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Last week Dave Kier surfaced the question of “Leadership” versus “Followership”.  He drew a distinction between the founder (or entrepreneur) in a business and a manager.  He talked about leaders and followers.  In Part 2 of this theme we consider the importance of all types in the development of a Kingdom business team. Malcolm Gladwell […]

Again we share the insightful thoughts of entrepreneur David Kier, owner of DFS Feeds and an IBEC board member.  His thoughtful wisdom reveals an important concern for Business as Mission start-ups: do we emphasis the entrepreneurial leader at the expense of the business builder? This is Part 1 of a two part series on the importance […]

  “What advice would you give a young man like me?” This question came to me following a talk I gave last week at a Business as Mission conference in the Midwest. I had just spoken to a group of 25 young professionals and a recent graduate of a state agricultural university came up to […]

Columbus Day is celebrated the 2nd Monday of October – a memory of the first non-native American to come to our shores and stay with a permanent presence, paving the way for European expansion.  Columbus was an interesting and colorful character demonstrating some admirable qualities but also some qualities that are detractors for any successful […]

Dave Kier is a business owner in western Iowa in the agriculture sector.  IBEC Ventures is blessed to have Dave as a board member. He contributes much wisdom and hard work to IBEC, as well as demonstrating what “Business as Ministry” really is.  He writes daily devotionals for members of his family and his employees.  […]

Patient capital can be described as long-term capital where the investor does not expect a quick profit and results but forgoes the immediate return for a more substantial result such as social impact.  For financial investors patient capital sits between traditional venture capital and traditional philanthropy; between development and foreign direct investment. Earlier this month […]

IBEC Leadership Team: Larry Sharp, James Mayer, Gwen Rapp, Gary Willett and Robert Bush It is a good thing for every person and every organization to periodically step back, assess who they are, what they have accomplished in the past, and where they are going in the future.  The Leadership Team of IBEC Ventures, led […]

The last three blogs have highlighted the Triple Bottom Line of a BAM (Business as Mission) business. The goal is to be profitable and sustainable The business creates jobs and other community value Spiritual capital is created –  Kingdom values and a pathway to following Jesus I find it helpful to have practical models which […]

IBEC Ventures uses the acronym ‘SME’ in two very different ways. One is “Subject Matter Expert” and the other is “Small-Medium Enterprise.” The subject of this blog is the latter. What is a Small-Medium Enterprise, and how is that relevant to what we do? Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) is defined in different ways in different countries. […]

Many business professionals and church leaders today are hearing of the term “Business as Mission” (BAM). While there are many variances to a perfect definition, I like the expression of J.D. Greear of the Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC, “Christians in the marketplace today are able to gain access more easily to strategic, unreached places. […]