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Have you ever had something unexplainable happen to you? Well, I know today’s guest has.
Hey everyone! Silas here 👋
Announcement! I’ll be in San Francisco for the week of July 7th. We’re hosting a Catholic Founders dinner, so (1) let us know any Catholic entrepreneurs that we should invite, and (2) reach out if you’re around.
In this Email:
Intro to the Guest and Topic
Core Takeaway
Episode References
Select Quotes
Key Moments
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Today’s Topic & Guest:
Today, we’re joined by Juan Acosta, a dynamic force at the intersection of faith and technology. Juan is the visionary founder of Tabella, a groundbreaking (and free!) app designed to revolutionize parish engagement and community building. No more outdated bulletins and inaccurate websites – Tabella is bringing parishes into the 21st century, fostering true Catholic community in a digital world.
But that’s not it! Juan is also the co-founder of SENT Angels, an angel network of Catholic investors created in partnership with SENT Ventures. If you’re a qualified angel investor looking to support faith-aligned ventures or an entrepreneur seeking mission-driven capital, check out their quarterly funding cycles.
In this incredible conversation, we dive deep into:Building True Community: How Catholic business owners can cultivate vibrant parish life.
God's Hand in Entrepreneurship: Juan’s powerful personal stories of divine intervention and miraculous moments in his entrepreneurial journey.
Hiring with Heart: A refreshing perspective on creating opportunities and fostering a dignified work environment.
A Catholic View on Money: How to approach wealth, stewardship, and the true meaning of abundance.
Balancing Faith, Family & Business: Practical insights on staying in shape and prioritizing what truly matters as an entrepreneur.
Adoration as a Decision-Making Tool: Juan’s unique approach to bringing business challenges to God in prayer.
This episode is packed with value! I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it (even tho it’s a bit longer than usual).
Core Lesson:
Catholic business leaders need to lead the charge in transforming our parishes.
As you’ll hear in the episode, a lot of the conversation revolved around the parish life. How it supported Juan in his family’s toughest times. In America, that true sense of community is dying among non-immigrant communities. And more.
What I’ve come to realize, especially through this conversation, is that as business leaders, we need to be the catalyst for the revitalization of the parish life. It’s not up to the priest. He’s busy caring for our spiritual needs.
We need organizers, small groups, business directories, support networks… at the heart of all these things, we need charity. We need genuine care and love for our fellow Christians. Whatever they are going through, we need to help them.
In the same way Daniel Francis shared in episode #18, we need to love our neighbor as ourselves. That certainly starts with those in the pew besides us.
Let us not allow atrophy to set in. We’re gonna put in the effort to build and strengthen our communities.
Are you with me?
God Bless & Happy Building!
~Silas Mähner
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Key Episode References:
Psalm 23: ("The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.") This is a scripture passage that Juan has recited daily since childhood and holds significant meaning for him, particularly in trusting God's provision in entrepreneurship.
Select Quotes:
"A lot of that has forced me to learn how to trust God more... I truly am not in control. And it's forced me to put everything in front of God and just saying, God, you take this." - Juan Acosta
"I've been on the other side for a long time of not having, you know, money to, you know, even make ends meet... I think money really is an amplifier... If we don't have God at the at the center... if you have money, it'll naturally amplify all the things that lead either others away from God or lead yourself even farther." - Juan Acosta
"How cool would it be to be in a position where no matter the global, like where you are globally, that you could pay an engineer the same rate that say a Silicon Valley engineer earns." - Juan Acosta
"Truly when I started sitting at adoration... in those moments, I've had sparks of ideas that have come or, you know, feeling better about a particular decision. Adoration has been that for me." - Juan Acosta
Key Moments: (outline)
04:13 Why Sending Parishioners to Facebook is a Bad Idea
10:33 From Poverty to Purpose: Juan's Miraculous Immigrant Journey
17:47 Recognizing God’s Hand in His Journey
21:36 Beyond the Pew: How to Build REAL Catholic Community in Individualistic America
28:42 Is Money Evil? A Catholic Entrepreneur's Surprising Take on Wealth and Stewardship Business Decisions
38:12 Hiring with Heart: Why Tabella Gives Opportunities Where Others Won't
46:50 The Catholic Angel Network: Investing in Faith-Aligned Ventures
56:52 Spin Instructor by Night, Tech Founder by Day: How Juan Balances Faith, Family, and Fitness
1:03:38 Don't Over-Spiritualize Your Business: Finding God's Will Without Losing Your Mind
1:10:39 The Daily Prayer that Fuels a Tech CEO's Entrepreneurial Journey
1:11:59 More Than Musk: The Unsung Entrepreneurial Hero Who Inspires Juan
1:13:45 The Game-Changing Devotion for Every Busy Entrepreneur
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