Podcast: Building a Business with Faith, Integrity, and Purpose
What does it take to build a business that lasts? In this episode of the Jackson Endeavors Kingdom Business Podcast, Bishop Henry Joseph sits down with Denny Vander Molen and entrepreneur Vanessa Edmond to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship—from stepping out in faith and learning from mistakes to leading with integrity and building lasting relationships. Whether you're starting your first business or growing an established one, this conversation offers practical wisdom grounded in biblical principles and decades of real-world experience.
Featuring Bishop Henry Joseph, Senior Pastor of New Horizon Church; Denny Vander Molen, Founder of Jackson Endeavors; and Vanessa Edmond, entrepreneur and Business Builders Network leader.
Transcript
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Greetings in the name of the Lord. I'm Bishop Henry Joseph, senior pastor here at New Horizon Church. Happy to have Vanessa with me and Denny. Uh, Vanessa is with the Businessbuilders Network and Denny is the founder of Jackson Endeavors, which is a Christian kingdom business training ministry. We're going to talk business today and we want to get you excited about joining and enhancing your business or maybe you're interested in starting a business.we're going to be offering a training
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later on this year that's going to help you accomplish your entrepreneurial goals. So I'm going to ask firstjust askVanessa to share a little bit about herself and her businesses and then I'm going to ask Denny to share a little bit about his business andthen we're going to get into this discussion. So, Vanessa, share a little bit about the businesses that you currently run. >> All right. Well, um, good evening. My name is Vanessa Edmond, as Pastor Joseph said, and, um, they call me the serial
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entrepreneur. So, with that being said, I retired, um, from doing hair 30 years after 30 years. And, um, I'm now helping my husband to run his business, School Creations and Installation. That's where we install furniture and equipment for businesses and schools. Also, I along with my husband run the IV dog on food truck. I love that food truck, y'all. So, and I also work withcollaboratively working together to make sure barbers, stylists, nail techs, and people in the industry live their best
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healthy lives. So if you are a part of thatarea of professionalism, please reach out to us because there's some great things coming forth within this partnership that you all would love I would love for you all to be a part of. Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you, Vanessa. >> You're welcome. >> Denny is also a successful entrepreneur.tell us about your your business, Denny. Yeah. So, we're in thewe're in the equipment business and we area distributor for a product called
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Vermeere and we we servicean area quite a large area of Arkansas, Mississippi, West Tennessee, and North Louisiana. And we sell kind of a niche kind of product that is actually able to scale. And so we wewe we like to play with big boy toys and we like towe like todig dig dig dig ditches and bore holes and we like to grind stumps and chip wood and all those kind of things. And so we'vewe've had aa very fun fun business andjust recentlyI havestepped back as
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the president and now our son is isstepped up and u and so we're I'm really excited that we are in the business of being a family transitional business to wherewe can we can carry this legacy into the second generation and then hopefully maybe a third generation >> generational wealth. I like that. >> Amen. Well, thank you to both of you and I we wanted you to know we're talking to two very credible entrepreneursthat are successful in our community. So, they they know what they're talking
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about. So, let'sdive into a couple of questions.to both of you, knowing what you know now, would you have started the same business or something different? Vanessa, >> um, I would have started the same business, but I would have done it a little differently. Um, there's nothing like standing behind a chair and making people look good, but also you're not just the person that's making them look good. You are a counselor. You are a not only are you a counselor to the person
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that's sitting in your chair, a lot of times you are the person that they trust the most. So when you're dealing with their head, it's a lot. I tell people all the time, you have to be very careful of who you allow to do your hair because that person is standing over you and what they're pulling into you is also what you're receiving. So there's some things that I would have done differently from an aspect of with saving. I would have learnedcuz I started doing hair in my early 20s and
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I'm 52 now. So where I am is good, but it could have been better. you know. So,with thatas far as school creation and installationin the businessprocess of it withgoing out just learning early on in the businessabout how to properly bid. Now that I go back and look at some things, I realize that you have to learn the the right way to bid. There is a bidding process. Okay.you got to know what RFP and all that is. And now that I'm older and I know more, um, I know how to do things a little bit
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differently. So, I would have chosen the paths, but I would have done some things differently. >> Good answer, Denny. >> Yeah, I don't I don't know that I would have changedchanged much. Um, I'm I'm having I'm having such a great time now. Andyou know when I got when I got out of high school, I was fortunate enough to grow up on a farm in Iowa pretty close to where the manufacturer is based. And u and so one of the one of the things that I I like to encourage
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young people do is isI've done I've done this with high school kids and with even with some college kids, but find a find a company that your values are very similar to your values >> andand find a way and find a good company to toto align with. And I was very fortunate in that when I got out, I never went to college andwent straight into the workforce, but I went to Vermeere and that was on the recommendation of my dad >> because he we we we knew the the family
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and their their values and their Christian values and their work ethic >> and u and so I just kind of built had building blocks that kind of built up into that and became a distributor for them. Okay. an independent distributor for them and u and that has allowed me just lots and lots of opportunities totototo learn and to grow andand God's been God has been faithful >> in that u in thatyou know he has he has allowed us to flourish in a place in an unknown place like Mississippi that
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thatthat I really didn't know anything about it and I can talk about that later butyou know it'sit is fun watching customers build a relationship with not just myself but our people >> and then their business ends up flourishing as well >> andand so it's it's really fun to see. >> Yeah, >> that's actually a great story that you started working for this company straight out of high school. What in sales and what? >> Yeah, actually I I I started on the
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farm. Okay. >> Right. That's where I grew up and when I got out of high school there was I had a choice. >>it was at a time when the Vietnam War was winding down >> andand fortunately the draft had quit and so I decided well if the if I don't if I'm not going to get drafted I'm probably not going to enlist either. >> I was accepted to go to college but really didn't know why. My dad made too much money to get any help with >> Yes. with tuition. with tuition and made
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didn't make enough to write a check. >> And so >> so it was one of those things where and so I I applied in a couple places and my dad says I think you'd have more opportunity at Vre that has resonated with me for 50 now 53 years. >> Wow. >> Andso I graduated high school in 1973. >> But what's interesting is that when I first started Vermeere I actually started in construction. M so I took a shift andso I was I was starting to learn to dig ditches and put pipe
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together and pour concrete and set forms for concrete and all those kind of things in the in the building trade. Andand lo and behold u there was an opportunity in service with with the with what we call the big round hay bailers. And so here I was 18 19 years old and I was selected to become a factory troubleshooter for them. And so I traveled the country working on hay balor when they when they put them things out in the field >> and because farmers needed when it was time to bail hay, you know what you know
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it's time to do? >> It's time to bail. >> Time to bail. That's right. >> That's right. And so II hadseveral years then with working onworking on hay balor and developed a great relationship with the family andlo and behold 1981 my my wife and I got married. Within a couple of months, they said, "We've got a sales opportunity for you." And so, we by the end of the year, we had packed up. Iand just took my bride and took her away from our her
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family and I took myself away from my family >> and we moved to the northeast >> and I traveled 13 states and five provinces of Canada working on the distribution >>of the of for Vermeere andbut I found out that that was not a good way to raise a family >> because I was gone so much. And so I I wanted to become a distributor on the industrial side. And so it was kind of interesting that I kind of got started in construction >> and then made a made a pivot then uh
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later on to be a an a construction equipment distributor. >> But it's good that it's the good thing about it is you learn to run what you were selling. >> That's right. >> Yeah. >> That's good. It's a great story. >> It is a great story. >> It's a great story. thisand it leads perfectly into my next question.because a a lot of people don't know this. One of the main lessons and one of the fundamentalattitudes you have to have in in
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business is faith. >> Oh my god. Yes. You have to step out on faith. Like you have got to have faith. >> Yeah. Faith isprobably the biggest component >> ofof running a business because you by faith believe you're going to have customers Yes. >> come through the door. By faith, you believe they're going to purchase something. >> Yes. >> By faith, you believe you're going to make enough money to pay your employees. >> Absolutely. >> By faith, you believe you're going to
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have enough to pay your own bills. So, >> that's right. >> Faith is a a big elementin business. So, how how has that played out in in both of your experiences? Denny, I'll let you go first. How bigand how many times like particularly starting off where you had to really use a large amount of faith because you knew you were taking a risk. >> I thinkyou know I think there's a there's a combination of faith and your just determination, your will. Umone
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of the things we teach in the class is that business is is a calling just like just like a pastor gets called into ministry or a missionary gets called into min ministry or a >> or a doctor gets called into the medical field. >>but you know I I was raised I was raised in a very traditional church home school family >> and u faith was central to what to what we to what we did. And if you're a farmer, >> farmers, >> that is faith. Every time you put a seed in the ground,
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>> you know, it it's it's one of those things where you you have faith that it's going to rain, the sun's going to come out, and there's going to be a crop >> four, 6 months later thatthat that can be harvested. Andand so I thinkyou know there's a there's a certain amount of risk in in in any kind of business. But I think if we really understand that that that there's a calling into into that kind of career pathway thenthen things will as you
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look back you'll see where faith and God was preparing the way for that to happen. >> Vanessa. >> Yes. How's faith >> been a part of your entrepreneurial journey? >> I think the reason why my knees hurt cuz I trust in God. >> I trust in him so much. Even when even when I wanted to like give up, I trust in God. Like this the song I trust in God my savior. He will never fail. I believe in that song so much because I know my life is built on faith. And I would always say before I start my day,
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before I went into the salon or anything that I do, any business, once I put it on paper, once I have Becca and put it on paper, I believe in vision and provision and it comes from God. It comes from God and it's all his plan. So my faith, even when it's small, it's big because he already has it worked out for me. Yes. >> I have a a personal testimony along that lines.I used to publish a newspaper, a Christian newspaper in central Mississippi called Proclaim. And how that cameto be, I was actually
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teaching at a leadership conferenceseminar in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and this lady walked in boldly came up the front aislethe middle aisle and just boldly started taking pictures. I I felt it was kind of strange and bold. Mhm. >>but I realized afterwards that she owned a smallnewspaper and she had come to cover what we were doing and leave some newspapers. So I picked up a newspaper after the seminar and the Lord spoke to me. He said, "I want you to do this >> in Jackson, but wait tillI tell you.
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I'm going to give you the time." >> And about a year later, he he released me. And it was something he gave me all the business strategy to make it successful. But I had to trust him, >> right? >> I had to have faith. >> You had to have faith. Yeah. >> ButI did exactly by faith what he told me to do. And I made all my initial investment back in the first issue. >> Wow. >> With profit. >> That is >> that's a high praise. >> That is a high praise. It really is.
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>> And madeprofit. I mean it wasn't a a you know big news >> but it was yeah >> but it was successful and it was it was profitable butabout two and a half years later >> he said give it away >> just like that >> and move to Africa >> okay >> but this is the lesson I realized it it really wasn't about business he was teaching me faith >> faith >> and trust and trust >> and trust Right. >> So for those who are listening
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particularly that are interested in starting a business you have to understand this. Yes. Prepare >>documentdo everything in excellence and integrity but you still have to have faith. >> You have to have faith. >> Or another way of saying it is do all that you can do in excellence but realize there's still got to be room for God to work right in your business. >> That's right. All right. Um, walk us and and Denny, I'm I'mma just I'm I'mma leave this one to you.
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Walk us through a real decision, whether it's pricing, hiring a new employee, securing a new contract.how then does your faith directlyshape the call not just in theory but what actually happens in the room particularly when you have to make major decisions. >> Yeah.faith faith isis a is a foundation of of who we are and and how we act and how we respond. Um, you know, we've had in business, we have a a a fair amount of opportunities for where you can fudge things, right? Or not
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deliver things the way that that was promised. Or I mean, there's there's there's whether it's out of incompetence or whether it's out of out of greed. And and u and and that's just not a pathway that is that that should be recommended at all. I remember I remember one timeback years ago it was it was when I first started I had traded in this this it was an older machine from a real water association andthe I gave way too much money for it cuz I wanted the deal. I wanted to keep them in into the
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brand. >> Andand so then you have to find a place to get rid of that used machine. >> Andhere here lo and behold, I take the machine and and demonstrated to it. And it broke down. >> The guy says, "No problem. Just just take it back and and fix it up and and bring it back." And he says, "If it runs, we'll buy it." >> Okay. >> Well, so I did and it broke down again. >> Oh my. And and the and the guy says the guy says, "I tell you what, he says,
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"You take that thing back and fix it. You give me $500 cash and we'll buy that machine from you." I took that machine back home and never went back. >> It was not a It was not a It was I wanted to get rid of that machine bad. >> It was It was a thorn. I mean it was>> Mhm. >> And but yet there was an opportunity there for me to cross the line of integrity. >> Mhm. >> Right. >> That I would have never been able to go back. Right. >> Right.
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>> You know once once you cross the line it becomes easier to do it the next time. >> And it becomes easier to do it the next time. >> The next time. >> Andand so fortunately I had the strength to say this thing's on a one-way trip back to the house. >> Mhm. And we're not going back. >> Yeah, >> that's good. >> That is >> leads me again into my next question. Vanessa, where do you draw the line on comp promise? And has that line ever
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cost you a deal or a client? >> Yes. I don'tand my friends, they really laugh at me about this. I don't want everybody's money. Um, and I mean that my friend Trina and I talked about this all that talks about this a lot. Um, just because the person comes to you and they have the money don't mean that you accept it because a lot of times it's way more headache than it's worth. like your time, your peace, if it disturbs your peace, if it's too time conssuming without proper
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satisfaction for yourself or for them. And some people will just come to be a thorn in your side, you know. Um, at one point, um, I was getting a lot of calls to make wigs, um, for survivors. And I would make the wigs for my survivors. But one of my survivors, her sister wanted a wig. She wanted three, four different colors. She wanted a certain cut and she wanted all this and that. And I said, "I'm going to refer you to somebody because that's the person that I am. I'm not going to take
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on a challenge or do something that I'm not going to be great at. So, I would prefer to send it and bless somebody else with it or take my hands off of it, right? I just listen, I don't I don't want everybody's money. So, yes, it has been a situation where some things came about. I knew that it wouldn't be right for me or it wouldn't be right. Right. So let somebody else deal with it because me and my peace and my integrity I just I just can't I won't deal with it.
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>> Very good.question for both of you. What's a leadership mistake you made that you warn the other not to repeat? I warn our audience that are listening. What's a mistake that you've made in your entrepreneurial experience that you want to warn others about so they won't make the same mistake? >> Well, listening, when you know what you know, don't allow someone else to tell you. I'mma give an example. A couple of years ago, we owned a daycare center, right?
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When I first opened up that daycare center, you all my thought was I was only doing after school. Only doing after school. And I talked to some of my friends and I said, "Listen, that was in the business already." I said, "We're not I'm just doing after school. I've already got my license. I'm doing after school." And everybody was in my ear and saying, "Go full-time. Go full-time. Go full time." And I went full time. And guess what everybody else did? They only did after
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school. >> Was that something? So, I had my plan already together. My husband and I already talked about the plan. We were going to be open from 2 to 6:30, >> right? 2 to 6:30. Everybody else that they were opening up at 6:30 in the morning, closing at 6:30 in the evening. themenus and all the different staff that they were going to have to providefunds for and all this food they were going to have to buy, have these menus together, take all these additional courses. I did not have to do that. I
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was already instructed by God what I was supposed to do because I saw the need. I worked at the school anyway with my children. I knew what needs to be met. In that thought right there, when you just ask that question, go with what you know. Go with your gut. Do what you know to do. Don't allow anybody else to come and tell you or take you off the track. If they're not there to help, don't get any other advice because a lot of times it takes you off of what God has intended for you to do.
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>> Yes. >> Very good. Very good, Denny. >> Yeah. I think I think one of the things thatthat I've learned that I that Iwould have probably done differently is is is when you think about who who are you going tohave relationship in terms of >> whether it's your managers or your partners. I had I've hadseveral partners over the years andand I I and and you need to be you need to be in one accord just like a marriage. >> Oh yeah. Andbut that doesn't mean
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that you do things exactly the same way that that but you have to have there has to besome in really deep in u embedded integrity >> inin that in that part partnership andmy fir my very first partner lasted 5 years >> andit was a situation that where we were in a high growth we were we were growing we never had any we didn't have any money when we started with we had assets we I mean we We had money on the balance sheet, but we weren't making any cash. We Andbut yet we had to grow
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real estate. And one time my partnerwe seen on his income on on his sales that he had traded in a boat. And I'm going, we're not in the boat business. And the next thing a month or two later, that boat was traded for a bigger boat. And so that boat didn't have anything to do with the business and it was it was separating I mean he was he was coloring the lines between business and personal >> and that is a that is a big big no no >> andand soit was one of the
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things that I learned and and u if you're going to have a partner make sure that that partner complements what you do if you're sales then he better be a good manager good accountant you know if you're a good manager and accountant you probably ought stay out of the sales. Right. >> Right. And but but have a have a have a relationship with with a partner thatoror a mentor that that compliments or challenges you in in in terms of what you do. Butbut that's one that's one
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of the things that I' I've had to learn and relearn a couple of times. Andbut now I'm really thankful that we have a family that's involved in the business and andand I can kind of step back and and watch it watch it work. So >> yes. >> Well, well, excellent. This has been a a a great discussion today. I'm sure our our viewers have learned a lot from the experience of these seasoned entrepreneurs. Um, the reason we're doing this again is for free educational purposes, but we do
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haveDennydoes lead a nonprofit called Jackson Endeavors, which I'm actually on the board of directors on. Um, and that is a Christian kingdom business training ministry, first class training. Andwe're going to be having a training coming up maybe later this year or certainly in the beginning of of next year as we continue in these Christian businesspodcast withVanessa Edmonds and and Denny Mullen.so be looking for that. Andwith that, I'm going to let them make a
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closing statement. And till we meet again on the Business Builders Network and Jackson Endeavors Kingdom Business Podcast, ladies first. >> All right. Make sure that youbefore we close out, make sure that youget your EIN numbers. Make sure that you pay your taxes. Get a good person that knows tax business. Okay?make sure that you get your license, the proper business license, make sure that youyou know, at least call and see how your filing should go with the IRS. Make sure
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that withthe Secretary of State that you have your like I said before your EIN number. Listen you guys, business is great is a great thing to have. But one thing I learnedjust talking with Mr. Vanderol, he said you got to know whether you have a business or if it's just a hobby, right? You got to know the difference between the two. Yeah. >> So, with that being said, there's so many great thingsthat the that New Horizon and Jackson Endeavors are collaborating with doing and we want you
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guys to be a part of it. This is this is something for all of us. It's something in it for all of us. Okay. So, come out and please join us. >> Yeah. I would say thatthethe best thing to do is to use your past experiences as building blocks to to who who God wants you to be. Andand I I I look atum you know, if you're if you're say if you're a a carpenter and you're working on a crew, learn to be the best >> crew or crew leader that you can possibly be. And then build
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relationships. >> Relationships are the are the thing that can is is the the one thing that can help get you to where because you can't do it by yourself. you, but people will help get you to where you want to go if you're open to that and are and are an a very willing learner of the trade. And so there's so many trades out there thatwhether it's in the culinaries or whether whether it's electricians or plumbers or whether it'sbeing a being a equipment and salesman like I
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was for a while. But but how do you use those those building blocks to further your career pathway but then be able to engage the kingdom that God has placed you in? >> Well, very good. Well, thank you again to both of you. Thank youfor joining us today. If you're interested in joining the business builders network, there will be information on the screen.the same withif you're interested in the entrepreneurial training that's going to be facilitated by Jackson Endeavors,please contact us with the
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followingusing the following information. Again, thank you so much for being with us and may God bless you and your business. Bye-bye. Thank you. >> Peace and blessings.
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