Faith-Driven Leader

The FDL podcast equips and emboldens listeners to build a life and career on deep trust in our good Father God. I'm Ann Eileen Thompson. I find inspiration from incredible guests who are letting their faith drive their leadership in life, family, ministry, and the marketplace. We'll hear how Faith-Driven leaders navigate leadership decisions in a world where everyone seems to be deciding for themselves what’s “right.” We’ll be encouraged by their often unexpected career paths and how God has shown up when they most needed Him. Instagram | @anneileenthompson

Faith-Driven Leader is a business podcast hosted by Ann Eileen Thompson, with 61 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Ann Eileen Thompson hosts Faith-Driven Leader, a business show with 61 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #62

  Stop Cursing the Darkness: What It Looks Like to Build What God Is Calling You to Build with Patti Garibay

  Aug 4, 202644 minS1

  What do you do when God asks you to build something that doesn't exist yet? In this episode, I sit down with Patti Garibay—founder and Executive Director Emeritus of American Heritage Girls—for a conversation about calling, courage, and what it means to trust God with a vision that feels far bigger than you. Patti shares the remarkable story of how one conversation with her father sparked what would become a nationwide ministry that has now impacted more than one million girls. But this isn't just a story about starting an organization. It's a conversation about learning to trust God's timing, embracing humble confidence, and choosing to become a source of light in a world that often feels consumed by darkness. If you've ever sensed God nudging you toward something new—but felt underqualified, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin—this episode is for you. What We Talk About The childhood passions that became clues to Patti's lifelong calling The conversation with her father that inspired the founding of American Heritage Girls Why focusing on the reasons "why" matters more than the reasons "why not" How to move forward when you don't have the resources, experience, or roadmap The role humility, patience, and perseverance play in faithful leadership Why God often provides through people—and why you have to be willing to ask How to overcome the feeling that you're "not qualified enough" for what God is calling you to do Practical ways to keep your focus on God instead of the noise and darkness around you Why leaders need to spend more time in the Light than they do consuming the darkness How investing in the next generation shapes the future of the Kingdom Key Takeaways 1. Don't let the reasons "why not" drown out the reasons why. Every meaningful calling comes with uncertainty. Instead of rehearsing all the reasons something can't work, ask whether God may be inviting you to take the next faithful step. 2. Lead with humble confidence. True humility isn't believing you have nothing to offer. It's recognizing that whatever God calls you to do, He will equip you to do. Your confidence comes from Him—not from having all the answers. 3. God's provision often comes through people. Sometimes we're waiting for God to miraculously provide when He's already surrounded us with the relationships, skills, and community we need. Pray, ask, and trust Him to work through others. 4. Don't despise small beginnings. American Heritage Girls didn't begin as a national movement. It began around a kitchen table with a handful of girls. Faithfulness in the small things is often how God prepares us for greater influence. 5. Spend more time in the Light than you do in the darkness. The world gives us endless opportunities to focus on what's broken. Patti reminds us that faithful leaders intentionally spend more time in prayer, Scripture, worship, and God's creation than they do consuming fear, outrage, and endless headlines. Resources & Links Learn more about American Heritage Girls: https://americanheritagegirls.org ️ Listen to the Raising Godly Girls Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3xYW29TBukmcyq6dSpM5Wv?si=1cc90040ae084f78 Get Patti's book: Why Curse the Darkness When You Can Light a Candle? https://a.co/d/00tjDFOL Connect with Patti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-garibay-b292b94/

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  Episode #61

  Following God Into the Unknown: Career, Calling, and Courage with Joshua Johnson

  Jul 7, 202654 minS1

  What happens when God begins leading you somewhere you never expected to go? In this episode, I sit down with entrepreneur, developer, and community builder Joshua Johnson for a fascinating and deeply faith-filled conversation about discernment, identity, risk, and learning to trust God one step at a time. Josh’s career journey has been anything but predictable. After beginning in the tech world and helping build Cincinnati’s startup ecosystem through Mindbox Studios, Josh eventually sensed God leading him and his family toward a dramatic pivot—one that ultimately moved them across the country to Redding, California and into an entirely new season of work and calling. But this conversation isn’t just about changing jobs or moving cities. It’s about learning how to recognize the voice of God in your career. It’s about understanding that your work is often one of the primary ways God reveals who He created you to be. And it’s about having the courage to say yes—even when you don’t yet understand the full picture. Josh shares openly about ambition, patience, transferable skills, community building, leadership, discernment, and what it means to trust God with both timing and outcomes. If you’ve been sensing a nudge toward something new… wrestling with uncertainty… or trying to faithfully discern your next step, this conversation will encourage you deeply. 🔑 What We Talk About Josh’s early decision to shift away from vocational ministry and into the marketplace Learning to recognize God’s voice through posture, discernment, and confirmation Why understanding your wiring and gifts matters in career decisions The difference between forcing opportunities and faithfully stewarding your growth How Josh helped build Cincinnati’s startup ecosystem during a season of city renewal The surprising dream that eventually led his family to move to Redding, California What it looked like to navigate a major geographic and professional pivot with wisdom Why faith-led decisions are not necessarily impulsive decisions The importance of transferable skills during career transitions Letting go of identity tied to titles, industries, or previous success The challenge of learning to say “no” in seasons of increased opportunity What it means to trust God even when you don’t fully understand the “why” 🧠 Key Takeaways 1. God wastes nothing. One of the most encouraging parts of Josh’s story is seeing how the skills he developed in tech and entrepreneurship became foundational in completely different spaces later on. So often we think transitions mean starting over, but God is usually building on what He has already developed in us. 2. You don’t have to force your way into the right opportunities. Josh shared beautifully about learning not to fight for tables he wasn’t meant to sit at—and trusting that, over time, the right invitations would come. There’s freedom in realizing your job is not to prove yourself, but to faithfully steward who God created you to be. 3. Faith requires both courage and patience. Near the end of the conversation, Josh shared a prayer that really stayed with me: asking God for the kind of heart that can both say “yes” to Him and trust Him enough to not need the full picture right away. That’s mature faith—the willingness to step out in obedience while also trusting God with timing, outcomes, and legacy. 🎯 Listener Challenge Spend a few quiet minutes with God this week and ask: “Lord, where are You asking me to say yes right now? And where are You asking me to trust You more patiently?” You may not have the whole picture yet. But God is faithful to guide us—one step, one season, and one invitation at a time. 🔗 Resources & Links 📘 Book Josh Mentioned: Falling Upward by Richard Rohr 🌍 Learn more about the work Josh is doing in Redding: Good News Rescue Mission 🏡Josh’s company: Buildwise Supply 🔗 Connect with Joshua Johnson: LinkedIn

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  Episode #60

  Trusting God When Your Life—and Career—Don’t Go as Planned with Debbie Simmons

  Jun 2, 202651 minS1

  What do you do when your life takes a turn you never would have chosen? In this episode, I sit down with Debbie Simmons—keynote speaker, bestselling author, and founder of Anchor Point—for a deeply honest conversation about trust, surrender, and what it looks like to follow God when your plans fall apart. Debbie’s story is powerful. From a successful career in engineering to walking through profound personal loss, to leading a multi-million dollar nonprofit and equipping leaders around the world—her journey is anything but linear. But that’s exactly what makes this conversation so relevant. Because so often, our careers don’t unfold the way we expected. And the real question becomes: how do we trust God with what we didn’t choose? If you’ve ever felt stuck, uncertain, or asked “why is this happening in my work or career?” —this conversation will meet you there. 🔑 What We Talk About Debbie’s early career as a mechanical engineer—and the mindset that shaped her definition of success The unimaginable loss that changed the direction of her life and calling Why the question “why?” can keep us stuck—and what to ask instead The shift from surviving to thriving (and how to walk that out practically) How to trust God when your career path doesn’t make sense The tension between control, hustle, and true trust in leadership Debbie’s frameworks: Architecture of Trust™ and the role of trust under pressure Why surrender, humility, and obedience are essential for growth How your past experiences (even painful ones) shape your leadership and impact What it really means to build a legacy—starting right now 🧠 Key Takeaways 1. What got you here won’t get you there. Growth requires change. In your career and leadership, the habits and patterns that once worked may not be what God is asking you to carry forward. 2. Stop asking “why”—start asking better questions. The question “why?” often keeps us stuck. Instead, ask: How do I survive this season? What’s my next best step? How might God be inviting me to thrive? 3. Trust is revealed under pressure. We say we trust God—but pressure exposes what we actually rely on. Pay attention to your default response (control, hustle, avoidance) and begin making small shifts toward trust. 4. Breathe—and take the next best step. You don’t need the full plan. Just the next step. God meets you in movement, not perfection. 5. You leave a legacy by living one. Legacy isn’t something you build later. It’s shaped in how you live, lead, and trust God today. 🔗 Resources & Links 🌍 Learn more about Debbie’s ministry: Anchor Point: https://www.anchorpoint.us 📘 Get Debbie’s book (FREE): The Heart of Legacy: https://www.theheartoflegacy.com 🎤 Connect with Debbie (speaking, coaching, and leadership frameworks): https://thedebbiesimmons.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedebbiesimmons/

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  Episode #59

  Authentic Leadership: Purpose, Pressure, and the Work Behind the Scenes with Dan Owolabi

  May 5, 202650 minS1

  What if the moments that feel like detours in your career are actually the ones shaping you most? In this episode, I sit down with Dan Owolabi—CEO of Branch Leadership, leadership consultant, and author of Authentic Leadership—for a conversation that gets to the heart of what it really means to lead with authenticity. Dan brings both depth and practicality as we talk about how God uses every season (even the hard ones), why insecurity shows up more than we think in leadership, and how to navigate tension, conflict, and growth without losing yourself in the process. If you’ve ever felt like something is “off” in your work…or you’re being stretched in a way you didn’t expect…this conversation will meet you there. 🔑 What We Talk About How a basketball injury became a turning point in Dan’s identity and leadership journey Why insecurity is often the hidden driver behind leadership challenges How to recognize your fears—and what they reveal about you The concept of being a “velvet brick” (and why great leaders need both care and conviction) Navigating conflict through both invitation and challenge What to do when something feels off in your role or career The difference between “beef” and “baby” work—and why purpose matters Why authentic leadership starts with your backstage , not your front stage How challenging yourself leads to deeper self-awareness and growth 🧠 Key Takeaways 1. Nothing is wasted. God uses every role, every season, and even the painful moments to shape you. The question is—are you paying attention to what He’s teaching you? 2. Lead with both care and conviction. The best leaders are “velvet bricks.” They lead with empathy and relationship and are willing to challenge, correct, and call others forward. 3. When something feels off—pause and realign. Don’t ignore that signal. Go back to purpose. Ask what’s shifted, and where God may be inviting you to adjust. 4. Your backstage matters more than your front stage. Who you are when no one is watching shapes how you lead when everyone is. 5. Growth requires intentional challenge. If you want to know yourself—and lead authentically—you have to be willing to stretch beyond what’s comfortable. 🔗 Resources & Links 📘 Get Dan’s book: Authentic Leadership 🌍 Learn more about his work: Branches Worldwide Branches Consulting Dan Owolabi 🎤 Global leadership development: Global Leadership Network

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  Episode #58

  Courageous Obedience in a Non-Linear Career: A Conversation with Megan Milar

  Apr 7, 202645 minS1

  Careers rarely unfold in straight lines. Sometimes they look more like roller coasters—full of unexpected turns, bold decisions, and moments where the next step only becomes clear after we take it. In this episode of the Faith Driven Leader podcast, Ann Thompson sits down with Megan Milar , co-owner and COO of The Garage Group , to talk about what it looks like to follow God through a career that doesn’t follow the traditional script. Megan’s journey has included corporate work at Procter & Gamble, entrepreneurship, franchise ownership, living with her young family in India, launching a social enterprise, and eventually stepping into leadership at The Garage Group. What connects those chapters is a deep commitment to trusting God with the next step—even when the path isn’t clear. In this conversation, Ann and Megan explore how courage shows up in everyday leadership, why God often forms us through unexpected seasons, and what it means to move forward faithfully when life feels uncertain. In This Episode Ann and Megan discuss: Megan’s non-linear career journey , from P&G to entrepreneurship to leading The Garage Group The bold prayer that led Megan and her family to move to India with three young children How God often uses unexpected seasons to shape our calling Why courage isn’t about fearlessness—but about taking action in the presence of fear How introverted leaders can build rhythms that protect energy and create space to recharge The importance of solitude, reflection, and listening to God’s direction What courage looks like in everyday life—from big career moves to simply showing up faithfully each day Three Takeaways from This Conversation 1. Courage often looks like faithfulness in the present moment. While planning matters, courage often means trusting God with what today brings rather than trying to control the entire path. 2. Courage looks different for everyone. As Megan puts it, courage is like choosing a flavor of ice cream—there isn’t one right answer. The courageous step is simply the one God is inviting you to take today. 3. God rarely wastes a chapter. What may look like a zigzag career path often becomes the very preparation God uses to shape our calling. Resources Mentioned Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) https://www.eonetwork.org Gallup (CliftonStrengths / StrengthsFinder) https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths DiSC Assessment https://www.discprofile.com Connect with Megan Learn more about Megan and her work: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganmilar/ The Garage Group: https://www.thegaragegroup.com Connect with Ann If this episode resonated with you and you’re navigating a career transition or leadership challenge, Ann would love to walk alongside you. Learn more about coaching or schedule a conversation: https://calendly.com/anneileenthompsoncoaching/executive-coaching-free-initial-consultation

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