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How Faith Influences the Founder of a Consulting Firm

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If you are looking for a strong and zealous businesswoman, look no further: Jenny Whitener has lived her professional life with great tenacity and has used her God-given gifts of problem-solving and innovative thinking to serve and empower businesses all over the world. She is the founder and current CEO of Bridge Innovate, a business that strives to team up with organizations to help build leadership, strategy, innovation, and change capability. She is a seasoned facilitator and architect of collaborative design sessions for many organizations all over the world. I had the incredible privilege of sitting down with Jenny and experiencing firsthand the wisdom and passion she possesses.

Walk us through your vocational journey.

I graduated from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree and a minor in marketing and debate. I started my career with Delta as a flight attendant, and that was three years of really understanding and dealing with the public. I was not very close to my faith during that time—it was all about exploring the world, meeting new people and growing my career.

When I left the airline business it was difficult, I remember pulling into a job interview for a healthcare company and my car had just died. I sat in the car praying, “God help me out, I don’t have a job or a car, I really need this job. Help me to do well in this interview.” I went in and landed the job. So I worked for Kaiser Permanente in Sales and Marketing and it was a great experience. After three years I became Marketing Director. In those three years, we grew so much that the Kaiser Permanente medical director told me that we needed to stop marketing because we were bringing in so many people that they couldn’t recruit enough doctors to work in the clinic. I said, “Let’s talk about your physician recruiting problem.” Within six months I was working for him, reinventing their approach to physician recruiting and credentialing. Whatever problem the company had they would put me on it. By the grace of God, I could go in and figure out what the problem was and come up with solutions.

I was eventually recruited to Prudential Health Care where I ran physician recruiting and launched a Physician Leadership Institute. While attending a healthcare education conference, I met a partner from Ernst and Young, and after about two years, he approached me and told me I needed to work for them.

I had the opportunity to meet Don Sweeny, who was a partner at Ernst and Young and who ultimately hired me. He is a phenomenal Christian and has been a great mentor to me throughout my career. It was God’s blessing that I went into such a large firm under the mentorship of such a strong Christian man. I eventually got a global post and had an office in both Atlanta and Paris. It was very exciting.

Around that time I got married and at the age of 42 I had my first child and by 44 I had my second. Both were such special gifts. With that, I knew that I couldn’t continue consulting the way I was and be a mother. I remember my husband saying to me, “You should just launch your own business!” and I said, “You think I could do that?” With his encouragement, I had an LLC and within a month I had my first consulting project for $10,000. When these kinds of things happen in your life, it is so obvious that He is with you every day, every step of the way. I launched my business in 2002 and God has really taken care of us. It has always been the right balance of work and time to be a mother to my kids.

What was the experience like starting Bridge Innovate?

Early on, I think entrepreneurs experience a lot of fear around being accepted or wondering if they will be successful. Overcoming the fear of being rejected and having the community to talk with about that was huge for me in starting Bridge Innovate. Another part of it is experiencing failure and constantly saying “Lord, lead the way. If this isn’t the right project for me, open the next door; don’t let my bias and orientation close the door.” Having both of those things and being prayerful and open are so important. I wanted to be open enough to hear everything that God might be telling me, even if it was just a casual meeting because that could shape the next opportunity for my life. Often we engage with opportunities and we don’t see them, or notice that they are special moments that God has given us.

What has God taught you or shown you through your role at Bridge Innovate?

First is to trust Him. When you have payroll, or when you have a business, you know that there is risk associated with that and sometimes I find myself worrying about when the next new project is going to come in. We have all been given gifts, so it’s not like I can just sit here and wait for God to deliver, it’s really trusting him and knowing that I have to put my effort in. A lot of that is trust and prayer.

When it comes to weaving your faith into your business, one of the things that I do, especially when I’m really afraid, is I turn it over to God and I say “Your will be done. If I am here to help influence leaders, let my work be His extension.” That gives me the courage. I will wake up in the morning and think, “I have to go in and face this client and help them solve this problem today. Am I ready?” But I get that inner strength by having that conversation with God before an event. I’ve had people come up to me after a session and say “You’re a Christian aren’t you?” and that pleases me so much. It is the most celebrated moment when people can see it in your work.

“Your will be done. If I am here to help influence leaders, let my work be His extension.”

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in regards to your faith and your business? How have you handled it?

Definitely ego. I have so much fun solving problems. It’s like if you are an athlete, and you are winning a race, for me, winning the race for consulting is solving the problem with a client. It becomes so exciting that I have to continue to remember, in terms of my earthly life, that the time with my church, family, and business is the order it should go in. That is the balance and trying to maintain that balance and not letting the thrill of solving a problem with a client overshadow some of the other more important aspects of my life.

Have you experienced any resistance or hardship being a woman in the role you are in?

Absolutely. It has been interesting in the press with a number of women coming out about the complexities they have faced with harassment because of being a woman. At a very large company that I worked with for years, I had a similar situation. I was being pulled into the national division and a man I worked with was upset that he wasn’t, so for a month, he tried to get me fired. Women have to be prepared to do their job and to earn their place, but they also have to be prepared to stand up when there is a wrong and do it respectfully. You have to decide what you are going to stand up for, and you have to have the internal strength to make that stand.

Also as a woman, you can’t expect to be a mediocre performer and compete in a male-dominated world. If you want to compete you have to know more, be more, and perform better, so that it is without question that you deserve the job. I don’t think it is right for women to sit back and say “based on my gender, give me the role,” but instead demonstrate that you can perform and that you should have it. That’s hard work, and you have to be willing to do that.

How do you feel like being a Christian has led you in your role as a leader and CEO?

I know that the future of my business is in the hands of God; it’s not in my hands and I recognize that every day. And for that, I am thankful to Him, and I know he will progress the business at the pace he wants, and when he thinks it’s time for me to stop, it will be obvious.

Do you think Christian Business Leaders across the country are doing a good job of leading our nation?

I hope so. One of the reasons I was so committed to Christian education for my kids is because I remember meeting with Chad Dirkse, the President of Chattanooga Christian School. He talked about how the role of Christian education is to celebrate and amplify the talents that God has given all children. That means whether they are going to work at Subway or to do open heart surgery. How they live their Christian values and how through their life they are a testament to Christianity—that has to permeate all they do. It starts in their schooling and then becomes a way of life.

I pray that for all Christian leaders. We need Christian leaders who are the mayors of cities, senators, and heads of non-profit organizations. We need Christians to be involved in leading our world, both in the ministry side but also in business and bringing that set of values and ethics and Christian world-view to how we make decisions in this very complex world. We really do need to foster that way of thinking for our children in all the different careers they will pursue.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to start their own business?

You have to be passionate and start your business with the mindset that failure is not an option. Wake up every day continuing to modify your approach and listen to the customers. Gather their perspective and continually adjust your approach to the market. Remember that for every contract signed, there are 10 or 20 that you lose. In the early stages, it is a numbers game, so you have to be tenacious and listen to the market, which takes an extraordinary amount of energy.

You need to continue to look at what your competitors are doing, continue to challenge your assumptions, and continue to look at new technologies. If you are not doing that you are not enhancing your entrepreneurial skills and someone else will beat you. You need to have zeal and drive to continue to challenge yourself to know more, and learn more, and be observant and to use that to shape your business.

If you could say one thing to other business leaders who are Christians or just in the business community as a whole, what would it be?

To invest in the next generation. It has been a great blessing for me to partner with the Chattanooga Fellows Program. God has given me the resources, and this is a great way for me to give back. It has been so meaningful to support and mentor the young professionals that are coming through the Chattanooga Fellows program; to see the excitement in their eyes and to see how different they all are and how passionate they are about their faith and connecting it to business. It is very inspirational, and I think it could be very inspirational to other business leaders like myself. It has been a long time since we were that age and it is exciting to reconnect with that level of energy and passion.

One thing Jenny learned from her parents was that if you were going to do something, you must give it your very best, and try to exceed people’s expectations. I believe Jenny’s parents would be proud. She has found the avenue where she can maximize the gifts God has given her and has excelled. She desires to engage and be faithful to not only her work, but to her family, her community, and to the next generation of leaders. Jenny’s dependency and trust in God have and continue to be vital in her success, and I pray for more leaders to live their lives in such a way, making God’s glory the heartbeat of all they do.

How Faith Influences the Owner of a Concrete Company

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“When I go back into this business, it’s going to be God first, family second, and business third.”

That’s what B.H. Yerbey told his family in 1972, when he repurchased the concrete business he had founded in 1950. His family was doubtful – they had seen this entrepreneur pour himself into business for the 20 years prior. He was a driven man, working sunup to sundown, always looking for the next big job, the next business venture. He started several other companies: home remodeling, crane rental, building duplexes, until in 1967, he sold them all. His drive to be successful was overwhelming his life and his relationship with God and family.

When the concrete company was in bankruptcy a few years later, B.H. had the opportunity to buy it back. His wife and family had reservations, remembering the stress and the long days, but B.H. insisted. “The men need work. I just need to do this.” His wife was with him the day he re-opened the business, and she heard the employees talking about how excited they were to have B.H. back and in charge. That night, she told B.H., “You do need to do this. These men really respect you and want you back.”

This time it was different. His family saw him put new principles in place, honoring God and his family – and following God’s lead in his business decisions.

In 1992, B.H. handed the reins of the business over to his son Gary, who had always played an active role in it. The business grew under Gary’s leadership, and B.H. stayed away as Gary began managing the company. Months passed and one day his dad stopped by. They had a conversation that ultimately led to a regular mentorship. B.H. would come by 2 or 3 days a week. “He listened to my ideas, to what I had going on, and he would encourage me and give me insight into what I needed to do. I learned that being a leader meant more than going out there and making a living. Dad would drive around with me and we would talk. And guys would come to him and talk to him about issues going on in their lives.”

Gary credits his father with putting him on the right path in business. “I prayed about every decision that came down. When I needed manpower, I would pray about it. The people who came walking through the doors would be the perfect person for the job. God has never failed me.”

Gary models servant leadership with his employees and clients. “I try to be open about everything. With the guys in the shop, if we share a meal, I pray and I thank God for these guys that God has led to this company. That leads to the guys coming to me and saying, ‘Gary, I need to talk to you about something.’ God has opened so many doors that way.”

Being a business owner can be hard. More than once, Gary despaired and felt ready to give up. Business would be slow; he didn’t have the workload he needed to stay afloat. Sometimes he felt that God was leading him to close the business. At those times, Gary would go to his knees and pray, “Lord, show me what you want me to do. If you want me to stay in the business, you need to show me what to do. And if you’re going to shut us down, you need to show me that too.” He laughs today saying that every time he prayed that prayer God would load his plate up. “I got where I didn’t want to pray that prayer any more! God’s always been faithful in ways I can’t explain.

When he was about 45 or 50, Gary began praying for God to provide the next leader to take over the company. “God answered my prayers with good people – but never with that leader that I felt could lead the company forward.”

“When Dad was approaching the end of his life, I had to be away from the business more and more, caring for him. A young fellow, Seth, had been working for me for about 4 years, and the year earlier, he had become my son-in-law. Honestly, he was just a really young guy. But he was a Christian, and he did things that I thought were really good. Seth stepped up to the plate more and more for me as I was called away quite a bit. When Dad passed away, I had to take care of the estate, and honestly I just couldn’t focus on the business. Seth took care of everything at the office.

“After things settled down a bit, I got up one morning and told my wife I was going back to work that day after my morning devotions.  I was sitting in my chair reading my Bible, and I began praying, and I felt the Lord say, ‘what are you doing?’ I’ve never heard the Lord speak to me like that, and we started carrying on a conversation. I said, ‘I’m going back to work. That’s what I do.’ And He said, ‘you know, Gary, you’ve been praying for 20 years to have someone to come along and run the business, and now I’ve put somebody in place down there and what do you want to do but go mess it up.’

“Well, I finished my prayer time, turned the TV on, and my wife came in and said, ‘I thought you were going to work.’ And I said, ‘well, I was. But the Lord made perfectly clear that I don’t need to be back down there.’ God put the leader there that I was praying for the whole time. To my surprise, Seth came along, a young guy, and stepped up to the task. It was neat to watch.”

“If you want to be in business and have it be something meaningful that you can look back on and be proud of, remember it’s not what you’ve accomplished, it’s how you’ve accomplished it and what you’ve allowed God to do through it all.”

Gary enjoys watching people like Seth step up into business leadership. His advice for anyone who is going to be a Christian business leader: “You have to dig into what God’s telling you. Read the scriptures. Open your eyes to what the Lord’s got for you. I wish I could say that I do that every day. Sometimes my eyes are open, but sometimes my thoughts are on the day ahead of me. If you can focus on what He’s trying to tell you on a day to day basis, it’s done more to help me than anything – getting my focus right in the morning. If you want to be in business and have it be something meaningful that you can look back on and be proud of, remember it’s not what you’ve accomplished, it’s how you’ve accomplished it and what you’ve allowed God to do through it all.”

Gary is semi-retired now and is still attentive to God’s will for his life. “I’ve learned that God has places for me to be and things I need to be doing. He’s been good to allow me to have fun and do what I want to do. But He’s also been very clear that when He has something for me to do, I need to do it. I depend on God to show me what He wants me to be doing.”

Gary is aware of how we set an example for others in everything we do. As a youngster, he loved baseball and dreamed of playing professionally. But he knew there was no way for him to do that. “My mom and dad had us in church every Sunday, Sunday night, Wednesday night. I knew I couldn’t play baseball because I had to be in church on Sundays and Wednesdays!”

His favorite team was the Yankees, and his favorite player was Bobby Richardson. When the Yankees won the World Series in 1962, Gary saw all the guys in the clubhouse celebrating and popping champagne bottles. “A few days later there was an article in the newspaper with a picture of Bobby Richardson in the corner of the clubhouse that night, praying and praising God for the opportunity to win a world championship. I thought, ‘How cool is this. This man stands up for what he believes, and he’s a baseball player!’”

Years later, Gary had the opportunity to meet Richardson, and he told him that story. “I said, ‘you don’t even know what a big influence you had on a kid when you were just a young baseball player, but you did.’”

Gary’s father told him just 2 stories from his days in the Navy. In one, he told of a Japanese POW who was assigned to help him with painting and other jobs. B.H. loved and respected this man. One day he told him, “You’ll be going home soon. The war’s over.” To which the man responded in broken English, “I no home to go to.” Those words broke B.H.’s heart. Here was a man he respected, who because of the war, had no family, no place to call home.

Home was so important to B.H. He was in San Francisco when he received his Navy discharge, and all his buddies were going out to celebrate. B.H. said, “Guys, I’m not going out. I’m going right down to that bus station, and I’m catching the next bus to Chattanooga.” And that’s what he did.

When the bus pulled into Memphis, there were predictions of snow on Monteagle Mountain. “Dad was worried that he wasn’t going to be able to get home. So he went up to the bus driver and said, ‘Well driver, do you think we can make it through that snow?’ And the driver said, ‘Get your seat back there, sailor. We’re going to Chattanooga.’ And sure enough, that driver closed the door and they headed to Chattanooga.

“I tell you that story because it was the only thing about Dad’s Navy days that he would talk about: Here’s this one fellow that didn’t have a home to go to, and all Dad could think about was going home. And when Dad was laying there the last few days of his life, the only thing I could think about was that story: ‘Get your seat back there, sailor, we’re going home.’ I think that if you’re looking at God for everything you do, it’s all about the trip. Getting home may be bumpy, there may be snow, but it’s a trip you’re taking.

“When dad got home that night, he opened the door to the house and saw his mother in the kitchen. She turned and saw him and she just came running, just yelling, to greet him. And I’m sure that’s what happened when he got to heaven too.”

How Faith Influences A Chattanooga Business Leader

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The Lord gives unique gifts to all. Corporate America is full of believers and non-believers both who attain the gifts and skills to take companies to the next level. Bob Bosworth is a man who has helped the city of Chattanooga flourish by using the gifts God has given him. I had the opportunity to sit with Bob and hear about the ways his faith in Christ has manifested itself in the many roles he has taken on throughout his career.

Walk us through your vocational journey.

My vocational journey began when, after failing out of Amherst College, I was drafted into the United States Army, in the midst of the Vietnam War.  I spent three years in the military, with significant time in a base at the DMZ in Korea and, also, at a base in Monterey, California.  It was a time when I worked with people of different races, different socio-economic levels, different levels of commitment and radically different levels of aspiration.  It was also a time in history when the country was hugely divided over matters such as the war and race relations.  It was a time that the military was despised to the extent that I was spat upon while in uniform by people of my own generation, and protesters appeared at burials of young men killed in war, burials at which I was part of the team conducting the solemn military burials.  This, while a long explanation of the start of my journey, in retrospect, served as the foundation of that journey as I learned, sometimes in very hard ways, of the importance of working with a diverse group of people in less than ideal situations.

Following my release from the Army, I was readmitted to Amherst, and then continued my education at the University of North Carolina where I received my MBA.  From there I went to work for PruCapital, the investment arm of Prudential Insurance Company, in Atlanta. My focus was on working with smaller companies, with whom I could develop meaningful relationships. One of those relationships, with Chattem, eventually resulted in my hiring as a financial analyst in 1980. Over the next eighteen years, I was fortunate to work with many wonderful people in a variety of roles, eventually assuming the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  After eighteen years, I had experienced a fair amount of stress, mostly self-imposed, and as a result, I left Chattem, which had been my vocational home for a long time.

During the next 7 years, I was involved in a variety of things. My family was one of a small group that helped plant Rock Creek Fellowship in West Brow, Georgia in 2000. That effort proved to be one of the most rewarding and spiritually enlightening and growing experiences of my life. RCF was focused on reaching the people on the back of Lookout Mountain in meaningful physical as well as spiritual ways.  During that time a group of us founded a company, Livingston, which was an investment company focused on providing financing and investments to small and early stage companies. Eventually I had the opportunity to go back to Chattem as President of the Company after having served on the Board of Directors during the seven-year hiatus.  I remained in that role for seven years until Chattem was acquired by a large international pharmaceutical company. I retired in 2012.

In retirement, or more appropriately, in this season of life, I have been blessed with many areas of involvement. I am privileged to serve on the Board of Directors for Covenant Transport, Southern Champion Tray, and Rock City and on not-for-profit Boards including Chattanooga Christian School, United Way, Hamico Foundation and the R.L. & K.H. Maclellan Foundation. Yet my greatest joy and gift has been the opportunity to work with young people as a mentor and thought partner as they wind their way through the earlier stages of life.

This is a long journey, befitting, of course, my 70 years in this world, but each step of the journey has taught and continues to teach me much about life and faith.

How are ways you have seen the Lord work in your vocational journey?

I was brought up in the Congregational church in Bolton, Connecticut, where my father was a Deacon, my mother taught Sunday School and my brother and I were always involved.  Over time, and particularly when I was in business school and at PruCapital in Atlanta, I drifted away from the faith. There was a sense in which my material needs were being fully met, but there was also a quiet sense of being lost. Ironically, and more importantly, providentially, I met my wife, Susan, in Atlanta. She was and is a woman of great faith.  When we first met and our relationship was growing, I recall thinking, “I don’t fully understand the depth of her faith, and don’t know if I can share such depth.” I am thankful that the Lord brought her into my life at that time, as I was in an environment that was desolate and essentially devoid of faith.  It became the first time that I thought clearly about the way that the intersection of faith and vocation should occur, and it was also the time that my faith began to be renewed.

A second point occurred during my time at Chattem.  It was here that I began to recognize the power of a quiet faith in the presence of others and in the midst of a work place environment that did not overtly proclaim the faith.  It was amazing to me the manner in which people closely watched the actions of others, not just the words.  This reminded me of a story Eric Youngblood told about the moment at which he asked his mentor in seminary if he should tell people that he was a pastor when he arrived as the first pastor of Rock Creek Fellowship.  His mentor told him that “Whatever you do, don’t tell them. But don’t let them be surprised when they find out.” This is how I have learned to approach the faith/vocation intersection.  Ironically, I also found that many people who were not overtly of the faith carried many of the same principals. In fact, the prominent mantra for Chattem was “Do what’s right. Do your best. Treat others like you would want to be treated”.  This sharing of principles created a very effective working environment which, in turn, created a very successful company.

Thirdly, I have also been blessed to be on the Board of Directors of two companies, Covenant Transportation Group and Southern Champion Tray, both of which are founded on the Christian faith.  In these cases, it has, again, shown to me the diverse way in which His presence can be known and made known.

How have you tried integrating your faith with your business and has it been difficult?

In reality, I try not to separate them. They are one in my mind. However, using the word integration, I tried to exercise the principles that are consistent with my faith, and recognized, as I said before, are not inconsistent with the effective operation of a business. I didn’t hide my faith, but was not evangelical as the term might generally be used.  And I certainly never used my faith as a weapon in a judgmental sense.  But I don’t believe many people missed the fact that my faith was my foundation.  Perhaps due to the way I approached the situation, it has not been difficult for me to see business and faith as one.

Is there a mentor that has helped you in your faith/business journey?

Scotty Probasco, a very well-known businessman and philanthropist in Chattanooga was on the board at Chattem and became a real mentor for me. He was an incredibly faithful, supportive and encouraging individual.  But he was also very capable of showing tough love, and provided real guidance in doing so.  One of my favorite stories which reinforces this point, derived from the time he called me into his office after I had made what I perceived to be an extraordinary presentation on an important topic to a bank group which included the bank of which Scotty was Chairman and Founder.  When I sat down he told me that he was going to tell me something that I would be sorely tempted to take as a compliment: “You were the smartest guy in the room. You were smarter than all of the bankers to whom you were presenting.”  At that point, I must have started smiling as he said in no uncertain terms, “Stop, you’re starting to take this as a compliment; you failed to engage them as people, as human beings and as people talented in their own right. Yes, you were smart and yes, you got the deal, but you are not going to be successful in life and in business unless you engage with, care for and respect all people.  Remember that always”.  This was a powerful moment in my life, and one that reminds me daily of the importance of fully loving our neighbors.

What does being a Christian Business Leader mean to you?

I almost want to alter the phrase to “being a leader who is a Christian”.   To me it simply means that one has solid values which are evidenced in the manner in which your vocational skills are exercised, and, more importantly, in the manner in which you treat the people for whom you work with, and those who work for you.  That is what Christian leadership is all about.  While perhaps a strange way to think about this, in my eulogy, I hope it would not be first said that he was the President of a leading Chattanooga company; I would prefer them saying first that he cared about people and empowered them through the Lord to do things of which they were capable.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story?

The verse that is my favorite, and that I try to live by is the verse on which Rock Creek Fellowship was founded: Mark 12:30-31, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”  While the first point is clearly preeminent, I find the second point exceptionally important in the way in which we deal with others, all others, in every aspect of life

Do we need to cultivate more Christian business leaders, and if so, how do we do that?

Developing leaders with Christian values is very important. There can be a certain devotion to servant leadership that focuses solely on the word “servant” and neglects the responsibilities and importance of the word “leadership.” I think empowering leaders to understand that exercising the leadership talents that God has provided for success vocationally coincides well with exercising their faith. We need to find a way to empower and teach leaders to rise up professionally and spiritually without bowing to cultural norms, and doing so in a manner that draws others to those leaders rather than pushing them away.

Do you have any specific advice you would give for an up and coming Christian business man or woman before they start their business?

Find a mentor. Find people who have been through the wars, people with whom you can share worries, concerns and opportunities. Surround yourself with people that you respect and trust. Also, foster those faith-based qualities particularly in caring for all people, those for whom you have great care and admiration but also for those with whom you struggle. Sometimes it can just mean a smile, or a simple act of kindness. Those “random acts of kindness” can be incredibly powerful.

If you could say one thing to other Christian business leaders, or the business community as a whole, what would it be?

There are three things: First, let your values undergird everything you do in the way you act and the way you treat all people. Second, don’t ever neglect or underestimate the importance of your God-given vocational skills. These vocational skills allow you to be in a position to exercise and display your values. I don’t care what you do, but be good at what you do, and a good steward of the gifts you have been given. Third, “Preach the gospel always, and if necessary use words[1].”

No matter who you are: selfishness, power, and money tend to become unconscious underlying motives when working towards success. For Bob Bosworth, I see a man of true character and a man that genuinely cares for the good of people. Bob is not a perfect man, but he follows a perfect God who has used Bob’s faithfulness to advance His Kingdom.

 

[1] Quote from St. Francis of Assisi