Andrew Crapuchettes - CEO of RedBalloon

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In this episode of the Biblical Leadership @ Work Podcast, host Jason Woodard interviews Andrew Crapuchettes, CEO of Red Balloon. Andrew shares his journey from the San Francisco tech scene to founding Red Balloon, a job board that champions freedom and meritocracy. He discusses the challenges he's faced due to his conservative Christian values, including being let go from a company he helped build. Andrew offers insights into his leadership philosophy, his commitment to integrating faith into his work, and his vision for positively impacting workplace culture across America. Tune in to hear how Andrew's experiences have shaped his approach to business and leadership.

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Episode Transcript

Jason (00:00):
Welcome to the biblical leadership outwork podcast.
I am your host, Jason Woodard.
In this month's interview.
Andrew Crapuchettes sheds CEO ofred balloon shares his journey
from growing up in the SanFrancisco tech scene to founding
several successful businesses,including red balloon.

(00:20):
Andrew discusses the challengeshe's faced, including being, let
go from a company he helpedbuild.
Due to his conservativeChristian values.
He explains how his new venturered balloon is reshaping the
workplace by offering a jobboard that champions freedom and
meritocracy.
Listen in and learn aboutAndrew's leadership philosophy,

(00:42):
his commitment to integratingfaith into his work and his
vision for a billion dollarbusiness.
That positively impactsworkplace culture.
Across America.
All right.
Well, Andrew Krapischetz, he'sCEO of Red Balloon.
Man, thank you for, being ontoday.
I cannot wait to, get to knowyou a little bit more and your

(01:04):
business.
And, just talk about what Godhas done in you and through you.
So

Andrew (01:08):
Yeah, well, thank you.
Well, I'm very grateful to behere.
It's uh, it's exciting.
I do feel like we're having alittle bit of a renaissance and,
you know, your show's part ofthat, but where people are
realizing that, um, yourbusiness can be a ministry, it
could be a great opportunity tobless people at scale.
Um, and so anyway, excited forthe conversation.

Jason (01:25):
for sure.
No, I do too.
I think I've, I've called it amovement before.
I, you know, maybe it's becauseI'm focused more on it, but 10
years.
Just more and more people thatare either doing this type of
stuff full time or part time andtalking about it and writing
books So yeah, so hey, umAndrew, let's start off like I
always do talk to us a littlebit about Just career like where

(01:48):
has the Lord brought you from inyour career up to where he's got
you now and what you're doing

Andrew (01:53):
Yeah, well, I appreciate that.
Uh, so I grew up in the SanFrancisco Bay Area, kind of the
dot com, uh, kid.
My dad actually helped installsome of the compu uh, like,
first computers at StanfordUniversity.
So we were way back in the, inthe heart of the Bay Area tech
scene.
Um, and so I started workingwhen I was 16 years old.
Found a job at a dot com thatwas just starting to blow up and

(02:16):
really had the opportunity tokind of Get in the ground level
and see how things went andhonestly, they were a business
that was successful Mildlyprofitable just a good healthy
little business and then the dotcom crazy hit And I saw them
take on 32 million of venturecapital money and basically go

(02:37):
from trying to make a million ortwo a year of profit to trying
to lose 8 million a year.
Um, and man, it totally changesthe culture.
It's like adding steroids to abodybuilder.
Like, it's, like, it lookedreally cool, but you see the

Jason (02:51):
Not healthy

Andrew (02:52):
not healthy, not healthy at all.
So, um, But I got some greatopportunities through that so
I'm I'm blessed but basically Igot to do seven different jobs
with them all the way up till Iwas about 23 years old and I was
running a team and covering Asiaand the West Coast and you know
I started traveling for workwhen I was 19 years old.
I turned 21 with an expenseaccount, you know, I was a

(03:15):
Karaoke bars under the street inTokyo with businessmen and like
just wild

Jason (03:21):
it sounds like trouble.
Sounds like

Andrew (03:22):
Yeah, it sounds like trouble.
You know, I I by the grace ofGod stayed out of you know Made
your sin or anything like that,but it still was an incredible
experience and I had a reallygood Christian boss who actually
Um, was willing to invest in meas a very young man, um, and
really push on me and, um,encourage me to do a lot.
So I did, um, but I kind of hit,uh, you know, we hit, uh, the

(03:46):
year 2000.
I was about 22 years old.
I've been working 80 hours aweek for years and I'm like, I'm
tired.
I'm kind of burned out at theripe old age of 22 years old.
Um, and I've had money in thebank.
I'd like bought a house and I'mlike, yeah, but like, I'm like,
I lost my childhood.
So, um, uh, so I actually movedup to Idaho at that point.
I'm like, I need to change thescenery.

(04:07):
Uh, there was a church I wantedto go up to in Idaho, and I
thought, well, why not?
I'll just go up there, and, andat 22, if you move somewhere and
you don't like it, you can movesomewhere else.
It's not actually that big of adecision.
Uh, so I moved up here.
I love it.
Um, I kind of looked around thecommunity, saw, Uh, really good
Christian people, but terriblebusiness people.
Like, there was, like you'reeither working at the

(04:28):
universities, the University ofIdaho is in town here in Moscow,
Idaho, or there's Walmart or thehospital.
And it's like, well, if you wantto not be a professor, but you
do want to support a family,you've got to figure out what to
do.
There really wasn't remote workat that

Jason (04:42):
Right.

Andrew (04:42):
so what's the plan?
Um, and so, about that time, ourdot com that I was involved in
ran out of money, and so theywent ahead and went out of
business.
That And so I use that as anopportunity to say, okay, God,
what do you have for me?
Um, and so, um, I've always beenpassionate about people having
great employment where they canprosper in their lives, where

(05:02):
they can pay their bills, wherethey can feed their family, and
where they have extra, so theycan go on vacation, so they can
support ministries, so they cando things and not just survive,
but actually prosper.
And so I thought, okay, Lord, Iguess I need to start making
jobs because I can't complainabout a thing if I'm not willing
to do something about it.
So.
Um, I strapped in and startedcreating businesses.

(05:23):
Uh, I created a 3D printingbusiness that we ended up
selling to Stryker Engineering.
I created a student informationsoftware business with some
other guys that we ended upselling off to the employees at
a management buyout therebecause I wanted them to be able
to build wealth for theirfamilies and kind of their, you
know, build their own legacies.
And then I created a labormarket data company, which

(05:44):
sounds super boring, but thereit is, built that to like a 50
million business, got to sell ita couple times.
Really, as I was running thatbusiness in particular, that's
really where my heart was.
I was trying to be distinctlyChristian in the way I ran the
business, right?
So I would have employees comein and be like, Hey, you are
welcome here.
Everyone is welcome.

(06:04):
It's not a weird thing, but I aman unapologetic conservative.
Christian CEO.
And here are some of theramifications of the way that
I'm going to run the business.
And as long as you're good withthat, you are welcome to this
business.
Um, and we built it to about a50 million business, very
healthy, um, uh, workenvironment, very healthy profit

(06:25):
margin.
We were growing like 25 percenta year, uh, 40 percent margin.
The owners were extremely happyuntil 2020 came around.
And then all of a sudden theyfelt like they needed to have a
CEO who was Um, was pretty leftleaning, and so they actually
sat me down.
And said you are a conservativechristian ceo and that's just
not allowed at our organizationanymore So you can kind of park

(06:48):
your christianity at yourweekend And be the ceo or you're
just not the right guy for ourorganization That was pretty
painful.
I'll be honest, right?
This is a business that Iabsolutely loved.
I loved working with the peopleI love the technology we were
building.
It was fun I love the financialrewards that came from running a

(07:09):
very successful business.
Um, and all of a sudden, it was,uh, I was given this choice.
I can kind of deny Christ in myjob, or, uh, I can keep my job.
And so, I'm like, I think a lotof Christians over the years
have gotten this choice before.
And it's not like I'm beingthrown to the lions.
I'm just going to lose my job.
So, um, so, there you go.
So I got kicked out of thebusiness that I helped found,

(07:32):
um, and I'd sold, so I didn'thave enough ownership to push
back, um, and found myselfdelightfully unemployed.
And this is about early mid2021.

Jason (07:40):
Okay.
Yeah.
So then is that when you startedor pursued the, uh, the red, red
balloon.
So talk a little bit about that.
I mean,

Andrew (07:50):
yeah, that was, uh, you know, my initial plan was, I'm
like, you know what, I'm justgonna take a year off.
I don't need another job.
I don't need to start anotherbusiness.
I already had a commercial realestate, um, kind of portfolio
of, uh, buildings.
I was doing housing development,so I kind of had this real
estate gig I was doing on theside, um, and really enjoying.
Um, I was on the board of mykid's school and on the church,

(08:13):
you know, elder board and somenational organizations and some
private companies.
And so I really was in a spotwhere it's like, well, I don't
necessarily need to work rightnow.
And I've worked really hard fora lot of years.
Maybe I'm gonna take a year off,play a little golf, hang out
with my kids and take a deepbreath.
Um, and I am terrible atretirement.
It's just not something I'veever

Jason (08:33):
wasn't ready.

Andrew (08:34):
I was already at, you know, I was, you know, what, 44
years old.
So, you know, it's not like Iwas retirement age yet.
Um, but basically a friendchallenged me and they said,
look, you were just given achoice between your job and your
values, right?
Um, and I had the financialwherewithal to kind of easily
made the right decision there,but for a lot of conservatives

(08:55):
and Christians, if you're giventhat choice, job or values, um,
it's really hard.
Because you're not just lookingat, am I going to get cancelled
from Facebook, or am I going tonot be able to fish anymore?
You're looking at, am I going tobe able to Feed my kids and pay
my mortgage, right?
Um, and so you're going to be atleast tempted to compromise on

(09:15):
something you hold very dearly,right?
Whether it's a Christian valueor something else.
And so that was, uh, kind ofthis realization that like,
well, I am very blessed that Iwas where I was, but if there
was a spot where I could helpother people who maybe didn't
have those financial, uh, kindof wherewithal to do those
things, um, but instead theywere, in a position where they

(09:37):
knew that if they stuck withtheir values and it cost them
their job, they had a backupplan.
And so I'm like, fine, I willcreate a job board.
Job boards are not that hard tobuild.
My brother and I actuallyknocked it out kind of on the
weekend initially and just said,great, there's a job board.
It's a pro freedom job boardwhere people don't have to sign
up for the latest politicalcorrectness.

(09:58):
And in fact, one of the earlyissues was the vaccine mandates.
And my stance on that was look,If you want to get a vaccine,
knock yourself out, but you'rean adult and you should probably
figure that out based on aconversation with your doctor,
not your HR department.
And that was controversialenough that I kind of put that
out there.
I'm like, great.
I've made my job board.
It's good.
We're set to go.

(10:20):
Um, and then I get this callfrom Fox and friends and they're
like, Hey, we heard that youhave the nation's leading job
board for companies that don'thave vaccine mandates.
I'm like, I'm like,

Jason (10:30):
Really?

Andrew (10:31):
like three months ago.
Yes, and I'm like, I'm likethat's news to me, right?
And I'm like, I don't know whatyou're talking about.
I mean, I have 20 businesses andmaybe a thousand job seekers
Like this is a tiny little boardthat really is not that
meaningful Then they're like,well, would you come on the show
and talk about it?
I'm like, yeah, sure.
I'm happy to jump on Um, notknowing that that you know, it's

(10:53):
kind of a massive platform So Igo on talk about red balloon
talk about the importance offreedom in the workplace And lo
and behold, um, we're addinghundreds of new employers every
day We're adding tens ofthousands of job seekers every
day And all of a sudden it'slike oh man lord.
I wasn't ready to start anotherbusiness I just wanted to play

(11:14):
golf and hang out with my kidsreally, uh, but here we are.
So, um, so yeah, that's kind ofthe beginning of Red Balloon.
And you know, you go through alot of ups and downs and all of
that.
Um, but I think one of the mostrewarding things that we've been
able to do here at Red Balloon,um, and I've not had this with
any other business I've run, isI would get unsolicited thank
you notes from perfect strangersliterally every single week.

(11:37):
I get people saying, you know,you changed the trajectory of my
family because of the job whereI'm allowed to be free.
Or Um, I've had a dozen peoplewrite and say I just wanted you
to know you saved my marriagebecause of the job that I or my
husband got, um, uh, through RedBalloon.
Because when you swim in, we'llcall it liberal or woke waters
for eight to ten hours a day,it's gonna rub off on you.

(12:00):
It's gonna have a huge impact onhow you view every other aspect
of your life.
I had a single mom write me.
And say, you know, I just wantedto let you know, I got a new job
through Red Balloon about threeweeks ago, dream job, love the
job.
Um, but, uh, she had two boysand one of them came when she
came home after that first threeweeks and said, mommy, you're
not angry anymore.

(12:20):
She's like, oh no, I was angrymommy.
Like, you know, first of all,that's kind of her initial
reaction.
I didn't even know it becauseit's just, Like it has such an
impact on your outlook on lifehow you interact with other
people And and she's like, buti'm not angry anymore and praise
the lord for that.
So anyway, there you go Sothere's a it has been an
incredible adventure and anincredible blessing to be able

(12:40):
to part be part of that storyfor so many People

Jason (12:42):
That's great.
Now it was fascinating when Ifirst heard you on a podcast
talking about what the businessis.
I have to ask what, how did thename Red Balloon?
What,

Andrew (12:51):
yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Have you ever been on a hot airballoon?

Jason (12:54):
I have not.
We have them in our area where Ilive at.
We do an annual festival.
So I see them every July in thisarea.
I've not been on one.

Andrew (13:02):
okay, you should ride one, it's really fun.
So I did a hot air balloon withmy kids in Dartmoor, England,
where, uh, you know, you hadthe, um, a lot of novels were
written there, and so on and soforth.
So Dartmoor, England, out on themoors, we go up on a hot air
balloon, and what wasfascinating to me is it's this
very, um, it's quiet.
Because unless you've got amajor storm, you go with the
wind.
So there's no wind noise,because you kind of are just

(13:23):
going with it.
Which is interesting.
And the only way you can directa hot air balloon.
At least that's what the pilottold me, is you have to go up
and down to try and find airthat's going the right way,
right?
And so you do, you are goingsomewhere, you don't have a lot
of control, it's super quiet,you're getting ghosted all the
time, it feels a lot like thejob searching process.

(13:44):
And so really that was kind ofmy tie in and then people are
they're going somewhere.
They're going to red states.
They're going to red cities inblue states.
They're going to businesseswhere freedom reigns.
They're going to red businesseswhere they can live their values
out loud, be a hard workingemployee that believes in merit,
but isn't aren't afraid of beingcaught.

(14:04):
Canceled and so really that'sthat's the heart of it.
So it's red balloon dot workBecause people are escaping
they're going to freedom in thiskind of job search process.

Jason (14:14):
Well, I'll tell you, I'll just share a little bit.
I've been in the workforce,whatever, for 30 some years now,
and I've been really fortunatethat I've never been at an
employer where I felt, you know,really any pressure, you know,
from a political standpoint to,and I, you know, I work right
now with people that, of course,we're making this recording,

(14:34):
what, 48 hours after theelection.
And you know, I work in a prettydiverse small company, but I
know there's people that voteddifferently than me that think
differently than me, but man, wecome into, we come in every day
and we work together to solveproblems and to benefit the
business.
And I'm very, I'm very glad ofthat.
I spent my whole career inmanufacturing and I don't know
if that's it, but.

(14:56):
You just, you know, go in andyou're working with people that
have different, and you just,that's not part of the
discussions.
I mean, it might be, but it'salways, it's always been very, I
don't know, cordial.
It's rarely spoken about becausewe've got enough other things to
worry about.
You know, we're trying to makeproduct and keep things moving.
And, um, that was actuallybrought up, uh, on a call I had
today with a colleague.

(15:17):
Um, in Austria, I work at acompany that's from Austria and
I was on a call with a colleagueand he was, he was asking about
the election and you know, he'slike, Oh, you know, it's a big
deal obviously.
But, um, he said one of myother, one of my other
colleagues from here in the U Shad told him that it's really
never like a big deal at work.
Like we don't really, you know,battle over it or talk about it.
I said, no, we don't.

(15:37):
We just, you know, people knowwhere you stand and it is what
it is.
And we come in and work.
So that's the way work shouldbe.
I think that's

Andrew (15:43):
It is the way that work should be.
And I think, I think workenvironments used to be
predominantly that in the past,right?
It used to be that you couldargue politics or religion at
work.
Um, you could go out for a beerwith your co worker afterwards
and the next day not feel likeyou need to shout each other
down,

Jason (16:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah,

Andrew (16:01):
some of that.
Um, so, um, you know, andthat's, that's what we want to
add.
We want to get back to that atRed Balloon.
I mean, in one sense, I wish RedBalloon wasn't necessary.
Red Balloon.
I wish the big job boards anddeeds and the zip recruiters of
the world, actually based, um,uh, based on merit,

Jason (16:16):
Yeah, yep,

Andrew (16:17):
on hard work, right, then I wouldn't be needed.
I'll go do something else.
I got plenty of other things todo.

Jason (16:22):
Yep.
And I do know, I can think ofmultiple examples of people that
I've gone to church with,specifically, that have worked
in sometimes larger, much largercompanies.
and have been in leadershiproles and they've been expected
to go to meetings or theweather.
I'm going to say beingindoctrinated, you know, to some
extent, I'm like, that's not,you know, you want to teach me
how to be a better leader ormanager or how to read a PNL.

(16:44):
That's one thing, but yeah, Iknow.
So, so yeah, it's, uh, I couldsee it as a need for, for people
who are working in thoseenvironments.
So,

Andrew (16:53):
Yeah, and one more thing on that.
We did a study and 90 percent ofpeople in America over the last
four years have had to do someform of DEI training, diversity,
equity, inclusion, whichdiversity, equity, inclusion,
those are actually fine words inand of themselves, but they've
been weaponized and only 68percent of people have done on
the job training for their job.
So there's been more focus onthat and I actually think it's,

(17:16):
you know, you talk aboutindoctrination, I think it's a
liturgy.
DEI is a liturgy to make youthink a certain way about
yourself, about your co workersand around the world around you.
And unfortunately, um, that'snot a way to actually make
money.
And so I do see the pendulumswinging back.
I hope

Jason (17:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I, yeah, I mean, you seethere, it is, there's large
companies now that have pulledback from that, um, publicly.
And yeah, it's based on merit.
I mean, I, you know, I don'tcare what your skin color is.
I don't care your political,religious beliefs.
And I've worked with someamazing people.
Again, we come together to solvesimilar problems that, and that

(17:51):
in my social circles, I, Iwouldn't honestly, be around
them because that's, you know,that's kind of the way it goes,
unfortunately, in my socialcircles.
And now, because for whateverreason, so I have, I have been
able to work with a muchbroader, diverse group of human
beings in my life through work.
And I've enjoyed that, um, beingable to come together with
different socioeconomicbackgrounds, different religious

(18:13):
backgrounds, people fromdifferent countries that grew up
in places that I've never beenin my life.
And I learned so much from them.
And, uh, yeah, when you cometogether with a common goal and
cause and you respect eachother's, you know, opinions and
views and respect them.
And yeah, that's, that's good.

Andrew (18:30):
Yeah.

Jason (18:31):
hey, tell us, Andrew, tell us a little bit about your
faith background.
Like, how did you come to knowthe Lord?
And, uh, yeah, tell us, tell usabout that and where you're at
now.
Like maybe, uh, if you're in adenomination or anything, want
to talk about that?

Andrew (18:42):
Right.
Yeah, absolutely.
So yeah, so I grew up aChristian.
My, my parents are Christians.
My grandparents are Christians.
Just a deep and blessed legacyof reading your Bible, being on
your knees in prayer, beinghumble, Asking for God to, um,
you know, bless the work of yourhands.
Um, when I was a very young man,even before I started my working

(19:06):
career, when I was 14 and 15, Istarted to, like, you know what?
Um, I could be in the children'sprogram at church, or I could
help with the children's programat church.
And so, um, I actually, like,ran the children's choir when I
was, like, 15 years old at ourchurch and had like a hundred
kids.
I don't know what in the worldthe leadership was thinking like
that was just a very bad idea.

(19:27):
It worked out but Uh, but yeah,my older sister who's two years
older than me.
She was also involved Maybe thatwas the the linchpin and then we
ran an awanas program You know,and so I had like I was the song
leader for an Iwanas program andI ran the games

Jason (19:43):
Yes,

Andrew (19:43):
that was really my sweet spot and man so much fun and we
and we actually got a bunch ofneighborhood kids to come to the
Iwanas down and this is down inCalifornia.
And we had like 500 kids on aWednesday night, man.
It was mayhem.
It was so awesome.

Jason (19:58):
that's a big Iwana program.

Andrew (19:59):
But we also saw a lot of kids, you know, they're
memorizing the Bible, right?
That's what I loved about it.
They're, they're deeply, they'reputting it in their heart.
It was amazing.
So, um, so anyway, love that.
Kind of cranking along.
Um, then I read some books fromJohn Piper.
Um, and I'm like, hmm, I wonderif I'm more, a little more
refined.
Formed than I thought I mighthave

Jason (20:17):
Love

Andrew (20:18):
Um, and no, then I started going to an OPC church
up in San Francisco.
Um, and look, the pastor therewas very outspoken against
homosexuality.
And in San Francisco that doesnot play well.
And so we fought through apicket line almost every
morning, every Sunday morning,uh, Chuck McElhaney church up
there in the city.

(20:38):
Um, and that was a wildexperience.
You know, he got firebombedseveral times.
Um, you know, you'd be in churchwith cat calls happening in the
service.
Like this was like, like youfelt like, man, we're in a
battle.
Like it was crazy.
So did that for a while.
And then this is about the timeI was kind of getting burned out
on work, um, as 22 years old,ripe old age of 22.

(20:58):
And I'm like, okay, I need tochange.
Um, and I'd been getting sermontapes from Doug Wilson up in
Moscow, Idaho, where I live now.
And I thought, you know, I'mgoing to go up to his church and
see if I like it, and if I do,I'll stay around, and if I
don't, I'll find something else.
So, got up here and just found acommunity of people that, like,
okay, if the Bible says it, weneed to figure out how do we

(21:19):
apply that to our lives.
Um, and, and really think aboutit, and just really thinking
Christians.
And so, um, I have now been herefor, what, 25 years?
Um, married my beautiful wife,and she's basically Dr.
Krapuschetz, and I'm sub GEDKrapuschetz, so we make a pretty
good team.
Um, but I paid for her degrees,so I feel like I get some

(21:40):
credit.

Jason (21:40):
you go.

Andrew (21:42):
And then yeah, we have five kids and three big dogs and
we live on 60 acres, 10 minutesfrom the office.
She teaches at the kidsChristian school.
Um, I'm on a, a board of aNational Association of
Classical Christian Schools.
Um, and we're just, yeah, we'rejust really kind of plugged into
how do we help, um, the nextgeneration be thinking
Christians who are engaged inculture and being world leaders,

(22:05):
um, and having the tools theyneed to be world leaders, um,
where they are.

Jason (22:09):
That's great.
We have, uh, our, our kids havebeen involved and we have as
well in a small Christian schoolhere in town.
Oh, 325, 350 students.
I was on the board for eightyears.
My wife was an art teacher.

Andrew (22:21):
Yep,

Jason (22:22):
of our kids graduated from there.
Well, I shouldn't say graduated.
One is a senior.
He's out, he's close.
And then I have a grant.

Andrew (22:28):
I like his chances.

Jason (22:30):
Yeah.
Right.
And then I have a granddaughterwho's a kindergartner there.
So we're super

Andrew (22:33):
Amazing.
Yeah, that's super cool.

Jason (22:35):
Yeah, that's, yeah, that's good.
So, um, yeah, you guys are rightout, right out in the middle of
God's country.
60 acres of, yeah,

Andrew (22:43):
It is, it is, it is amazing.
You know, we have, um, I wastelling a friend from San
Francisco, I can see a hundredmiles from my front porch.
Um, his response was, well, Ican see a hundred homeless
people from my front porch.
I'm like, well,

Jason (22:54):
different

Andrew (22:55):
not ideal.
It's a very different world.
Yeah.
But you know, but it is, youknow, there, there are pluses
and minuses of being a smalltown.
You know, I grew up in SanFrancisco, my wife grew up in
kind of the Dallas and then theSan Antonio area down in Texas.
Um, and so, you know, as long asyou travel a good bit, Um, you
know, we've gotten our kids havegone all over the place.
My oldest son did a year at NewSt.
Andrews College, which is intown here at the Christian

(23:16):
College.
And then he's like, I need anadventure, um, because we travel
so much.
He's like, I need to, you know,get out of town.
So he actually went off toAfrican Christian University in
Lusaka, Zambia.
Um, and he was one of two whitekids in the entire school,

Jason (23:32):
Yeah, that's great.

Andrew (23:33):
it was amazing, like it was such a good experience for
him.
So he was only there as kind oflike a three month exchange, but
it's amazing when you're kind ofin the trenches for three months
and dealing with like, okay, wedon't have power this week.
Um, here's what we do aboutthat.
Okay.
We don't have, none of the ATMmachines have cash in them and
you can only,

Jason (23:55):
What do we do?
Right.

Andrew (23:57):
And, you know, and just, you know, getting people with
different doctrinal backgroundsand different cultural
backgrounds and just beingembedded with him and talking to
these other kids was just a realblessing for him.
And then my older, my secondchild, my daughter, she's out at
Mississippi College in, uh, Um,just north of Jackson,
Mississippi.
Um, good Christian Baptistschool out there, and she's, uh,

(24:19):
doing an international businessdegree because she loves
business.
Um, and just totally crushing itout there.
And then, my youngest three areall in school.
I've got a junior, a, uh,freshman, and a seventh grader.

Jason (24:32):
Okay.
Busy.
That's good.

Andrew (24:35):
every day's busy.

Jason (24:36):
So tell me a little bit about your spiritual
disciplines, Andrew.
Like what do you do personallyto stay close to the Lord and
grow in sanctification with him?

Andrew (24:46):
Yeah, that's a great question.
I wish more people would askthose questions of people
because it's important.
So, um, you know, I read theBible through at least once
every year.
I feel like it is, uh, you know,if I can, you know, really in 15
minutes a day, you can getthrough the Bible in a year.
Um, and there's probably veryfew things that are more

(25:07):
important than just knowing, uh,learning the Word of God.
Um, and, um, so that's a bigone.
Um, I, uh, I heard a sermon onceand, uh, the pastor said couples
that pray together staytogether, uh, and so my wife and
I, um, we try and, um, block outa nice chunk of time before we
go to bed every night to spendtime in prayer together, um, and

(25:29):
making sure that we're, um, youknow, on the same page, which is
good for your relationship inaddition to, um, you know, being
good for your spiritual health.
Um, so that's it.
Um, obviously plugged into thechurch.
Um, and then my old, uh, one ofmy sons, um, you know, as he's
kind of growing up and trying tofigure out how's he gaining
wisdom, um, we've beenmemorizing some scripture

(25:50):
together.
So like, okay, let's grab aproverb a week.
I know it's not a lot.
For him, it's easy.
For me, it's like, I'm old.

Jason (25:56):
Yeah.

Andrew (25:57):
I'm old.
Yeah, it gets harder, but youknow, just, you know, if you,
if, if the Bible tells you tohide the word of God in your
heart, then you should do it.
You shouldn't just, you know,talk about it or sing about it.
I think those things are good,but you should just deeply do
it.
Um, and then, um, so, you know,I, I am kind of a systematic
guy.
You got to be systematic in theway you do it.
Um, and then God brings youstuff that is hard and that is

(26:23):
also a massive blessing.
So I'll give you an example ofthis.
So obviously I talked a littlebit about getting fired from the
business that I'd helped start.
Um, and you know, those, thatwas a, you know, valley of the
shadow of death kind of momentfor me.
Cause it's like, okay, Lord,what am I even doing now?
And I realized that.
So much of my identity was tiedup in my position as CEO of one

(26:45):
of the largest businesses intown, right?
It's just so easy for men

Jason (26:48):
Yep.
Yep.

Andrew (26:49):
to get kind of go there and like, okay, so like, who am
I?
And I'm like, okay, my identityneeds to be in Christ.
It needs to not be in my salaryand he's not being these other
things.
Um, but then as I started redballoon, I start getting these
kind of thank you notes all overthe place.
My wife actually wrote anarticle in the Federalist and
she said, my husband wasn'tfired.
He was redeployed.

(27:10):
And if the king redeploys youand tells you go take that hill,
who are you to push back and sayno?
It's like, well, honey, thankyou.
That, no, it's amazing.
Right.
Um, because that's true.
Um, we have these periods anddoing a startup in your mid to
late forties, um, in the, youknow, economy that we've had for

(27:31):
the last four years, um, is aton of work and praise the Lord
for that.
Because I will tell you, I haveprayed a lot more in the last
four years than I probably didin the previous 20.
Um, just because it's like,okay, Lord.
I am, I am seeking to befaithful in the way that I'm
running my business.
I'm seeking to be faithful inthe way that I'm, you know,
taking care of my family, um,blessing the community, blessing

(27:54):
the larger, you know, body ofBelievers in this country with
great employees so they don'tget lawsuits and you know all
the things associated with thatBut lord, you gotta bless it
because if you don't bless it, Iam out of my league.
So So that has been you know,not the blessing I would have
asked

Jason (28:12):
right.
No.
Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
Yep Now let's do those times wegrow the most I look back over
my Life and every time I'vegrown spiritually the most it
was in a dark difficult placeand actually Yeah, I was just
sharing that with somebodyrecently one of my children
obviously younger than me that'sgoing through a difficult time.

(28:34):
And you know, I was able to goback and actually look at some
of my journals from 21 yearsago, 21 years ago, I've been
journaling for that for morethan that long during a time
that was very dark, verydifficult for me.
And, um, so I was able to sharethat, you know, I've been
through some similar things andit was difficult.

(28:54):
It is when you're in it, it's,it's super difficult and dark,
but, um, Two things.
One is other people go throughit.
So I wanted to share that asyou're sharing, right?
Other people go through thesetimes and so, you know, you feel
like you're the only one, butyou're not.
So get with people that havegone through it that can come
alongside you.
And those are the, you know, Godis still in control.

(29:17):
You know, he has a plan for hischildren.
He has a plan.
That's a good plan, right?
He says it's to, to do, to dogood.
It's difficult, but.
Uh, those times are very hard,but he has a plan for us, um,
you know, to glorify him.
So yeah, that's, it's, it'simportant for people to see
that, you know, that, that timefor you is I'm sure super dark

(29:38):
people though.
I'm sure at times see you nowand are like, Oh, CEO of this
company is doing great family.
It's, it's all amazing, right?
It's like, yes, thank God.
But there's some really deepdark valleys that you've gone
through, that I've gone through,that people go through.
So, So, yeah, when you gothrough those, man, find people
that you can come alongsideother believers to encourage
you, put their arm around you,pray with you, pray for you, you

(30:00):
know, and encourage you throughthat.
It's important.

Andrew (30:02):
the other thing I'd say is also write it down when God
is faithful because he alwaysis.
Um, and so my wife does a reallygood job of, uh, every year for
our anniversary, uh, we sit downand she writes it down.
She's more disciplined aboutthis than I am of like, how has
God been faithful this year?
Um, how have, you know, whatwere the big things that we, you
know, mid year, we're like, Idon't see how we're going to

(30:25):
make it through

Jason (30:25):
yeah,

Andrew (30:26):
you know, we've got a kid who's like, you know, doing
great, but really strugglingwith this area of life.
Like, I don't know how to getthrough to them.
Like, what do I say?
What, you know, Lord, give mewisdom to actually speak into
their lives the way that Ishould.
And then you come out of it andyou know, I read this Puritan
and he said, you know, thepeople of God are the worst at
remembering, um, God'sfaithfulness in the past.

(30:46):
Um, because once we get throughit, then it's gone, like it's
behind us.
But when you actually sit downand we just do it on the annual
basis and be like, okay, so Youknow This seemed like an
overcomable problem, an unovercomable problem, and God
blessed that.
Okay, well, how did He blessthat?
And, um, and sometimes it'sanswers to a prayer that are no.
Like, we pray for this specificthing, and God says no.

(31:10):
And then you get six monthslater, and you look back, and
you're like, If God had saidyes, My plan was a bad plan and
I was playing very specificallyand God was like, okay, that
would be bad for you.
It would, uh, you'd be in realtrouble if I answered yes on
this one, but you don't knowthat right now.
And so, um, that's part of whatit reinforces God's
faithfulness.
And, you know, as businesspeople, you need that as much as

(31:31):
anybody, especially as anentrepreneur or CEO, a leader,
like, There's certain things youcan't talk to your employees
about, like you, you're carryinga different level of weight.
Um, and if you don't do thatexercise of looking back, how
has God been faithful before?
Because when you remind yourselfof that, well, is there any
reason he's gonna stop being

Jason (31:50):
Right.
Right.

Andrew (31:51):
Right?
Um, and that's, that is, um, socomforting and so relieving for
someone who's carrying a lot.

Jason (31:57):
Yeah.
Yep.
Now, I've went back to myjournal many times and looked at
those times when he got methrough over and over and over
and over again.
Uh, Andrew, I want to talk alittle bit about leadership,
your leadership philosophy.
What are those, like, give me,like, a quick Some of the core
leadership principles that youjust always, always, always go
back to.
They're kind of the pillars ofhow you lead, uh, your

Andrew (32:20):
Yeah.
Um, I guess the first one I'dpoint out is get over yourself.
Yeah.
Um, it is so easy for leaders,for bigger personalities, for
people, you know, who are, getasked to be on podcasts, to uh,
just, you know, just get alittle excited about yourself.
I remember I was, I was in theWhite House for a meeting, um,
when the Trump administrationwas in last, and I remember, you

(32:43):
know, this, Secret Service comesin, he's like, you sit down, you
sit down, and like everybody,I'm like, oh fine, I'll sit on
the couch, it's a nice couch,it's great, I don't mind.
Uh, but I sat down on the couch,and then, you know, and then
like this entourage comesthrough, and then Mike Pence
walks through, and he was justkind of walking through.
Um, and then this wholeentourage behind him, and then
the Secret Service, okay, you'reallowed to get up.
And I'm like, man, it would beso hard to have that not go to

(33:03):
your head.
Right as a man like when youlike you like you're the king of
the world and it's just hard forthat not to Be the case.
Well, if you're a businessleader, it's a it's a smaller
version of that, right?
You don't have the white houseentourage, but you definitely
have a position of respect ofauthority Uh, people are looking
up to you and so you need aconstant reminder of the

(33:27):
finitude of man, how fin, howfinite we are and how infinite
God is and kind of get overyourself.
Um, and that actually just makeseverything so much better.
um, and uh, I have the sweetestwife in the world who is also a
good reminder to me that like,no Andrew, you're not Superman.
Ha, ha,

Jason (33:46):
humbler.
She's good at humbling.

Andrew (33:48):
amen to that and I need it, I need it.

Jason (33:50):
I think of my wife sometimes as the least impressed
about me, right?
Because all these other people,oh he's this.

Andrew (33:56):
I'm so amazing, can't you see it?
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Yeah, you're fine, you're fine.

Jason (34:01):
And your kids too, right?
They're like, what,

Andrew (34:03):
Oh yeah,

Jason (34:04):
what?
I don't know, you're dad.
I know, yeah, you're

Andrew (34:07):
Yeah, but you should probably lose some weight.

Jason (34:08):
Right?
Exactly.

Andrew (34:11):
So, you know, I think that's it.
I think that's the first thingis, is be humble.
And that's going to help you seeclearly.
If you, if you are excited aboutyourself, it's hard to see
clearly about how do you blessother people.
Um, and then I guess the secondone is always connected with
that.
It's always like, you know, lovethe Lord, your God with all your
heart, soul and mind.
And then your neighbors,yourself, like it's always
connected to that.
But if you be humble, And then,um, anytime you think, you know,

(34:36):
I would like something, thentake a step back and like, well,
what other people like that?
So I, you know, examples, andthen this is a silly little
example.
It's like, I was driving to workand I'm like, I do not have
time.
And my car is an absolutedisaster.
I wish we had someone to wash mycar.
I'm like, huh.
I bet you a lot of other peoplewould like to have someone wash
their car.
And so it's like, well, I'mgoing to go find some college

(34:58):
guy who needs a little extrawork and I'm going to give him a
hose and a bucket of water andsome soap and he's going to wash
all the employees cars whilethey're at work.
Um, because wouldn't that becool?
Um, and so, and, and like, Iwill tell you, it costs like not
very much money at all to havesomeone just out there doing it.
And, um, and it was just like,You know, it's those kind of

(35:20):
things that when you are notjust thinking about yourself
when you're trying to thinkabout others, that's where
you're going to get these greatideas.
Well, I had one employee tellme, they're like, you know, I
got a job offer for 10, 000 ayear more.
But man, when you did that carwashing thing, it was just like,
He cares about us, so I'm goingto stick around, right?

(35:40):
And so I think in businesspeople, it's easy to, you know,
get in the dollars and cents andlike, well, you're an employee.
You have to do what I say.
There is this one to onecorrelation between I sign your
paycheck, you do what I say.
I get that.
That's a true thing.
But when you deeply care aboutpeople because you're actually
thinking about them, when you'renot just thinking about
yourself, um, People will followyou anywhere.
Um, and, and, you know, I don'tdo that perfectly, and I don't

(36:03):
want to say that I do do itperfectly, but I'd say, um,
don't be too excited aboutyourself, and do be excited
about other people.
If you can think about othersbefore yourself, um, which is
only possible when you're notsuper excited about yourself,
then you're gonna be in aposition to actually lead, and
not just be a big, brashpersonality.

Jason (36:22):
I think about the people in my life that, um, I love
talking to the most.
And it's those guys, those men,most of them, you know, they're
men in my life who always, whenI see them ask me about me, like
they care about, like, what'sgoing on.
Like, it's not, they've been,I've heard a term, they bend the
conversation back towards youand not themselves.

(36:44):
And you know, there's a, there'sa couple of guys and one in
particular I've been friendswith for.
20 some years.
He's a, he's a pastor.
He was a pastor of our church,but he's a close, close, dear
friend of mine.
And he does that just all thetime.
And he does it with hisparishioners.
And he just always is like, hecares about what's going on in
their lives.
He does it with kids.
He does it with my kids.

(37:05):
And I'm like, and I told him,actually recently him and I
spent some time together and hejust, he's always done it.
And I've tried to learn thatfrom him.
And I've told him that I said,I've seen you do that.
And I've seen what, how, what itmeans to me as just a human
being.
And, uh, so I've tried to dothat.
And like you said, I don't do itperfectly because it's like a
fight all the time to get out ofyour own head.

(37:25):
But,

Andrew (37:26):
That's

Jason (37:26):
yeah, you know, but to go, whatever, walking around
your business or, you know, Iwalk around my plant, I try to
just slow down and, you know,ask people what's going on.
Like literally like what's goingon, like how things going.
So, yeah, that's so important.
That's so

Andrew (37:40):
Well, just as a leader, if you, if you actually care
about people, and I mean, thenice part is, you know, all the
best leadership principles arein Proverbs, they're in the

Jason (37:48):
of them.

Andrew (37:49):
right?
And so if, you know, Christ waswashing his disciples feet, um,
and he had no problem saying,look, I am, um, I'm the leader,
right?
You call me master, you call meteacher, and that's right.
It's okay.
It's okay to be the boss.
You don't have to have this fauxhumility.
Um, but you do need to actuallydeeply care about other people

(38:09):
and get over yourself.
Um, and so hierarchy is not abad thing, but hierarchy where
it is, uh, you know, almost aMuslim construct where it's
power down rather than, um,service, um, you know, when you
can do that, um, it will makeyou a lot more money as a
business person because peoplewant to work for someone like

(38:31):
that.
You don't have the turnovercosts.
You don't have, you know, peopleare willing to strap in with you
as long as you're willing tostrap in with them.

Jason (38:37):
right.
That's 100 percent true Yeah,absolutely.
What's uh, Andrew?
So you're the CEO founder ofyour business.
So you get a lot of leeway Iguess on how you lead and I but
I'm curious on I'm sure you havepeople on your team who aren't
Believers or agnostic or youknow atheists whatever but how
do you so how do you honorChrist in the work that you do

(38:59):
as?
a CEO like how do you YouPractically do things that you
are striving to glorify him inyour work.
Like what, what do you do?

Andrew (39:07):
No, that's a great question.
I guess I'll give you a coupleof examples.
I guess that's the best way forme to describe the principle.
Is when I hire someone and youknow, I let them know, you know,
and I try and be the finalinterview.
I say I'm an unapologeticconservative Christian in the
way that I run my business.
It's not a prerequisite.
It's not a weird thing.

(39:27):
I think we talked about this,right?
But then I give them examples.
Okay, what does that mean?
Okay, so what it means is wedon't talk beyond each other's
back here.
We have a zero gossip policy atour company.
Um, and so if you come in myoffice and you tell me that I
probably am screwing up onsomething or I'm an idiot about
something, I might give you araise.

(39:48):
Because I know that I have blindspots.
And I know I need people whohave the guts to come in the
CEO's office and say, Hey,Andrew, you're screwing up on
this.
Or like, are you, like, are youreally thinking this through?
Right?
Uh, but if they come in myoffice and say, you know, So and
so over here is doing a terriblejob and they really smell funny
and I don't like them, Uh, myfirst question will be, well,

(40:10):
what did they say about that?
And they're like, what are youtalking about?
I'm like, well, no, but like,seriously, Because I do not want
a work environment.
Where people feel comfortabletalking behind each other's back
and so I'll often in thatscenario be like, you know What
once you wait on and wait here aminute I'll be right back and
I'll go grab that person theywere talking about and I'll

(40:30):
bring them in my office I'mlike, hey, why don't the three
of us have a great littleconversation about this right
now and I will tell you that isa very awkward Conversation
which I actually personallyreally enjoy.
I think it's funny Um, but, thatnips that stuff in the butt, I
will tell you that right now,like, that person will never
talk behind someone else's backbecause they never want to
happen, have that happen again.

(40:52):
And so, when I'm hiring peopleand I'm like, okay, this is a
Christian work environment.
These are some of theramifications, because they
don't know, you know, they hearChristian work environment,
they're like, oh, you're a

Jason (41:02):
Yeah.

Andrew (41:04):
That might be true.
I am a little bit weird, but

Jason (41:07):
We're going

Andrew (41:07):
But hold with

Jason (41:08):
going to make me pray every day and take

Andrew (41:10):
That's right, that's right.
That's right.
We're not gonna do that stuffBut we are gonna have a zero
gossip policy or we are going toYou know, I had I remember there
was a non christian gal at ouroffice and her mom was going
through some really toughMedical stuff and I said hey
totally up to you, but I'dreally love to pray for you You

(41:31):
Um, and I'd love to pray for youat the company meeting and I'd
like to invite anybody as atotally optional thing To come
and pray for you in thissituation and she just starts
crying.
She's like I needed that so badAnd so we're praying for her And
you know her mom made it throughand uh, you know, I don't know
that she came to the lord But Ido know that that had such a

(41:51):
deep impact and does it takeguts for someone?
In our society where that's toldthat's a weird thing.
Well, the only way that thatworked You Is because I didn't
have this brazen fauxchristianity Where I was, you
know handing out tracks, butthen a jerk the rest of the
time, right?
And and we and we know thosepeople right they're

Jason (42:12):
call jerks for Jesus.
That's right.

Andrew (42:15):
for jesus, right exactly because if you're jerks for
jesus that doesn't play they'relike, oh, yeah, you're just
putting on a show You're doingsomething to try and but i'm
like no I have deeply tried tolove my employees, to take care
of my employees, um, in everylittle aspect.
And right now you need prayerand you know that and I need,
and I know that.
Um, and, and I'd say that'swhere leaders need to get to.

(42:37):
And when they're not loving ontheir people the rest of the
time, then they don't havepermission to do things like

Jason (42:44):
That's right.

Andrew (42:45):
So, so anyway, so when I'm working with employees that
don't, you know, they're notChristians or whatever, my job
is not to jam my worldview downtheir throat.
My job is to love them.
Um, live my values out loud.
I did have a lot, I've had a lotof people come to the Lord in my
businesses because they grabbedme after work and they'd be
like, okay, Andrew, I don't knowwhat you, what your deal is, but

(43:07):
all you people are so joyful.
Can we grab a beer after workand like, talk about like,
where's this coming from?
Right.
That's where you want to be, um,as an organization.
And when you do that, then, theneverything else is going to be
just fine.
Um, and you, and you really justcan lean into it that way.

Jason (43:24):
That's good.
The, uh, no gossip policyreminds me of the school board
that I was on.
They have a principal called theMatthew 18 principal.
And it's the same, right?
Meaning this is how, this is howwe handle conflict.
And so I've, uh, I do the samething.
I don't, I haven't done what youtalked about.
Like, Hey, let's go, let's gobring that person in here.
But I have said when I havesomeone come to my office to

(43:46):
complain about somebody else,I'm like, okay, I hear you
understand.
So first step is you need to gotalk to them about it.
And then if you guys can't workit out, I'm here as a mediator
here to, here to help.
But no, like 85 percent of thetime, All of a sudden it's not
such a big deal.
If you expect them to go addressit, they can live with it.
So,

Andrew (44:06):
That's right.
And I just tell people if, ifany conversation about this
should either be having aconversation with someone who's
part of the problem or someonewho's part of the solution.
Um, if you're just talking to acoworker because it feels nice
to complain about someone else,which it does.

Jason (44:21):
does.
Right.

Andrew (44:22):
yeah, it really does.

Jason (44:23):
it wasn't Proverbs.
I'm going to paraphrase this,but in, in Proverbs, it talks
about it being like a sweetmorsel gossip is like a sweet
morsel, but it's poison.
And I

Andrew (44:32):
It's like honey on the tongue and, and bitterness in
the

Jason (44:34):
Yeah.
Yeah.

Andrew (44:36):
Yeah, for sure.
Um, so anyway, so as I work withpeople who, you know, aren't
Christian in the workenvironment, I'm just very
forward and upfront.
And good news is my lawyer toldme that's actually a huge
protection.
Because if you full disclosesomething to someone, it's
really hard to sue you aboutthat, right?
So if I say, hey, this is who Iam, it's like that, you know,

(44:57):
cup from McDonald's contentsmight be hot.
And so the CEO is hot.
I mean, wait, um, but,

Jason (45:05):
And they had to do that because of a lawsuit, so that's
true.

Andrew (45:07):
is it doing a lawsuit?
No, but like, as a, as aChristian, as a conservative,
I'm like, this is who I am.
This is how I run the company.
If you're comfortable here, youare welcome.
Um, but then they can't comeback to me later and say, well,
we just found out you're aChristian cause you're praying
at dinner at the Christmasparty.
I'm like, no, I told you, youcan't bring anything to me.
Um, and so that's, it's a legalprotection as well.

Jason (45:28):
Uh, so on the same topic of leadership, who do you Follow
who do you read podcast books?
I always try to get that frompeople I interview so, you know
It just helps myself and auditmy audience find other
resources.
So who do you?
Who do you recommend?

Andrew (45:45):
Yeah, um, I try and read a lot of books.
I try and read two books amonth.
One business book and one, um,I'll say cultural, spiritual
book.
Um, and whether that's aPuritan, whether that's a, you
know, a John Piper.
Um, uh, and, and so, um, I amreading a lot of books, um, all

(46:05):
the time.
Um, I just, I just finishedstory brand again.
It's a, you know, business bookon branding because I think it's
really important.
Um, I, I would, uh, it alwaysrecommend that cause there's an
interesting Christian principlesin there.
Um, before that, uh, you know,you read some of the Jim Collins
books, um, Malcolm Gladwellbooks.
So I love reading those.

(46:26):
Right.
Um, and then, and then I'd lovetrying to digest something where
it's like, and, and, and I'llput the spiritual cultural, do a
lot of histories.
Um, because I think part of themistakes, yeah, people make is
not paying attention to what hashappened before.
Um, you know, Ecclesiastes talksabout nothing new under the sun,
everything that's happenedbefore, is happening now, has

(46:47):
happened before, so payattention.
So, um, I don't listen to a lotof podcasts, I'll tell you that
right now, um, I will sometimeslisten to Tucker Carlson, partly
because he's a customer of RedBalloon,

Jason (46:57):
Oh, nice.

Andrew (46:58):
him entertaining, and, uh, he is entertaining, so, um,
and you learn stuff out fromthat, so.
Um, but yeah, there you go.

Jason (47:06):
What?
So what's your favorite JohnPiper book?
Cause I'm a huge John Piper fanas well.
I

Andrew (47:14):
man, I'm trying to think which one is a favorite.
That puts me on a really toughspot.
Um, I think The Pleasures of Godwas probably one of my first
ones that I've now read multiple

Jason (47:25):
Yes.
Me too.
Yep.

Andrew (47:26):
right?
It was like, okay, so, and itjust, and what I love about John
Piper is his view of God is sobig.
There's no room for human ego.

Jason (47:35):
Yeah.

Andrew (47:36):
And I think that, you know, tying back to what we were
talking about earlier, um, whenyou really have, uh, an
understanding of how big God is,how amazing he is, um, how
overwhelming he is, there's nota lot of room for self left in
that.
Um, and I think that is, uh,healthy, especially for any
leader out

Jason (47:52):
Yep.
His whole idea around Christianhedonism

Andrew (47:57):
Yes.
Right.
You're just so like, sopassionate.

Jason (48:00):
Yep.
And he, that's how he preachestoo.
I love listening

Andrew (48:03):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Totally.

Jason (48:06):
Yeah.
Um, okay.
So let's say somebody comes toyou.
They're a first time leaderfirst time.
So they've gone from individualcontributor.
They got their first promotionsupervisor, team leader,
manager, or something like that.
And they're like, Andrew, I'mgoing to buy you a cup of coffee
or go out and have a beer.
Please give me your advice.
And I know this is generic causeyou don't know what industry
they're in or whatever, but justas a first time leader, like

(48:28):
what would you.
What advice would you give themon how to kind of approach that
what not to do what to do?

Andrew (48:34):
Yeah.
You know, uh, the same adviceI'd probably give to anybody is
you have, uh, one mouth and twoears, so use them appropriately.
Um, you need to be, you need tobe listening to your people.
Um, it's very easy for leadersto always, you know, you want to
come in, as a CEO, you'll, it'stempting to come into the room

(48:54):
as the smartest person in theroom.
And you need to not come in, inas the smartest person in the
room.
You may be the one who needs tomake a decision.
But you need to let other peoplebe the smartest people in the
room and you need to not have itjust be about you.
Now, they're going to debate,they're going to bring different
ideas, need to be listening,digesting, um, and, um, and then
once you've taken all theinformation in, you sometimes

(49:16):
just need to make that call, um,and you need to own it all the
way down because you're theleader and that's what it looks
like.
But you start by listening, um,and not just, um, having
everyone listen to you.
Um, so I, I'd say that'sprobably the first thing and,
and part of that is.
You know, you asked about booksand podcasts.
I mean, you need to be digestingwisdom from other people all the

(49:37):
time.
Um, if you don't think you needwisdom from outside of you, um,
then you're probably anarrogant, uh, about to be
failure.
So, um, you know, I've had a lotof pastors in my life who are
super busy people, and I said,you know, look, you gotta eat
lunch anyway.
So Um, I would love to just buyyou lunch, um, you know, I never
ask them to mentor me, I justsay, hey, you need to eat lunch,

(49:59):
let me buy you lunch.
And then I'd bring like 12questions that'd be like, okay,
so how would you handle, howwould you think about this?
And what I'm trying to do is I'mtrying to build a rubric of how
do they think about these kindsof problems?
How do they digest information?
and turn it into a response thatis biblical, right?
And so that's what you're tryingto accomplish in these, you

(50:20):
know, and I never said will youmentor me and they mentored me
Anyway, uh tricked them Um, andso that's that that's what I
that's what i'd say is is, youknow, make sure you're listening
a lot make sure Um, you don'tlet it go to your head.
Um and just digest as much inputand free and free advice as you
can get

Jason (50:37):
Yeah, I heard of Something years ago, and I've
said this many times on thispodcast, but somebody told me
years ago Listen learn then leadlike go into a new situation
Even if you're experienced lateryou go into a new business, you
don't know the nuances I meanthat whatever they're doing
things you're probably gonnadrive some change lead some
change But at least understandmaybe why they're doing what

(50:59):
they're doing.
There's a reason behind it.
So

Andrew (51:01):
Yeah, a hundred percent

Jason (51:02):
Yeah, the other one I just I just shared this I think
on a clip recently and it was Ifyou're the smartest person in
the room, you're in the wrongroom.
I like

Andrew (51:11):
A hundred percent, especially as the leader, right?
You know, even Steve Jobs, um,said, why would you hire smart
people and then tell them whatto

Jason (51:18):
Yeah, exactly.
Yep

Andrew (51:19):
But it's so easy to just feel like, man, I, the way that
I'm going to lead, the way thatpeople respect me is if I always
have the best idea and I'malways talking the most and the
loudest.
Um, and, and it's just not howGod built the world.

Jason (51:32):
Yep When you think about like legacy um And you're
probably close to my age and youyou get to a point, you know
We're not like getting ready toretire, but you start thinking
about that.
You're like, you know, what whatare you andrew?
What do you think about?
when, you know, the Lord callsyou away from maybe full time,
um, the level of intense workthat you're doing right now.

(51:54):
Like what do you hope peopleremember you by and that legacy
that you, uh, that would, youwould leave behind?

Andrew (51:59):
Yeah, um, I'll be honest.
Retirement for me, this is adream retirement.
I don't know if this willhappen.
It would be so fun to be able togo to young couples in the
church who just bought theirfirst home and it's like a total
dive.
And be like, hey, guess what?
I'm going to remodel yourkitchen for you.
Because that is just the body ofChrist working things out.

(52:20):
Um, and you know, and I'm goingto train a young guy because I
love construction, I love, youknow, electrical and plumbing
and all those things like, hey,wouldn't it be fun if for eight
hours a day you guys are off,you know, at your job and you
come back and I'm just makingheadway on your kitchen and I'm
just paying for everythingbecause I want to be a blessing
to you.
Uh, that would be really fun tome.

(52:40):
I don't know if that'll happen.
Um, but, yeah.
You know, I want, you know, andI'm going to focus on Red
Balloon a little bit because Ihave now sold businesses six
different times.
So I've had six successful exitsover the years, um, which is
great.
Um, it's fun to get a big check.
It's not fun to then losecontrol and get fired from your
own business, but, um, it is, itis fun to get that big check.

(53:02):
Um, I want to grow Red Balloonto a billion dollar business
that is, is a major force inredeeming the world of work.
for in America and the world.
Um, I want God to use thisbusiness.
Um, because you know, if youread Sun Tzu the art of war, um,
it talks about, um, if you'regoing to go and try and, um,
tackle an objective, you needthat objective to be both

(53:25):
strategic and feasible, right?
So New York city is superstrategic, but not super
feasible.
Whereas, you know, Bowville,Idaho would be, uh, super
achievable and not superstrategic.
And so you want to try and findthings that are strategic and
feasible.
Part of the reason that I amfocused on the workplace and
workplace culture in America isbecause I feel like, you know,

(53:47):
if you look at mainstream mediaor even mainstream universities,
like those are cultural, they'reculturally entrenched and
they're pushing a worldviewreally, really hard.
And I don't know that they can,you know, be redeemed in the
same way.
I mean, God can do anything,but, um, but I look at the
workplace, you know, and youtalked about, you've worked at
businesses where.
You didn't have that woke agendabeing jammed down your throat

(54:09):
all the time.
Well, I think the vast majorityof people in business are still
capitalists.
They still believe inmeritocracy.
They still believe in winning.
Um, and they don't believe in alot of the stuff that, that it's
been kind of coming down thepipe.
And as such, they're just kindof doing it to go along to get
along.
And so I, but so I do think it'sachievable to redeem the world

(54:30):
of work.
And I also think it is strategicbecause it is where most people
spend the vast majority of theirwaking hours and it has a huge
impact on their worldview andevery other area of their life.
Right?
If I've, you know, I talkedabout the thank you notes
earlier.
One of the thank you notes I gotguy, he says, Hey, my family's
going to church again becausethe job that I got through Red

(54:51):
Balloon.
So, um, you know, we all, uh,you know, there's so many
problems to solve in the world.
And you can either sit and wringyour hands about them, or you
can just pick the one that Godhas put you in front of.
And God has put me in front ofthe world of work, um, and I
want to, you know, if, Um, ifI'm, you know, working until I
feel like I'm gonna, you know,die in hardness as a pack

(55:12):
animal, um, but I, I want toredeem the world of work.
I want people to be free at workso that they can be free in
every other aspect of their lifeso that they can think clearly
about the world, so they canraise their kids well, so they
can go to church, so they caninvest in their communities, um,
and if I can have some littlehand in that, then I will die a
happy person.
So I mean, honestly, that's,that's the immediate legacy.

(55:34):
The long term.
I want faithful kids.
This is part of the reason I'mreally investing in Christian
education.
I want faithful kids who knowtheir Bible, um, know what's
right and wrong, know where tonot compromise, and know how to
lead in culture, um, becausewe're gonna need Christian
leaders, um, who are willing tofight if they need to, um,
willing to die if they need to,but know their Bibles all the

(55:56):
way down.
So, um, if that's the legacy andthen nobody remembers Andy
Krapuschetz, the bald guy with aweird last name, I'm good with
that.

Jason (56:04):
Yeah.
No, that's it.
I mean, I'm, we have twogranddaughters now and it's just
such a joy even to start to seethem.
You know, the one is five, one'sone and a half, but the five
year old, you know, she's in aChristian school.
She's in Sunday school.
She's in church and you know,she's talking about Jesus and
singing songs about God.
And it's like, man, nothingmakes your heart grow.

Andrew (56:23):
That's exactly

Jason (56:24):
What a blessing.
So, hey, before we wrap up,Andy, how can people, what's the
best way to get ahold of you?

Andrew (56:30):
Yeah, so you can go to redballoon.
work, um, and if you're anemployer and you want awesome
employees that probably aren'tgoing to sue you, uh, you should
come to redballoon.
work.
Uh, I, I mean, I'll tell you 75percent of employers in the U.
S.
have had a labor based lawsuitin the last five years.
So it's real.
Um, so redballoon.
work is where you can findawesome people.
We do recruiting services, wehave the job board.

(56:52):
Um, and then we have ApplicantTracking Systems.
So we have hot software thatwill help manage your entire
hiring process for you.
And we will do it in a way thatis distinctly Christian whether
you know it or not.
Um, so I would encourage you tocome and check that out.
Um, the other thing is I wouldsay follow me on LinkedIn.
That's probably where I'm themost active.
Um, because I try and do a, adaily post, um, talking about

(57:14):
culture building, talking abouthiring well, talking about
firing well.
And just call all the aspectsof, of running a business and
leading people.
So now follow me on LinkedIn, goto red balloon.
org and my encouragement toeverybody is go out and do stuff
to the glory of God and he'lltake care of the details.

Jason (57:31):
That's right.
No matter where you're at,that's where you're there to
serve and do it to the glory ofGod.
So, hey, brother, thank you forbeing on.
It's been a joy to get to knowyou and learn more about, uh,
yeah, Red Balloon and how Godhas used you and is continuing
to use you for his glory.
So thank you very much.
Appreciate it.

Andrew (57:48):
Well, thank you for having me.
And I hope everybody is edifiedand has a wonderful day.

Jason (57:53):
amen.
And thank you for tuning inagain, this month, I pray that
you and yours will have a veryblessed Christmas season and
that you will join me onceagain.
I new year's day of 2025 to hearfrom another leader who is
striving to honor Christ throughtheir work.