John Ruhlin

Ruhlin Group

John will tell you, “how you love and treat people will open more doors than you can imagine.” In fact, one gifting experience (Brooks Brother experiment) has opened more doors than $10 Million in advertising could ever do.

After applying principles of generosity learned from “Attorney Paul,” John started selling the largest deals in Cutco history out of 1.5 million other reps and distributors. Yes. 1.5 million. Not only was he gifting knives but he was being asked to speak on stages around the country to teach sales and marketing teams how to build relationships in unconventional ways. Simple but powerful things like focusing your care on the executive’s spouse, the assistant, and kids.

Ruhlin Group started in 2000 and quickly broadened gifting options and strategies, but many of the original principles never changed. Knowing how and when to give gifts is just as important as what to gift. These “minor” details and expert knowledge have been tested and proven over a decade to bring a guaranteed “wow” to any industry from financial services to manufacturing widgets.

Today John and his team have created gift packages for some of the largest companies and pro sports teams in the world, but their mission and heart is to serve and take relationships for mid-sized, privately owned businesses to a new level using their Proven Process.

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Podcast Episode 79 - The Science of Radical Giftology with John Ruhlin


Podcast Episode 79 – The Science of Radical Giftology with John Ruhlin


Everyone has a story about receiving a gift they had no interest in, but do any of us know if we’ve ever given a gift that someone else didn’t want? This is exactly the situation John Ruhlin wants to help you avoid. John is the author of Giftology, a book that teaches the science of “radical generosity.” He has helped countless companies boost their referrals, retention rates, and ROI, and today, he has a special gift for us as well…


Kristen Ivy

Executive Director of Messaging | Orange

Kristen Ivy is the Executive Director of Messaging at Orange (The reThink Group, Inc.) and the Co-founder and Director of The Phase Project. She and her husband, Matt, are currently parenting their three amazing children through the phases. 

Before joining Orange in 2006, Kristen earned her Bachelor of Education from Baylor University in 2004 and a Master of Divinity from Mercer University in 2009. She worked in the public school system as a high school Biology and English teacher where she learned firsthand the joy and importance of influencing the next generation.

At Orange, Kristen has played an integral role in the development of the elementary, middle school, high school, and parenting curriculums and has shared her experiences at speaking events across the country. Kristen is author of It’s Just a Phase So Don’t Miss It, Don’t Miss It, When Relationships Matter, It’s Personal, and the 18-volume Phase Guides for parents. 

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Podcast Episode 104 - Don't Miss It: Parenting as an Entrepreneur with Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy


Podcast Episode 104 – Don’t Miss It: Parenting as an Entrepreneur with Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy


This episode is for all the time-starved entrepreneurs out there who feel like family is the one juggling ball they keep dropping. Tune in to hear Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy share what it looks like to raise godly children and how to parent in a healthy and nourishing way.


Kenneth Ewell

Chief Investment Officer

Kenny is the Chief Investment Officer of a family office focused on faith-driven investing. He has been part of the faith-driven investing and entrepreneurship movement since 2013 when he began serving on the Investment Committee of Sovereign’s Capital Fund I. Prior to his current role, Kenny worked for a global medical device company, where he executed over $500M of transactions. Previously, he worked for Quvat, a private equity firm in Southeast Asia, and J.P. Morgan’s investment bank in NYC. He received his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an AB in Economics from Princeton University.

Kenny lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two children (with a third due in April 2020!), where they are members of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

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Embracing Weakness in Christian Entrepreneurship

Embracing Weakness in Christian Entrepreneurship

“The foundation of Christian entrepreneurship is, paradoxically, weakness. This is not weakness of product, service, or business, but of the entrepreneur himself as a Christian. This is true because Christ said His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). If the goal of the Christian entrepreneur is to advance the Kingdom of God by the power of God, in some sense, weakness must be the way…”

Lake Lambert

Scholar and author of Spirituality, Inc.: Religion in the American Workplace

Lake Lambert, Ph.D., began his tenure as the 16th president of Hanover College July 1, 2015, the sixth in the past 100 years. Lambert went to Hanover from Mercer University in Macon, Ga., where he served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts since 2010.

An active scholar, Lambert’s research has focused on workplace spirituality, professional ethics, and church-related higher education. He is the author of “Spirituality, Inc.: Religion in the American Workplace,” (NYU Press 2009) which surveys the role of spirituality in business from medieval guilds to industrial company towns, right up to current trends in the contemporary business environment. He has also authored several articles and essays in academic journals.

He earned his doctorate at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1997. He holds bachelor of arts (economics and history) and master of theological studies degrees from Emory University (Georgia).

His family includes his wife, Kelly, daughter, Bailey and son, Zack.

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Episode 62 - When did Corporations Grow a Conscience? with Lake Lambert, President of Hanover College


Episode 62 – When did Corporations Grow a Conscience? with Lake Lambert, President of Hanover College


It’s common to think of corporate values as a concept that has always been around, but Lake Lambert, President of Hanover College in Indiana, is here to educate us and show that this isn’t actually the case. Lake is the author of Spirituality, Inc—a book that examines the history of religion in the American workplace—and he joins Henry, William, and Rusty to share what he’s learned about workplace spirituality from the past and what we might expect for the future.


Liz Forkin Bohannon

speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Sseko Designs

Liz Forkin Bohannon is a speaker, an entrepreneur, and the founder of Sseko Designs, an international purpose-driven fashion brand creating employment for women across the globe.

Recognized in 2017 by Forbes as a top public speaker and named by John Maxwell as one of the top three transformational leaders in the US, Liz has appeared on Shark Tank and Good Morning America and has been recognized by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, the Bush Institute Global Women’s Award, and others.

Life:

She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and co-founder, Ben, and their children.

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Episode 256 - Keeping Marriages Healthy as an Entrepreneur with Patrick Lencioni, John and Ashely Marsh, Les Parrot, and More


Episode 256 – Keeping Marriages Healthy as an Entrepreneur with Patrick Lencioni, John and Ashely Marsh, Les Parrot, and More


Compiled insights from leaders like Patrick Lencioni, Les Parrot, John and Ashely Marsh, Ben and Liz Bohannon, and Ashot Iskandarian on how entrepreneurs can keep their marriages healthy.



Episode 215 - Danielle Strickland Says Women and Men Are Better Together


Episode 215 – Danielle Strickland Says Women and Men Are Better Together


Together with speaker and entrepreneur Liz Bohannan, this episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast is one of a three-part series focusing on female founders and business owners who are pursuing entrepreneurship in different industries. Today, our conversation is with spiritual leader, author, and justice advocate Danielle Strickland.



Episode 65 - How Do You Build a Healthy Family and a Growing Business? with Ben and Liz Bohannon of Sseko Designs


Episode 65 – How Do You Build a Healthy Family and a Growing Business? with Ben and Liz Bohannon of Sseko Designs


Is it possible to have a healthy family while building a successful business? That’s the question at the heart of this week’s episode with Ben and Liz Bohannon of Sseko Designs. Their business began as a way to generate income for high-potential, talented young women in Uganda to continue on to university. Since then, it’s grown rapidly from a Shark Tank phenomenon to a global success. Hear how Ben and Liz are navigating the world of global business while still managing to focus on their home, their marriage, and their family.


Jason Johnson

CEO and co-founder of August

Jason Johnson is the CEO and co-founder of August, the home automation company behind the August Smart Lock, based in San Francisco. Jason is also a managing partner of startup incubator Founders Den and the chairman of the Internet of Things Consortium. Prior to August, he co-founded mobile security software company AirCover (acquired by M Dream, HK:8100) and ebook software startup BookShout!. He also previously served as vice president of Dolby Laboratories, vice president of Global IP Solutions (acquired by Google) and was the co-founder and CEO of InterQuest (acquired by Darwin Networks).

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CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR

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Episode 27 - Responsibility of Calling: Interview with Jason Johnson (CEO of August Smart Homes)


Episode 27 – Responsibility of Calling: Interview with Jason Johnson (CEO of August Smart Homes)


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Jason Johnson, serial entrepreneur and founder of August Smart Homes, talks to Rusty and William about when the entrepreneurial itch first hit him while working at a large tech company. From humble beginnings, Jason explains how receiving a scholarship to Pepperdine University introduced him to the responsibility of calling and that entrepreneurship was a natural expression of that calling.