Why I, as an entrepreneur and believer, seek balance

When I, by the boys from Discours Met De Boys was invited to talk about my life as an entrepreneur and my faith, I knew it would be a captivating conversation. In the podcast, we discuss everything from entrepreneurship and publishing to my faith in  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And yes, the conversation also touched on whisky and coffee – but you'll have to listen to that yourself.

A rational search for faith

I was not raised religious. On the contrary, I grew up as an atheist with a healthy dose of skepticism towards religion. But the more I delved into science – physics, chemistry, mathematics – the more impressed I became by how ingeniously the world is put together. That couldn't be pure coincidence, could it? That thought led me on a quest for meaning. I read about different religions, asked myself difficult questions, and eventually came to the conviction that  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered the complete answer.

What particularly attracted me was not only the theology, but also the idea of continuous growth. We believe that this life is a school where we make choices and grow. And that does not stop at death – it is an eternal process.

Entrepreneurship with principles

I have been fortunate enough to found and lead several companies. But entrepreneurship also means making difficult choices. Sometimes I hear the question: "How can you be religious as a businessman?" As if an entrepreneur must by definition be hard and ruthless. For me, that is not a contradiction. I try  honesty and empathy to weigh in my business decisions. Do I sometimes have to make hard choices? Of course. But that doesn't mean you have to throw your principles overboard.

Also in my company, I try to foster a culture of growth. Those who develop are also allowed to reap the rewards. For example, I am proud to have spontaneously given raises to employees when they grew in their job – without them having to ask for it. For me, that is entrepreneurship with the right balance between profit and well-being.

Strict rules or life principles?

In the podcast, we also discuss a few misunderstandings about my faith. For example, the conversation turned to the lifestyle within the church: no alcohol, no coffee, no tea. For some, that sounds strict, but for me, it's about  conscious choices that bring me closer to God and respect my body as a gift. And no, I have no problem with that – I used to enjoy drinking whisky and wine myself, but the day I made my choice, I gave everything away without regret.

Another theme that came up is the  community within our church. We take care of each other. That goes beyond a Sunday church service. When someone is ill, the community steps in. If a family gets into financial trouble, we look for solutions together. That  sense of connection I sometimes miss in the wider society, where we are becoming increasingly individualistic. I believe that we as a society can learn a lot from that.

Want to know more? Listen to the podcast!

During the podcast we also delve deeper into the structure of our church, the concept of revelation, and why we still have a living prophet. We even discuss how my faith impacts my business choices and why I don't differentiate between who I am as a believer and as an entrepreneur.

It became an open, honest, and sometimes even philosophical discussion. So if you're curious about how I, as a believing entrepreneur, go through life, be sure to listen to the full episode. Maybe it will make you think - and that alone is a successful conversation for me.