An Unforgettable Week in Wichita: Marketing, Stewardship, and a Whole New Perspective
Last week, I hopped on a plane to Wichita, Kansas, to visit one of my long-term marketing retainer clients, Enterprise Stewardship. For the past year, we’ve worked together virtually through video calls, shared docs, and the usual flurry of emails.
But this trip was different.
This time, I got to step inside their world and it completely reshaped how I think about business, purpose, and marketing.
From Strategy To Stewardship
We wasted no time getting started. After landing on Wednesday, I met the team for lunch and then dove straight into a marketing meeting. The kind that gets your wheels turning: target audience refinement, clarifying messaging, and aligning on a long-term strategy that actually works.
Enterprise Stewardship’s mission runs deeper than most businesses I’ve encountered. They exist to help Christian business owners lead with purpose — financially, socially, and spiritually. And as their marketing partner, my job is to help them communicate that mission clearly and authentically.
That evening, we joined a cohort of Christian business owners organized by Branches Institute, one of Enterprise Stewardship’s partners. Over dinner, I met entrepreneurs (a venture capitalist, a coffee shop owner, leaders of ministry, lumber, tech, insurance, and more) from all over the country who are integrating faith into their business practices. The energy in that room was contagious. These were leaders committed to growth, integrity, and legacy.
A Day Inside a Maximum Security Prison
The next morning, we met at a maximum security prison. Yes, really. This is home to Seat King, a company founded by Pete Ochs (also the founder of my client, Enterprise Stewardship, and Capital III).
Seat King holds 70% of the market share for residential zero-turn lawn mower seats in the U.S., and they happen to operate inside the prison. They employ inmates, giving them meaningful work, education, and purpose.
Walking through that facility was humbling. Watching these men build products with precision and pride reminded me that business can be so much more than profit. It can be transformation.
We saw everything from the production floor of Seat King to the spiritual life center to the cell blocks. It was a stark contrast between the inside to the outside of the wall, but also a powerful reminder that opportunity and purpose can exist anywhere.
Conversations That Shift Perspective
After the prison tour, the cohort gathered for a debrief over a good meal. It was one of those rare moments where business conversations naturally turned into life lessons about leadership, stewardship, and what it really means to build something that lasts.
We talked about how High Impact Business isn’t just a framework, it’s a mindset. One that sees employees as people, not resources. One that uses profit as a tool for good.
By the time I left Wichita, I was both exhausted and energized — the best kind of tired. Inspired by the people I met, impressed by the innovation I saw, and even more committed to helping brands like Enterprise Stewardship tell their stories in meaningful ways.
Why This Matters for Small Business Owners
You might not run a multimillion-dollar manufacturing company or a faith-based business, but here’s the truth:
Your marketing can still have purpose.
When I create marketing strategies for my clients — whether it’s a local retailer, a creative entrepreneur, or a mission-driven organization — my goal is always the same: to build clarity and connection. Because when your message is clear and your marketing aligns with your values, growth becomes natural.
This trip reminded me that great marketing isn’t about algorithms, trends, or flashy campaigns. It’s about alignment.
Alignment between what you believe and how you show up.
Between what you sell and the value you create.
Between the story you tell and the story your customers actually experience.
That’s where real growth happens.
Grow with Purpose
If you’re feeling stuck, like your marketing isn’t connecting, or your messaging feels scattered, I’d love to help you create a marketing strategy that works as hard as you do.
That’s what I do every day with my clients: translate vision into strategy, chaos into clarity, and marketing into something that actually moves the needle.
Because good marketing doesn’t just attract attention. It builds trust. And trust is where transformation begins.
Here’s the point.
My trip with Enterprise Stewardship gave me a front-row seat to what’s possible when business is built with purpose, and I’m carrying that energy forward into everything I create.
If your goal is to grow your brand, refine your message, or reconnect with the “why” behind your business, I’m here to help you do it well.
As for my work with Enterprise Stewardship? We’ve only just begun… 😎
If your business has heart but your message feels scattered, it’s time to realign.
Let’s create a marketing strategy that works as hard as you do… one that reflects your values and connects with the people who need what you offer most.
