Building a Faith-Based Business: Lessons from Easter, Loss, and Leadership

By Lorraine Galvis, Esq.

In the wake of Pope Francis’s recent passing and the deep reflection that Easter Sunday always brings, I found myself revisiting a conversation I’ve had countless times—with God, with myself, and with other Christian entrepreneurs:

What does it really mean to run a faith-based business?

For those of us who identify as Catholic business owners or Christian professionals, it’s a question that stretches far beyond mission statements or inspirational quotes. It demands an honest look at how we operate, how we lead, and how we prioritize.

Why Faith in Business Matters

Running a business that honors Christian values is not simply about ethics or branding—it’s about alignment. As a lawyer and a believer, I’ve learned that integrity, truth, and justice are not just legal ideals; they’re spiritual ones. They guide how I serve clients, manage resources, and build a team culture grounded in service, transparency, and stewardship.

Our world often tells us success is found in constant hustle, high revenue, and rapid growth. But Scripture tells us something different: that we are to be faithful stewards and work with intention (1 Peter 4:10, Luke 16:1-13), and that we are called to serve, not just to earn (Matthew 25:14-30).

A Catholic Businesswoman’s Perspective

I often tell my friends it’s not easy to be Catholic. There are many rituals, rules, and obligations—but there is also deep tradition, profound beauty, and plenty of evidence for what we believe and practice. As an attorney, I appreciate that.

Our faith isn’t unfounded. It is rooted in centuries of lived testimony, historical documentation, scientific evidence, and miraculous truth. That’s why I structure my entire business around it.

Practical Ways I Keep Christ at the Center of My Business

To live my faith in my law practice, I had to make major changes—not just in mindset, but in my daily operations:

Calendar Alignment: My schedule now begins and ends with Christ. I block time for daily Mass, adoration, and prayer. I’ve also set calendar reminders for feast days, novenas, and Marian devotions to stay spiritually grounded.
Client Scheduling: Legal consultations and meetings are organized around my spiritual commitments, not in competition with them.
Intentional Rest: On days of spiritual obligation or deeper reflection, I minimize business activities and instead focus on relationship-building—having coffee with a friend or legal colleague after Mass or quietly praying a rosary or listening to Mass during a walk in my neighborhood. I also research and calendar where and when I can attend Mass when my family and I travel.
Faith-Led Leadership: I request Masses for my firm’s clients and make it a point to pray over business decisions, regularly asking God for guidance on how He would run this firm.

The Power of Christian Community in Business

Recently, I met with a legal colleague who is someone I admire and who is quite successful with her legal practice. She kindly reminded me that grief must be acknowledged. After losing my father earlier this year, I was trying to push forward without making space to heal. She had lost two loved ones herself and shared wisdom from that season. It was a reminder that business leaders are still human—and that Christian business ownership must include compassion, rest, and support.

Faith-led entrepreneurship isn’t about appearing perfect or having all the answers. It’s about community, humility, and relying on others in times of need—just as Christ taught us.

Clients Are More Than Transactions

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in business is our clients are not just numbers or contracts—they are people. Many are walking through hard seasons. Many are searching for purpose. Whether they share our faith or not, we are called to treat them with dignity, patience, and care.

Even if we never speak the name of Jesus in a consultation, our actions—our consistency, compassion, and integrity—can reflect Him in powerful ways.

What Illness Taught Me About Business and Faith

When I went through cancer treatment, everything changed. No amount of money could buy back time with my son. No business achievement could relieve the pain of chemo, or the fear in my husband’s and mother’s eyes as they sat beside me.

That season forced me to surrender. Not just my health—but also my plans, my pace, and my pride. It reminded me that success in the eyes of God often looks nothing like what the world celebrates.

It also taught me this: There’s more to life than running a business. But if we must run one, let it be one that glorifies Him.

3 Encouragements for Christian Entrepreneurs

If you’re a faith-driven business owner—or simply someone trying to lead with purpose—here are a few thoughts I leave with you:

Structure Your Time with Intention: Begin your day with prayer or the Holy Mass, if you can. Build your business around your values, not in spite of them.
Welcome Community: Don’t isolate. Whether it’s colleagues, clients, or church friends, keep your heart and mind open and invite people into your faith walk.
Surrender the Outcome: Pray over your customers and your goals (and their goals, too.). Invite the Holy Spirit into your decisions. Remember, success by God’s standards may look like peace, not profit.

As you reflect on your own leadership, I encourage you to ask:

Have I truly invited God into my business?

Or am I just asking Him to bless my plans?

There is real transformation available when we seek to build not just a successful business, but a faithful one. One that reflects Christ, honors people, and leaves a legacy beyond revenue.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s missing in your work, perhaps it’s not more marketing or a better product. Perhaps it’s something eternal.

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