Integrity Moments

While in a season of struggling to find God's direction for my work, a friend recommended I take a spiritual retreat. I was intrigued but unfamiliar with how to go about it. He pointed me to a retreat center that I had driven by many times but hadn't bothered to investigate. The center's director ... The post Retreat appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In business, there are times when you may invest in an employee, only to learn they are leaving for a new opportunity. It's hard not to feel betrayed and disappointed. The disappointment can be even greater when their departure leaves you with little return on your investment. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas split over their ... The post Disappointment in Business appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

From the way he talked, everyone in the office knew that Jonah was a Christian. He spoke about going to church, volunteering to serve meals, and what he learned from his daily Bible study. Even his name hinted at his beliefs! But he also turned people away by how he acted. He frequently missed his ... The post Love in Action appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A recent post by religious statistician Ryan Burge analyzed Christians' fear of death. Across denominations, it appears people are less fearful of dying as they get older. Perhaps these older adults can look back with satisfaction on their lives, or perhaps they have grown more confident in God's promises as they have aged. Regardless, ... The post Fearing Death appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

For many of us, one of the hardest parts of leadership is speaking truth to one another. As someone who likes to please people, this has been particularly difficult for me over the years. If you desire your employees to become the best versions of themselves, it will occasionally require that you speak hard ... The post Speaking Truth to One Another appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In an August 2025 workplace survey, Gallup reported that employees who feel a strong sense of vocational purpose have better work outcomes. The survey said that 50 percent of those who have a strong purpose, feel connected to their work, are enthusiastic about what they do, and are committed to their organization's success. By comparison, ... The post Purposeful Work appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

There was a season when I was managing two loan officers who were very competitive with each other. There were times when I felt like a referee, often being asked to make decisions and choose between these two lenders. It was tempting to side with the one producing the most loan volume to keep ... The post Refereeing Workplace Rivalries appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The New York news conference to announce the merger of two companies was a big event, designed to garner news coverage from major financial media. The mood was celebratory, as executives boasted about a bright future for the merging companies and their expectations to generate customer benefits and shareholder value. Many months later, after ... The post Who Knows Tomorrow appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Frustrated by the over-the-top security features that continually locked my retailer-branded credit card, I called the bank that issued it to cancel it. I was stunned at the process. The audio system handled everything without engaging a real person to intervene. The bank had no idea why a long-term customer was leaving. And the retailer ... The post Care for Customers appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. realized that if excellence was modeled in the workplace, the opportunity for job advancement and improvement would increase dramatically. In a famous speech, Dr. King said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michaelangelo painted, or as Beethoven composed music or ... The post Great Street Sweepers appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Politicians are often criticized for making promises they know they can't possibly keep. Unfortunately, politicians are not the only ones who struggle with deception. UBN once purchased software, based in part on their salesperson promising that their software was being fully integrated with another key software product we used. After purchasing this new software, their ... The post The Cost of False Promises appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

My wife, Kathy, recently visited a car wash. When Kathy approached the attendant's booth, the attendant began sharing about the benefits of their monthly club. Kathy stated she just wanted their cheapest car wash. This lady forced her canned sales pitch on Kathy anyway. Kathy said, “I've been coming here for two years. I just ... The post The Car Wash Blues appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

With an estimated 8 million businesses expected to sell or transfer due to the Great Wealth Transfer, pondering who to sell your business to is an important exercise. Money shouldn't be the only factor. Although you may depart after the sale, your employees and executive team will still be there. Here is a principle that ... The post The Great Wealth Transfer: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

With an estimated 8 million businesses expected to sell or transfer their business due to the Great Wealth Transfer, you might be surprised on how few of these owners are preparing for their transfer. According to headwayexec.com, 58% of business owners have no transition or succession plan. Less than 1/3rd of businesses have a written ... The post The Great Wealth Transfer: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Due to Baby Boomer's aging, it's estimated that over 8 million businesses will either sell or be passed on to the next generation. Many are calling this the Great Wealth Transfer. Many business owners have worked hard to build a culture that pleases God. But often taking the highest sale price can result in selling ... The post The Great Wealth Transfer: Part 1 appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Up until the 1980s, pension plans were a common approach for employers to help employees with retirement. Unfortunately, the investment risks became a bigger burden to carry than many businesses felt they could afford. Ted Benna, a benefits consultant, however, shrewdly discovered a 1978 tax provision that could replace the investment risk of these pension ... The post An Innovative Retirement Solution appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

John Patterson is a little-known businessman who significantly raised the level of professionalism for sales professionals. In the 1880s, Patterson founded the National Cash Register business to sell high-quality cash registers. Patterson realized his product needed much more public awareness. So, he formed a team of sales professionals who were trained to dress professionally, overcome ... The post Building a Professional Sales Team appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

For those business owners who desire to give from their profitability, a donor advised fund (DAF) can allow them to donate into their DAF in late December for their tax deduction. Then in January, the business owners can determine to which ministries they desire to give. DAFs, however, take away the urgency of selecting ministries ... The post Extended Generosity appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As we begin a new year, many people have developed their strategic plan, their marketing plan, or their financial plans for the year. How many businesses, however, have ever considered developing a ministry plan? If you're sincere about your faith, wouldn't it be helpful to have a plan with your goals and how to ... The post A Ministry Plan For Business appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In 2001, I owned a consulting practice that morphed into less consulting and more ministry. God's blessing on those ministry activities led to forming a nonprofit today called Unconventional Business Network. During that transition I wanted to assure that I was following God's vision rather than mine. I fasted, prayed and journaled. The result was ... The post Unconventional Planning appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

It's hard to know whether the plans I develop for the New Year are from me or from God. I'm a very optimistic person so my plans can lean towards being unrealistic. Yet, a common question is, “If I'm carrying out God's purpose, wouldn't He provide all that's required?” Although I don't have all the ... The post Successful Planning appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Did you know that until 1752 our forefathers celebrated New Year's Day on March 25th? Our culture tries to undermine Christianity, but New Year's Day is an example of the far-reaching impact Christians have had, even on our calendar. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decided to standardize the calendar by creating the Gregorian calendar. He ... The post A New Calender appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the 90s I owned a consulting practice. I often stayed late on New Year's Eve, because I wanted to tally up our final profit and loss numbers! It wasn't to greedily examine my profits. Instead, it was to determine how much extra I could give to charity before the tax year ended. Joy would ... The post New Year's Eve Joy appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Scott Cook, cofounder of Intuit, and Professor Nitin Noharia discussed how to enhance customer value. The article highlighted CEO of RELX, Erik Engstrom. Engstrom has been asking his team customer-obsessed questions for twenty years. Some of Engstrom's profound questions include: “How does the customer measure value? How do ... The post Profound Questions appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Globally, 83% of the world's population claims that religion is important to them. But of the 38 wealthiest nations that belong to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, including the United States, only 36% view religion as important. According to a recent Gallup poll, in 2015, 66% of the U.S. population said religion was ... The post The Importance of Religion appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Between banking and ministry, I've been around a lot of business leaders blessed with extreme wealth. I've seen those who hoard their wealth, and, the misery wealth can bring. But I've also known those who view wealth as a blessing from God, to be used to bless others. From the world's perspective, if you ... The post Hoarder or Blesser appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The vision of Unconventional Business Network is that every business leader would become a Christ-centered catalyst for workplace transformation. The foundation of our vision is being Christ-centered. As we reflect on the birth of Christ, I'm reminded of the shepherds who were in their workplace tending sheep. When the angels proclaimed that the Messiah had ... The post Christ-Centered Catalysts appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As we celebrate Christmas Eve, imagine the day before Jesus' birth. Joseph had been leading a donkey for likely five days as he and Mary made the 90-mile trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. All so that Rome could tax him more money. The final insult to this long trip had to be when these ... The post A Hard Day appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

One of the most dangerous aspects of AI will likely become our dependence upon AI rather than on God. Google gave us the search engine, but AI takes the search engine far deeper by providing prescriptive directives and knowledge based on research. Each day it becomes easier for me to type in any issue ... The post AI Dependent? appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A recent Wall Street Journal article chronicled business leaders' complaints that too many employees are focusing on their phones or their laptops during business meetings. Some leaders acknowledged that they were guilty of the same behavior. In today's frenetic business world, being connected is considered a prerequisite to effective leadership. But when we are more ... The post Pay Attention appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Walking into the conference room, I could tell my colleague was troubled. I couldn't see her tear-filled eyes because her chin was almost on her chest. But I could tell something was wrong. Following my usual response to heavy situations, I made a joke. When she looked up – expressionless – I knew I had ... The post No Singing appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A study of the Gospel of Matthew by the Theology of Work Project notes that Matthew 6:21 is worded somewhat counter-intuitively. Jesus instructed his listeners to store up treasures in heaven instead of on earth, where those treasures are subject to loss. He then said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be ... The post Treasure Principle appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

My great grandfather lived into his mid-90s. Wade was primarily a roofer and a part time farmer. He loved to work hard and enjoy life. When Great Grandpa Boxx was 89 years old he leaned over, and with a twinkle in his eye, whispered, “Don't tell your parents, but I just finished roofing the church ... The post Joy Filled Work appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Personally, I tend to be an information junkie. If I'm in my car, I typically listen to some form of talk radio. The downside of this approach, however, is the lack of enough quiet time for reflection. Although I have a lot of morning prayer and Bible study, it doesn't always feel like enough. Recently, ... The post Be Still appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A low point in my career came when I worked at a small communications agency. After losing a large client, everyone had to work harder and find new revenue. The clients that I did have were enmeshed in stressful public controversies (which was why they needed communications help). On top of that, I was working ... The post Hope for the Future appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The Big Beautiful Bill may have a big but not so beautiful impact on corporate giving next year. In 2026, corporations will have new limits on their charitable giving. Currently, they can deduct 10% of their taxable income, but next year the first 1% will be excluded. Subchapter S corporations have long been allowed more ... The post Corporate Giving 2026 appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In his book, “Why Your Work Matters,” Tom Nelson recounts the Exodus story of God's anointing on two men – Bezalel and Oholiab – for special service. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel… and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and ... The post Giftedness appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to Dr. Ben Talei, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, face lifts for technology guys have increased fivefold over the past five years. A related Wall Street Journal article emphasized that since technology is considered a young person's profession, many men in their 30s and 40s are now getting face lifts to beat the signs ... The post Tech Bro Face Lifts appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The CEO knew that his company was too small to survive in its industry, so he needed to find a merger partner or acquiring company to help the company reach the needed scale in the marketplace. He worked with bankers and consultants to pursue opportunities, but one criterion was his foremost concern: that the employment, ... The post Flock Care appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Michael desired to cash in on some of his gains in his stock portfolio. But if he did, he knew selling stock would trigger significant tax consequences. Michael usually makes a significant cash contribution to UBN at year end, so he decided shrewdly to combine the two transactions by gifting stock instead. The result was ... The post Shrewd Generosity appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Peter Mallouk, founder of Creative Planning, shared, at an event I recently attended, a lesson he learned about maintaining a strong corporate culture. Peter used to exhaust every option for keeping a troublesome employee. That is until a team of employees approached Peter about a problem employee. Peter had refused to fire this troubling employee, ... The post Weeds in the Garden appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that states could install legal online gambling. Since that time, legal sports gambling has grown from one state to 38 states, and from $440 million to over $13 billion in revenue. With that much money involved, and the unsavory characters gambling attracts, the recent NBA gambling scandal shouldn't be ... The post The Driver Behind Sports Gambling appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The Giving Tuesday concept was launched in 2012 by Henry Timms of the 92nd Street Y in New York City and the United Nations Foundation. Timms desired to change the narrative from the consumerism that came with Black Friday and Cyber Monday to generosity. The result is an international movement of organizations leveraging Giving Tuesday ... The post Rethinking Giving Tuesday appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

During the recent government shutdown, many businesses sacrificially stepped-up to help others in need. Lilly's Cantina in Kansas City was one such generous small business. Posted on their social media, Lilly's wrote, “We may be a little hole-in-the-wall spot on the Westside, but we've always believed that no child should ever go hungry. Starting ... The post Sacrificial Generosity appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Every year Gallop conducts a poll asking people how much they trust a variety of institutions. Many of our institutions like Congress, the press, and even the church, rank very low in how much the American public trusts them. A bright spot, however, relates to Small Business. For 2025, Gallop found that a record ... The post A Small Business Trust appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Business leaders prefer stability rather than uncertainty and chaos. It's hard to make good decisions when the marketplace is changing rapidly. We started this year with prices in turmoil due to tariff increases; then the tariff rules constantly changed. Further, many employees have been impacted by new immigration policies. These changes can shake-up businesses significantly. ... The post A Shaken World appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

On paper, the company's decision to separate related functions into two separate divisions seemed like a good way to encourage healthy competition and accountability. In reality, the leaders of both divisions quickly lost focus on customers and instead fixated on how to outshine each other. Proverbs 4:25-27 reminds us to stay focused: “Let your eyes ... The post Singular Focus appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A Washington Times article by wealth manager, David Bahnsen, contends that much of the faith at work movement has focused on encouraging Christians to simply “get promoted and avoid sinful behavior on the job.” Mr. Bahnsen believes the next phase of this movement needs to focus on transforming industries by thoughtfully applying a deeper Christian ... The post Kingdom Com appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

If you visit the full-size replica of Noah's Ark at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, and go inside the Ark, the story becomes more real. This Ark is massive on the outside, but what impressed me was the engineering skills God blessed Noah with to organize the inside for all those animals. God gave Noah ... The post Noah the Engineer appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Barna Group recently highlighted three research studies showing signs of growing faith among the young, and young men in particular. The communications asked, “Are We Seeing Signs of Renewal?” It can be tempting to see favorable trends and declare victory. But we need to be careful not to define our optimism by the fickle hearts ... The post Big Picture appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In a business that desires to please and glorify God, sin in the camp can be disastrous. Addressing sin in your workplace after the fact can be very painful. A more proactive approach is to hire only those who seem to be in a right relationship with God at the time. Movie producer and actor, ... The post Sin in the Camp: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.