What started out as an opportunity 3 men saw to serve their community and give to missions has grown into a company that has now given over $10 million away to missions work and provided over 2,500 homes for low-income families. But, it started with a borrowed office in a basement and one contract. This is a story of lives changed forever not from the glamorous entrepreneurial life, but because of constant, faithful grinding over decades.
Episode 6
Business as Missions: Grinding to Grow
With Guest Erik Cooper
, President & Founder
The Stone Table
Today's Guest
Erik Cooper
After starting his career in accounting, Erik spent 12 years in full-time ministry, both on staff at a large suburban church and as a church planter in a downtown urban context. In 2012, he transitioned from full-time church planting work back into the business world working under his father at Community Reinvestment Foundation. CRF is a nonprofit real estate company that provides high-quality affordable housing all over Indiana while investing its profits into missions through The Stone Table. Today, he serves as the Vice President of Community Reinvestment Foundation, as well as the President of The Stone Table.
What We Talked About
The genesis story of Community Reinvestment Foundation began with two business leaders asking how they could use their unique gifts to serve in missions. Building core principles of giving and serving into the DNA of a company from the very beginning and remaining faithful to those principles even when it’s difficult to. Growth isn’t a straight line up. There are seasons in every company and many that are gut wrenching. The value of being constant, faithful grinders to make a difference. The birth of The Stone Table and thinking about business and the marketplace as missions. Don’t be paralyzed into inaction. Just walk and take the next steps that are in front of you. Shifting the mindset of business from one of taking and greed to one that serves, gives, and adds value to the lives of others.About the Show
Listen to conversations with leaders and entrepreneurs who have built organizations making a positive impact on the world so you can discover how to expand your impact.
Are you trying to make a difference in this world? On the show, Amanda and guests reveal the path from purpose to impact and all the risks, bumps, and bruises that came along the way so you can be ahead of the curve with your purpose-driven business or organization.
Amanda is a wife, mother, entrepreneur, Partner at Evergreen Results and a founding member of the Built for Impact podcast team. She enjoys spending time with her family, serving others, horseback riding, and spending time in the mountains.