IBAM- International Business As Mission Biblical Entrepreneurship

IBAM- International Business As Mission
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Welcome to the IBAM Biblical Entrepreneurship Show with your host, Steve Adams. This weekly show inspires and equips Christian entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses that honor God and uplift impoverished communities. Join Steve for solo episodes and expert interviews as we advance the Great Commission by sharing insights, mentorship, and real-life stories of how biblical entrepreneurship is transforming lives and spreading the Gospel globally. Get ready to be inspired and empowered!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Donate to the IBAM mission here- https://www.ibam.org

  1. 4d ago

    EP 120: Faith, Financial Freedom, and the Courage to Just Start

    What if the biggest thing standing between you and your calling isn't a lack of opportunity, but the decision to finally begin? In this episode of the IBAM Podcast, host Tom Carter welcomes Sebastian Uzcategui, founder of Stocks University, for an inspiring conversation about faith, financial education, entrepreneurship, and finding freedom through purpose-driven work. Growing up as an only-child immigrant in the United States, Sebastian watched his family endure exhausting 12-hour shifts while searching for the American dream. Those experiences motivated him to explore investing and entrepreneurship as pathways toward financial independence. Today, Sebastian shares how he's using financial education to help others, including Christian students and church leaders, pursue greater financial stability. He explains how his investing work has helped support churches and mission trips, and why he believes wealth means far more than money. The conversation also explores the challenges Sebastian faced while building his business. Drawing from Proverbs 10:22, he shares how putting his faith, voice, and business purpose first led to an unexpected turning point in his entrepreneurial journey. And his greatest lesson? Just start. Whether you're considering a new business, seeking financial independence, or learning to live your faith more boldly, Sebastian's story offers encouragement to take that first step. 3. Five Key Takeaways 01 Financial education can help break cycles of struggle. Sebastian believes a lack of financial knowledge contributes to ongoing financial instability. His approach prioritizes education and helping students see results before charging for his services. 02 Business success can support Kingdom work. Sebastian describes how investing has enabled him to generate funds for church leaders, churches, and mission trips, connecting financial progress with his desire to serve others. 03 Wealth is about more than money. Reflecting on Proverbs 10:22, Sebastian describes wealth in terms of freedom, prosperity, family, and relief from the struggle of simply surviving. 04 Putting faith and purpose first can change how you approach business. Sebastian recounts how embracing public speaking, Christian values, and the purpose behind his business preceded a fourfold increase in his business. 05 Don't let perfectionism keep you from starting. Sebastian's most memorable advice comes from a question he heard at 18: "At what point is procrastination, disobedience?" His answer is simple: start, accept that you'll stumble, and learn as you go. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/h6HZxEd4WJs 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

    EP 120: Faith, Financial Freedom, and the Courage to Just Start

  2. Oct 19

    EP 119: Business With God: The Kingdom Approach to Growth and Impact

    What if your business could do more than generate sales? What if it could transform lives and advance God's Kingdom? In this episode of the Kingdom Impact Summit Podcast, host Tom Carter welcomes Christopher Harold, founder of God's Masterpiece and the self-proclaimed Kingdom Marketing Superman, for a conversation about building a business with God instead of simply working for Him. With more than 20 years of digital marketing experience, Christopher shares how personal struggles, burnout, and a season of spiritual realignment changed his approach to business. His defining revelation? Moving from sales funnels to soul funnels—shifting the focus from chasing income, influence, and conversions to creating meaningful transformation and making disciples in the marketplace. Christopher walks through his five-stage Soul Funnel framework: Attract, Engage, Convert, Transform, and Multiply. He explains how Christian coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs can grow their businesses while honoring biblical principles and fulfilling their God-given assignments. The conversation also gets deeply personal as Christopher shares how business success and failure affected his identity, why he had to learn to separate his worth from his results, and how keeping God first transformed his perspective. He closes with three principles for Kingdom-minded entrepreneurs: Alignment, Identity, and Assignment. Whether you're growing a business, navigating challenges, or searching for deeper purpose in your work, this conversation offers encouragement to pursue impact beyond income. Five Key Takeaways 1. Move from sales funnels to soul funnels. Business isn't only about making sales. Christopher challenges Christian entrepreneurs to use their marketing, offers, and services to make disciples and create Kingdom impact. 2. Build through the five stages of a Soul Funnel. Attract with authority and anointing, engage through Spirit-led messaging, convert with God-honoring offers, transform through meaningful outcomes, and multiply through systems and processes. 3. Don't let business results determine your identity. Christopher shares how his struggles taught him that God's love doesn't increase with business success or decrease with failure. Identity must be grounded in Christ, not income. 4. Prioritize alignment, identity, and assignment. Christopher's three guiding principles encourage believers to seek God's Kingdom first, understand who they are in Christ, and faithfully fulfill their calling in the marketplace. 5. Recognize your business as an opportunity for ministry. Christopher explains that Zoom meetings, social media platforms, and everyday business relationships can become opportunities to demonstrate biblical principles and reach people beyond the walls of a church. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/MLvziKI8HAs 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

    EP 119: Business With God: The Kingdom Approach to Growth and Impact

  3. Oct 12

    EP 118: Why Obedience Beats Hustle in Faith-Driven Entrepreneurship

    What if growing your business didn't require more hustle, more followers, or more time spent on social media? In this inspiring Kingdom Impact session, Gabe Cox, goal planning and business strategist, host of the Pursuing Goals, God's Way podcast, and founder of the Red Hot Accountability Club, challenges faith-driven entrepreneurs to rethink what success really means. In January 2023, Gabe stepped away from social media for both business and personal life. Just one month later, her podcast grew by 400%. But she doesn't credit a clever marketing strategy. She points to obedience, renewed focus, and following God's direction. Drawing from Romans 12:2, Gabe explains why Kingdom success isn't measured by likes, followers, or endless activity. Instead, it's about meaningful relationships, lives changed, and fruit that lasts. You'll discover how to redefine ROI through God's lens, including the importance of return on time invested (ROTI). Gabe also shares practical ways to build influence through collaborations, referrals, and long-form content without depending on social media algorithms. She explains why focusing on one platform, one offer, and the next right step can produce more meaningful progress than trying to do everything at once. If you've been feeling stretched thin by constant posting, endless to-do lists, or the pressure to be everywhere, this conversation offers encouragement and practical direction. The takeaway? Kingdom impact doesn't come from doing more. It comes from obeying what God has already placed in front of you. 00:00 Introduction01:07 Redefining ROI05:11 Practical Strategies09:18 Long Form Content11:59 Focus and Obedience15:20 Next Steps Five Key Podcast Takeaways 1. Redefine ROI Through God's Lens Kingdom success isn't just about dollars, followers, or reach. Gabe challenges entrepreneurs to measure meaningful conversations, lives changed, testimonies, referrals, and lasting fruit. She also introduces ROTI: return on time invested. 2. Obedience Matters More Than Hustle After leaving social media in January 2023, Gabe experienced 400% podcast growth in one month. She attributes the experience to following God's direction and being able to focus on what mattered most, rather than simply quitting social media. 3. Build Influence Through Relationships, Not Algorithms Genuine collaborations, warm introductions, referrals, and excellent service can create meaningful business opportunities. Gabe encourages entrepreneurs to identify 10 potential collaborators and look for ways to serve each other's audiences. 4. Choose One Platform and Create Content That Lasts Podcasts, blogs, and YouTube videos can continue serving audiences long after publication. Rather than spreading yourself across every platform, Gabe recommends choosing one primary channel, remaining consistent, and repurposing content intentionally. 5. Steward Your Time and Focus on the Next Right Step Busyness isn't the same as fruitfulness. Gabe recommends starting the week with prayer, reviewing how time was spent, creating a stop-doing list, batching work, and selecting one priority to pursue over the next 90 days. Recommended podcast positioning: Lead with the tension between business growth and social media exhaustion. Use Gabe's personal story to capture interest, then emphasize the deeper message: obedience, meaningful relationships, focused stewardship, and eternal Kingdom impact. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/9w0K0m_hR5Y 🌍 Join the mission here- www.thirdfish.org

    EP 118: Why Obedience Beats Hustle in Faith-Driven Entrepreneurship

  4. Oct 5

    EP 117: Redefining Success as a Christian Business Leader

    What happens when your business is growing, but you begin asking a deeper question: “Lord, who do you want me to serve?” In this conversation, Tom Carter sits down with Garrett Maroon, founder of Two 10 Realty Group and The Faithful Agent, to talk about what it looks like to live out Christian faith honestly and openly in business. Garrett shares how he entered real estate in 2014, went five and a half months without selling a house, nearly quit several times, and eventually built a thriving business. But his story became about much more than professional success. After losing his mother in 2022, Garrett began seriously questioning what God wanted him to do with his work. That journey led to The Faithful Agent, a community and podcast serving Christians in real estate. Garrett discusses why faith cannot simply be turned on and off depending on the room, why Christian professionals need community and accountability, and why profitability should not automatically be confused with faithfulness. He also challenges the traditional business scoreboard of income, sales, and recognition. Instead, he encourages leaders to consider the legacy they are building through their faith, marriages, families, and the way they steward their work. This conversation is an honest look at humility, leadership, discipleship, and what it means to keep the gospel at the center while building a business. 00:11 Introduction01:05 Garrett's Background02:55 Defining Ministry Moments06:00 Impact on Agents07:00 Overcoming Challenges10:37 Personal Growth18:12 Concluding Reflections 5 Key Takeaways 1. Your faith should not be something you take on and off. Garrett describes his faith as inseparable from who he is. When asked not to discuss Christianity during a podcast appearance, he explained that his faith was not a “backpack” he could simply remove depending on the environment. 2. The most profitable decision is not always the most faithful decision. Garrett challenges Christian business owners to stop assuming that the decision producing the most money must automatically be the right decision. Instead, he encourages them to ask what faithfulness requires. 3. Success needs a different scoreboard. Money, transactions, and professional statistics can easily become the primary measurement of success. Garrett encourages leaders to think about what they want their lives and legacy to represent beyond business performance. 4. Community should include accountability. Garrett believes Christian business leaders need people who are willing to speak honestly into their lives. His community is designed not only to encourage believers, but also to challenge them when their priorities begin moving in the wrong direction. 5. Business can shape the person building it. Garrett describes entrepreneurship as a humbling experience that has exposed his own pride and continually challenged him to keep the gospel central. Building the business has also become part of his own spiritual growth. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/yl5rNKfNgMs Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

    EP 117: Redefining Success as a Christian Business Leader

  5. Sep 28

    EP 116: Do Your Work With Excellence and Let God Use It

    What happens when building a business becomes less about forcing your own plan and more about surrendering to God’s direction? In this Kingdom Impact Summit conversation, business strategist Buki Ekeowa shares the journey that took her from working in the City of London to entrepreneurship, property, YouTube, coaching, and helping women grow businesses online. Her path was not a straight line. After leaving her job in response to what she believed God was telling her, Buki experienced seasons of success, setbacks, experimentation, and plenty of questions. Eventually, she reached a place of surrender: “Not my will, but yours be done.” That posture changed the direction of her business. Buki shares how she felt led to start a YouTube channel even though being on camera did not come naturally. By simply sharing what she had learned, new opportunities began to open. Steve and Buki also explore what Kingdom impact can look like through ordinary business. It is not only about openly presenting the Gospel. It can mean serving people well, solving real problems, working with excellence, building trust, and allowing transformation to be demonstrated through the way you show up. Buki also introduces the O-I-L framework connected to her book Beyond Abundance: offering yourself in surrender, imagination with God, and launching out with your gifts. This conversation is an invitation to stop hiding what God has given you, stay open to His direction, and let your business become a place of service, excellence, and Kingdom impact. 00:00 Introduction01:06 Meet Buki Ecoa02:21 Finding Purpose03:35 The Journey Begins06:14 Uncovering Framework09:13 A Leap of Faith11:09 Surrender to God15:42 Business Excellence24:42 Faith and Work26:45 A Personal Touch30:13 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Surrender can change the direction of your business. Buki describes surrender as the posture of saying, “Not my way, Lord, but yours,” while remaining open to new directions, ideas, and actions. 2. Stop assuming God’s direction will look like your plan. Buki resisted starting YouTube because it did not seem like an obvious path to building a business. Yet sharing what she had learned eventually opened the door to coaching. 3. Kingdom impact happens through service. A business does not have to be overtly Christian in every interaction to serve people for Christ. Buki emphasizes solving problems, helping people, and showing up with a posture of service. 4. Excellence builds bridges. The conversation highlights how doing excellent work can build trust, create conversations, and open opportunities to share how God has worked in your life. 5. Use the “oil” God has already given you. Buki connects the widow’s oil in 2 Kings 4:1–7 with the gifts and expertise God has placed in people. Her encouragement is to recognize those gifts, stop hiding them, and launch out with them. Buki explicitly describes surrender as being open to God’s direction, letting go when needed, embracing new ideas, and acting boldly despite discomfort. Her YouTube story and its connection to coaching appear earlier in the conversation. The service, excellence, and Kingdom-business discussion comes from the later portion of the interview. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/Y5v2OceCoYw Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

    EP 116: Do Your Work With Excellence and Let God Use It

  6. Sep 21

    EP 115: How to Become the Choice, Not Just a Choice

    What does it take to go from being the world’s best-kept secret to becoming an influential trusted authority? In this episode, Ann Marie Cross shares how coaches, consultants, and multi-passionate entrepreneurs can clarify what makes them unique, uncopyable, and unforgettable—and position themselves as the choice versus just a choice for their ideal clients. At the center of the conversation is a simple formula: Clarity + Consistency + Time = Momentum. Ann Marie explains why clarity must come first, including clarity around your ideal client, your message, your positioning, and the expertise you want to become known for. She also unpacks the five pillars of her Core Business Foundations: your lucrative niche, signature brand, signature system, signature programs, and digital asset. Drawing from her own business journey—including what she describes as her worst business failure and the podcast that unexpectedly generated two four-figure clients—Ann Marie shows how challenges, milestones, and lived experience can become part of your unique message. You’ll also hear how to create an umbrella statement, identify three core themes, develop focused content topics, find your “tip of the spear,” and use a digital asset such as a self-evaluation or quiz to help potential clients identify their gaps. If your expertise is broad but your message feels unclear, this episode offers a practical way to bring greater focus to your brand, message, and visibility. ▶️ Watch the full long-form video: https://youtu.be/W3jtZlyI5g4 🌍 IBAM: Join the mission: www.ibam.org 5 Key Takeaways 1. Clarity + Consistency + Time = Momentum. All three matter, but Ann Marie emphasizes that clarity is the starting point. 2. Your message needs focus. Becoming an influential trusted authority requires consistency not only in how often you communicate, but in what you consistently become known for. 3. Build the foundations before relying on more marketing. The five Core Business Foundations discussed are your lucrative niche, signature brand, signature system, signature programs, and digital asset. 4. Find your “tip of the spear.” One specific area of expertise can become the conversation starter that helps you cut through the noise and connect with what your ideal client is already struggling with. 5. Your story can strengthen your authority. Significant challenges, markers, milestones, and results can form an “invisible thread” that validates the methodologies and steps you now teach others.

    EP 115: How to Become the Choice, Not Just a Choice

  7. Sep 14

    EP 114: Kingdom Business in Your Second Act

    Can you build a purpose-driven business without returning to hustle, grind and exhausting work hours? In this episode, Kingdom business coach Gail Root shares what she has learned about entrepreneurship, calling and Kingdom impact in the second half of life. Gail reflects on her own entrepreneurial journey and the realization that, although she was a believer, she once viewed her business ambitions as something unworthy of God’s attention. That changed when she felt called to coach Christian women and began approaching business as a partnership with God. She explains three important shifts she helps women make: releasing the hustle, reclaiming their calling and building systems that create greater rhythm and flow. The conversation also explores stewardship. Gail discusses money, time, social media, automation and AI as tools that can be used for good when they remain in their proper place and are governed intentionally. She also shares how Kingdom principles can reshape marketing and sales. Marketing becomes less about amplifying yourself and more about helping the people you are called to serve hear you. Sales becomes an invitation rather than something pushy, spammy or driven by anxiety over the outcome. Throughout the conversation, Gail returns to the importance of seeking God first, working from rest, staying connected through fellowship and allowing purpose, peace and joy to coexist with meaningful marketplace impact. 00:00 Introduction00:56 Second Half Life03:23 Purpose Driven05:11 Biblical Insights08:38 Empowering Tools18:17 Sales Approach20:57 Kingdom Principles22:00 Global Mission 5 Key Takeaways 1. Release the hustle. A successful, purpose-driven business does not have to require constant hustle and grind. Gail encourages women in the second half of life to embrace a different rhythm that allows room for peace, joy, family, travel and meaningful work. 2. Reclaim your calling. Experience matters. Gail describes the second half of life as a season in which wisdom, clarity and what a person has already walked through can equip them to serve others through their calling. 3. Build systems that create rhythm and flow. Systems can help create greater freedom. Gail especially highlights automation as a tool that can save time and allow entrepreneurs to spend more time with people instead of behind screens. 4. Steward the tools you have been given. Money, time, social media, automation and AI are all discussed as tools. Rather than fearing or demonizing them, Gail encourages intentional self-governance and using them for good while keeping God first. 5. Shift the way you see marketing and sales. Marketing does not have to be about self-promotion. It can help the people you are called to serve see and hear you. And sales, Gail says, is simply an invitation—one that builds through relationship while leaving the outcome with God. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/Q8kfr-4T47E Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

    EP 114: Kingdom Business in Your Second Act

  8. Sep 7

    EP 113: God’s Blueprint for Building a Business

    Can business success and wholehearted faith really belong together? In this episode, Tom Carter talks with entrepreneur, bestselling author, speaker, and King’s Council founder Rylee Meek about his journey from pursuing financial success to building businesses from a biblical worldview. Rylee shares how, by 2019, he had reached what felt like the financial pinnacle of his companies while feeling spiritually bankrupt and deeply unfulfilled. That season forced him to wrestle with a question that had followed him for years: Could he be successful and still be a good Christian? His search took him back to Scripture, including Joshua 1:8, and ultimately helped shape the King’s Council, a ministry focused on discipling entrepreneurs through a biblical framework. Rylee also walks through the business framework he sees in the Genesis creation account—from vision and atmosphere to structure, order, momentum, multiplication, dominion, and Sabbath. He explains how entrepreneurs can use that framework to identify where their businesses may be out of alignment. The conversation also explores fear, indecision, wise counsel, and the difference between constantly asking God for clarity and having faith to take the next step. As Rylee puts it, “God blesses our footprints, not our butt prints.” If you are an entrepreneur, business leader, or someone considering stepping into business, this conversation offers a challenging look at what it means to pursue excellence, steward your gifts, and bring Kingdom culture into your work. 00:00 Introduction01:22 Riley Meek's Journey05:38 Discovering Purpose09:58 Impactful Business13:05 Framework for Success22:00 Practical Advice24:15 King's Council26:07 Conclusion 5 Key Takeaways 1. Financial success does not automatically produce fulfillment. Rylee describes reaching a financial high point in 2019 while feeling spiritually bankrupt and asking whether that was really what life was about. 2. Scripture can shape the way entrepreneurs build. Rylee says studying Joshua 1:8 and the Bible for himself changed how he viewed success, business, and stewardship. 3. Genesis provides a framework Rylee applies to business. He connects creation with vision, atmosphere, structure, order, momentum, multiplication and dominion, and Sabbath. 4. Fear can keep entrepreneurs trapped in indecision. Rylee encourages seeking counsel and wisdom while refusing to stay stuck on what he calls “the fence of indecision.” 5. Faith does not always come with complete clarity. Rylee explains that his prayer shifted from asking God for constant clarity to asking for faith to move in a direction while trusting God with the outcome. Watch full episode on YT - https://youtu.be/gNSrYDGGn5I Join the free Third Fish Academy at ThirdFish.org

    EP 113: God’s Blueprint for Building a Business
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About

Welcome to the IBAM Biblical Entrepreneurship Show with your host, Steve Adams. This weekly show inspires and equips Christian entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses that honor God and uplift impoverished communities. Join Steve for solo episodes and expert interviews as we advance the Great Commission by sharing insights, mentorship, and real-life stories of how biblical entrepreneurship is transforming lives and spreading the Gospel globally. Get ready to be inspired and empowered!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Donate to the IBAM mission here- https://www.ibam.org

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