Dispatch Issue #2 - Faith & Work

May 5

Clay Steves was at a crossroads. The kind every business owner or operator faces when an issue feels heavy, burdensome, and consequential.

Early on in his entrepreneurial journey, one of Clay’s former employees violated his company’s post-employment non-solicitation agreement. For some businesses, that’s an annoying headache. But for Clay, it threatened to upend everything, forcing him and his team to scramble just to keep existing clients instead of going after new ones.

Although the question was clear - whether or not to sue his former employee - the process of answering it was messy and complicated.

Some may argue the answer is straightforward: If an employee violates a non-solicitation agreement, then proceed with litigation. After all, what’s the point of an agreement if there’s no teeth?

That’s logical and technically correct.

But as Clay describes, sometimes the technically correct decision isn’t always the right decision.

“Deciding not to pursue litigation against a former employee who violated my company’s non-solicitation agreement changed how I lead and operate my business. That decision set a tone for us that, while not always the right decision for the business, we would lean in favor of grace over justice as a posture within our culture. And now we have the evidence to prove it.”

Grace over justice.

That’s a perfect summation of what it means to apply one’s faith to running a company.

Judgement rooted in faith illuminate the murky. One’s faith is like smelling salts, awakening owners to see their next steps clearly.

That’s why we’re thrilled that Faith + Work is one of the 7 featured content Tracks at Main Street Summit this year. Candidly, it’s a topic that doesn’t get much attention or contemplation at most events.

But few topics deserve more consideration, especially in times like these when volatility is the norm in all facets of starting, operating, and growing any kind of business.

In addition to Clay, the Faith + Work Track features over a dozen leaders who’ve wrestled with how their faith catalyzes deeper and more meaningful work. We hope you’ll connect with them this November and discover how faith might reshape your own leadership journey.

But few topics deserve more consideration, especially in times like these when volatility is the norm in all facets of starting, operating, and growing any kind of business.

Words of Wisdom

“I ignore the idea that there is ‘one way’ or a ‘best way’ to write. Instead, I have learned to value the painful but significant things I learn from slowly working within my personality and context, rather than trying to follow someone else’s successes.” -Dr. Kelly Kapic, Covenant College

Dr. Kapic’s words apply to work of any kind; it takes faith to chart your own course rather than follow someone else’s.

“We make all decisions based on insufficient evidence.” -Dan Doriani, Covenant Seminary

We often feel like we know every piece of information before making a decision. But that simply isn’t the case. A certain amount of faith plays a role in every decision we make, no matter how consequential.