Brian Roland
Founder & Chairman | Abenity
Brian Roland founded Abenity with his brother Mark in January 2006 and has served as the company’s President & CEO since its inception. Brian oversees strategic direction for the company, sets the corporate vision for growth and partnerships, and is integrally involved in the company’s new product development.
Prior to Abenity, Brian spent five years working with Sprint and Nextel’s Fortune 100 corporate accounts, pioneering new ways to increase the accessibility of wireless discounts for the employees of large corporations. While at Sprint, Brian worked closely with H&R Block, The Walt Disney Company, Northrop Grumman, Cigna Insurance, Oracle, and the U.S. Army. Brian’s role with Sprint included developing and delivering web-based and co-branded client procurement portals to streamline the communication and fulfillment processes required to deliver contractually discounted rates on Sprint Nextel’s wireless products and services. Brian’s relationships through Sprint with some of the top HR Executives in the country led him to the realization that the employee discount platforms offered by even the largest corporations in the country lacked the internal resources to efficiently support, grow, communicate, and sustain their internal employee discount programs.
In response to this discovery, Brian formulated a direct approach to employee discount management. The result was Abenity – which offered a new model for employee discount programs where primary focus is placed on utilizing leading edge technology to free up corporate resources through the provision of flexible and scalable benefit platforms.
Since 2006, Brian has grown Abenity into a recognized leader in the employee benefits software space. In 2012, the company was recognized as a Best In Business company by the Nashville Business Journal. Additionally, Brian was a finalist in the Nashville Business Journal’s 2012 Most Admired CEO Awards and was recognized as one of Nashville’s 40 Under 40 businessmen making a difference in the local community. He received a B.B.A. from Belmont University and resides in Franklin, Tennessee.
PODCASTS FOR THE FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR
In a world where darkness lurks behind every screen, can capitalism become an unlikely hero? This eye-opening episode reveals how entrepreneurs and investors are wielding the power of business to combat sexual exploitation and human trafficking. From AI-powered solutions to disruptive economic strategies, discover how faith-driven innovators are turning the tables on predators and reshaping the battlefield in the fight for human dignity. Prepare to have your perspective challenged and your hope rekindled as we explore the cutting edge of redemptive entrepreneurship.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast, hosts Henry Kaestner and Justin Forman reflect on the recent Faith Driven Entrepreneur conference and introduce a powerful message from Derwin Gray, former NFL player and pastor.
In this joint release episode Richard Cunningham and Justin Foreman discuss the problem of joblessness as part of the initiative, Solving the World's Greatest Problems. They are joined by Keren Pybus, CEO of Ethical Apparel Africa, and Ronald Ishak, CEO of Hacktiv8. They explore the impact of job creation and upskilling on individuals, families, and communities.
Join us for an inspiring discussion with Mark Batterson, Bill Job, and Justin Forman as they unpack the concept of "holy curiosity" in entrepreneurship.
Discover how entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned 'for such a time as this,' featuring insights from David Platt on leveraging your gifts for a pivotal time in history and reflections from Henry Kaestner and Justin Forman.
In this episode of the Faith Driven Investor Podcast, join Justin Forman as he honors the life and legacy of Richard Garnett, a faith-driven entrepreneur and actor who recently passed away after a courageous decade-long battle with cancer.
Join Grammy-nominated artist Lecrae Moore and Faith Driven Movement co-founders Justin Forman and Henry Kaestner as they delve into the challenging yet crucial topic of handling criticism
Joey, Justin, and Henry discuss the new initiative called Solving the World's Greatest Problems.
Henry and Justin discuss a merger between Halftime and Faith Driven Movements alongside Halftime co-CEOs Jim Stollberg and Tom McGhee.
Justin, Henry, and Joey talk about how entrepreneurs trade up and find significance through surrender.
Jordan Raynor talks about how entrepreneurs can redeem their time.
The world has problems. Entrepreneur. Investor. Christ-follower. Solving problems is what you do. Join friends of the Faith Driven Movement as we explore entrepreneurs and the initiative Solving the World's Greatest Problems.
Dude Perfect's Coby Cotton plus entrepreneurs Mickey Peters and Scott Weiss share different experiences that show how valuable community can be for entrepreneurs.
Ricky Dickson, the retired CEO of Blue Bell Ice Cream, joins the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast to discuss his experience leading and scaling a national company through growth and incredible pitfalls.
Dr. Bryan Loritts joins Joey Honescko and William Norvell to discuss the importance of deep, long-lasting friendships in the context of entrepreneurship.
Hear three Christian entrepreneurs give their perspectives about how to navigate the complex issue of layoffs.
Dylan Wilk, CEO of Human Nature, joins the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast to share the story behind the company’s no firing policy and to explain why he believes grace and forgiveness are the greatest HR policies.
Hear the story of radical transformation that took Dylan Wilk from Greed to Grace in this episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast: Stories of the Movement.
Andy Crouch, Patrick Lencioni, and Mary Miller give practical guidance for entrepreneurs looking to build a positive company culture where their employees can flourish.
Savannah Bananas’ President Jared Orton joins the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast to talk about the value of innovation, fun, and excitement for businesses and for the world.
In this episode of Stories of the Movement, we look at Booster, one of the largest school fundraising companies in the country for insight into how to build a culture of virtue, joy, and celebration and how company values can get you and your team out of difficult circumstances.
In this edition of the Riff, Joey Honescko, Henry Kaestner, and Justin Forman discuss the themes of battling idolatry and identity in entrepreneurship.
Nicky Gumbel, Kim Avery, and Jeremy Lin talk about how entrepreneurs can hear from God to fight against their idols.
Basketball team owner, trained physicist, seminary grad, and venture capitalist, Phil Chen joins the show to talk about his storied career and share how entrepreneurs can root themselves in scripture to find their true identities.
Hear how the biblical story of Abraham and Lot inspired Sam Rhee to step aside from the role of his dreams for the sake of a colleague and how God used that sacrifice to pave a path for victory.
Renowned author Patrick Lencioni joins Henry Kaestner for a conversation about some of the hidden idols of entrepreneurship before Henry, Justin, and Joey riff on how we all might learn to fight against the temptation to worship “safe” idols.
Today’s podcast highlights the voices of three pastors–Mark Batterson, Chip Ingram, and John Mark Comer–who have seen the power of working alongside entrepreneurs for the good of their communities.
David Kinnaman and Justin Forman discuss the relationship between the church and entrepreneurs, highlighting the unfortunate tension that often exists between the two groups and providing insight into how we might grow together to unlock this powerful partnership.
In this powerful conversation, pastor and teacher Chip Ingram joins hosts Justin Forman and Dan Owolabi to explore the evolving relationship between pastors and entrepreneurs in today's church. They discuss how the traditional church model is being disrupted and reimagined, creating unprecedented opportunities for collaboration between pastoral and business leadership.