Ep. 174: Stoking Embers: A People Business and Excellent Craftsmanship
Wed Feb 04 2026
Brad and Bryan sit down to reflect on their recent meeting with Saddleback Leather founder, Dave Munson — a man whose business acumen is matched only by his humility, generosity, and gospel-driven imagination. Like a modern-day Matt McPherson, Munson builds excellence not for the sake of product alone, but for the sake of people. His priorities run from employees to customers to orphans and single mothers through Saddleback’s nonprofit arm, Love 41.
Their conversation wanders the trail of Munson’s fascinating life — from living in tents and working out of a Toyota Tacoma, to navigating cartel-controlled roads, to trusting God in the face of uncertainty. Along the way, Brad and Bryan marvel at the quality and longevity of Saddleback’s Indiana Jones–inspired leather goods, the kind of items built to last a century and inherit a story of their own.
The episode even detours to Japan, where a colleague shares the gospel with playful clarity, and to the cold southern winter sweeping across the country. But at the heart of the discussion is a simple truth: faith, craftsmanship, and generosity can shape a company into something far more than the sum of its products.
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Brad and Bryan sit down to reflect on their recent meeting with Saddleback Leather founder, Dave Munson — a man whose business acumen is matched only by his humility, generosity, and gospel-driven imagination. Like a modern-day Matt McPherson, Munson builds excellence not for the sake of product alone, but for the sake of people. His priorities run from employees to customers to orphans and single mothers through Saddleback’s nonprofit arm, Love 41. Their conversation wanders the trail of Munson’s fascinating life — from living in tents and working out of a Toyota Tacoma, to navigating cartel-controlled roads, to trusting God in the face of uncertainty. Along the way, Brad and Bryan marvel at the quality and longevity of Saddleback’s Indiana Jones–inspired leather goods, the kind of items built to last a century and inherit a story of their own. The episode even detours to Japan, where a colleague shares the gospel with playful clarity, and to the cold southern winter sweeping across the country. But at the heart of the discussion is a simple truth: faith, craftsmanship, and generosity can shape a company into something far more than the sum of its products.