Leaders On Tap

About Leaders On Tap

Leaders On Tap is a live conversation series where business leaders pull up a seat, grab a drink, and get real about what it takes to lead well. Hosted by David Weigelt, a C12 Chair and lifelong business leader, each episode features candid conversations with CEOs, founders, and executives about the wins, the failures, and the faith that fuels it all. Recorded live in casual settings around Maryland, Leaders On Tap is part podcast, part community gathering. No scripts. No corporate fluff. Just honest conversations about leadership, purpose, and building great businesses for a greater purpose. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, pull up a chair. The next round is on us. New episodes drop monthly. Learn more at leadersontap.live.

Publisher

David Weigelt

Category

business · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Mar 2026

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   From Praise to Purpose: Frank Kelly on Being Filled Up & Emptying Out - Love & Go

   Frank Kelly never set out to run a 500-person family business. He started as a Cornell lacrosse player who thought surrendering his life to Christ at 20 meant missions, not the marketplace. Forty years later, Kelly Benefits is celebrating its 50th anniversary with seven headquarters moves, 17 summer interns, and a next generation of five family members who left prestigious careers to come back and build something eternal. But this conversation isn't about insurance. It's about a man who learned from his parents that God owns it all, who told a private equity suitor offering "monster money" that the business isn't his to sell, because it belongs to God, who sits in Tuesday morning meetings with his three brothers and works to practice what they preach: admit when you're wrong, apologize fast, and keep a short account. Frank walks through the power of praise in the hardest moments, the six Ts of giving (treasure, time, talent, testimony, truth, and thanks), why their mission and five scriptures are etched in glass in the lobby as a daily reminder, how they invest in summer camp scholarships and marriage retreats for employees, and the moment his dad got on his knees in a bedroom in Timonium and prayed for a business that could provide for five kids. He explains why being filled with the Holy Spirit is the only way to love and go effectively, why confession needs to happen every minute and not just once a quarter, why the marketplace is a mission field, and what it means to be a steward instead of an owner. Along the way, David and Frank talk about the difference between team and family, the Baltimore Prayer Circles movement that started with 12 CEOs on Zoom during COVID and now includes 17 other circles praying over a city where the murder rate has dropped from 340 to below 200, the Chuck Colson prophecy that Baltimore would be changed by prayer, why Frank's daughter is battling Lyme disease after 10 years of misdiagnosis, and what Frank's dad said at a Baltimore Prayer Circle gathering in front of 250 people when someone asked how he remembers the names of 21 grandkids and 10 great-grandkids: I pray for them all by name every day. It's one of the most grounded and grace-filled conversations Leaders On Tap has recorded about what it means to build a legacy business for the glory of God. Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Frank Kelly is CEO of Kelly Benefits, a 50-year-old family business based in Maryland with roughly 500 employees, seven headquarters moves, and a mission to pursue excellence in an effort to bring honor and glory to God. He has been with the company for 40 years after a spiritual awakening at Cornell University in 1984. Frank leads alongside his three brothers, with five next-generation family members now in the business. He is the founder of the Baltimore Prayer Circles movement, which began with 12 CEOs praying monthly during COVID and has grown to 17 circles across the city. Frank and his wife Gail have been married 39 years and have four children, two daughters-in-law, and four grandsons. He is the author of a book on 12 powerful truths for abundant life, including chapters on praise, purpose, the Holy Spirit, and giving. CONNECT Kelly Benefits: https://kellybenefits.com C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #FamilyBusiness #KingdomBusiness #BusinessAsMinistry #HolySpirit #BaltimoreRevival #Stewardship #LegacyBusiness ⏱️ CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to Leaders On Tap: Meet Frank Kelly 00:00:47 Being Filled & Emptying Out: The Framework for Abundant Life 00:03:17 The Power of Praise: Why It Comes First 00:07:49 From Cornell Lacrosse to Spiritual Awakening 00:08:49 Love & Go: Discovering God's Purpose 00:10:21 Kelly Benefits at 50: A Family Business Built on Faith 00:17:18 The Marketplace as Mission Field: Intern Videos & Living Out Faith at Work 00:27:49 God Owns It All: The Billion Dollar Test 00:34:00 Short Accounts: Conflict Resolution with Brothers in Business 00:34:41 Grace, Accountability & The Team vs. Family Distinction 00:43:15 Baltimore Prayer Circles: Praying a City Into Transformation 00:47:39 The Holy Spirit: The Key to Supernatural Living 00:52:58 Prayer Request: Healing for Jackie & Leading a Complex Family Business

2. 

   2 Oct 2026

   From Hindu Household to Healthcare Innovator: Sathya Elumalai on Building AIDAR & Finding Jesus

   Sathya Elumalai never set out to build a medical device company. He started as a lab technician at Johns Hopkins handling pancreatic cancer samples, watching patients die before the research could save them. That planted a seed: every minute counts. Years later, as his mother cycled through hospitals with chronic conditions, he asked a different question: What if our bodies had a check engine light? What if we could hear the whispers before the body cries? Today, AIDAR Health has FDA clearance, CE Mark, ISO certification, and a device called MouthLab that collects hundreds of thousands of biomarkers daily without blood draws, lab visits, or hospital trips. But this conversation isn't really about a device. It's about a Hindu kid in India who met Jesus at age two in a neighbor's home, spent his teenage years lying to his parents so he could clean church floors on Saturday nights, gave up his visa and his paycheck to pursue a vision for his mom, lost both parents within three months in 2024, and came back to work the next week because he believes they're still alive through the company. Sathya walks through the gauntlet of building hardware, software, and AI on a shoestring, the NSF grant that required a university partnership in 72 hours, the biocompatibility expert who saved the company with a $5,000 test instead of a million-dollar dead end, the day COVID opened the FDA door, and the email from Leaders On Tap that arrived 10 minutes after he prayed for a way to be more open about his faith. He explains why he measures success by how many leaders he creates, why he's doing a PhD at Johns Hopkins to honor his father, why he works from midnight to 4 AM building a prayer app, and why the billion-person dream isn't just about a device but about giving people access to God. Along the way, David and Sathya talk about surrender as the hardest discipline for entrepreneurs, mourning as an opportunity to draw closer to God, the regret of missing time with family while building something for family, why AI is a competitive edge but humans still need to be in the loop, and what it means to be the weakest vessel God could find to showcase His greatness. The conversation closes with Sathya’s charter for business and ministry: providing access to your body, access to God, and access to heaven. It's one of the most beautiful and raw founder stories Leaders On Tap has ever recorded. Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Sathya Elumalai is the founder and CEO of AIDAR Health, a medical device and AI company that has developed MouthLab, an FDA-cleared, CE Mark certified device that collects hundreds of thousands of biomarkers daily from breath, saliva, and cardiovascular sensors without blood draws or lab visits. A former cancer researcher and Director of Innovation at Johns Hopkins, Satya has raised over $10 million, won NSF grants, been featured on Good Morning America, and been selected into the CMS Access Program to bill Medicare directly. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in public health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, building a prayer app, and writing a book on Kingdom entrepreneurship. Sathya was born in India to a Hindu family, met Jesus at age two through Christian neighbors, and lost both parents within three months in 2024. CONNECT ADAR Health: https://aidar.com C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #HealthTech #MedicalDevices #AI #Entrepreneurship #KingdomBusiness #BusinessAsMinistry ⏱️ CHAPTERS [FLIGHTCAST_CHAPTERS

3. 

   18 Sept 2026

   From Striving to Abiding: Pastor Abe Pfeifer on Sabbaticals, Loneliness & Leading From Overflow

   Abe Pfeifer said no three times before he agreed to even visit Frederick, Maryland. Ten years later, New Life Church has grown 50% year over year for stretches, and Abe has become the rare pastor who is also a strong, wired leader. He spent two years in a C12 forum alongside Christian CEOs and business owners, and that season shaped this conversation: what business leaders bring to the church, what the church has to offer leaders who have drifted away, and why the "Ministry of Availability" beats treating church like a networking event or a TED Talk. But the heart of this episode is Abe's own story of striving. A gifted leader who knows how to set a goal and move people toward it, he found himself getting in front of people with less and less to give. A planned sabbatical, built on New Life's core value of health, reset his daily rhythm with Jesus and birthed the book he is now piloting on eight rhythms of abiding. Abe and David talk candidly about why pastoring can be as lonely as the CEO seat, the sexual integrity stats that stunned a room of C12 members, Saul's armor and the leadership DNA God actually gave you, obedience as a response to love rather than a condition of it, and Dallas Willard's line that grace is not opposed to effort, only to earning. He closes with his vision for a church that is deeper, not just wider, and the practical advice to stop reading books that make you more productive and start reading the ones that make you more rooted. Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Abe Pfeifer is the lead pastor of New Life Church in Frederick, Maryland, part of the Foursquare family of churches, where he has served for 10 years after pastoring in Salem, Oregon. Under his leadership New Life has grown into a multi-million-dollar ministry with a core value of health, including a sabbatical policy for its leaders. Abe spent two years as a member of a C12 forum and is the author of a forthcoming book on the rhythms of abiding, currently being piloted at New Life. He and his wife Stacey have children in ministry, including a son serving full-time in San Diego. CONNECT New Life Church: https://inewlife.church Abe on Instagram: https://instagram.com/abepfeifer C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #Abiding #Sabbatical #PastoralLeadership #SpiritualFormation #Discipleship #KingdomBusiness ⏱️ CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to Leaders On Tap: Meet Abe Pfeifer 00:01:10 Saying No to Frederick Three Times 00:03:40 Foursquare: An Entrepreneurial Movement Founded by a Woman 00:05:34 "I'm Not Going to Be a Pastor": From Mock Trial to the Pulpit 00:08:41 Sixth-Grade Class President & Stumbling Into Leadership 00:10:36 Shedding Saul's Armor: Confronting the Motivations Underneath 00:13:23 Discipleship Before Leadership: Identity in Christ Comes First 00:15:46 Making Disciples of Jesus, Not Mini-Me's 00:17:41 The Sexual Integrity Conversation & Bringing Your Pain to Jesus 00:21:53 A Pastor in a Room of CEOs: Two Years in C12 00:25:17 The Christian Bubble & Being Sent 00:27:27 To the Leader Who Has Drifted From Church 00:31:36 What Business Leaders Bring to the Church 00:33:45 The Ministry of Availability (Not a Networking Event) 00:36:13 "Keep Your Eyes on What Jesus Is Doing There" 00:37:41 Rootedness: God Put Me Here 00:39:45 Why Pastoring Is Lonely at the Top 00:42:07 David's Antidote: Vulnerability & Paul's Thorn 00:44:00 Why Abe Took a Sabbatical: Health as a Core Value 00:47:40 Leadership Is About Who You're Becoming 00:49:18 How He Planned the Sabbatical 00:50:47 What Was Most Fruitful: A New Daily Rhythm With Jesus 00:52:38 The Pendulum: Striving vs. Abiding 00:55:50 Powered by Dave: The S-Curve Trap 00:57:28 What Abiding Actually Means 00:59:54 The Book: Eight Rhythms of Abiding 01:01:41 Rhythm One: Reading Scripture as Prayerful Interaction 01:03:47 Quiet Time or Communion Time? 01:05:06 Hearing, Studying & Receiving the Word 01:09:06 Obedience as a Response to Love 01:12:03 Small Steps of Obedience & Dallas Willard on Grace and Effort 01:14:21 A New Season: Deeper, Not Just Wider 01:19:18 Practical Advice: Get Anchored & Read for Formation, Not Productivity 01:24:30 Salt & Light: How a Business Leader Should See Their Business 01:29:45 You Have to Be the Champion 01:31:03 The Fruit 20 Years From Now 01:33:48 Stories From New Life: Adoption & a Life Given to Christ 01:35:54 Takeaway: You Don't Have to Keep Striving 01:37:42 Connect With Abe & New Life

4. 

   3 Sept 2026

   From One Gym to Four: Andrew Simpson on Hearing God's Vision & Handing Off the CEO Baton

   Andrew Simpson never planned to own a business. Every other door closed, so he rented a space and opened a gym for young athletes. Twelve years later, Players Fitness & Performance has four locations, a team of coaches kids actually want to be around, and a vision that came to Andrew on a run: "My light and my love will shine through PFPs all over." In this Leaders On Tap Live conversation recorded in front of a live audience, Andrew walks through the decision to triple his footprint in the middle of COVID, the Director of First Impressions role that makes PFP feel nothing like a typical gym, the Five-Step Magical Experience, and why the first five minutes of every workout are about mindset, not muscle. But the heart of this conversation is the baton. At the start of this year, Andrew handed the CEO seat of the gyms to his business partner Joe. He explains what the tension looked like, why a sabbatical clarified it, how he thinks about his lane as a visionary, and what he's building next: virtual mindset coaching for young athletes, books, and other ways to reach kids beyond his zip code. Along the way he talks about Bible verses on the gym walls, a coach praying over a client mid-class, Wednesday team devotionals, and what it really means to run a business as a ministry: not the churchy add-ons, but stewardship, obedience, and not opening the next location until God says go. The episode closes with live audience Q&A on calibrating big dreams to God's desires, knowing when to open a second location, 10x vs. 2x, and youth sports and family life. Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Andrew Simpson is the founder and owner of Players Fitness & Performance (PFP), a Frederick, Maryland-based training company for young athletes and adults with four locations and a vision to be "a fitness lighthouse in every community, transforming lives for the glory of God." He is the author of The Youth Truth: Coaching and Parenting in Today's Crazy Youth Sports World and other books on mindset and youth sports. In early 2026 he handed the CEO role of the gyms to his partner Joe and now focuses on PFP's mindset coaching, books, and media. Andrew and his wife have three young children. CONNECT Players Fitness & Performance: https://playersfitnessandperformance.com C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #Entrepreneurship #YouthSports #BusinessAsMinistry #Succession #Visionary #KingdomBusiness ⏱️ CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to Leaders On Tap Live: Meet Andrew Simpson 00:00:39 Tripling the Gym in the Middle of COVID 00:02:40 Coach's Coach: An Accidental Business & Learning His Gifts 00:04:17 Where a Visionary Has to Grow: Spirited Conversations & Staying in Your Lane 00:06:12 The Original Vision & the Word on a Run: "My Light Will Shine Through PFPs All Over" 00:08:14 Discerning God's Voice & Holding the Vision Loosely 00:09:58 Gyms Are a Dime a Dozen: What Makes PFP Different 00:12:05 The Director of First Impressions (DoFI) 00:14:01 The Five-Step Magical Experience & Being a Third Place 00:15:45 Hire for Heart: Training Hospitality Without Making It Canned 00:16:46 Young Athletes, Old Guys & the Ideal Customer 00:17:56 Owning the Word Confidence & Coaching From the Inside Out 00:20:06 "Sounds a Lot Like Romans 12:2" 00:21:18 Bible Verses on the Wall & a Mainstream Customer Base 00:22:47 A Coach Praying Mid-Class, a Sponsored Verse & Wednesday Devotionals 00:24:36 Obedience Precedes Understanding 00:26:28 PFP as a Ministry: Stewardship Over Churchy Things 00:28:34 Handing Off the CEO Baton: Dave Ramsey, Wrecked Health & a Sabbatical 00:31:46 What's Next: Virtual Mindset Coaching, Books & Media 00:32:30 Writing After Dad Passed: The Youth Truth 00:34:14 Owner, Visionary & Temporary Operator: The Accountability Chart 00:35:28 The Fruit 20 Years From Now: A Fitness Lighthouse in Every Community 00:36:51 Takeaway: It's Not Your Business 00:37:57 How to Pray for Andrew & the Next Generation of Athletes 00:40:02 Audience Q&A: Calibrating Big Dreams to God's Desires 00:41:28 Audience Q&A: When to Open a Second Location 00:43:02 Audience Q&A: Is 10x Easier Than 2x? 00:44:02 Audience Q&A: Youth Sports & Family Life 00:46:34 Closing & Part Two Coming Soon

5. 

   15 Aug 2026

   From 180-Year-Old Startup to Surrender: Nancy Newmister on Leading Frederick Mutual with Faith

   Nancy Newmister didn't set out to rebuild a 183-year-old insurance company during a pandemic. She started at 19 in the industry, spent 42 years climbing through progressive roles at Harleysville, Liberty Mutual, and Berkeley, and in 2015 said yes to what she calls her dream job: President and CEO of Frederick Mutual Insurance Company. But the dream came with a price. A super commute for five years. A company that needed everything rebuilt. A year in a wheelchair after vacuuming stink bugs off the ceiling. And more than a few spiritual attacks along the way. But this conversation isn't really about insurance. It's about a woman who learned to stop white-knuckling spreadsheets at 3 AM and start surrendering to the God who had been leading her all along. It's about speaking the name of Jesus in boardrooms where people quietly told her not to. It's about leading a 174-year-old startup through COVID, a reinsurance crisis, a technology overhaul, exiting a major line of business, and ultimately finding the right partner to preserve the mission, the brand, and the people she loved. Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Nancy Newmister served as President and CEO of Frederick Mutual Insurance Company from 2015 through its strategic partnership with Northern Neck Insurance Company. With over 42 years in the insurance industry across four companies, Nancy led Frederick Mutual through a complete operational rebuild, a pandemic, a technology transformation, and a mutual holding company transition. She is a champion of Proverbs 27:17 leadership, a mother of two, grandmother of two, and a believer in business as ministry. Nancy now serves as Strategic Advisor helping integrate Frederick Mutual and Northern Neck Insurance. CONNECT C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #WomenInLeadership #InsuranceIndustry #BusinessAsMinistry #Surrender #Proverbs2717 #KingdomBusiness ⏱️ CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to Leaders On Tap: Meet Nancy Newmister 00:05:24 From 19 to CEO: Nancy's Faith Journey & Career Path 00:07:30 The Dream Job & The Super Commute: Saying Yes to Frederick Mutual 00:10:02 Baptism by Fire: Rebuilding a 174-Year-Old Startup 00:14:46 COVID, Quick Decisions & The Power of Great Leaders 00:17:24 Speaking His Name: Bringing Faith Into the Boardroom 00:20:19 The Cost of Leadership: Marriage, Super Commuting & Spiritual Attacks 00:27:52 Kurt's Conversion & Business as Ministry 00:30:13 Prayer Warriors & Wednesday Morning Intercession 00:38:19 Stink Bugs, Surrender & A Year in a Wheelchair 00:42:22 White Knuckling It: From Spreadsheets at 3 AM to Letting Go 00:52:21 Hard Decisions: Exiting Personal Lines & Protecting People 00:55:42 The Mutual Holding Company Structure & Opening New Options 00:58:41 The Perfect Storm: Reinsurance Crisis & Finding a Partner 01:01:46 Northern Neck Insurance: Preserving the Mission & The Brand 01:05:38 Ephesians 3:20 & Immeasurably More Than We Imagine 01:08:42 What God Is Doing: Slowing Down, Seeking Him First & Celebrating Small Wins 01:12:26 Advice for Women Leaders: Protect Your Heart, Your Faith & Your Body 01:14:49 Be Who You Are: Confidence, Clean Eating & The Power of Self-Esteem 01:24:05 The Fruit of Faithful Leadership: Lisa, Kurt & A Legacy of Prayer 01:26:25 Proverbs 27:17 & Sharpening Each Other in Love 01:29:10 Final Words: Stay the Course, Keep God Close & Seek Godly Counsel

6. 

   31 Jul 2026

   From Microsoft to Ministry: Cliff Peterson on Surrendering Stock Options & Finding His Mission Field

   Cliff Peterson didn't set out to build a ministry disguised as an IT company. He started with a criminology degree, a broken wrist that ended his law enforcement dreams, and a punch card computer class in the 70s. He became one of Microsoft's first 1,000 employees, walked away from stock options in 1994 because it was costing him his family, bounced through federal service at NIH, rode the dot-com wave into the ground, and spent 18 months unemployed with six kids at home while his mom paid his mortgage and his sister bought groceries. Today he runs Integrency, a five-person managed service provider in Maryland built on a name that fuses integrity and transparency. But this conversation isn't really about IT. It's about a man who spent 40 years wandering the wilderness trying to figure out his calling, only to realize at 50-something that God called him to be a nerd and use that gift to love and serve others. In this episode: • From criminology to computers: the pipe threading accident that changed everything • Microsoft in the early 90s: stock options, intensity, and the decision to walk away • The dot-com that went dot-splat and the 18 months unemployed that became the best season of his life • The miracle tree: when your kids track God's provision on fruit because He's that visible • Hardy Boys and the regret of every "not right now" that you can never get back • PS1441: running a gaming team as ministry and protecting kids in a very dark online world • Why he'll never wish he wrote one more line of code but will always wish he read one more book to his kids • Prayer life: the closet and the commute, and why we need both • Zero-turn tractors and the place men go to find their zone • Hiring for heart: "I can't teach you to be a good person—that was your mom and dad's job" • AI as Pandora's box: using it wisely, protecting client data, and the danger of local vs. cloud models • Faith in the marketplace: why there's no such thing as a Christian business but you can run on biblical principles • "Why are you different?": the question every client should ask and the one Cliff hopes they do • Called to be a nerd: 40 years in the wilderness before the light went on • Business as ministry and the Great Commission playing out through managed IT services • Dream small: the local mission field and why your neighbor matters more than the next big contract • The whale client dilemma: growing to serve those who can't afford you without taking advantage of those who can • Racing to the bottom: Cliff's confession that he has an unhealthy relationship with money • Hands around your neck: trust, delegation, and what it looks like when Cliff lets go • No margin, no mission: the tension of stewardship, generosity, and paying people what they're worth • Transition planning: what comes next when the business is the ministry and the clients are the mission field • The mission can't be sold: protecting what matters when private equity comes calling • Beyond the multiple: tri-value transition and the challenge of handing off economic, team, and spiritual value • Teaching as calling: "I want to make you so good that I can't afford you anymore" • Prime time at 66: Steve Tate's example and the conviction that your best years may be ahead • Money isn't evil: putting wealth in its place and remembering there's no richest man in the cemetery • The fruit we hope for: family, proximity, and the investment that actually matters • Working together: how the disaster Cliff feared became the blessing he didn't expect • Work-life balance: keeping the trade in its place and not letting it become an idol • Mentoring young couples: strength through struggle and the marriage a missionary called the strongest he'd ever seen • Remember He's right here: the closing challenge to see God in the room, in the work, in the ordinary Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Cliff Peterson is the founder and CEO of Integrency, a managed service provider in Maryland serving 65 clients with a team of five. He's been in IT since the late 70s, was one of Microsoft's first 1,000 employees, and has spent over 40 years learning that his calling wasn't to be a pastor or preacher but to be a nerd who loves and serves others through technology. He's been married for 43 years, has six kids and five grandkids, and works from the same family room as his wife, who he calls his best friend on the whole planet. CONNECT Integrancy: Serving Montgomery and Frederick County, Maryland C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #BusinessAsMinistry #ITMinistry #ManagedServices #Entrepreneurship #Discipleship #KingdomBusiness

7. 

   14 Jul 2026

   From Cancer to Pickleball Empire: Jason Fruling on Building Multiple Businesses & Playing to Win

   Jason Fruling didn't set out to build a pickleball empire. He started in law enforcement products, moved through consulting, survived cancer, and found himself on a court in Middle River, Maryland taking a Pickleball 101 class. Today he's scaling multiple companies across the pickleball ecosystem including Hex Pro Performance paddles, Pickle Pickle distribution, the Pickleball House facility, and a stealth AI venture that he believes will change the sporting world. But this conversation isn't really about pickleball. It's about a serial entrepreneur shaped by a single mother who worked for the state, a grandfather who taught him black and white business principles in the 1980s, and a near-death health crisis that forced him to lose 100 pounds and rethink what legacy actually means. In this episode: • From law enforcement to home improvement to pickleball: the unconventional path of a serial entrepreneur • Growing up with a single mom who worked for the state and the grandfather who shaped his business mind • Why business is a game and how that mindset serves leaders without making them ruthless • The cancer diagnosis, the 10 months on the couch, and the 100 pound transformation • "Every bless is a blessing": how suffering reshaped his outlook on health, family, and time • What his daughter said that made him realize he's still evolving as a dad and a man • GAS, GSD, TNT: the three principles Jason teaches every team and partner • Why he ripped apart 50 pickleball paddles and built a better mousetrap at half the price • The dirty secret of the home improvement industry and why 85% fail in three years • Thoughtful process: how Jason evaluates opportunity without making snap decisions • Building partnerships that work: defining roles, staying in your lane, and trusting the decision • The Pickleball House turnaround: from struggling facility to family fun destination • Hex Pro Performance, Pickle Pickle distribution, and the AI product nobody's ready for • Vertical integration across paddles, facilities, distribution, and software • Why he promotes his competition and believes when the tide rises all ships rise • Coachable moments: the empathetic alternative to discipline that actually works • Legacy beyond the business: building generational wealth with guardrails for grandkids • Faith without fluff: how God delivers just in time, right time, every time Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Jason Fruling is a serial entrepreneur and operating partner across multiple ventures in the pickleball industry. He's the founder of Hex Pro Performance paddles, co-owner of the Pickleball House in Middle River, Maryland, and CEO of Pickle Pickle, a national distribution company serving over 30 brands across six brick and mortar locations with aggressive expansion underway. He's also co-founder of a stealth AI venture in development for 10 months with applications across sports, food, and healthcare. A former consultant to Fortune 500 companies and federal contractors, Jason is a cancer survivor, father of two, and believer in doing right by people while building businesses that win. CONNECT Hex Pro Performance: https://hexpro.com Pickle Pickle Distribution: https://picklpickl.com The Pickleball House: Middle River, MD C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #Pickleball #SerialEntrepreneur #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #Entrepreneurship #BusinessAsMinistry #PickleballBusiness

8. 

   8 Jul 2026

   From Arborist to Brewery Owner: Chris Miller on Faith, Farming & Building Lone Oak Brewery

   Chris Miller didn't set out to build a brewery empire. He started as a trained arborist with a forestry degree from Virginia Tech who loved working outdoors. Today, he's a partner in Lone Oak Farm, a vertically integrated operation in Olney, Maryland featuring a brewery, distillery, speakeasy, and event venue that's hosted 2,600 events over six years. But this conversation isn't really about beer. It's about a man shaped by mentors and family who learned to build businesses that serve community over profit, who leads a Tuesday night Bible study that's grown from five guys in a tent to 300 men, and who's navigating health crises, multiple ventures, and fatherhood while asking one question: What is God preparing me for? In this episode: • From arborist to entrepreneur: how a forestry degree and family farm roots led to Lone Oak • The fallen tree story: how the 250-year-old Lone Oak came down at 10:10 p.m. and what it means • Opening a brewery three months into COVID and pivoting to hand sanitizer to survive • Building with the right partners: why the father-son builder team made all the difference • The health crisis that nearly took Chris down: seizures, neurological issues, and the doctor he met in a grocery store • From symptoms to solutions: why testing beats guessing and how AI is changing healthcare • Holy Health app: building technology that heals mind, body, and spirit • GetLiquid.io: blockchain infrastructure for private credit lending and the kingdom vision behind it • The Peacemakers: how a five-person Bible study in a tent became 300 men and a mobile app • Paul Kukulis: the humble mentor who planted seeds and modeled faithful living • Building a business that glorifies God while selling alcohol: Jesus' first miracle and family-friendly design • The dream: buying land, discipling college men, and building a K-12 Christian academy • Delegation, communication, and building a self-managing business • Surrender: what it means to give it all to God when you can't even drive yourself to the grocery store • The 20-year vision: making disciples who make disciples for eternity Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Chris Miller is a partner at Lone Oak Farm, a vertically integrated brewery, distillery, and event venue in Olney, Maryland. He's also COO of GetLiquid.io, a blockchain platform for private credit lending, and co-founder of several faith-driven ventures including the Holy Health app. A certified arborist and Virginia Tech graduate, Chris leads the Peacemakers, a Tuesday night Bible study that's grown to 300 men, and lives on the farm with his wife and growing family. CONNECT Lone Oak Farm: https://loneoakfarm.com GetLiquid.io: https://getliquid.io Peacemakers App: Available on iOS and Android C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #LoneOakFarm #Peacemakers #KingdomBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Discipleship #BusinessAsMinistry

9. 

   8 Jul 2026

   From Soccer Fields to Cinema Screens: Rich Daughtridge on Building Warehouse Cinemas During COVID

   Rich Daughtridge didn't set out to build a cinema empire during a pandemic. He started with a rundown 10-screen theater in the middle of a cornfield that no one else wanted. Today, Warehouse Cinemas is one of the top-performing independent cinema circuits in the country, and Rich is helping reshape an entire industry. But this conversation isn't really about movies. It's about a former professional soccer player who learned that practice is harder than the game, a visionary who had to learn to partner well, and a leader who chose to build something that serves people over profit while still driving serious results. In this episode: • From professional soccer to entrepreneurship: what five years with the Baltimore Blast taught Rich about leadership • The rookie mistakes of starting HighRock Marketing, and why ego nearly got in the way • The art of partnership: operating agreements, same page meetings, and why trust takes constant work • How a dilapidated cinema became the genesis of the Warehouse brand • The $7 million bet on a cinema during COVID when everyone said the big screen was dead • Fast casual food, beer walls, and Skyview: the innovations that unlocked the Warehouse model • Why impact is a core business function alongside finance and marketing • How EOS gave structure to the chaos and why visionaries need integrators • Being a pastor's kid in the beer and Hollywood business: what business as ministry actually looks like • The Golden Rule as the foundation of trust, and why intent matters more than outcomes • Leadership According to Hollywood: the book Rich is writing with new CEO Brett King • Relative profitability: why freedom and family matter more than the next deal • Building destinations, from the barn gym to Berry Hill Lake • What's next: scaling Warehouse, taking Trailer Fest national, and giving back to the industry Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Rich Daughtridge is the founder and visionary behind Warehouse Cinemas, a fast-growing independent cinema brand redefining the moviegoing experience with elevated food and beverage, leather recliners, and a community-first approach. He's also the founder of HighRock Marketing and a board leader with the Independent Cinema Alliance. A former professional soccer player with the Baltimore Blast, Rich lives in Maryland with his wife of 27 years and is a proud dad to three Liberty University grads. CONNECT Rich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdaughtridge/ Warehouse Cinemas: https://warehousecinemas.com High Rock Marketing: https://highrock.com C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #WarehouseCinemas #EOS #Entrepreneurship #Visionary #BusinessAsMinistry

10. 

    9 Jun 2026

    From Young Life to 700 Caregivers: Will Cox on Finding Value Beyond Performance | Avila Home Care

    Will Cox spent 15 years in ministry with Young Life before stepping into the business world. When he did, he didn't start at the top. He started at the bottom of the org chart, getting feedback on his emails from a 23-year-old scheduler. Today he leads 700 caregivers serving hundreds of Maryland seniors and their families as CEO of Avila Home Care. But this conversation isn't really about home care. It's about a truth Will learned leading teenagers and now sees every day with seniors: your value has nothing to do with what you've accomplished. In this episode: - Why a Young Life leader moving two doors down changed the trajectory of Will's life - How his father came to faith, and the locked-door moment that connects Will to the work he does now - The mentor who saw "executive leadership" on a resume that just said "Young Life staff" - Why Avila is named after a saint, and what "Christ has no body now but yours" has to do with hiring caregivers - How to build culture across 700 people with brutal industry turnover - Why clear is kind, and how direct feedback is an act of love - Ephesians 2:8-10 and the tension of working hard without trying to prove your worth - The breath prayer Will says in his driveway before he walks in the door Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Will Cox is the CEO of Avila Home Care, a private duty home care agency helping seniors age in place across Maryland. Avila's motto is "thriving in the home you love." CONNECT C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit (a 7-question read on your leadership): https://themoreaudit.com Avila Home Care: https://avilahomecare.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building for a greater purpose.

11. 

    6 May 2026

    The Pilgrim CEO: Steve Tate on Faith, Loss & 20 Years at BCT | Leaders On Tap

    Steve Tate calls himself a pilgrim, not a CEO. After 25 years at the NSA and 20 years building BCT — a defense IT company protecting the country in silence — he's still showing up to work at 75 because the business is a vehicle for something bigger than the business itself. In this conversation with David Weigelt, Steve opens up about the 17-year journey through his late wife Jackie's cancer, the philosophy that's shaped every decision ("pray as if it all depends on God, work as if it all depends on you"), starting Bible studies in classified workplaces, building a benevolence foundation that may outlive his company, and what it looks like to remarry at 75 to a woman who'd already had a 48-year successful marriage of her own. Steve's story is unusual because he didn't come to faith and then build a company. He was saved in 1986 by an imperfect boss who handed him a Thompson Chain Reference Bible inside one of the most secretive workplaces in America, and the trajectory of everything that followed — the company, the foundation, the mission trips, the marriage, the way he leads people — flowed downstream from that moment. He's spent four decades testing whether the gospel actually holds up under pressure: under classified clearances, under federal contracting cycles, under the slow grief of a wife dying by inches, under the question of what to do with money you didn't strictly need. This is faith and work without the platitudes. A fellow operator sharing what he's actually learned, in his actual voice, about an actual life. 🎙️ ABOUT THE GUEST Steve Tate is the founder and CEO of BCT, a 100-person federal IT contractor doing classified work for the U.S. intelligence community. He's a former NSA executive, a mission team leader, and the founder of a benevolence foundation supporting pastors, churches, and ministries. Earlier in his career he led a controversial program at the agency that earned him panic buttons on his desk and a Thompson Chain Reference Bible from the boss who introduced him to Christ. ⏱️ CHAPTERS (00:00) Welcome to the new Frederick Creators Studio (00:55) "I'm a pilgrim" — Steve's operating posture (03:20) The circle technique and who gets in (05:10) Saved in 1986 by an imperfect boss (08:30) Leaving NSA and the program that earned him panic buttons (12:15) His father, ELINT, and a chair at Johns Hopkins (17:00) Bringing Bible studies to classified workplaces (20:30) Pray as if it depends on God, work as if it depends on you (24:10) Sloppy agape and the theology of good work (27:45) Tithing the company and using business as a vehicle (31:20) Jackie's 17-year cancer journey and the miracles along the way (36:00) The foundation, Mark Mayer, and stewarding pastors (42:30) Mission work, generosity, and a glimpse of heaven (47:15) Remarrying at 75 — two pilgrims, two worlds (52:00) Reaping what you sow: the fruit Steve couldn't have engineered (55:30) Final word: encouragement for the journey 📬 STAY CONNECTED Attend a Leaders On Tap live event: leadersontap.live (http://leadersontap.live) #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianBusiness #C12 #KingdomBusiness #Stewardship

12. 

    5 May 2026

    Building a Kingdom Business: Scott Ryser on Faith, Yakabod & Life After the Exit | Leaders On Tap

    What does it look like to build a company where grace is a core value, generosity is a way of doing business, and the name literally means "the glory of God"? In this episode of Leaders On Tap, David Weigelt sits down with Scott Ryser — former co-founder and CEO of Yakabod, a Frederick, Maryland-based tech company that served the federal government and intelligence community before being acquired in 2025 after 22 years. Scott shares the raw, honest journey of going from attending church as a habit to genuinely knowing God — and what it meant to try to live that out on Tuesday. He opens up about launching Yakabod during the dot-com era, navigating federal contracting, surviving sequestration, pivoting the business three times, and ultimately recognizing that the company was less a tech venture and more a laboratory for learning how to do kingdom business. Whether you're a business leader wrestling with what faith looks like at work, a founder facing a hard pivot, or someone sensing there's "more" to your calling, this conversation will challenge and encourage you. Topics covered: Going from religion to relationship with God Launching a faith-named company (Yakabod = "God's Glory" in Hebrew) and defending it at startup conferences 50/50 business partnerships — why they often fail and why Scott's worked Federal government contracting with Kingdom values "No/Know God → For God → With God" — the three stages of faith in business What makes a kingdom business different from a Christian business The peace that showed up in Yakabod's office — and why even non-believers noticed Surviving fiscal cliffs and sequestration by leaning into generosity Three pivots across 22 years and how to know when to reinvent The Kingdom Operating System: Identity, Strategy, and Territory Scott's book: At Work As in Heaven The acquisition story — how faith shaped the decision to sell What Scott is building next (and why he's okay not having it all figured out) Subscribe to Leaders On Tap for conversations with Maryland and national business leaders who are integrating their faith with their work. #kingdombusiness #christianleadership #faithatwork #christianentrepreneur #LeadersOnTap #marketplaceministry #BusinessAndFaith #ChristianCEO #kingdomculturemovement #entrepreneurship #maryland

13. 

    29 Apr 2026

    From Marine Interrogator to Mental Fitness CEO | Vineet Rajan of Forte

    We're all finite, fragile, fallen, and fallible humans — me king amongst those people." In this episode of Leaders On Tap, host David Weigelt sits down at RAK Brewing Co. with Vineet Rajan — Co-founder and CEO of Forte, the mental fitness platform helping employers care for the whole person, "for the healthy AND the hurting." Vineet is a former U.S. Marine Corps Major and intelligence officer, a Stanford MBA, a Cambridge-trained scholar, and a multi-time founder. He grew up in Maryland, joined the Marines a week after 9/11, spent 11 years in uniform, and was on the verge of buying a company when — on a walk through the woods — he felt called to build one instead. What we get into: - How a walk in the woods during COVID redirected his career path - Why "anything worthwhile pursuing, you're not qualified to do" - The rebrand from Paraclete → Forte, and from "soul care" → "mental fitness" - The loneliness epidemic: 3–5 close confidants in the 80s → less than 1 today - Why Forte's coaches are the "magic" — and why an EAP is not a people strategy - AI in mental wellness — and where humans are non-negotiable - Privacy, data ethics, and the time he tore up a Fortune 50 contract - Building a faith-driven cap table ("God's will, God's bill") - "We're not building a cult, we're building a company" — board governance - Navigating a co-founder transition with grace - Imago Dei in the product — without a single "Christian" word - Live audience Q&A with a special appearance from Vineet's 10-year-old daughter Neylah Whether you're a CEO, founder, C12 member, or leader trying to care for hurting people on your team, this is one of the most candid, faith-forward conversations on what it takes to build a healthy company.

14. 

    31 Mar 2026

    Sold Out Leadership | Charles Griffin

    Charles Griffin, former founder and CEO of Next Rev Technologies, shares his journey through exit and post-exit, highlighting the challenges, faith, and family balance. The conversation explores the pivotal moments, decision-making, and the impact of the post-exit period on personal growth and purpose. The conversation delves into the personal and professional journey of the speaker, highlighting the impact of identity, financial success, and time freedom. It also emphasizes the importance of faith, reflection, and discernment in decision-making. Takeaways Faithful Leadership Balancing Work and Family Identity and Financial Success Time Freedom and Family Faith, Reflection, and Discernment Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Charles Griffin 07:11 Vulnerability and Family Impact 14:09 Deal Closure and Post-Exit Period 20:26 Post-Exit Reflection and Purpose 33:00 Time Freedom and Family 39:18 Faith, Reflection, and Discernment

15. 

    1 Mar 2026

    From Striving to Trust: Leading Through Growth and Pressure | AJ Ballantine

    In this inaugural episode of Leaders On Tap, David Weigelt sits down with AJ Ballantine, Founder and CEO of Cornerstone Remodeling and RENDR, for an honest conversation about the realities of leadership during seasons of rapid growth. AJ shares the pressures of leading two fast-growing companies, the personal toll of striving to keep up, and the lessons he learned about shifting from control to trust. Together, they explore what it looks like to grow not just a business, but the leader behind it — integrating faith, resilience, and practical leadership insight along the way. Leaders On Tap features authentic conversations with faith-driven business leaders who are building great businesses for a greater purpose.

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