This week I have the opportunity to present to you an interview with one of today’s hottest online platform builders–Ray Edwards. Ray is a renown copywriter, strategist, and consultant to some of the leading influencers in today’s marketplace. I am convinced that one of his “not so secrets” to success his his deft balancing of his faith and business that speaks to people all along the continuum. In this interview we get a rare deep dive into the personal and professional mindset that drives Ray Edwards’ home and business success and fuels the exponential rate at which his influencing is growing.
[The following interview excerpts were taken from the discussion that will air later this week on episode 51 of “The Leading You Home Podcast”. ]
What is home life like for Ray Edwards?
It is the most important life. That’s real life. If you really want to know somebody, sit around their dinner table put your feet under their table for a while and see what unfolds.My home life would probably surprise a lot of people. I think people have this idea that I have this jet setter lifestyle. But, I don’t…It’s me and my wife. I have the good fortune that our son lives with us. He is twenty-nine years old. He was away a number of years. But, he has come home to work with us in Spokane. He was going to stay with us for a couple of months until he found a place of his own. But, about a month in I said there is no pressure on you here. But, you could stick around. You don’t have to move out.
We have two little dogs..pugs. The best kind of dogs–at least for us. We spend a lot of time sitting around our living room and talking and laughing–mostly at the dogs.
How you see yourself and what you do as “Leading people home”?
It’s interesting that I didn’t do any preparation for this interview. But, I love where it is going. I see myself as a father. I think of my students and customers as a family. I want to be a good father to them. My model for that is my father in heaven, who is a good father for us. Of course he is the best Father. He always does the right thing and says the right thing. He always loves us the right way. That’s the model for me. It is a challenge. But, it is our assignment, I think. God is family. He is relationships. He is three in one–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
For me, the foundational structure of the universe is based on a family relationship. that is so mysterious that we can’t begin to understand it. But, I think that informs the rest of creation and informs the way we were made. When we get outside of “family” then we face manipulation and control. We get into trouble. I think my business is like a family. My church is like a family. And, the human race is supposed to be a family. Usually, when we get into trouble it is because we forget that.
How would this perspective impact our business model?
I think there are two kinds of business–those that use people to make money and then businesses that use money to love people. It sounds kind of pie in the sky. But, I think it is the most practical and profitable model for running a business. If you love people and use your resources to love on people then you will be rewarded in profit. I think capitalism is a great idea. I believe it is God’s idea in fact. If we operated with that in mind we would be more profitable and we would be happier.