My Thrivent story began a couple years after the Great Recession.

I was in a leadership role at a fulfilling non-profit ministry. But the recession was decimating ministries and non-profits. And our young family was stuck financially.

I began to wonder - Should God's work really be hindered by a human economy? And could I do something about this?

There was a donor that I interacted with a lot in those days. He owned a business and it was his mission to support our work.

“Why can’t I be like that guy?” I thought. I was always “entrepreneurial” and business minded. Maybe the solution for me was to go into business.

Although I had no formal business background, I had the drive and the vision. So I jumped.

And after some failure and a few stops and starts, I found clarity in myself and the business I now run within Thrivent.

Turns out that my real opportunity wasn’t how I could just be like that guy, but how I could help others be like that guy.

In fact, my mission is to help 5,000 people be like that guy.

Because I believe the solution is for there to be more mission minded people who are living generously and launching high impact, problem solving ideas and businesses in the world.