Leading with Love: The Kingdom Factor in Business Success

In a world often driven by profit and competition, C.J. Winslow, CEO of FoodTronix, offers a refreshing and transformative perspective on business: leading with love. For 25 years, FoodTronix has been dedicated to glorifying God by serving small family restaurants and bars, providing simple solutions and superior service. But beyond the technical aspects, Winslow’s approach is deeply rooted in Kingdom values, demonstrating how faith, when truly lived out, can redefine success and impact lives.

Winslow’s journey began not with a business plan, but with a profound personal transformation. Saved in 1994, he describes a shift from an introverted individual to a “servant-hearted, on-fire Jesus freak.” This newfound passion for serving others became the bedrock of his entrepreneurial calling. When the opportunity arose to address a gap in the restaurant technology market—providing simple solutions and superior service to small businesses—the call was clear. “The stars aligned. It just made sense. The call was obvious to say yes.”

Beyond the Christian Niche: Serving the Least of These

While FoodTronix operates with a Christ-centered mission, their clientele isn't exclusively Christian. Winslow emphasizes a crucial principle: “Who needs the doctor?” He believes in taking the love of Christ to those who need it most, regardless of their background. Through their non-profit arm, Catering to Love, they uplift community outreach events through food, fun and fellowship while providing books of John and practical support to communities. Winslow explains, “Words are just words. But when you live, serve and love obediently, people just know that there’s something bigger here.” This authentic living creates an open door for sharing faith when individuals are receptive.

From Talk to Walk: Redefining Kingdom Business

Winslow candidly shares a pivotal moment in 2008 during the recession. Despite corporate prayer and biblical operating principles, he realized FoodTronix was “all talk, no walk.” They were not actively engaging in the “least of these” type of service. This realization led to a fundamental shift, moving from passive faith to proactive community engagement. Today, faith is deeply intertwined with every business decision.

Winslow illustrates this with a powerful example: a competitor faced a critical technical issue that FoodTronix had already resolved. Instead of capitalizing on their rival’s misfortune, Winslow shared their solution, even offering to pray with the competitor. This act of radical generosity, driven by love, left a lasting impression. “That’s not how a normal business, much less a competitor, operates, CJ, and there’s something different about you guys.” For Winslow, faith in the workplace means recognizing that “this is not my business, it’s His. I’m a steward. I’m here to make the coffee. I’m here to try to hear His will and make those decisions. And when a decision is worldly obvious, question it.”

Navigating Tension: The Journey to Christ-Centeredness

Winslow acknowledges the tension many Christian business owners face—balancing worldly success with Kingdom principles. He admits that early in his walk, the bank account was the primary measure of success. However, through cycles of discipline and a deepening relationship with Jesus, his perspective shifted. “Not that we’re not financially successful, but we now consider the profit the applause.” The true goal is the execution of their core values, with Christ-centeredness at the forefront.

This Christ-centered approach is built upon core values like integrity, tenacity, and serving others. Integrity, often lacking in their industry, is paramount. Tenacity means delivering on promises, “hell or high water.” And serving others is encapsulated in Winslow’s powerful mantra: “I’d rather go out of business serving a customer than stay in business screwing one.” These values, he explains, all flow from and point to being Christ-centered.

Growing People, Growing the Kingdom

FoodTronix exemplifies the Great Commission not just through outreach, but by fostering personal and professional growth within their team. They've implemented the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework to empower employees, share vision, and encourage individual contributions. This includes providing training for technical skills and, significantly, establishing a care team and chaplaincy program. This led to an organic Bible study, resulting in two team members coming to Christ. Winslow emphasizes that this is “serious growth on the personal side.”

A pivotal moment in Winslow’s leadership journey came during a C12 Christian business group meeting. Overwhelmed by the growth of Catering to Love, he questioned whether he was dishonoring God by serving two masters. He sought honest feedback, asking to be “roasted” by his peers. A profound question emerged: “Is this God’s business?… As the majority shareholder of your company, how impressed with your performance is He?” This led to the realization that he needed a “boss”—a framework and accountability to ensure FoodTronix remained aligned with God’s will.

Love: The Defining Word

When asked to describe this season of his life, Winslow’s answer is immediate and profound: “Love.” He strives to make decisions by asking, “What would Jesus do?” He explains, “If it’s God’s company, right? Who is God? What is God? God is love.” This understanding guides his interactions, from helping competitors to mentoring employees and supporting struggling customers. He recounts an employee’s decision to waive fees for a struggling restaurant, an act of love that transcends financial gain. “In the light of love, there is just inherent Kingdom success.” This love plants seeds, and even if people don’t explicitly acknowledge Jesus, they are inspired to “choose to love somebody else.”

The Ultimate Takeaway: Surrender

For Christian business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs, Winslow offers a singular, powerful takeaway: “Surrender. Stop thinking you’re in charge and let God go ahead and take His seat. Let Him be where He’s supposed to be and get obedient.” It’s a simple yet radical call to trust God completely, allowing Him to lead and transform every aspect of business and life.

C.J. Winslow’s journey with FoodTronix is a testament to the transformative power of leading with love and surrendering to God’s will. It demonstrates that true Kingdom success is not just about profit, but about impact, integrity, and the profound joy of living out one’s faith in every sphere of influence.