Episode 28: The Steward’s Mindset: Faithful Finances with Jacob Black

Episode 34: Stay In Your Lane: The Repairs That Are Costing You Your Calling

We’ve all been there—standing in a rental with a tool in hand, realizing halfway through the job that we should’ve called a pro. In this episode, we share those stories, laugh at the lessons, and break down why staying in your lane is one of the smartest moves you can make as a rental owner. From skilled trades to liability risks to time‑sucking repairs, we outline exactly what to stop doing and how to build the vendor team that keeps your portfolio running smoothly. Stewardship isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things. Hosts: Jake Tracy | Email: j.tracy@courageousstewards.com Sean Skiver | Email: s.skiver@courageousstewards.com

Episode 33: Stop Guessing, Start Operating: The Systems Every Steward Needs

Five essential systems:Screening, Maintenance, Rent Collection, Turnovers, Communication Hustle can get you started, but systems keep you sane. In this episode, we walk through the foundational processes that turn rentals into a predictable, scalable business. You’ll learn the five essential systems, the tech stack that supports them, and how SOPs eliminate decision fatigue. We close with a simple challenge: build one system this week and watch your stress drop. Hosts: Jake Tracy | Email: j.tracy@courageousstewards.com Sean Skiver | Email: s.skiver@courageousstewards.com

Episode 32: Scaling on Purpose: How Smart Operations Fueled Explosive Growth with Alex Hopson

In this episode of The Courageous Stewards Podcast, the hosts sit down with Alex Hopson, the Director of Operations behind a rapidly expanding network of family‑run businesses. Alex has played a pivotal role in taking multiple ventures from small, scrappy beginnings to streamlined, scalable operations capable of sustaining serious growth. He shares why intentional systems, operational clarity, and building for the future—not just today—became the secret weapons that allowed their companies to scale quickly without burning out their people or breaking their processes. From designing smarter workflows to eliminating bottlenecks before they become problems, Alex breaks down the mindset and mechanics of operational excellence that any entrepreneur can apply. If you want to grow without chaos, this conversation is a masterclass in doing it right from the start. Guest: Alex Hopson, Director of Operations alex@hopsonproperty.com Wellspring Companies | wellspringlegacygroup.com Brightway Insurance The Hopson Family Agency Hosts: Jake Tracy | Email: j.tracy@courageousstewards.com Sean Skiver | Email: s.skiver@courageousstewards.com

Episode 31: Operational Excellence: The Systems Every Steward Needs to Carry Their Calling

Chaos doesn’t just create stress—it steals from your calling. In this episode of Courageous Stewards, we break down why stewardship is far bigger than money. It’s about order, structure, responsibility, and the systems that make excellence possible. God is a God of order, and wherever chaos shows up, He invites His stewards to bring alignment. When we put systems in place, we create clarity, capacity, trust, and scalability—the very things that allow our calling to bear fruit, because Wisdom + Process = Clarity. We unpack the 5 systems every steward must build to operate with excellence: * Communication — creating alignment and eliminating confusion * Financial — stewarding resources with integrity and foresight * Maintenance and Workflow — keeping what God entrusted in good order * People — cultivating healthy, empowered, accountable relationships * Decision-Making — choosing with clarity instead of reacting from chaos We challenge you to ask: Where is chaos stealing from your calling? And what order is God inviting you to establish so you can carry more, serve better, and build with excellence? Scripture references: 1 Corinthians 14:40, Colossians 3:23, James 1:5, Proverbs 27:23 Hosts: Jake Tracy | Email: j.tracy@courageousstewards.com Sean Skiver | Email: s.skiver@courageousstewards.com

Episode 30: Start Small, Steward Well: Trusting God with the First Step

In this episode of Courageous Stewards, the hosts dig into the often-overlooked power of small beginnings. They unpack why God doesn’t wait for us to have every resource, every skill, or every detail figured out before He moves. Instead, He blesses our willingness to start, even when our beginnings feel tiny, imperfect, or uncertain. From stewarding our time, money, and abilities, to taking the first faithful step toward the vision God has placed on our hearts, this conversation reminds us that impact doesn’t begin with abundance—it begins with obedience. As we move, God multiplies. As we act, He equips. As we steward what’s in our hands today, He prepares us for what’s ahead. This episode is a call to courageous action: start where you are, with what you have, and trust God to grow it into more than you imagined. Hosts: Jake Tracy | Email: j.tracy@courageousstewards.com Sean Skiver | Email: s.skiver@courageousstewards.com