David D. Simons16 January 2026

What It Really Takes to Build a Values-First Business ft. David D. Simons

1Frameworks

12Insights

Frameworks in this episode

Sales7 steps

Proven Offer Framework

Turn deep customer desires and obstacles into an objection-killing offer

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Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 1

Myth Buster20:00

You Do Not Need to Know Everything to Help a Beginner

David argues that many professionals undervalue knowledge that is already useful to beginners. He recounts helping Kesha recognize the value of her technical expertise, after which she moved from struggling to sell courses to working in that business full time.

Entrepreneurs often struggle to understand their own value
David cites a 10 percent knowledge advantage as enough to begin serving an audience
Most of the market is at the beginner level
Kesha's shift in perceived value preceded a full-time course business

“this is where most entrepreneurs, most professionals struggle, is they don't understand their own value, their own worth.”
David D. Simons · 20:30

“Most of the market is in the beginner market.”
David D. Simons · 21:30

#expertise#beginners#self-worth#courses

Hot Take· 2

Hot Take21:30

Why Charging Can Make Students Pay More Attention

When Joe explains that his organization gives its educational work away, David suggests that payment changes how seriously people engage. Joe extends the idea humorously, but the core claim is that financial commitment can increase attention.

Free access does not guarantee active engagement
David links payment with greater attention
Monetization can serve commitment as well as revenue

“cuz I've learned if people pay, they pay attention, right? They just they just pay more attention when they pay. And if they pay more,…”
David D. Simons · 22:00

#pricing#education#commitment

Hot Take24:00

Competitive Excellence Can Create an Opportunity to Serve

Joe asks whether dominating a market can conflict with faith when competitors lose business. David answers that excellence can bring glory to God and make successful operators visible to peers who then ask for guidance, creating an opportunity to help them.

Joe surfaces the tension between competition and faith
David frames excellence as a visible expression of belief
Strong performance can prompt competitors to seek advice
Influence and impact are how other people see that example

“The way I look at it is it brings glory to God because it's it's showing that this person is such a person of excellence…”
David D. Simons · 24:30

“how do people see your light? They see your light through your influence and your impact.”
David D. Simons · 25:00

#faith#competition#excellence#influence

Explainer· 2

Explainer22:30

The Two Meanings Behind Kingdom Social Media

David explains that the company's name comes from Matthew 6:33 and carries two meanings for him. It expresses Christian values in how the agency operates while also representing dominion and the ambition to help clients become the best in their categories.

The name references Matthew 6:33
Christian values shape the company's operations
The second meaning is dominion and competitive excellence
Not every employee or client is Christian

“Not everybody that works for us is a Christian. Not all our clients are a Christian, but but our values and the way we operate…”
David D. Simons · 22:30

“if I'm going to do anything, we're going to dominate. I don't want to I don't want to be second. I want to be first.…”
David D. Simons · 23:00

#faith#company values#competition#purpose

Explainer30:30

Building a Platform Is Not the Same as Posting More

David distinguishes output-driven posting from intentionally building a platform. Platform building requires a coherent story and message because each piece of content contributes to the audience's cumulative perception of the brand.

Posting prioritizes getting content out
Platform building begins with strategy and intentionality
Every post contributes to a broader brand perception
Content should be judged as part of the whole story, not only in isolation

“building a platform is being intentional. There's strategy. You're thinking about the the overall story you're sharing. You're thinking about the message you're conveying.”
David D. Simons · 31:00

“every single piece of content is a vote towards their decision of whatever they want to convey.”
David D. Simons · 31:00

#brand strategy#platform building#content strategy

Story· 2

Story12:30

Choosing Digital Media Over the Expected Career Path

David describes growing up in a strict Ghanaian household where engineering was one of the accepted careers. He changed his college major, explained the decision to his mother in a seven-page letter, and pursued digital media before social media was an established profession.

David was initially on track to become an engineer
He changed direction after realizing he hated the field
He had already been helping friends grow their brands on MySpace and Facebook
He chose his own path despite strong family expectations

“I'm going to follow passion, Mom. I'm not doing this mechanical or electrical engineering thing. That's your dream. I'm not doing that.”
David D. Simons · 16:00

“I was using MySpace and Facebook to help my friends grow their brands online for fun.”
David D. Simons · 16:00

#career change#digital media#family expectations

Story16:00

The Layoff That Turned a Side Business Into the Main Business

After graduating during the recession, David eventually landed a digital media role at TerraCycle and managed brands across 26 countries. He built Kingdom Social Media alongside the job until a corporate layoff pushed him into running the agency full time.

David applied for 100 jobs without receiving an interview
TerraCycle became his dream digital media job
He built Kingdom Social Media while working full time
He regards losing the corporate job as one of the best things that happened to him

“I graduated in the recession. So I applied a 100 jobs. Didn't get not one job interview, not an interview, not a call back, not…”
David D. Simons · 16:00

“I was eventually let go from corporate America. And it was one of the greatest things that happened to me and been building Kingdom Social…”
David D. Simons · 17:00

#entrepreneurship#layoff#side business

Takeaway· 5

Takeaway17:30

Why Kingdom Social Media Wants to Go Deep With a Few

David says the agency's vision is to work deeply with a limited number of partners and help each become the dominant name in a category. The focus reflects his competitive motivation and uses webinars, challenges, and virtual events to support category leadership.

The agency wants depth with a few partners rather than shallow reach
The intended result is category leadership
David says he is driven more by competition than money
The delivery mix includes webinars, challenges, and virtual live events

“We we're really looking to go deep with a few.”
David D. Simons · 17:30

“We just want them to dominate. We I'm very competitive. So I'm actually not money driven. I'm more competit competitively competitively driven.”
David D. Simons · 17:30

#category leadership#agency strategy#focus

Takeaway26:00

Kingdom Social Media Turns Down Money-Only Clients

David says the agency uses its values as a filter for both team members and clients. It seeks people who genuinely care about customer outcomes and already possess integrity, and he says he rejects prospects whose only aim is to make money.

The company values are collaborative, accountable, responsive, empathetic, and efficient
The same concern for results is expected from clients
David believes integrity must already exist in a prospective partner
The agency turns down opportunities that fail this values test

“making money is not a hard thing to do. Um, but making money with integrity is a different game.”
David D. Simons · 26:30

“I believe I can't I can't create or stir that in someone. They have to have that intention and integrity already.”
David D. Simons · 27:00

#integrity#client selection#company values

Takeaway27:30

The Invisible Cost of Not Acting on Your Purpose

David uses a hypothetical teacher-and-student story to argue that failing to act on one's purpose affects people who might have benefited. In his view, delaying the book, offer, program, or course can withhold value from people whose paths were meant to connect with that work.

Inaction can affect people the creator never sees
Feelings of inadequacy can prevent useful work from reaching others
Books, offers, programs, and courses are possible vehicles for sharing gifts
David frames purpose as responsibility to others, not only personal fulfillment

“When you don't walk in your purpose, you're impacting people without seeing it.”
David D. Simons · 28:00

“We are impacting people without knowing it when we don't follow and distribute our gifts and share the share the value that we have with…”
David D. Simons · 28:30

#purpose#inaction#service#gifts

Takeaway29:00

Authentic Content Captures Life Instead of Manufacturing It

David contrasts authentic sharing with a highlight reel that shows only success. After describing how he shared his brother's health crisis and recovery, he says clients should capture real events already happening, such as the podcast conversation itself.

Audiences need to see both highs and lows
David is still working out how much personal life to share
Authenticity can come from documenting events already underway
A real conversation can become content without staging a separate moment

“I think people need to see the highs, they need to see the lows. And a lot of times it's it's just a highlight reel…”
David D. Simons · 30:00

“Just being authentic is just capturing life as it happens and and sharing that.”
David D. Simons · 30:30

#authenticity#content#storytelling#social media

Takeaway36:30

David's Company Goal Is a Team of Millionaires

Alongside personal and family goals, David names a company ambition centered on employee success. He wants Kingdom Social Media's team members to become millionaires through both their work and broader net-worth building.

The goal includes both US and other currencies
David wants the outcome to extend beyond wages from the company
He connects the ambition to his motivation to help other people succeed

“I want to create a team of millionaires.”
David D. Simons · 36:30

“I'm driven by helping other people succeed.”
David D. Simons · 37:00

#team wealth#leadership#company goals