Episode 387 – 49% of Teens Want to Start a Business | David Kinnaman | Ep. 387

Nearly half of America’s teenagers already have a business idea they can’t stop thinking about. David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, joins Justin Forman to unpack brand-new research on what’s driving this generation of builders — and why the church has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to disciple them well.

David walks through the numbers: entrepreneurially minded teens are 85% more likely to feel hopeful about the future, 148% more likely to feel called to their work, and 88% more likely to already have a mentor. But that same drive comes with real pressure — many of these same teens feel pushed to chase goals someone else chose for them.

Drawing on the story of Daniel in Babylon, David makes the case for a “theology of influence” — preparing young people for a level of impact no one can fully predict. Justin and David also dig into what it means to raise kids in “digital Babylon,” where technology built to capture attention is quietly shaping identity long before a first business plan ever gets written.

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Watch the full episode on YouTube or continue to stream audio on your favorite podcast platform.

00:00 Introduction: Half of teens have a business idea

01:07 Legos, Shark Tank, and the roots of entrepreneurship

08:37 Meet Zach: raising an entrepreneurial son

10:08 The data: 49% of teens have a business idea

12:59 A theology of influence: what Daniel teaches us

19:50 Parents’ fear and the age of AI

25:50 Identity formation in a disintermediated world

30:30 Inside the numbers: hope, pressure, and calling

39:09 Why mentorship changes everything

43:46 Growing up in “Digital Babylon”

50:57 Handwritten notes and the church’s next opportunity

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Faith Driven Entrepreneur is an educational platform hosted by Faith Driven Movements, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, educate, and mobilize people to use their time, talents and other resources in the marketplace. Faith Driven Movements brings together leaders from around the world that seek to make a financial, social, environmental and spiritual impact through their business ventures. The website is intended to be an opportunity to exchange ideas for educational purposes. Faith Driven Movements is not responsible for the opinions, advice, statements, materials, presentations, data, images, videos, documentation and other information (collectively, the “Materials”) expressed or otherwise shared by guest contributors (including without limitation podcast guests, conference speakers, guest writers, participating companies and investment professionals). The Materials are for informational purposes only, and the statements, views and opinions expressed at any presentation or in any Materials are those solely of the presenter and not of Faith Driven Movements. Hosts and Guests may maintain positions in the companies and securities discussed. Further, Faith Driven Movements does not endorse or recommend any presenter, promoter, investment advisor, strategy, company or any views mentioned at any conference or in the Materials. Under no circumstances will Faith Driven Movements (or their respective trustees, directors, officers, employees, or agents) be liable for the accuracy, quality or reliability of any of the presentations or Materials, any defamatory, offensive, or illegal conduct of presenters, or any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages arising from any presentations or Materials. By visiting the site you agree to comply with the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Code of Conduct.