealth* 43:03 Limits on state intervention* 44:18 Harmony over conflict* 47:04 Catholic perspective on universal basic income and work* 51:18 Rapid fire questions: Favorite scripture, entrepreneur, saint, and devotionJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsIn celebration of 25 episodes of Catholic Founders, we’re looking back at the biggest lessons and takeaways from those 25 episodes. Yesterday was part 1 (check it out here). Today, we’ve got part 2 for you. If you’re a newer listener, please use this as a sort of directory of past episodes to explore where you think you should listen. The Holy Spirit may call you to some specific episode. Don’t ignore it. Follow that tug. SHARE! Be sure to pass this around to other Catholic Business owners (current or aspiring). We need to get more people committed to this work so we can reinsert God into the world. First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Interested in joining our peer group of other Catholic Founders? Apply to join today! We vet everyone that joins so you can be assured it’s a high quality group. Core Lessons: If any of these pique your interest, we encourage you to check out the full episode by clicking on the headline with each one. Especially something we encourage new listeners to take advantage of. * Episode 14: Will O'Brien, Ulysses — Pursuing Money & Ambition as a Catholic, Conversions in San Francisco, Catholics & Climate Change* Catholicism is about moving forward and building towards heaven on earth, starting with our own hearts.* When pursuing good things, the devil will work overtime; financial success requires staying extra close to God through prayer and spiritual direction.* Episode 15: Andreas Widmer, CUA — Protecting The Pope, Sainthood Through Entrepreneurship, Following Good Desires to Come Closer to God* God often uses our natural desires to guide us deeper into His calling.* God brings us closer through trusting Him as we go deeper into our entrepreneurial journey.* Your business or product must be something that is truly good and benefits others.* Work is about more than just making money; it fulfills the soul and should fit into your plan of life.* Episode 16: Mini Episode, Feast of the Ascension — Growth Through Space, Imitating the Energy of the Apostles* We cannot fully grow unless we have the opportunity to fail, and we must allow employees to fail to increase their value.* We have a responsibility to share the Gospel with excitement, like the apostles after the Ascension and Pentecost.* Episode 17: Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Sherwood Fellows — Ethical Marketing, Long-Term Thinking, Scale Is Designed to Destroy the Human Element* To market well, integrate your marketing team with the rest of your company to ensure honesty and focus on overall product integration.* Short-term thinking drives bad marketing and hurts your brand; aim to build something enduring.* The point of scale is to remove the human element, which as Catholics, we must be cautious of because humans are the focus of work.* Episode 18: Daniel Francis, Able Police — Many Catholics are not Answering the Call to Build, Faith at a Secular Workplace, Taking Back the Culture* We often forget that we are also called to build things and use our skills to address problems in the world.* Loving your neighbor should focus more locally, on those immediately around you, rather than just people far away.* Episode 19: Nathan Crankfield, Seeking Excellence — Poverty isn’t a Virtue, Side Hustles, Influence, Ambition* Being poor is not a virtue. Choosing to live in poverty and forgo unnecessary things is a virtue. If you’re poor because you have not tried hard enough, that is not a virtue, especially for lay people. We must use our God-given potential and skills to increase income and support the Church.* Men especially have a calling to provide for their family, and developing a side hustle is often a viable way to do so.* We have a responsibility to do everything we do as well as we can, imitating Jesus.* You can be busy and still achieve holiness; busyness is not an excuse to neglect prayer or spiritual growth.[sponsored content]Advertise to Catholics Only, on FioWe’re proud to welcome Fio as a sponsor of Catholic Founders. Think of Fio as Spotify, but only Catholic content creators allowed. That includes music, podcasts and more. The best part, for a limited time, they are offering followers of Catholic Founders Free Advertising Space. So if you’re looking to reach a Catholic audience, learn more at fio.fm/adsPS: They actually pay the first ever streaming royalty for podcasts—something unheard of with all major podcast platforms. So, if you listen to the Catholic Founders podcast, check us out on Fio to indirectly support this project financially. You can follow us on Fio by clicking here.Get in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).* Episode 20: Juan Acosta, Tabella — Building Strong Parishes, Trusting the Journey God Takes You Through, Investing in Catholic Ventures* Catholic business owners need to lead in making stronger parishes by employing people and supporting priests.* We need to be genuine neighbors to fellow parishioners to support each other through tough times.* Money is an amplifier; if you have spiritual poverty, money will worsen you, but with ordered desires, it can make a huge impact.* Be willing to bring your business and calling to God in prayer and adoration for guidance.* Episode 21: Jennifer Baugh, YCP — Becoming a Vessel, Sharing Your Success bc it’s Actually not Yours, The Virtues Required to Start a Business* We need to be willing to share our successes because God can touch others' lives through our sharing. And… all of that success comes from God.* Become a total vessel of God so He can do much more through you.* The challenges of work are highly conducive for growing in virtue if you are willing to embrace them.* Recall often that your success is not yours, it’s God’s.* Episode 22: Dominic Tarolli, DOMINUS Lab — Catholics and AI* Things that have no soul will become automated; keep the human aspect, value, and special touches in your products and services.* As AI changes everything, Catholics must keep people at the center of their focus to ensure morally good outcomes.* Because AI will happen with or without us, Catholics need to be engaged on the front lines of its development.* Episode 23: Tim Glemkowski, Amazing Parish — Missionary vs Entrepreneur, Following God’s Mission vs Ours, Trusting in God to Provide Financially* Evangelize in the world but be present and engaged in your parishes to foster strong community support systems.* God sometimes destroys things to prepare the way for something new.* We are all called to be on mission, regardless if you’re a missionary or business owner.* Busyness is not an excuse not to pray; if anything, we should pray more when busy.* God wants to work in our own hearts as He works on the world through us.* Learn to trust in the Lord for money, as He will provide.* Episode 24: Dan Egan, St. Joseph Wall Project — How to Build Cultural Revival Projects in your City, Keep Walking Step, Become an Extension of Your Priest* Use your skills to execute projects well; don't do things halfway.* Work with your priest to help them realize their vision for the parish, community, and city.* God expects us to keep actively moving and acting even when the next step is unclear.* Set the example of building beautiful art because God touches people through art.* Episode 25: Tim Connors, PivotNorth Capital — Love Your Customer, Solve Your Neighbors’ Problems, Use Systems Thinking, Double Your Parish Size* Use all your ability to help solve the problems of your neighbors to the greatest extent possible, including welcoming people into the parish community.* Founders often run in packs; having a community of ambitious, faith-driven builders is important. (psst. join the CF Guild)* Loving your customers leads to high net promoter scores and provides free (or substantially lowered) customer acquisition.* The startup methodology is virtuous because of how it aims to unblock issues and provide customer value.* If we get people active in the parish and involved in community, we will keep them in the Church (implement this in your own parish).Thanks for reading — please share around. This can serve as a directory. We’ll also be making a post covering the core themes of all of these episodes. No promises on the timeline for that one haha. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Monthly Member Calls | Monthly Expert Calls | Monthly Topic Calls | Access to all paid content | Attend Guild-Member Only DinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsIn celebration of 25 episodes of Catholic Founders, we’re looking back at the biggest lessons and takeaways from those 25 episodes. It was too much to put into one recording so we are breaking it up into part 1 and 2. Part 2 should be out tomorrow or Saturday…stay tuned. If you’re a newer listener, please use this as a sort of directory of past episodes to explore where you think you should listen. The Holy Spirit may call you to some specific episode. Don’t ignore it. Follow that tug. SHARE! Be sure to pass this around to other Catholic Business owners (current or aspiring). We need to get more people committed to this work so we can reinsert God into the world. First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Interested in joining our peer group of other Catholic Founders? Apply to join today! We vet everyone that joins so you can be assured it’s a high quality group. Core Lessons: If any of these pique your interest, we encourage you to check out the full episode by clicking on the headline with each one. Especially something we encourage new listeners to take advantage of. * Episode 1: Alessandro DiSanto, Hallow — How to Pray as an Entrepreneur * Prayer is the essential first step for entrepreneurial success, helping you discern God's specific calling for you.* Episode 2: Mini Episode - Parables — God Only Reveals the Meaning of the Gospel to His Disciples* To truly understand Jesus and the Gospel, we must first become disciples and believe.* Episode 3: Alessandro DiSanto, Hallow — Origin Story, Hallow Founding Story, Church & AI* Make time for silence to hear God's subtle whispers, especially as a busy entrepreneur. If you don’t, you won’t hear what He’s calling you to. * Episode 4: Sondre Rasch, SafetyWing — Rise of Catholicism in San Francisco, How to be a Catholic Techno-Optimist* Ambition is good or bad depending on the intention; pursue it for God's glory—not your own.* Techno-optimism is acceptable as long as it adheres to the Church's boundaries on ethics and human dignity.* Episode 5: Trevor Alcorn, Tridentine Brewing — Building a Family Business, Modest Growth, Beautiful Products* Living below your means creates financial freedom to take risks and start businesses.* Grow your business at God's pace, even if it means going slower due to external factors like regulations.* Episode 6: Colin Stroud, Go Somewhere — Following Passion into Business, Ambition, How He and His Wife Both Run Businesses* Following your passion can lead you to your business calling.* Continuously seek to increase your value per hour by developing skills. This is the first stage of becoming an entrepreneur. * Fully commit to the Lord and trust in His provision; don't constantly hedge your bets. When you trust in God, He’ll reward you. [sponsored content]Advertise to Catholics Only, on FioWe’re proud to welcome Fio as a sponsor of Catholic Founders. Think of Fio as Spotify, but only Catholic content creators allowed. That includes music, podcasts and more. The best part, for a limited time, they are offering followers of Catholic Founders Free Advertising Space. So if you’re looking to reach a Catholic audience, learn more at fio.fm/adsPS: They actually pay the first ever streaming royalty for podcasts—something unheard of with all major podcast platforms. So, if you listen to the Catholic Founders podcast, check us out on Fio to indirectly support this project financially. You can follow us on Fio by clicking here.Get in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).* Episode 7: Zach Scardino, Scardino Strategic Partners — Succession Planning, Due Diligence, Buying a Business* Seek expert help and embrace humility in areas you lack knowledge. As Catholics, the virtue of humility should be one of our most unfair advantages. Lean into it. * Put in the effort to be professional and continuously improve your business for your customers' benefit. If you don’t, you may not have anything to sell to retire on or won’t be able to pass it along to your children. * A significant wave of companies is coming up for sale, creating opportunities for entrepreneurship through acquisition. * Episode 8: Cristofer Pereyra, Tepeyac Leadership Initiative — Engaging Your Bishop or Priest, Committing to Your Mission, The Missionary Call of the Laity* Lay people have a responsibility to lead and evangelize in the world, beyond the parish. See paragraph 900 of the CCC. If we don’t do this, the mission of the apostolic mission of the bishops cannot be fully fulfilled. * Building something truly impactful requires full-time commitment and trust in God. You can’t build something great as a hobby. * NOTE: We made a special episode for paid subs that breaks down the 12 takeaways from this episode with Cris. Listen here.* Episode 9: Jeff Schiefelbein, Undivided Life — Living an Undivided Life, How to Integrate Your Faith Into Your Work/Business* Company culture, especially Christian virtue, must be at the core of your business, starting with the founder's spiritual life. If you as the founder are not truly living in virtue, it will not permeate through the organization. * Every decision has eternal consequences; integrate your faith into all aspects of your life. All your decisions, business and personal, have eternal consequences. * Episode 10: Taylor Ross, Trad Chad Dating — Catholic Dating Coach, We Have a Responsibility to Provide, Prayer, Minimizing Risk, Ambition* Minimize financial risk and expenses to enable entrepreneurship. If you don’t, you might miss the call God has for you. * Prioritize prayer even when busy building your business. The busier you are, the more you need prayer. * Episode 11: Chris Lewis, Baritus Catholic — The Importance of Catholic Art, Building a Family Biz, Integrating Prayer to Your Operations* Do not force your children to join a family business; encourage their interest and involvement.* Having a family business often inspires children to pursue entrepreneurship.* We have a responsibility to create and promote good art because beauty speaks to the heart.* Episode 12: Monika Elling, FMG — Motherhood & Entrepreneurship, Vocation > Profession, How to Reach Anyone* Always prioritize your vocation (e.g., family) before business endeavors. There is a hierarchy to our life. God, Family, Business. * Look for business opportunities by identifying and solving current problems you or others face.* The Catholic business community needs its own funding mechanisms that align with Catholic morals.* Episode 13: Rob Kaczmark, Spirit Juice Studios — Catholic Disney, Emmys, When to Quit, Leaning Into Your Leadership Role* It's okay to embrace and own your role as a leader in your business. God put you in this situation for a reason, don’t shy away from it. Lean in and do it well. * Allowing employees (and yourself) to fail is necessary for personal and team growth. Without it you’ll never scale. * When considering giving up, ask yourself if you'd rather be doing anything else; if not, keep going. * Share your vision publicly to allow others to help you and to embrace a God-like ambition.Okay, stay tuned for part II soon. (Hoping later today or sometime tomorrow). And please do us a favor, share this around to serve as a sort of mini-directory of our episodes. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entrepreneurs who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Monthly Member Calls | Monthly Expert Calls | Monthly Topic Calls | Access to all paid content | Attend Guild-Member Only DinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHey guys — today is a really really special episode for me. I meet a lot of people. And it’s rare that I feel like a changed man after. But this conversation was one of those. Tim is an incredible person who is genuinely excited by finding people who are solving their neighbors’ needs. BEFORE WE START:* Today (July 31st) at 1 pm Central Time, join me for the DOMINUS Lab event. * Apply to join our community of Catholic Founders to attend our upcoming hangout calls. In this Email: * 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:* Tim Connors | PivotNorth Capital* Today we're talking to Tim Connors, one of the most influential venture capitalists in the world, renowned for his presence on the Midas List (4 times now). But what truly sets Tim apart isn't just his financial acumen; it's his radical approach to capitalism rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. He's proving that doing immense good in the world, by solving real human needs, is not only compatible with maximizing profit but is, in fact, the most potent strategy for long-term success. Get ready to have your assumptions about business, investment, and impact completely reshaped.Core Lesson: We Don’t Take the Love Your Neighbor Idea As Seriously as We Ought to. After seeing Tim’s conviction towards loving his neighbor, and to the extent that he does this, it’s something I can’t unsee. How many people would reach his level and just relax? Just enjoy their drinks on the beach. Most would. But Tim won’t. He’s doggedly determined to find the things he can solve for other humans in an incentivized way. So, in summary. We need to take this idea of love your neighbor much more seriously. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas Mähner[sponsored content]Advertise to Catholics Only, on FioWe’re proud to welcome Fio as a sponsor of Catholic Founders. Think of Fio as Spotify, but only Catholic content creators allowed. That includes music, podcasts and more. The best part, for a limited time, they are offering readers of Catholic Founders Free Advertising Space. So if you’re looking to reach a Catholic audience, learn more at fio.fm/adsPS: They actually pay the first ever streaming royalty for podcasts—something unheard of with all major podcast platforms. So, if you listen to the Catholic Founders podcast, check us out on Fio to indirectly support this project financially. You can follow us on Fio by clicking here.Get in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* Encyclicals: Rerum Novarum, Caritas in Veritate, Mensuram Bonam, Antiqua et Nova* The Midas ListSelect Quotes:* "If Fortune 500 boards were just all reading Rerum Novarum and following that, their profits would be maximized and the world would be a much better place." — Tim Connors* "Companies who love their customers the most are the most profitable and have the lowest customer acquisition cost." — Tim Connors* "Benedict basically says solve the real need of your neighbor with your work... do it with your God given skills, talents, and then do it with the max degree of influence you have in the polis." — Tim Connors* "The best returns I've had are deals that fundamentally make their customers’ lives better." — Tim Connors* "My belief is that you do better in all asset classes if you love your customer. You actually do better." — Tim Connors* "If all Catholic assets were... screened, filtered, and invested with CST principles from Rerum and Antiqua and Mensuram Bonam. We'd have collectively a loud voice for the vulnerable in these companies." — Tim ConnorsHelp spread the word! Highlight your favorite of these quotes, and then share on social media / Substack notes with some encouraging words to help others discover this episode. Key Moments: (outline)* 00:00 - Introduction to Tim Connors and Catholic Social Teaching in business.* 02:53 - Tim Connors' background and career journey into venture capital.* 05:34 - The integration of Catholic faith into Tim Connors' investing philosophy.* 08:00 - The impact of Pope Benedict's "Caritas in Veritate" on Tim's approach.* 09:00 - Contrasting ethical and exploitative business models.* 12:57 - Attributes of successful founders: smarts, goodness, and grit.* 15:55 - The importance of empathy, self-awareness, and moral compass in founders.* 16:20 - How Tim Connors screens for "goodness" in founders.* 18:34 - Why "best founders hunt in packs" and the power of referrals.* 20:55 - The shift to systems thinking in problem-solving.* 24:00 - Applying systems thinking to consumer banking (Chime.com example).* 27:00 - The systems solution to homelessness (CloudApartments.com example).* 28:23 - Developing and applying a systems thinking mindset.* 31:34 - Reframing capitalism: Maximizing ROI through love of customer.* 34:00 - The Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a measure of customer love.* 35:30 - Challenging Milton Friedman's shareholder-first theory.* 37:00 - Rerum Novarum and its relevance to modern capitalism.* 39:00 - Aligning Catholic assets with Catholic social teaching.* 42:15 - Applying the lean startup mentality to any organization, including the Church.* 44:00 - Key "winning metrics" for organizational success.* 46:00 - Doubling parish size through welcoming and bottleneck analysis.* 47:00 - Advocating for canon law changes to improve parish engagement.* 48:57 - The influence of Caritas in Veritate on pursuing societal change.* 51:00 - Coaching leaders to solve problems for the vulnerable, planet, and Church.* 52:31 - The power of collective action by Catholic entrepreneurs.* 53:47 - The role of AI in human flourishing and the importance of morally-oriented builders.* 54:48 - Final calls to action and how to connect with Tim Connors.Join The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts(Join our Catholic biz owners community for camaraderie, learning, and networking)Hey everyone! Silas here 👋We’ve got a special episode. Today’s guest has successfully developed a large mural of St. Joseph the Worker in Detroit. He’s here to tell us how it’s done (we even created a written guide to go with it — so be sure to share this around). In this Email: * Intro to the Guest and Topic* The Guide to Building Your Mural* 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:* Daniel Egan | The Joseph Wall* Daniel led the effort to paint a huge mural of St. Joseph the Worker in the heart of Detroit. Daniel reviews how things unfolded as a way to share his lessons with others who are interested in funding similar projects. The Guide1. Cast the Vision & Test FeasibilityClearly define your mural's purpose and imagery. Research local regulations and ordinances regarding public art to ensure your vision is technically possible and avoids legal hurdles.2. Secure the Location with Written AgreementsEstablish firm, written agreements with the property owner before fundraising or beginning any work. This prevents miscommunications and protects the project from unexpected setbacks.3. Commission the Right ArtistSelect an artist who not only possesses the necessary skills for large-scale murals but also understands and aligns with the Catholic ethos and sensibility to produce art that elevates the soul.4. Assemble a Dedicated TeamSurround yourself with reliable individuals who can assist with legal advice, communication with stakeholders, and overall project management to ensure smooth execution and professional representation of the Church.5. Plan Your FundingOnce all other ducks are in a row, devise a clear marketing strategy to raise the necessary funds. It's advantageous to secure commitments or even some funds before making public implications about the project's location.6. Prepare for Obstacles & AdaptAnticipate challenges and be prepared to iterate and adapt your plans, recognizing that divine timing and unexpected turns can lead to even better outcomes. Remember to allocate funds for ongoing maintenance.Share! Share! Share! If you are a fan of this project and want to do one like it. We encourage you to reach out to Daniel directly. But what we first need to do is spread awareness of this generosity only made possible through each of us. Forward this post to at least one person who wants to build culture projects in the world. Core Lesson: With Culture Projects Like This, Dream Bold and Let God Guide YouThey originally planned for the project to go in a different location. The one they got turned out to be even better. But if they didn’t keep at it, they never would have seen this project come to fruition. So when you’re building projects like this, don’t be afraid to dream big. But just hold on tightly and keep pushing. God will make it work out. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* Check out The Joseph Wall* Project Angelus: Download the Project Angelus Chrome extension to help you pray the Angelus regularly* Follow Daniel* Book: Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen* St. Joseph’s Oratory in DetroitSelect Quotes:* "The fact that you're getting this much backlash is the surest sign that you're right over the target." * "It was a real test of my faith and confidence that this actually was going to get done."* "The location of the mural where it ended up was a location that had never occurred to me... it is a location that is so perfect."* "If we're going to produce Catholic art... you need to make sure you have an artist that's actually capable of doing those things."* "Building a beautiful church is first and foremost because man is putting the first fruits of his labor to glorifying and magnifying and worshiping Almighty God."Key Moments: (timestamps)* 00:27 Introduction to the Catholic Founders Podcast and Daniel Egan's Mural Project* 04:16 Outcome of the Mural Project* 06:12 Origin and Timeline of the Mural Idea* 09:30 Challenges and Hurdles Faced During the Project* 22:16 Core Ingredients and Order for Building a Mural* 27:20 The Impact of Having Funds Raised Early* 31:01 Encouragement for Others to Create Catholic Murals* 32:53 The Importance of Goodness, Truth, and Beauty in Art and Life* 35:46 The Value of Beauty in Churches and Inspiring Faith* 39:37 Fruits and Impact of the Completed Mural* 43:00 Other Ideas for Inserting Catholic Culture into the World* 49:15 Framework for Actioning Ideas and Personal Knowledge ManagementJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Make those 5 people other ambitious Catholic Founders. It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHey folks! Thanks for stopping by again. We really appreciate your support and attention. Before we start, please share this podcast with one other Catholic who runs a business or who is considering starting a business. You sharing this is the only way we grow. Thanks for helping us out! 📣 Announcement: This coming Monday, we’re hosting a Catholic Founders Guild call. If you’d like to join us, upgrade to paid today so we can chat prior to Monday to vet you and get you in on the discussion. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good one. In this Email: * Intro to the Guest and Topic* Core Takeaway: Don’t be afraid of losing it all — God might be taking it away to prepare you for the next mission. * Episode References* Select Quotes* Key MomentsFirst time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest:* Tim Glemkowski | Amazing Parish* Topic: How to build strong parishes and the role of Catholic entrepreneurs in that mission. * Tim has been on an incredible journey. His story is one that will inspire anyone who hears. From riding high on great success running parish missions, to having it all taken away from him with COVID. After several months of hardship, he got a call out of the blue to work with the bishop. Eventually, he’d go on to become the CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress. A privilege with a lot of responsibility. He offers such an incredible perspective on entrepreneurship and trusting in God to become His vessel. Core Lesson: Don’t be afraid of losing it all — God might be taking it away to prepare you for the next mission. The organization Tim had founded (Revive Parishes) was cruising. He was seeing so much success. Out of nowhere, he got a call from an acquaintance telling him that God was going to ask Tim to do things on God’s terms. And that He was sending a flood, but that everything will be okay. About a month later, the pandemic started. Tim lost all his clients — they were even calling asking for their deposits back. The flood destroyed everything. On top of that, he had other struggles in his life. But after several tough months of unemployment, the Archbishop of Denver called him and offered him a job. Without the flood to clean the slate, he wouldn’t have been ready for that next mission. In this episode, Tim also emphasized the importance of becoming a true vessel. When we become a vessel of God, we are able to accomplish so much more because we are His. We are not operating on our own power. In many ways, doing this feels like losing ourselves. In reality, we are gaining our true purpose. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* Books:* For the Life of the World: Invited to Eucharistic Mission* Made for Mission: Renewing Your Parish Culture* Rapid Fire:* Fav Scripture: Anything about Abraham and Moses* Fav Entrepreneurs: Pope St. John Paul II, Mother Teresa, (because they, like all the Saints, were entrepreneurs in some way)* Fav Saints: St. Therese, St. Peter, and St. Francis * Fav Devotion: Novena of Trust and Surrender & Total Consecration To Mary* Other: * Revive Parishes: An initiative Tim co-founded.* L'Alto Catholic Institute: An apostolate Tim started.* National Eucharistic Congress / Eucharistic Revival Project: Projects Tim was involved with as CEO and in strategic planning.Select Quotes:* "God said, you've been building the kingdom on your own power and on your own terms. And He's now inviting you to build his kingdom with his power and on his terms." — Tim Glemkowski* "God sometimes destroys things in the flood to help make space for the next thing." — Tim Glemkowski* "If I'd had it my way, we'd still, I'd still just be running my own thing and have no... no kings." — Tim Glemkowski* "I belong to God... I'm not here to please man or be […] a church figure. I'm just trying to do the Lord's will." — Tim Glemkowski* "Entrepreneurs are […] among the most self-reliant people in the world. […] If we live a life of self-reliance, we will wind up in a personal hell of our own making." — Tim Glemkowski* "The cross is the form of Christian fruitfulness." — Tim Glemkowski🛑 Stop right there! 🛑 — Can you do us a huge favor? Select one of these quotes that you like and click the share icon to your favorite social media, or just share right here on Substack. This will help us reach more people with this message (let’s pray the algorithm is on our side).Key Moments: (outline)* 00:00 Introduction to Tim Glemkowski & Podcast Overview: A Vision for Catholic Entrepreneurship* 05:01 Role of Catholic Business Owners in Building Strong Parishes: Investing in Our Spiritual Homes: The Business Owner's Call* 12:59 Historical Context of Parishes and Community Building: Lessons from the Past: Building Thriving Catholic Communities* 15:12 Anti-Suburbs Sentiment & Rebuilding Communities: Reimagining Our Catholic Communities: Beyond the Suburbs* 16:11 Founding Revive Parishes and L'Alto Catholic Institute: Entrepreneurial Ventures in Ministry: The Birth of Revive Parishes* 20:24 Non-Profit vs. For-Profit Mentality in Ministry: Profit, Purpose, and Piety: Navigating Business Models in Catholic Endeavors* 24:30 The WeWork Story and the Role of Faith in Business: Faith at the Forefront: Business Ethics from WeWork to the Work of God* 24:56 The Hardest Part of Leaving a Founded Endeavor: Letting Go and Letting God: Succession Planning in Catholic Business* 27:31 The Flood Story and God's Plan for Tim's Life: Providence in Business: Recognizing God's Hand in Our Ventures* 34:28 "Made for Mission" Book Synopsis: "Made for Mission": A Blueprint for Catholic Business Impact* 35:35 Calling to Ministry vs. Entrepreneurship: Discerning Your Vocation: Business Owner or Full-Time Ministry?* 40:55 The Benefit of Daily Mass and Frequent Adoration for Busy Entrepreneurs: Spiritual Fuel for the Entrepreneurial Soul: Mass and Adoration* 43:30 God Speaking Through Work and Lessons on Suffering/Trust: Finding God in the Grind: Faith, Suffering, and Trust in Business* 51:15 Anxiety about Finances in Ministry/Entrepreneurship: Faith Over Fear: Navigating Financial Worries in Catholic Business* 58:16 Rapid Fire Questions (Scriptures, Entrepreneurs, Saints, Devotions, Call to Action): Inspiration for Catholic Business Owners: Quick TakesJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHello from San Francisco!This past Tuesday, we had a great dinner discussion about the challenges and benefits of building a VC-backed business as a Catholic. It was a lively discussion — expect to hear some more thorough takeaways from it soon. Shout out to all of you who attended. Couldn’t have had it without you. Announcement! As a heads up, I’ll be speaking at the DOMINUS Lab event on July 31st. Register today! (It’s free) In this Email: * 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:* Dominik Tarolli | DOMINUS Lab* As AI starts to eat the world. One thing is true, these LLMs are going to massively influence the culture. For that reason, it’s important they are not pushing hidden agendas. We need LLMs guided by the Truth of the Gospel — the Truth of the Church. That’s what our guest is setting out to do with DOMINUS Lab. They are looking to help support the creation of 1,000 Christian AI startups to counterbalance the secular influence prevalent in current AI development. We discuss how to view AI, how even small businesses should utilize AI, and how we must keep the worker at the center of our minds during this process. And much more.Core Lesson: AI naturally replaces anything transactional in nature. Therefore, if we build companies and products that are full of soul and human touch, we are less at risk. Because of the nature of AI, things that are more transactional in nature are the first targets. In a way, this is a good thing. Because what human finds fulfillment in are highly repetitive tasks. Yes, we have to be cognizant of the job loss that can occur if not handled well. If we think about this a bit further, the only companies that are at risk are those that have aimed to suppress the human touch in their products. Those who have professionalized every little thing. From an ROI perspective, those companies have done well. But from a fulfillment and beautiful product experience, they have not done well. The companies that have retained focus on the customer, a relentless obsession to create beautiful products, those companies will continue to succeed. Those are the companies that approached business and commerce from the rightly ordered perspective. Let’s be sure to follow that model. To keep the human touch in all that we do and in the products we build. God Bless & Happy Building!~Silas MähnerGet in front of Catholic decision makers today! Our publication is ready by devout Catholic founders and business owners across America. Best for anyone selling services or products to those audiences. (Plus they’d all rather buy from another Catholic).Key Episode References:* Books: * I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek* Startup Secrets Blackbook by Dominik Tarolli* Scripture:* John 3:16 * Psalm 23* Saint:* St. Jude Thaddeus — Dominik’s favorite saint Select Quotes:* "The LLMs being created right now are going to have a huge impact on our worldview. And that's why we need them to be formed in and crafted in truth, not in a secular worldview." — Dominik* "What is the value of a human being? How do humans become valuable? Because once I have AI and robots that look like human, then we will have a discussion about what's the real difference." — Dominik* "AI is a servant, not a savior. So it should really serve us humans. We are made in the image of God." — Dominik* "AI is very biased. There is no Christian large language model; they're all secular to the left." — Dominik* "The future is really bright if we are getting this one right... We can reach much more people if we infuse the right kind of messages of love." — Dominik* "I believe that we have intrinsic value because we are made in the image of God. And a robot with AI doesn't have a soul, doesn't have feeling, cannot laugh." — DominikKey Moments: (outline)* 00:00 - Introduction to Dominus Lab and the Christian AI initiative* 03:21 - Founding and mission of Dominus Lab* 08:23 - The problem with current AI: secular bias and its impact* 13:30 - The intrinsic value of humans and the "laws of robotics"* 20:27 - AI's impact on job creation vs. job loss* 28:08 - How small businesses can approach and utilize AI* 36:44 - Advice for high school students and the future of micro-businesses* 39:11 - Rapid Fire: Favorite scriptures, books, entrepreneurs, and saints* 44:13 - Favorite devotions and the power of prayer* 46:31 - How to connect with Dominus Lab and Dominik TarolliJoin The Catholic Founders GuildThe Catholic Founders Guild is a vetted group of Catholic entreprenuers who are building businesses with their faith at the heart of what they do. Some are building ‘Catholic’ products. Most are building normal businesses. We’ve got tech founders. Agency owners. Mom & Pop. E-commerce. And some people who bought a business. Guild Member Benefits: * Member Directory Access | Join our monthly calls | Access to all paid content | Attend guild-member only dinnersYou are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most. Don’t you want that to describe other Catholic founders? It’s only $10/month or $100/year (for now) 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