Welcome to the Christian Business Growth Podcast where faith meets entrepreneurship. Each episode, we uncover the strategies, stories, and spirit-led insights that help Christian business owners align their goals with God’s call. From practical tips to real-life testimonies, we explore what it takes to build a business that honours Christ, serves others, and impacts the Kingdom.
Episode Summary
Shift Your Mindset, Shift Your Business: A Conversation with Lisa Costa
In the world of entrepreneurship, we are often told to move fast and break things. But what happens when God tells you to slow down?
In this episode, Master Ziglar Coach Lisa Costa shares how a "foundation phase" in business—much like laying cement for a skyscraper—is essential for long-term stability. Drawing from her years of experience and her work in the "Baja" building homes, Lisa explains that the most successful businesses are those built on a heart of service.
💬 Sound Bites From This Episode
🔹 Lisa Costa
- "The best place to help others is a place you healed from."
- "Serving is simply saying 'yes.' It’s about daily opening your eyes to see people."
- "My motto is simple: Leave it better than you found it."
🔹 Rev. Lyle
- "People are dying without encouragement. Don't let a word of encouragement die on your tongue."
- Acknowledging others is a powerful thing. It says, "I care enough to notice you."
- "Serving doesn't have to be a big thing. Sometimes the simple gestures make a big impact."
Episode Highlights
In today's fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the power of serving others. Many entrepreneurs and business leaders get caught up in the hustle, forgetting that meaningful connections can drive success. In this blog post, inspired by my conversation with Lisa Costa, a master coach and serial entrepreneur, we’ll explore how serving others not only enriches your life but can also transform your business.
The Heart of Service in Business
Lisa Costa emphasizes that serving others is not just a noble act; it’s a crucial component of successful entrepreneurship. She explains, "We were all put on this world for a purpose. It's not by accident. Each person has a calling." This calling often involves helping others, whether it’s through your business, community service, or simply offering a smile to someone in need.
Why Service Matters
Serving others fosters a sense of connection and belonging, which is vital in today’s society. Lisa shared a staggering statistic: "871,000 people die every year from loneliness worldwide." These numbers highlight the importance of being seen and acknowledged. When we take the time to connect, we can make a significant impact on someone's life, and in turn, our own.
The Psychological Benefits of Serving
Engaging in acts of service not only benefits others but also provides psychological rewards for the giver. Lisa recounts her journey of embracing service, noting how helping others has helped her overcome feelings of inadequacy. "I learned that I could help others because I understood their struggles," she says. This mutual understanding creates a supportive community, enhancing both personal and professional growth.
Building a Foundation for Your Business Through Service
Lisa describes her current phase in business as laying down a foundation, much like constructing a building. "You can't build on it until it's set," she explains. This foundation is built through intentional acts of service, which establish trust and credibility within your community.
How to Start Serving
1. Decide: Make a conscious choice every day to serve others. This could be as simple as greeting a stranger or volunteering your time.
2. Observe: Look for opportunities where you can make a difference. Are there people in your community who seem lonely or in need?
3. Open the Door: Once you’ve identified who you can help, take action. This could mean reaching out to a neighbor or supporting a local charity.
4. Repeat: Make serving others a regular part of your life. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes.
Real-Life Examples of Service Impacting Business
Lisa highlights her experiences in Mexico, where she and her children have helped build homes for families living in dire conditions, transforming their lives and providing a safe space. Such actions not only uplift the recipients but also deepen the sense of purpose and fulfillment for those serving.
Small Acts Make Big Differences
You don’t have to embark on grand projects to make an impact. Simple gestures, like leaving a kind note on a stranger's car or engaging in friendly conversation, can significantly brighten someone’s day. Lisa suggests, "It’s the little things. It’s the smile. It’s the nods. It’s the acknowledgments."
Wrapping Up
Serving others is not just an altruistic endeavor; it’s a powerful strategy for personal and professional growth. By embracing service, you not only enhance the lives of those around you but also enrich your own. As Lisa Costa passionately shares, we each have the capacity to make a difference through our actions. So, the next time you step out, remember to hold the door open for someone—it may change their day, and yours, too.
Key Takeaways:
- Service fosters connection: Building relationships through service is vital for business and community.
- Psychological benefits: Helping others can improve your own mental health and sense of purpose.
- Actionable steps: Start small and incorporate acts of service into your daily routine.
📝 Full transcript here
Rev. Lyle: Hello and welcome to the Christian Business Growth Podcast. I'm here with Lisa Costa from Shift 76. She's going to be sharing her story. So Lisa, how did God get you started in business?
Lisa Costa: That is a great question. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to talk with you today. I'm a serial entrepreneur; my parents owned their own business, and I started several throughout my life. This one is one that when God called me into coaching, I was like, "Okay, this is it. I need this to be successful. This is where I want to be." I don't want to sell plasticware or vacuums anymore. It was really about what is at the heart of what I'm being called to do.
I’ve been officially coaching for the last five years. Before that, it was the "Oh, you need to call Lisa" phase. Now, I have great things I've experienced in life that have helped me learn lessons to help others find the next steps so it's not as painful anymore. I love a quote someone told me: "The best place to help others is a place you healed from."
Being able to step into that has been great. With my business coaching, I'm a Master Ziglar Coach. They have great teachings and a great community. I use that training to help center mindset. Zig talked a lot about how where you are in your mind is what helps you when you're helping other people. What is your mindset? Do you believe that you're successful? Do you believe in yourself? From there, everything else can happen. You can't be good at sales until your mindset is right. You can't be good at loving your family until your mindset is right. There are things that we practice and work on, but if we have that "ought" inside of our brain or heart that keeps us from fully leaning in, those are the things that I really love to talk to people through.
Rev. Lyle: What was a mindset shift that you had to go through to get you where you are today?
Lisa Costa: There were several. I would say one was feeling like I was enough. There were a lot of times that I thought, "What are you doing? Who do you think you are?" Finding those people who needed someone else to tell them that they are enough and can do this helped me. I learned that so that I could help other people. Now I can help because I get it.
We were all put on this world for a purpose. It's not by accident; it's not some great scientific experiment. I really believe that each person has a calling. Even if there is only one person out there that we are put here to help, then that's the person. It is about finding who we are and who we are taking care of. Another great quote that I live by is, "Fighting for the highest possible good of the people we're responsible for." That goes across so many levels—whether you're in corporate, you have children, or you are in a community base. There are people in your life that need you to fight for their highest possible good. That doesn't mean we give them everything they want; it means that we are aware, we are looking, and we are noticing what they need and how we can help.
Rev. Lyle: Great. And what's God currently doing in your business right now?
Lisa Costa: Currently, the foundation. I do a lot of construction projects, and when you lay cement, there are some rhythms to it. If you are building a big, tall building, those layers of that foundation need to be deep. You can't build on it until it's set, until the parameters are where they need to be, and until it's shored up. I'm in that foundation phase.
I am one who just likes to get things done. I want to go, here's the plan, let's do it. This business has been so beautiful to watch because God has slowed me down in some areas. I have some other things I'm working on—I'm working on my doctorate—so I can't put as much time into coaching clients right now. I only have very few, very select clients. But that slowdown has really helped me realize the things I need to work on and make sure they are tuned in really well, so that when we're ready to go full steam, everything is in place and the growing pains will be less.
Rev. Lyle: Now, you and I talked a little bit before this about how "serve" is a very important part of you, and you actually have developed a book for that. Tell us a little bit why serving is important to you.
Lisa Costa: I was working on a few books. Leadership is just something that has been part of my career. I had a book called Lead and a book called Serve, and I was working on both of them simultaneously. One had to be out within two months, so I really prayed about it. I decided we were going to go forward with Lead, but I just felt this hesitation. Things were not falling into place. Then I heard audibly: "Serve."
I thought, "Who's going to buy a book on serving? Isn't that just what you're supposed to do?" We're taught when we were little that it’s the right thing to do to just help other people. But as I started developing this book, I realized that if I do what I'm called to do, things are going to line up. I started seeing so many great "aha" moments with the psychological piece, the physical benefits of helping other people, the "why," and the "how."
I started serving so long ago that I don't always remember what it feels like for someone who just puts their toe in the water. Having mentees helped me write the book by seeing the pains of trying to help and then feeling like, "Did I just get taken advantage of?" or "Maybe I don't want to help anymore." I have that sorted out in the book: how do we embrace that pain and keep doing what we're called to do? Because really, serving is just saying "yes." It's knowing the boundaries—we can't do everything, we can't go bankrupt helping people, and we can't put ourselves in harm's way—but there is something we're all called to do.
It could be serving in the business that you've been given, but also just daily opening your eyes. We get so focused. We walk down the aisle at the grocery store and just have to get things done. We're connected to our phones or whatever is in front of us. If we stop just for a second to look up and see someone and smile, even that is connecting to that serving purpose and letting someone know they are valued. The book is called Serve: The Currency of Significance. Currency is how we exchange, and significance is value. How are we exchanging that value so other people know they are enough for us to stop for five seconds and say good morning?
Rev. Lyle: Yeah, there's a powerful thing when a CEO steps out of his role and just talks to the person one-on-one. I saw a multimillionaire one time stop and speak to a janitor; he knew the man's name and had a conversation with him. I thought that was a powerful moment. Somebody might not even realize how powerful something that simple is. It’s the little things. It’s the smile, the nods, and the acknowledgments. Sometimes just saying, "How's your day going?" and literally stopping and listening—not using it as punctuation. To stop and say, "How's it really going?" shows you care enough to notice them.
Lisa Costa: Yeah. When we look at psychology, there are things that stick out. I saw a statistic yesterday that 871,000 people die every year from loneliness worldwide. That’s 100 an hour. That loneliness comes from being unseen. It's not that we overlook them on purpose; it's just not seeing them.
I have a neighbor and I noticed some things were off. I wondered if she was okay, so I tried to be out in the yard more. I saw her and said, "Hi, how are you doing?" Just that—she was feeling lonely and didn't have someone checking on her. That alone is so powerful. Sometimes during hard times, we don't reach out because we don't want to be a bother. We should text our friends, but we often don't.
I have a "DOOR" framework. D is for Decide. We have to decide when we get up in the morning if we're going to be someone who holds the door. O is for Observe. We have people all around us who are unseen. Is it the car behind you on your morning coffee run? Even if it doesn't look like they need money, just buy them a coffee. That simple nod says, "I see you and I value you." They might never know who you are, but you planted a seed that they were valuable. The third is O for Open. You have to open the door and say yes. If we decide to do it and we see someone, then we have to have the courage to actually do it. That's the hardest part, especially face-to-face. We just want to get things done; we're in a disconnected world. And then R—I toy back and forth with this. I say "Repeat" (do it again until it's a way of life) or "Recruit" (take people with you). It’s way more fun to spread joy and kindness when you take someone with you.
I do get the privilege of doing some big things. I have five children, and all of them have been to Mexico with me. There's a village on the Baja where we build homes for people who live in "plastic houses"—four walls of tarp they found in the trash. We’ve been able to leave them with a cement floor, windows, and a door that locks. That’s a physical door that will ripple through their family.
But taking my kids there, or picking up trash locally, or leaving notes on cars—those are just so fun. Hopefully, someone smiles. We can't please everyone, but just try. What's one thing you can do today? Buy an extra box of crayons for a school supply bin? Pull weeds for a neighbor? Buy an extra hot dog and hand it to someone in need? Seeing people has huge physiological benefits for us, too. It lowers depression and anxiety; it even turns off pain receptors. Everyone should help.
Rev. Lyle: Yeah. And like you said, it doesn't have to be a big thing. You’ve got a cell phone and a list of names. Who is somebody you haven't talked to in a month? Something as simple as, "Just thinking about you, hope your day is going well." Very few people hear positive things about themselves. I gave a note to a young man a long time ago, and three years later, I heard he still carried that note around. To me, it was small, but to him, it was powerful because nobody had spoken positively into his life.
Lisa Costa: I love that. When I lead workshops, I challenge people to open their phones, pick five people (no group texts), and text: "I appreciate you because..." I learned this from Bob O'Dean, who wrote Two Chairs. When I challenge people to do that, there are inevitably tears in the room because of the replies they get. I’ve made it a rule: if a name pops into my head, send the text.
Rev. Lyle: There was a man named Basketball Bill who passed away recently. He said, "Don't let a word of encouragement die on the tip of your tongue." He just oozed encouragement. I thought, "I want to be like that when I get older," and then I realized I can be like that now. So, moving on, what are some tips you can give someone to help them grow their business?
Lisa Costa: I have five leading principles: empathy, communication, trust, courage, and vision. When we're working with others, people know if you're genuine. That’s the empathy piece—really genuinely caring about somebody.
Are we communicating well? Have we followed up on emails? Have we communicated what we really want? The "Disney Way" focuses on little moments that make guests feel cared for. Those things go a long way. It’s not about caring just to get their money; it’s about knowing you were put here to serve those God brought to you. That heart shift is huge.
Then there’s trust—doing what you say you're going to do. Are your policies clear? Do you make concessions to help someone? Courage is the next piece—courage to do the hard things, courage to hit record, and courage to know someone is waiting for you to see them.
As I've aged, God has spoken to me about success. Are you defining success as the number of people sitting in front of you, or is success that one person God called you to talk to? That will shift your business drastically. Plan your day for the person God is bringing in front of you. Ziglar said: "You can have everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want." If we use that at the heart of helping others, we're going to find so much health, success, and peace.
Rev. Lyle: Thank you. As we end, what's one tidbit of wisdom you want to leave us with, and tell us how we can get in touch with you.
Lisa Costa: One of my mottos is: "Leave it better than you found it." Before every coaching call, I pray and spend time thinking about our last conversation. My goal is not to sell them another product, but to leave them better than I found them.
Ask yourself: what does success really look like for you? I ask people to write down 20 qualities of success, and only once in hundreds of times was it about money. Put those qualities up so you can see them every day and realize how amazing you are.
You can find me at Shift76.com—that’s "shift" with the numbers 7 and 6. I'm on Facebook and Instagram as well.
Rev. Lyle: Thanks for being with us and for sharing your story today.
Lisa Costa: Yeah, thank you.