There’s often quiet pressure to follow the same scaling strategies everyone else is using—more products, more followers, more funding. But for faith-driven founders, success isn’t about doing what works for the world; it’s about doing what aligns with God’s Word.
This week on Founders Friday, Gbemisola Adebayo, founder of the beauty brand Hegai & Esther, shares a powerful reflection on five popular business scaling strategies—and how they sometimes clash with timeless biblical truths.
From the myth that “you need many products to succeed” to the pressure of “having a large social media following,” her insights challenge us to reframe growth—not just as something we chase, but something we steward. Her message is a reminder that faith, not formulas, is our true compass.
Each slide is rich with Scripture, storytelling, and soul. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling something big, this wisdom might be what you need.
1. You Need Many Products to Succeed
- What the world says: A wide range of products increases revenue and market reach.
- What the Word says: “How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had surrendered them?” — Deuteronomy 32:30
2. You Must Be Educated by Experts to Scale
- What the world says: Formal business education is essential for success.
- What the Word says: David didn’t defeat Goliath with formal training, he used the skills he had acquired in solitude, tending sheep and fighting wild animals.
3. You Need a Large Social Media Following to Grow
- What the world says: Strategic networking is key to breakthrough opportunities.
- What the Word says: “Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave.’” — Judges 7:3
4. You Must Network with the Right People to Scale
- What the world says: Strategic networking is key to breakthrough opportunities.
- What the Word says: David didn’t maneuver his way into Saul’s court — God orchestrated it. “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere…” Song of Solomon 4:16
5. You Can’t Grow Without External Funding
- What the world says: You need investors or loans to scale.
- What the Word says: God gave Jacob a divine strategy for breeding strong livestock. Without external capital, he became exceedingly wealthy. “In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.” – Genesis 30:43
Final Reflection:
In her own words, Christian entrepreneurs are called to operate by faith, not formulas. Yes wisdom is profitable to direct, but never let secular strategies drown out divine instructions. God is still in the business of raising people with little and making much of them.
About Gbemisola Adebayo:
Gbemisola Adebayo is a seasoned beauty entrepreneur with over 20 years of industry experience. She began her journey in Lagos, Nigeria as a makeup artist, and is the founder of Hegai & Esther, a beauty brand known for creating simplified, skincare-infused makeup products tailored to the unique needs of African women. Her mission is to make beauty effortless, inclusive, and empowering for women everywhere.
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