When I asked Mike to have this recorded conversation with me, he, in turn, asked for my guidance in how he could speak about his faith – Mike is a devout Christian – in a way that wouldn’t make me uncomfortable. That, my friend, is signature Mike. He was seeking to uncover how he might speak authentically and transparently while also wanting to be sensitive to the reality that I am not Christian. In my signature way, I asked that we go right there, into our differences, with the curiosity and respect we’ve been bringing since day one. I mean, to talk about what he’s all up in – related, yes, to grief, fatherhood, and business – without talking about how each intersects with his faith wouldn’t have been much of a conversation at all. It would be like going to see your favorite band only to find half of the musicians have been hidden behind partitions on the stage.
To say that Mike Childress is all up in both grief and the evolution of his business would suggest that either of those are new and novel for him. After many years of friendship, what I’ve learned about Mike – and what he shares so beautifully in this conversation – is that though he is well-versed in both (having lost his father when Mike was 13 and started his business over a decade ago), he’s always actively learning about both, and that integral to his learning is his Christian faith.
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About Mike Childress |Christian, husband, father, professional in marketing and security
Mike Childress, a grateful husband and father of four, places faith and family at the core of his life. Founder of Agile Marketing Collective, he's celebrating a decade of steering the agency with a deep commitment to delivering client-focused solutions. Mike's professional journey began at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he delved into computer-aided design, coding, and web design. After serving ten years in the Army, Mike transitioned to corporate America, learning from industry experts at a Fortune 500 company.
In early 2023, Mike further expanded his professional repertoire by founding Shield Strategic Defense, an active shooter training and prevention consultancy. This venture underlines his ongoing commitment to protecting innocent lives and safeguarding communities.
Though Mike remains deeply passionate about technology and elegant design, his hobbies reveal his life's true joys: quality time with his family, road biking, photography, and a never-ending playlist of music. He's made Roanoke, VA, his home and the backdrop against which he continues to explore personal growth, business innovation, and community involvement.
Mike highlighted a non-profit program in which he and his family are deeply involved, Safe Families for Children. Safe Families for Children seeks to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children is rooted in faith, fueled by radical hospitality, disruptive generosity, and intentional compassion, to build a network of caring and compassionate volunteers to support families facing social isolation. Our goals are to prevent child abuse and neglect, reduce the number of children entering the child welfare system, and support and stabilize families.
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All Up in It is a project by coach SB Rawz focused on telling stories of growth and change from the thick of learning. Learn more about SB, coaching with her, & her projects at https://rawzcoaching.com
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Key moments in our conversation include…
…how Mike describes himself as a human:
…what Mike is all up in:
…his tools include:
…the non-profit he chose to highlight was:
Safe Families for Childrenseeks to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children is rooted in faith, fueled by radical hospitality, disruptive generosity, and intentional compassion, to build a network of caring and compassionate volunteers to support families facing social isolation. Our goals are to prevent child abuse and neglect, reduce the number of children entering the child welfare system, and support and stabilize families.