The Calling and the Climb

philliphampton
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Phillip is an entrepreneur who started a business by accident and found out that building the business became his calling. He shares his stories of triumph, mistakes, fears, and victories as he climbed the mountain of entrepreneurial success, enabled by God's faithful hand. Hear practical advice on business building and inspirational stories of how God anoints people for business just like any other ministry.

  1. Sep 19 ·  Video

    Think Bigger: Jesse Flores on Faith, Risk and Building a Global Vision

    What separates an entrepreneur who thinks locally from one who sees an opportunity on a global scale? In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip Hampton sits down in California with entrepreneur Jesse Flores, founder of DripDropUSA, for a fascinating conversation about ideas, risk, faith, perseverance, and learning to think bigger. Jesse traces his entrepreneurial journey from his early years of bootstrapping businesses to developing products with an international reach. Along the way, he shares the philosophy that has shaped his approach to business: create value, take calculated (not reckless) risks, learn from failure, and never allow conventional thinking to determine the limits of an idea. The conversation then turns to Jesse's most ambitious venture yet: DripDropUSA, a patented technology he says can harvest water vapor from the atmosphere at massive scale. Jesse discusses his vision for applying the technology to water needs ranging from major metropolitan areas and agriculture to mining and data centers—and why he believes the idea has global potential. But beneath the business strategy and ambitious vision is something even more fundamental: faith. Jesse explains why he believes his entrepreneurial calling and his Christian faith cannot be separated, why he credits God for the ideas and opportunities he has received, and why his ultimate ambition is not simply to build wealth but to use what he builds to bless others. In this conversation: • Why Jesse believes some entrepreneurs are simply wired to see opportunity differently  • The difference between taking a risk and taking a calculated risk  • Why creating value is central to Jesse's philosophy of entrepreneurship  • How he learned to think beyond local markets and pursue opportunities globally  • The story and vision behind DripDropUSA  • Why failure doesn't necessarily mean you've missed your calling  • How Jesse integrates faith, business, ambition and generosity  • His encouragement to entrepreneurs who are discouraged by setbacks As Jesse puts it near the end of the conversation: don't allow failure to produce despair. Use it as a stepping stone as you continue pursuing your journey and your calling. The Calling and the Climb features conversations with entrepreneurs and leaders about faith, risk, perseverance and what it really takes to pursue a calling.

  2. Aug 15 ·  Video

    45 Years of Business Wisdom from Randy Fluitt

    What advice would a highly successful business leader give his younger self after 45 years in banking and technology? “Take more risk.” In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip Hampton sits down with Randy Fluitt for a fascinating conversation about risk, innovation, acquisitions, leadership, wealth, faith, and what it means to spend a lifetime building things—and people. Randy spent 45 years helping shape the banking and technology industry. Early in his career, he developed a reputation for seeing possibilities others didn’t. He shares the remarkable story of risking his job at age 27 to pursue a technology solution that IBM’s own specifications said shouldn’t work—ultimately saving his bank tens of thousands of dollars every month. Randy also shares lessons learned from decades of mergers and acquisitions, including why a great deal still needs a strategic purpose, why people can be harder to “fix” than numbers, and what he looks for when evaluating both companies and entrepreneurs. But perhaps the most compelling part of Randy’s story is what he has chosen to do with his success. Today, Randy serves as Chairman of LifeSprings Ventures, where he invests his time, experience, mentorship, and resources into helping entrepreneurs build successful businesses with a larger purpose. In this conversation, Randy discusses: Why leaders cannot be afraid to take calculated risks What entrepreneurs often misunderstand about acquisitions Why people and leadership matter so much in evaluating a company The importance of work ethic and real-world experience Why he enjoys helping entrepreneurs build wealth How faith should shape the way we think about prosperity Why Randy believes everyone should “be a builder of things” The leadership principle he wants the next generation to understand: develop your people, give them a future, and take the shackles off Randy’s message after more than four decades in business is remarkably simple: set meaningful goals, take risks, build things, develop people, and use what you’ve been given for something bigger than yourself. Learn more about LifeSprings Ventures:https://www.lifespringsventures.com/ If you enjoy The Calling and the Climb, please subscribe, like this episode, and share it with an entrepreneur, leader, or young person who could benefit from Randy’s remarkable perspective.

  3. Aug 2 ·  Video

    Built from the Ground Up: Will Andrews’ Journey from Push Mower to CEO

    Will Andrews’ entrepreneurial journey began at age 12, when his father handed him a push mower and sent him out to cut a few neighborhood lawns.   What began as a childhood lesson in hard work eventually became Proscapes—a thriving Middle Tennessee landscape-management company with approximately 35 employees and nearly $5 million in projected annual revenue.   In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Will shares how he chose entrepreneurship over the security of joining his father’s established business, why marriage caused him to begin treating his lawn-care work as a real company, and how years of determination and blue-collar hustle helped Proscapes grow from one mower, one trailer, and a handful of customers into a respected commercial landscaping operation.   Will also discusses one of the most difficult transitions for any successful entrepreneur: moving from doing the work himself to leading the people who do it. He reflects on learning to delegate, discovering that not everyone approaches work with the same drive, balancing business with marriage and fatherhood, and growing from hands-on operator into the CEO his expanding company now needs.   This is a conversation about work ethic, personal responsibility, calculated risk, leadership, humility, and the hunger to keep building—even after achieving more than you once imagined.   Learn more about Will and Proscapes: https://proscapes-tn.com/   Subscribe to The Calling and the Climb for more candid conversations about faith, leadership, entrepreneurship, purpose, and the lessons learned along the climb.

  4. Jul 18 ·  Video

    Dreaming Bigger: Steve Drury on Faith, Leadership and a Life of Service

    What determines whether life’s hardships leave us bitter—or help us become better? In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip Hampton sits down with Rev. Steve Drury, a pastor, author, entrepreneur, and visionary leader whose life has been devoted to serving children, churches, organizations, and communities. Steve and his wife spent 26 years leading Tupelo Children’s Mansion, where they helped raise more than 1,000 children. Along the way, they also founded a Christian school, a maternity care center, an adoption ministry, a thrift store, and a local church. Steve later became the founding director of The Stewardship Group for the United Pentecostal Church International and helped establish the United Pentecostal Foundation, the UPCI Church Loan Fund, and United Insurance Solutions. He has also served as a pastor and helped launch organizations including LifeSprings Ventures and Impact Junkie. But Steve’s journey has included more than accomplishments. In this conversation, he reflects on the dreams, sacrifices, disappointments, lessons, and faith that have shaped his life—and explains how we can choose to become better rather than bitter when life does not unfold as we expected. Steve is the author of Bitter or Better: A Life Lived With Purpose. 📖 Purchase Steve’s book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDZ41TSQ Subscribe to The Calling and the Climb for more conversations about entrepreneurship, leadership, faith, purpose, and the lessons learned along the journey. #TheCallingAndTheClimb #SteveDrury #BitterOrBetter #Purpose #FaithAndLeadership #ChristianLeadership #Entrepreneurship #LifeLessons

  5. Jul 7 ·  Video

    When Success Changes You: Taylor Kovar on Faith, Wealth, and Letting Go

    In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip Hampton sits down with Taylor Kovar for a conversation about faith, entrepreneurship, stewardship, and the deeper personal transformation that often comes with building and leading businesses.   Taylor Kovar is a CFP® professional, entrepreneur, and business leader who grew up in a converted barn where his parents taught him the value of hard work, faith, and serving others. Over the past two decades, he has built and led businesses across healthcare, finance, and technology, leading more than 300 employees along the way. Today, Taylor leads a wealth management firm, teaches Entrepreneurial Finance, and is the co-founder of BudgetGPT, a mission-driven financial tool designed to help families approach money with clarity and confidence.   In this conversation, Taylor reflects on two defining seasons in his journey: the shift from employee to owner, and the season after selling a business he had spent years building. He shares how carrying the weight of payroll, culture, leadership, and long-term decisions shaped him—and how letting go of a successful business forced him to wrestle with identity, purpose, and faith in a new way.   At the center of Taylor’s story is a powerful belief: wealth is ultimately about freedom—the freedom to serve well, lead faithfully, and walk through the doors God opens.   Learn more about Taylor and his work at GrowVia Group: https://growviagroup.com/

  6. Jun 19 ·  Video

    From Church Media to Professional Videography | Garet Maddox's Entrepreneurial Journey

    What does it take to turn a childhood passion into a career? In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip sits down with videographer and entrepreneur Garet Maddox, founder of Cinemaddox. Garet shares how a love for making videos as a kid eventually grew into a professional career serving clients across music, sports, churches, construction, comedy, and film.   They discuss the realities of freelancing, building client relationships, overcoming perfectionism, and the lessons he's learning as a young entrepreneur. Garet also shares how his faith has shaped his journey and how some of the greatest opportunities in his career were doors he never could have planned for himself.   Whether you're a creative professional, entrepreneur, business owner, or someone trying to discover your calling, you'll find valuable insights in Garet's story.   About Garet Maddox: Garet Maddox is a full-service video producer and founder of Cinemaddox. His work spans a variety of industries including music, film and television, comedy, sports, construction, and churches. Through his work behind the camera, Garet has built a career helping organizations and individuals tell compelling stories through video.   Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, leaders, creators, and people pursuing their calling while navigating the climb of life and business. #Entrepreneurship #Videography #ContentCreation #CreativeEntrepreneur #Podcast #FaithAndBusiness #TheCallingAndTheClimb #Cinemaddox

  7. Jun 5 ·  Video

    From Filing Bankruptcy to Scaling a Billion Dollar Business | Galen Walters Interview

    In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip sits down with entrepreneur, business strategist, and author Galen Walters to discuss his remarkable journey from financial collapse and bankruptcy to helping build and lead businesses that now serve grocery retailers around the world. Over more than four decades in business, Galen has founded multiple companies, navigated private equity transactions, led technology ventures across several continents, and developed management systems used by organizations ranging from corporations to churches. Today, he serves as Chairman of Relationshop and continues to mentor leaders, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations. Whether you're building a business, leading an organization, or climbing through a difficult season, Galen's story is a powerful reminder that failure does not have to be the final chapter. 🎙️ The Calling and the Climb is a podcast about entrepreneurship, faith, leadership, and the lessons learned along the journey to success.

  8. May 22 ·  Video

    Building A Multi Million Dollar Business From $600 | Ryan O'Neal Interview

    In this episode of The Calling and the Climb, Phillip Hampton sits down with entrepreneur Ryan O’Neil, founder of Curate, to talk about the real journey of building a business from the ground up. Ryan shares how he went from failed startup experiences to launching Curate from a simple hackathon idea with only $600, eventually growing it into a multi-million dollar company. This conversation dives into the highs, lows, risks, lessons, and mindset shifts that come with entrepreneurship while you’re still “in the fight.” Philip and Ryan cover a lot of topics from Learning through failure, Bootstrapping a startup with limited resources,  Building before everything feels perfect, and staying grounded during the climb Learn more about Ryan and Curate:  https://curate.co

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Phillip is an entrepreneur who started a business by accident and found out that building the business became his calling. He shares his stories of triumph, mistakes, fears, and victories as he climbed the mountain of entrepreneurial success, enabled by God's faithful hand. Hear practical advice on business building and inspirational stories of how God anoints people for business just like any other ministry.

Information

  • Creator
    philliphampton
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Calling and the Climb
  • Show Website
    The Calling and the Climb