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In Today’s Issue: * Intro to the Guest and Topic * Core Takeaway * Episode References * Select Quotes * Key Moments First time here? Learn more about our mission. And don’t forget to subscribe. Today’s Topic & Guest: Zuhair Madanat | Auto Glass Experts Welcome back to Catholic Founders. Our guest for this episode is Zuhair Madanat, the founder of Auto Glass Experts based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. He started as a middle school religion teacher and ended up as the founder of a fast-growing service business doing auto glass repair and replacement. I love Zuhair’s story because it shows how rewarding it is to fully rely on God in our business journeys. To set aside our will and plans, and to allow God’s to fill us and move us as He pleases. No, it’s not always sunshine and roses, but it’s what He desires of us. And that’s all we should ever want. You’ll learn a lot today, I’m sure. Zuhair’s got a lot of good perspective on upholding the dignity of his employees, focusing on quality, and treating himself as a servant to his team. Perhaps most critically, he also shows us how each interaction with a customer or employee is an opportunity to be God’s hands in the world — to carry out His will. Enjoy the episode! Core Lesson: True business leadership is found in the radical commitment to being a "servant of servants" by prioritizing the human dignity of every person within the organization. Adopting the role of a “servant of servants” transforms the traditional hierarchy of management into a community of mutual care. When a leader focuses on providing for the needs and growth of their employees, those employees are naturally empowered to extend that same level of care to the customers. This creates a sustainable ecosystem where the business thrives because it honors the inherent value of every individual involved in the transaction. Scaling a venture requires a profound death to self, particularly regarding the need for total control. Zuhair highlights that trusting God with the timing and the results of a business allows for a peace that surpasses market volatility or unprofitable years. By acknowledging that the founder is merely an instrument, the pressure of “owning” the outcome is replaced by the joy of stewardship, allowing the business to serve as a genuine conduit for grace. Integrating faith into a service-based industry means looking beyond the transaction to the human connection. Whether it is keeping humans on the phone instead of AI or treating a windshield repair as an act of service, the goal remains the same: glorifying God through excellence. This approach ensures that the work itself becomes a form of prayer and a means of sanctification for the founder, the team, and the community. God Bless & Happy Building! ~Silas Mähner 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. Key Episode References: * Managing as if Faith Mattered * The Prayer of St. Philaret of Moscow * St. Joseph the Worker * St. Josemaria Escriva * St. Andrew * St. Paul the Apostle * Proverbs 16:3 * Matthew 5:16 * The Trisagion Prayer (Holy God, Holy Mighty One) Select Quotes: * “It’s hard to take credit, and when you just know He’s been a part of everything, it’s hard to—I know that He uses me and I’m His instrument in this world, and I’m bringing His light into the world. But yeah, it’s just it’s really humbling.”— Zuhair Madanat * “If small business owners knew that this was the way that our faith is guiding us to run their business, it would look way different.”— Zuhair Madanat * “I was like, all right, God, if this goes away, then just let it go away and just show me whatever I'm supposed to do. I'm doing this just to glorify you in the world, to provide for my family, but I could do anything. It doesn't matter.”— Zuhair Madanat * “I tell them like I’m the servant of servants. So I’m here to serve you so that you can then serve the customer. And the way that I serve you is the way that I want you to serve the customer.”— Zuhair Madanat * “The tasks that a computer or AI, whatever, can handle, we let them handle it so that we have more human-to-human interaction so that the customer service reps aren’t feeling rushed on the phone and like they have to hang up to get to something else.”— Zuhair Madanat Key Moments: (outline) * [00:00] - The Universal Human Experience: Zuhair discusses how his time teaching middle school religion taught him that human problems remain constant throughout history. * [00:39] - Intro: Silas introduces Zuhair Madanat and the mission of Catholic Founders to help entrepreneurs become saints through their work. * [04:12] - From Classroom to Auto Glass: Zuhair explains his transition from teaching to starting Auto Glass Experts and the leap of faith involved. * [12:45] - Stewardship in Business: A discussion on the mindset shift from “owner” to “steward” and how it changes daily operations. * [18:30] - Servant Leadership: Zuhair breaks down what it means to serve your employees so they can effectively serve the customers. * [25:50] - The Challenges of Scaling: Insights into the growing pains of moving from a solo operation to multiple physical locations. * [38:15] - Faith in the Workplace: How to integrate Catholic identity into a secular service industry without being performative. * [42:05] - Spiritual Disciplines: Zuhair shares his daily prayer routine, specifically the importance of the Prayer of St. Philaret. * [55:20] - Advice for New Founders: Encouragement for those sitting on the fence about starting their own Catholic-led business. * [58:10] - Outro: Silas concludes the episode with a call to join the Catholic Founders Guild and a reminder that we were created to create. 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
