Untimely Ideas

Untimely Ideas | Ian Crafford

Untimely Ideas is a podcast about wisdom that endures so you can hustle less, hope more, and connect more deeply. In unscripted conversations with real people, we excavate the wisdom that has proven pivotal in the story of their life. No pitches. No prep. Just the stories, transformations, and hard-won insights to restore life to the living. If you’re tired of the clamor and craving a real good life—welcome.

Episodes

  1. 12/17/2025

    06: You Are Not Your Job: The Table That Restores Our Humanity feat. Tim Jones

    "The table is the most powerful place on the planet, because it reminds us that we are human." In this episode, I sit down with Tim Jones, founder of Longer Tables, to explore why modern life has slowly trained us out of real human connection, and how the simple act of sharing a meal can restore what we've lost. In a culture obsessed with productivity, efficiency, and identity-through-work, the table becomes a quiet form of resistance: a space for presence, story, and belonging. We discuss: Why the table is the great equalizer in a performance-driven culture The power of invitation in creating safety and belonging Why leadership isn't about titles, authority, or control Why the table isn't just where we end up, but how we get there This episode is an invitation. Not to do more, but to show up differently. To slow down. To set the table. And to rediscover one another through countless of untimely ideas. 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO UNTIMELY IDEAS → https://untimelyideas.com 🔗 BOOK A FREE CALL → https://iancrafford.com/prosper/ 👨‍💻 CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-crafford/ 🎙 Spotify Podcast / https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/6bikXVsHjyCmgv6YS78NpL/home 🎙 Apple Podcast / https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untimely-ideas/id1844942687?i=1000730880197 CONNECT WITH TIM JONES: 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/timjonesdenver/ 🔗 Website → https://www.longertables.org/ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 02:30 – The table as the great equalizer 10:00 – Belonging begins with invitation 15:30 – Why Americans struggle to connect 18:50 – Story as the pathway to belonging 38:10 – Artists, storytellers, and hope 47:30 – Leadership as table-setting 52:00 – Why love should be addictive 56:20 – Identity before action 01:00:50 – How to start: set a table 01:03:30 – The invitation forward

    1h 6m
  2. 12/03/2025

    05: An Untimely Conversation About The Christian Way of Being

    In this episode, I’m back with Laura Sorensen to explore what it means to live and lead through a Christian way of being — not just believing the right things, but becoming a redemptive presence. We discuss: Why the Christian life isn’t about doing more, but being transformedHow “control” and “hustle” culture distort our view of callingWhat wilderness seasons teach us about identity and leadershipWhy redemption means repossession — restoring creation to its rightful OwnerHow to become a redemptive presence in your work, family, and community If you’ve ever wrestled with purpose, burnout, or what faith looks like in real life — this conversation will reframe everything. 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO UNTIMELY IDEAS → https://untimelyideas.com 🔗 BOOK A FREE CALL → https://iancrafford.com/prosper/ 👨‍💻 CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-crafford/ 🎙 Spotify Podcast / https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/6bikXVsHjyCmgv6YS78NpL/home 🎙 Apple Podcast / https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untimely-ideas/id1844942687?i=1000730880197 CONNECT WITH LAURA SORENSEN: 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraksorensen/ 🔗 Website → https://atelierlks.com/creative-director-partnership/ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 10:29 – Why “Feeling Seen” Matters in Sales 14:57 – The Tension Between Art, Work, and Identity 17:20 – Wilderness Seasons and Internal Formation 20:12 – The Weight of Being Needed 24:51 – Commandments vs. Way of Being 30:39 – Control, Surrender, and the Illusion of Certainty 33:17 – Work, Calling, and Where Identity Gets Distorted 41:28 – Redemption, Repossession, and Recovering Design 52:42 – When Business Becomes Busyness 58:21 – The Christian Way of Being in Practice 01:08:38 – Becoming a Redemptive Presence in Your Work

    59 min
  3. 11/19/2025

    04: Does Your Work Matter to God? | A Christian Vision for Work

    In today’s episode, I sit down (once again) with my friend Ross Chapman, CEO of the Denver Institute for Faith and Work, and we dive straight into a conversation that I believe far too many Christians are navigating alone: What does it actually mean to integrate faith and work?Does God really care about what I do from Monday to Friday? We also talk about: How the sacred-secular divide formed, and how it’s quietly shaping our anxiety and view of callingWhy imagination is essential for living out your faith at workThe modern pressures reshaping our jobs (AI, autonomy, loneliness) and what Christians uniquely bring to that landscapePractical ways to show up differently on Monday through Friday If you’ve ever questioned your purpose at work or wondered how to integrate faith with your career in a meaningful way, this episode is for you. 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO UNTIMELY IDEAS → https://untimelyideas.com 🔗 BOOK A FREE CALL → https://iancrafford.com/prosper/ 👨‍💻 CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-crafford/ 🎙 Spotify Podcast / https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/6bikXVsHjyCmgv6YS78NpL/home 🎙 Apple Podcast / https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untimely-ideas/id1844942687?i=1000730880197 CONNECT WITH ROSS CHAPMAN: 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossandrewchapman/ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 02:30 - On Theology & Imagination 12:55 - The Scared-Secular Divide 19:20 - Why Your Everyday Work Matters to God 23:53 - Calling vs. Job Titles: Where Christians Get Stuck 29:55 - AI, The Modern Workplace, and a Crisis of Identity 36:19 - Practical Ways to Bring Faith into Work 46:00 - What Churches Can Actually Do Better 56:23 - This is for Any Christian at Work

    58 min
  4. 11/05/2025

    03: Why High-Achieving Leaders Feel Lonely (and How to Reconnect in Marriage and Life)

    Success can look like everything you’ve ever wanted: A striving businessLeadership influenceFinancial stability And yet still leave you feeling empty and unseen. In this episode, I sit down with Lantz Howard, an executive-level transformation and marriage coach, to explore why so many high-achieving men quietly struggle with loneliness and disconnection at home. We talk about: Why professional success often hides emotional and spiritual emptinessHow unresolved childhood wounds shape leadership and intimacyThe irony of achievementThe path of reconnecting with your spousePractical rhythms to rediscover your identityAnd why healing begins with being seen and known, not being productive This is a call to integration. The men who lead best aren’t those who achieve the most, but those who are most fully known. 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO UNTIMELY IDEAS → https://untimelyideas.com 🔗 BOOK A FREE CALL → https://iancrafford.com/prosper/ 👨‍💻 CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-crafford/ 🎙 Spotify Podcast / https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/6bikXVsHjyCmgv6YS78NpL/home 🎙 Apple Podcast / https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untimely-ideas/id1844942687?i=1000730880197 CONNECT WITH LANTZ HOWARD: 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/lantzhoward/ 🔗 Website → https://lantzhoward.com/ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS  02:49 The Journey to Marriage Coaching 05:59 Understanding Executive Pain Points 11:52 The Disconnect Between Work and Relationships 29:41 The Role of Leadership in Organizational Culture 33:01 Remedial Human Skills for Connection 34:00 The Pursuit of True Identity 39:07 Navigating Rejection and Codependency 41:26 Marketing True Identity 45:19 Practical Tips for Executives

    55 min
  5. 10/22/2025

    02: How Scarcity Thinking Destroys Great Businesses with Laura Sorensen

    Most business owners don’t realize they’re playing small until the consequences catch up with them — burnout, bad clients, and a business that looks more like employment with extra paperwork. In this episode, I sit down with Laura Sorensen, a fractional creative director who helps companies translate what they do into stories that actually land. We talk about the real shift every expert has to make if they want to stop operating like a technician and start thinking like a founder, learning to lead your clients, building leverage, and making decisions without second-guessing your worth. We talk about: The “feast or famine” cycle — and why it’s often self-inflictedWhat it means to move from freelancer to founderHow to lead clients who don’t understand your valueThe difference between confidence and convictionScarcity mindset, opportunity cost, and overthinkingBuilding leverage, trust, and freedom in your business 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO UNTIMELY IDEAS → https://untimelyideas.com 🔗 BOOK A FREE CALL → https://iancrafford.com/prosper/ 👨‍💻 CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-crafford/ 🎙 Spotify Podcast / https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/6bikXVsHjyCmgv6YS78NpL/home 🎙 Apple Podcast / https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untimely-ideas/id1844942687?i=1000730880197 CONNECT WITH LAURA SORENSEN: 💻 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraksorensen/ 🔗 Website → https://atelierlks.com/creative-director-partnership/ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 4:12 – From Designer to Consultant 8:03 – Bridging Creativity and Business 12:48 – Leaving the Agency World 18:00 – The Feast-or-Famine Trap 23:36 – From Options to Decisions 27:33 – Confidence vs Conviction 32:39 – The Prospect Paradox 41:25 – Delegation and Letting Go 54:00 – Scarcity Thinking and Opportunity Cost

    1h 8m
  6. 10/08/2025

    01: On Faith + Work: How to See Your Job as a Calling with Ross Chapman

    “Work is not the place you go find your calling, but it’s the place you go express it.” In this episode, Ross Chapman, CEO of the Denver Institute of Faith & Work, and I unpack the broad concept of career, calling, and redeeming leadership. We discuss: Why your work is a space to express your calling, not discover itHow your identity in Christ fuels purpose, not pressureWhat it means to become a “repossessor of creation” — restoring what belongs to God through your daily workHow to practice redeeming leadership that prioritizes people over profitWays to lead with faith, hope, and humility in a performance-driven world Whether you’re leading a team or building a business, this conversation will help you see your work as sacred and your leadership as a redemptive act of worship. To your prosperity, Ian Crafford 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO UNTIMELY IDEAS → https://untimelyideas.com 🔗 BOOK A FREE CALL → https://iancrafford.com/prosper/ 👨‍💻 CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-crafford/ ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 01:10 – What is Redeeming Leadership? 03:45 – The Tension Between Career, Calling, and Faith 07:20 – Why Faith Changes How We View Work 10:45 – “Work is not where you find your calling — it’s where you express it.” 14:50 – Identity in Christ as the Foundation of Purpose 16:31 – Becoming a “Repossessor of Creation” — Restoring What Belongs to God 18:20 – How Leaders Can Restore Dignity and Build Trust 20:05 – Redemptive Leadership in the Modern Workplace 23:10 – How Faith Frees You to Lead with Hope and Humility 26:40 – Practical Steps to Live Out Your Calling Daily 29:55 – Final Reflections and Encouragement

    54 min

About

Untimely Ideas is a podcast about wisdom that endures so you can hustle less, hope more, and connect more deeply. In unscripted conversations with real people, we excavate the wisdom that has proven pivotal in the story of their life. No pitches. No prep. Just the stories, transformations, and hard-won insights to restore life to the living. If you’re tired of the clamor and craving a real good life—welcome.