Generous Business Owner

Dan Devine: Nothing Really Great Comes Out of Comfort

Episode Summary

How can you start now with your time and talents to begin making a difference in the Kingdom? In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, and Dan discuss: Why Dan’s pizza job was more fulfilling than his high-profile corporate job. Starting your Kingdom work now and not waiting for your transition out. Dan’s mission to scale Kingdom enterprises. Pursuing your dreams, even when they falter. Bad breath is better than no breath. Key Takeaways: If you are feeling lost, maybe what you are missing is connection. People want to be connected to who they are serving. You don’t need to shove what you believe at people. They will see it if you live your beliefs and be an example. You do not need to give much money to make an impact. Your time and talents often can do more than your money could. Dan’s BHAG: Change the lives of a billion people at the bottom of the pyramid (or the economically disadvantaged) through the delivery of transformational knowledge via mobile technologies by 2035. "The bottom line is nothing really great comes out of comfort. You have to always be pushing yourself into discomfort in order to really make a big Kingdom impact. You've got to push yourself to be uncomfortable because that's where the greatness comes." — Dan Devine Episode References: Halftime Institute: halftimeinstitute.org Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance by Bob Buford Lighthouse Central Florida: lighthousecfl.org About Dan Devine: Dan Devine is an experienced entrepreneur committed to “helping people help themselves” through many corporate, philanthropic, and educational ventures. Dan co-founded and led Compass Knowledge Group for 20 years creating the marketplace leader in serving the distance learning needs of top higher education institutions. The success of the company, solidifying its position as the industry leader, led to the sale of the company to Pearson in 2012. The sale was the largest transaction to date of an educational services company, and at the time of the sale employed 640 professionals, was partnered with 42 higher education institutions, and serving over 16,000 distance-learning students. In addition to numerous business interests, Dan dedicates time to many nonprofit organizations. For over a decade, Dan has served as Chairman of Lighthouse Works which is a social enterprise with over 500 employees that creates and supports job growth for the visually impaired. In addition, Dan serves on the boards of Hope Africa Collective and Mission Increase. He was the founder of MoveUp which provides important, life-changing, educational lessons to those in need using mobile technologies in the Dominican Republic. He is a past board member and advisor to Esperanza International a micro-finance organization offering holistic, Christ-centered financial services that equips families in the DR to flourish and free themselves from poverty. Other nonprofits benefitting from his advisement include Man in the Mirror and Choices Women’s Clinic. Dan is a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, he completed Stanford University’s Executive Program for Growing Companies and is a graduate of the three-year Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program. Additionally, he was named the Ernst & Young Florida Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the technology category. Dan’s most important accomplishment is his marriage to Jackie for 35 years, their four married children, and one new grandson. Connect with Dan Devine: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dan-devine-08b5105 Connect with Jeff Thomas: Website: arkosglobal.com Podcast: generousbusinessowner.com Book: arkosglobal.com/trading-up Email: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.com Twitter: twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: facebook.com/arkosglobal LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors Instagram: instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw

Episode Notes

How can you start now with your time and talents to begin making a difference in the Kingdom?

In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, and Dan discuss: 

  

Key Takeaways: 

  

"The bottom line is nothing really great comes out of comfort. You have to always be pushing yourself into discomfort in order to really make a big Kingdom impact. You've got to push yourself to be uncomfortable because that's where the greatness comes." —  Dan Devine

 

Episode References: 

 

About Dan Devine: Dan Devine is an experienced entrepreneur committed to “helping people help themselves” through many corporate, philanthropic, and educational ventures. 

Dan co-founded and led Compass Knowledge Group for 20 years creating the marketplace leader in serving the distance learning needs of top higher education institutions.  The success of the company, solidifying its position as the industry leader, led to the sale of the company to Pearson in 2012.  The sale was the largest transaction to date of an educational services company, and at the time of the sale employed 640 professionals, was partnered with 42 higher education institutions, and serving over 16,000 distance-learning students.

In addition to numerous business interests, Dan dedicates time to many nonprofit organizations. For over a decade, Dan has served as Chairman of Lighthouse Works which is a social enterprise with over 500 employees that creates and supports job growth for the visually impaired.  In addition, Dan serves on the boards of Hope Africa Collective and Mission Increase. He was the founder of MoveUp which provides important, life-changing, educational lessons to those in need using mobile technologies in the Dominican Republic. He is a past board member and advisor to Esperanza International a micro-finance organization offering holistic, Christ-centered financial services that equips families in the DR to flourish and free themselves from poverty. Other nonprofits benefitting from his advisement include Man in the Mirror and Choices Women’s Clinic.

Dan is a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, he completed Stanford University’s Executive Program for Growing Companies and is a graduate of the three-year Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program.  Additionally, he was named the Ernst & Young Florida Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the technology category. 

Dan’s most important accomplishment is his marriage to Jackie for 35 years, their four married children, and one new grandson.

 

Connect with Dan Devine:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dan-devine-08b5105

  

Connect with Jeff Thomas: 

Website: arkosglobal.com

Podcast: generousbusinessowner.com

Book: arkosglobal.com/trading-up

Email: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.com

Twitter: twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv

Facebook: facebook.com/arkosglobal

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors

Instagram: instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors

YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw