In this powerful episode of The Hype Pod, we sit down with Pastor Luis Ponce, a man whose journey from childhood hustle to commercial painting CEO to pastor is anything but ordinary.

Luis shares how selling candy on the playground sparked his entrepreneurial fire, how working in the family business prepared him to launch his own, and how God’s hand was evident every step of the way. But this isn't just a business story, it's a faith story.

We dive deep into how Luis overcame adversity, built a thriving company with excellence and integrity, and now pours that same passion into ministry. He opens up about leading with faith in the workplace, stewarding teams, and why legacy matters more than success.

Whether you're building a business, leading a ministry, or figuring out your next step—this episode is packed with wisdom, grit, and godly perspective.
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Like what you’re seeing so far? Check out our website for ways to get involved, find a cohort, and a community to walk alongside you in this faith entrepreneurship journey. Online or in person find your breakthrough community today.
https://www.hypenetwork.org/
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Questions or feedback? info@hypenetwork.org

In this powerful episode of The Hype Pod, we sit down with Erik Forton, the new COO of Vive Church, whose story weaves together Silicon Valley success, deep personal transformation, and radical obedience to God’s call.

Erik shares how he went from nearly becoming a police officer to joining Facebook as employee #180, helping launch their Austin office, and leading at companies like Square, Dropbox, Uber, and Ramp. But it wasn’t just a journey of tech milestones — it was also one of spiritual reawakening.

From funemployed at HypeCon to stepping into what he calls his “dream shot,” Erik unpacks how his seasons of doubt, transition, and growth were all preparation for ministry. He opens up about his faith journey, how God used a single Hype encounter to re-ignite his confidence, and why bringing operational excellence to the Church matters more now than ever.

Whether you're in tech, ministry, or somewhere in between, this episode will challenge you to think bigger about calling, purpose, and legacy.

Links:
Amen Conference (https://amenexperience.com/)
Hype Network (https://www.hypenetwork.org/)
VIVE Church (https://www.vivechurch.org)
Vest Fund (https://vestfund.org/)

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Each episode of the HYPE POD is a Hype Network conversation about innovation, technology, and other market trends from a faith-filled perspective. Some are from our LIVE events [Hype Sessions], and some are off-the-cuff between Adam Smallcombe, Vance Roush, Arun Koshy and Katrina Macaraeg. We hope these conversations fuel innovative ideas and give you the confidence to continue building with kingdom principles. Recorded at Overflow Studios, Silicon Valley

Questions or feedback?
podcast@hypenetwork.org
www.hypenetwork.org

The Hype Network is a growing global community of kingdom-minded industry experts, bold investors, tenacious entrepreneurs, thought leaders, ministry innovators, and faith-based disruptors. We gather in person and digitally to connect, create and collaborate to make a lasting impact on the people and industries we lead - the goal is innovative ministry acceleration.

In this episode of the Hype Pod, Arun and Adam Smallcombe welcome Jeremy Maranitch, tech sales leader and former fitness coach turned Snowflake partnerships expert. Jeremy’s unconventional journey from personal training in Texas to working alongside Silicon Valley’s top founders is filled with hustle, wisdom, and insight into what it takes to thrive across industries.

Together, they explore how Jeremy made the leap from fitness to tech, what it means to sell with integrity, and how relationship-building can unlock doors that skill alone can’t. He shares behind-the-scenes stories of cold calls, navigating self-doubt, building trust with CEOs, and the pivotal moment that led him into one of the fastest-growing data cloud companies.

This episode also unpacks the human side of sales, how to win through service, why in-person presence is still the greatest advantage in a remote world, and how faith and leadership intersect in the business world. From AI data wars to the importance of showing up with boldness, this is a masterclass in purpose-driven success.

Links:
Amen Conference (https://amenexperience.com/)
Hype Network (https://www.hypenetwork.org/)
VIVE Church (https://www.vivechurch.org)
Vest Fund (https://vestfund.org/)

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Each episode of the HYPE POD is a Hype Network conversation about innovation, technology, and other market trends from a faith-filled perspective. Some are from our LIVE events [Hype Sessions], and some are off-the-cuff between Adam Smallcombe, Vance Roush, Arun Koshy and Katrina Macaraeg. We hope these conversations fuel innovative ideas and give you the confidence to continue building with kingdom principles. Recorded at Overflow Studios, Silicon Valley

Questions or feedback?
podcast@hypenetwork.org
www.hypenetwork.org

The Hype Network is a growing global community of kingdom-minded industry experts, bold investors, tenacious entrepreneurs, thought leaders, ministry innovators, and faith-based disruptors. We gather in person and digitally to connect, create and collaborate to make a lasting impact on the people and industries we lead - the goal is innovative ministry acceleration.