Nashville Institute for Faith and Work recently sat down to talk about life as an entrepreneur with Erick Goss, co-founder of Minno, a faith-based media platform for children that includes streamable shows as well as a children’s publishing group. Drawn from the Greek verb “to abide,” Minno exists to help parents disciple their children in the digital age through Gospel-centered content for kids.
Before co-founding Minno in 2018, Goss attended the Naval Academy and ended up working as a Pentagon Spokesperson after originally intending to become a Helicopter Pilot. After acquiring his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Goss spent seven years at Amazon working in different roles as a Senior Manager of Marketing, Books, and Magazines.
Desiring to “take the excellence of Amazon and infuse it with the kingdom of God,” Goss eventually became Co-CEO of Creative Trust Ventures, where he worked closely with VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer in the development of Buck Denver Asks...What’s in the Bible? In late 2018, Goss and his business partner bought the assets to Creative Trust Ventures and JellyTelly, which Goss also co-founded, forming Minno.
The conversation with Goss that is abbreviated below centers around the difficulties and joys of being an entrepreneur, how his faith fuels and gives shape to his daily work, and the role that NIFW’s Entrepreneur Support Group (ESG) has played in his life as a leader. If you are interested in learning more about the Entrepreneur Support Group, our program that offers a confidential space for CEOs to gather for mutual encouragement and practical support, you can learn more and apply here. Applications are now open; the next group will start in Fall 2021. Email info@nifw.org with questions.
Nashville Institute for Faith and Work (NIFW): When developing the idea for Minno, what needs did you identify and how does Minno step into those gaps?
Erick Goss (EG): For me, Minno is about what it means for the kingdom of God to show up in the world of media and technology. In late 2018, while I was working in children’s Christian media, I felt the Lord saying to me that Christian parents don’t have the type of resources they need to help children grow as Christians. At the same time, I began to realize how difficult it was for Christian creatives to find people to market and produce their work. The heart of Minno is: what can we do to create a platform to help Christian families find life in Christ?
NIFW: How has your walk with God influenced and re-oriented your approach to entrepreneurship over time?
EG: Like many entrepreneurs, I used to operate with a sense of, “I know what I need to do today and how to get it done.” Over time, I’ve realized that while I can try to take control of my work, in reality it is the Lord who makes good works for me to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Instead of telling myself, “This is what I’ve got to get done today,” my perspective has changed to now ask, “What is God going to reveal today?” I’ve moved from a perspective of agenda to one of revelation. I want to partner with God in my business, because ultimately it’s not my business anyways—it’s His.
NIFW: As an entrepreneur, how does your faith inform the way you think about your work when it comes to performance and outcomes?
EG: To me, performance for the Christian means being faithful to those good works that God has created for me to do today. One of the phrases that I carry with me is: “Outcomes belong to the Lord; my job is to abide.” To be clear, God cares deeply about excellence. However, my approach to outcomes is that while I may not always get the result I hope for, I want to be faithful with the process. The question is, can God still be good to me if what I want doesn’t happen?
NIFW: What are some of the unique challenges that entrepreneurs face as CEO?
EG: First, most entrepreneurs embrace the idea that everything is on their shoulders. When things aren’t going well in the company, oftentimes it is the founder who becomes the target, and that hyper-responsibility becomes a heavy burden to bear. Second, when you become an entrepreneur you immediately put yourself at risk of isolation. You face a unique level of risk involved in your venture, and yet in many smaller founder-led companies, CEOs can carry a sense of, “I’m supposed to figure this out by myself,” and so they don’t pursue the community that they need.
NIFW: Why is isolationism a significant problem in the lives of entrepreneurs?
EG: Culturally, we celebrate the independent entrepreneur. Most entrepreneurs don’t have community, and they don’t seek it out because they don’t feel that permission to do so. Having community matters, though, because discerning God’s will is a community activity, and the Lord provides wisdom through others.
NIFW: How has being a part of Entrepreneur Support Group helped you navigate the emotional and practical challenges of entrepreneurship?
EG: One of the best parts is the ability to say, “I’m thinking about making this decision, what do you all think?” Most entrepreneurs don’t get the chance to ask that question, because it can be seen as weakness or self-doubt, and yet the reality is that the life of an entrepreneur most times is self-doubt. Additionally, I’ve found it hugely helpful to have people around me who understand the pains of being a CEO, from having to make hard personnel decisions to dealing with disgruntled investors. It’s a blessing to know I’m not alone in those challenges.
Learn more about NIFW’s Entrepreneur Support Group; applications are now open. The next group will begin in Fall 2021.
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ERICK GOSS BIO:
Erick Goss is CEO and Co-Founder of Minno, a Nashville-based media and technology company focused on serving Christian kids and families through an ad-free subscription-video-on-demand platform, parent resource blog and children’s book publishing program, anchored by the best-selling Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids. Goss earned a reputation as an innovator in digital marketing at Amazon, where he was instrumental in the launch of Amazon’s first e-book and print-on-demand businesses, Amazon’s Visa Card, and the now-famous Super Saver Shipping program, and later as Chief Marketing Officer at Magazines.com.
This expertise, coupled with his passion for ministry, led Goss to co-found Creative Trust Ventures—where he ran JellyTelly and launched the best-selling video series Buck Denver Asks...What’s in the Bible?—a success that led him to create Minno. Beginning his career in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a helicopter pilot and later as a spokesperson at the Pentagon, Goss is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has graduate degrees from the University of Michigan (MBA) and Troy University (MA). He is an Adjunct Professor for Digital Marketing at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Erick, his wife, and three daughters live in Nashville where they are active in their local church. Goss is also involved with the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work.