The Church is made up of Christians from a myriad of different professions, and yet their ordinary tales of God at work rarely get told. In this series, we bring you stories of faith from the frontline
My name is Rupesh Patel. I’m married to Katie, and we have three daughters. I’m the co-founder and CEO of The Goodthings Company. The three of us who started the business never planned to work together – we simply happened to be on the Parochial Church Council (PCC) at the same time. We believe God placed us there together. Our original plan was to build a private equity business, but that fell apart. Instead, God drew out something better: a desire to accelerate and invest in entrepreneurial people and use our diverse gifts to come alongside businesses in a relational, life-giving way.
We called ourselves The Goodthings Company because we wanted to make good, physical products and also do business in a good way. We look at the whole life of the people we work with. We want their businesses to thrive, especially in the fast-moving worlds of e-commerce or start-ups, and we also care about their wellbeing, families and purpose. I work with a number of new parents, and enabling them to thrive in that role is important to me, too.
My role involves shaping our direction, ensuring our team members flourish and leading our main portfolio company. Some days I’m modelling the financial future of a business; the next I’m supporting a team member whose child is unwell.
The most life-giving part of my work is getting to be a present husband and father – this is one of our company’s core purposes. I love problem-solving, especially when it requires a spreadsheet as well as human understanding. The greatest challenge is dealing with constant uncertainty, and the fear that comes with it. The variables can change so quickly, and the internal mental work is often harder than the external tasks.
Entrepreneurship forces me to trust daily. I remember I have the ultimate mentor, coach and Father walking me through it. God has joined me with co-founders who share a kingdom mindset. We’ve never written a values statement, yet we’re deeply aligned.
We pray and try to embody kindness, gentleness and the fruit of the Spirit. We’re willing to sacrifice profit if it means doing what’s right. I’ve had to grow in being unashamedly who I am – hoping that those I work with see something of Jesus through my life.
Often the chance to make a difference comes quietly: a conversation about improving factory standards in Bangladesh, or a costly decision the customer will never notice. Little choices can reshape supply chains, teams and lives. God allows us to influence the world in small but meaningful ways.
I’d love prayer as we seek God’s direction for the business, and for my family – that our daughters grow up content, close and knowing the love of Jesus.
No comments yet