Episode 387 - 49% of Teens Want to Start a Business | David Kinnaman
Faith Driven Entrepreneur
Nearly half of America's teenagers already have a business idea they can't stop thinking about. David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, joins Justin Forman to unpack brand-new research on what's driving this generation of builders — and why the church has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to disciple them well. David walks through the numbers: entrepreneurially minded teens are 85% more likely to feel hopeful about the future, 148% more likely to feel called to their work, and 88% more likely to already have a mentor. But that same drive comes with real pressure — many of these same teens feel pushed to chase goals someone else chose for them.
Show Notes
Half of all U.S. teenagers say they already have a business idea they're passionate about pursuing. That's the headline finding host Justin Forman digs into with David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, in this data-rich conversation about a generation quietly gearing up to build.
David has spent his career turning research into a roadmap for the church, and in this episode he brings fresh findings on entrepreneurially minded teens — their hope, their hunger for mentors, and the pressure they carry to succeed. Justin and David trace the thread from Lego sets and Shark Tank reruns to the Old Testament story of Daniel, building a case for what David calls a “theology of influence”: preparing young people for a level of impact none of us can fully predict.
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation exploring Barna's newest research on faith, identity, and the entrepreneurial generation — and what parents, pastors, and business leaders can do with it.
Key Topics:
• New Barna data: 49% of U.S. teenagers already have a business idea they're passionate about pursuing
• A “theology of influence” — what Daniel's story in Babylon teaches us about preparing the next generation
• Why entrepreneurially minded teens report 85% more hope about the future
• Growing up in “digital Babylon”: raising kids among tech built to capture their attention
• The mentorship gap — and why entrepreneurial teens are 88% more likely to already have one
• Identity formation in a world where AI is reshaping the whole idea of a career
• A practical next step for families: Faith Driven Entrepreneur for Teens
David Kinnaman is CEO of Barna Group, the research firm he has led for over two decades, helping churches, nonprofits, and business leaders understand cultural and generational trends through a faith lens. He is the author of several books on faith and the next generation, and continues to lead original research at the intersection of faith, work, and identity.
This conversation is for any parent, pastor, or entrepreneur wondering whether the next generation is ready to build — and whether the church is ready to help them.
