Sammer Fam of BetterFly Group
International Religious Freedom Summit 2024
Transcription completed by AI software, please excuse any misspellings or typos present.
Leray Heyne 0:00
Hello, my name is Leray Heyne and when the Lord gave me the vision for the Jesus Christ CEOs Media, I asked him why he wanted a state of the art media ministry that would rival the best media organizations in the world. And Holy Spirit replied, I want to tell the world what Jesus is doing in business. I think you will agree. CBS is not sending 60 minutes to my door anytime soon to ask me to do a weekly segment on what Jesus is doing in business. Amen. It is for this reason we are asking for your corporate covenant partnership. When your company gives to JC CEOs Media, you are given to a ministry that is committed to revolutionize the Christian Broadcasting with virtual reality filming studios at the core of our content creation strategy, our studios around the world will be immersed in cutting edge technology that gives JC CEOs Media professional capabilities for creating visually stunning TV shows, documentaries and movies that will tell the world what Jesus is doing in business owners with your company's faithful generosity, JC CEOs TV will proclaim and 190 nations on seven continents, the power and good news of what Jesus is doing in their nation's public squares the business. So right now, we are inviting you to join JC CEOs TV as a corporate covenant partner of the world's first Christian television network consecrated to tell the world what Jesus is doing in business. Thank you for your corporate partnership and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. God bless you.
Leray Heyne 2:09
Hello, again, Leray Heyne here with Jesus Christ's CEOs TV. We are here in Washington DC at the International Religious Freedom Summit. And I have my dear friend, Sammer Fam, here. Thank you, Sammer for sitting down with me.
Sammer Fam 2:23
Thank you very for having me. Pleasure.
Leray Heyne 2:25
So what drew you to the International Religious Freedom Summit?
Sammer Fam 2:30
A couple of things. One of them was mainly an introduction through you actually, this is how it started. But the idea has been on to kind of join something that has value, not just nationwide, but internationally for a while. And I think when you talk to me about the concept itself, it was really appealing. As you know, my background is from nations where governments are more totalitarian. And so I've had a lot of experience with persecution per se, thirdhand, secondhand and all that stuff. So when we talked about it the first time, it was very, very appealing. The timing was immaculate, it was perfect. So thank you for that. Yeah. So you're, you're the reason.
Leray Heyne 3:27
So, but I do like the backstory, right. You're you do business internationally, you travel internationally. You have teams internationally. And so this is a subject dear to your heart. And your faith is a Christian. And so that even makes more sense.
Sammer Fam 3:45
Yes.
Leray Heyne 3:46
Right. Tell us a little bit about your businesses that you have.
Sammer Fam 3:50
Sure. So we we deal with startups. We are a venture capital. So we invest in startups in the tech industry, specifically in blockchain, cybersecurity, FinTech and AI. And it's very interesting. When we actually deliver projects, that developers, they're outside of the US to kind of see the mix between the business and how the church is doing in that in that specific country or location, right. That's always a very interesting aspect for me, to kind of see how the business is doing but also how the church is doing that country, right. So we work a lot in Eastern Europe, a lot of the outsourcing software is done there. A lot of the call centers in the Philippines and in Asia. And there is some stuff happening in Israel in Africa. So we've got a lot of places that we go to visit. So that interaction of how the business is and how the church is is really interesting for you personally, and as a business as well.
Leray Heyne 4:54
Wow. So how do you what is your how is your faith? How do you practice your faith in your business, and being in some of these countries that might not want to accept your faith?
Sammer Fam 5:08
Um, it's it's interesting, because I think I took some leaps and bounds. And I think, again, you have influenced me in some ways in that, in that there is no segregation between my business and my faith. I am an ambassador. And I've been giving huge privilege to be able to travel a lot. I've been privileged to have been born when I was born, to grew up in different places to have lived in Europe for a while lived in Asia for a while living in North America for a while. So I just feel that I'm an ambassador.
Leray Heyne 5:49
Right.
Sammer Fam 5:50
And more of a visionary. I do business. And it's my mission.
Leray Heyne 5:54
Right.
Sammer Fam 5:54
And this is, for me, it's the best way that I could see the church growing. Yeah, honestly, through business. And the thing is, honestly, Leray business just comes so naturally to me. Yeah, it's, it's, it's a natural process. I don't know what to do else. I mean, you know, if you challenge me in anything else, it's really a burden and stress. But when you put me in a simple business, startup setting, you know, initiates, our companies do this. And it's it's an easy process for me, right? And so it comes natural, connecting with people, and connecting. And you know, the beauty of all of this is this tech somehow, is the language of business all over the world, once you start talking techie, wants to listen, right? So it's very easy to connect the dots and connect the Bible, right and tell the story of the Bible. Right? When you're talking to people from different nations, different groups, different cultures, you know, when tech is involved,
Leray Heyne 6:53
yeah,
Sammer Fam 6:53
it's such an it's such a common language, a common culture, right? And so the startup world, it's so it's easier to kind of connect the dots. Tell the story of Jesus, when you're, when you're just doing business as usual. Yeah, that's the thing.
Leray Heyne 7:11
Well, you know, when I, when I first met you, you were also taking classes, No, you weren't taking classes, you were leading classes at your church, on how to deal with Muslims. Tell us a little bit about that, and why that's important to you and how it relates to your business.
Sammer Fam 7:24
So um, I guess because of where I was born, raised which is Egypt, I am born and raised in Egypt. It comes naturally for me to actually love the 95% or 90% population of that country.
Leray Heyne 7:24
Right.
Sammer Fam 7:24
And these are my Muslim brothers.
Leray Heyne 7:30
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 7:30
And so it's interesting that I truly found growing up that I am much more connected. I love my Muslim brothers. And I pray for them a lot.
Leray Heyne 7:59
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 8:00
The conversion process is not in my agenda. My agenda is to purely love right over poor love. And whether it's Muslims or Hindus, or Buddhists, but I just grew up in a place where there is a huge population of my Muslim brothers.
Leray Heyne 8:18
Right.
Sammer Fam 8:18
And up till now, I think I There are a few that I keep praying for, and they're always in my agenda. And, again, I think it's more of a friendship based approach.
Sammer Fam 8:32
Right.
Sammer Fam 8:34
And it's, it's, it's the most amazing feeling, when you know, that you could share
Leray Heyne 8:43
Right.
Sammer Fam 8:43
With someone else your faith out of trust, they trust you enough, that they can listen to you that it's not an argument or a debate,
Leray Heyne 8:52
Right.
Sammer Fam 8:52
Or, or everybody else on the defensive, it's really, they trust you. They know you've been there for them. They know that you care, and they know that you're not selling.
Leray Heyne 9:02
Right, right.
Sammer Fam 9:03
Not selling Christ.
Sammer Fam 9:04
Right. You really care.
Leray Heyne 9:06
Right.
Sammer Fam 9:06
And you just expressing your life's journey. So I think that's that's the approach. And yeah, again. Yeah. Very nice place to
Leray Heyne 9:19
And they know they would you say that most people know your faith that you do business with and interact with? Do they know that you're Christians?
Sammer Fam 9:26
Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And it not only shows, but I make it very obvious and very clear,
Leray Heyne 9:35
Right.
Sammer Fam 9:35
In all different sorts.
Leray Heyne 9:36
Right. So when you're first meeting, so when you're loving them, and you're being friends with them, and you're care about them, they already know that that comes from that place. So that's bearing witness to them, that you do care. Right. And, and you are loving them and you do care about them. They listen to their stories.
Sammer Fam 9:52
And, you know, in business, usually, there's usually a lot of tough times. Yeah, especially when it comes to money. There's a lot of friction,
Leray Heyne 9:59
Right.
Sammer Fam 9:59
And startups have a very high rate of failure 92% of if you're not in an incubator of sorts. So it really matters when not when things are going well. No one everybody thinks you're going to be the next Google.
Leray Heyne 10:15
Right.
Sammer Fam 10:15
You know, but when things go bad when things go ugly, most people leave, right startup, they abandon that, because it's not, there's no ROI now,
Leray Heyne 10:25
Right.
Sammer Fam 10:26
This is the time where the founders and the people who are starting this need to know the most that somebody believes in them, and need to know the most that there is some other hope, than then being just successful for financial planning.
Leray Heyne 10:41
Right. Right.
Sammer Fam 10:42
And so this is a great time to kind of stick to that person or that company and say, Hey, we're here, not going anywhere. We still believe in you. This is just one failure. Something else is happening. Yeah. And I've been there. And I have a lot of friends who have been there.
Leray Heyne 11:00
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 11:00
A lot of other business guys. But you know, what? My hope is not in making it financially.
Leray Heyne 11:07
Right.
Sammer Fam 11:07
There's some other kinds of hope that makes it much more worthwhile.
Leray Heyne 11:12
Right.
Sammer Fam 11:12
And that even pushes me harder to do more work in business.
Leray Heyne 11:17
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 11:17
So a lot of the time, this is the best chance to actually deliver the message. Yes, is when everything is falling, and everybody's jumping ship. So it's, Hey, we're staying, we're not going anywhere.
Leray Heyne 11:29
Well, and it's, as you said, right. We've We've all had good days and bad days in business. Right? Lost, some gained some. And but you and I, as we know, we've we've learned that Jesus is always there. Right. And, you know, I also know that you're, you're very generous, you've had a lot of highs and lows in business. And, and when you're doing well talk about how you your strategy of investing in the kingdom to advance the kingdom, not only in your own businesses, but how you partner with strategically with ministries that you feel are good places to sow your seed.
Sammer Fam 12:04
You know, honestly, Leray, a this has been a struggle for me as a person. And I think we talked about it as well, the concept of stewardship. And I think the Lord has been working in my life. I don't think that I started this way. But I think things have happened in a way where he has been always telling me, this is not yours. This is mine. I've I've anointed you in business, not for you.
Leray Heyne 12:29
Right.
Sammer Fam 12:30
I don't want you to have more swimming pools, not better cars. You've already got enough. Yeah, you know, the more that you have is not yours. It's not yours anymore.
Leray Heyne 12:38
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 12:38
That took me a while. Because I was so proud of trying to make it happen. I made it happen so early in life, right. But it seems like every cycle every 1015 years, something happened and whatever, you know, some catastrophe financially happens, and then I lose a lot of money.
Leray Heyne 12:55
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 12:55
You know, and then I'm thinking, Okay, where was my trust? Was it in money? Or wasn't it in him, you know, and then somehow I restart, and he gives me the strength. And I have some better ideas. I go up, and I have I multiply whatever I had, right, like 10 and 15. And 20. folds.
Leray Heyne 13:11
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 13:12
So I think I've learned over the years that hey, you know, it's all yours.
Leray Heyne 13:16
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 13:17
You want to have it? It's all yours. I'm just, I'm just
Leray Heyne 13:20
Because don't think he's gonna take it.
Sammer Fam 13:23
Yeah. Or even if he doesn't, yet I live in the vanity of thinking that it's mine.
Leray Heyne 13:29
Right.
Sammer Fam 13:29
Then I'm just, it's worthless.
Leray Heyne 13:31
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 13:32
Because at the end of the day, and so I think it wasn't an easy one day less than one day lecture. And I think, again, you've, you've been a part of this, because the concept of stewardship is so huge. Not in us teaching, but in your life as well. So, so it's been, it's been big for me to believe that, hey, Lord, it's all yours.
Leray Heyne 13:51
Right.
Sammer Fam 13:52
If you give me more than I know that this is not for me. So what is what is it for? So then my life's purpose is to figure out this abundance that's coming my way financially, right? What should I do with it? You know, I'm happy where I'm at. So there's tons of other things that you want me to do. So what is it that you want me to do?
Leray Heyne 14:12
Right.
Sammer Fam 14:12
So I think it's the concept of stewardship. But truly, truly, it's so easier said than done, especially if we're business guys. Because there is so much pride in money is a god name and is a god, you know, so it's not that easy. I mean, I know.
Leray Heyne 14:29
We have to we learned the hard way. You and I
Sammer Fam 14:32
Yeah, yeah. A lot.
Leray Heyne 14:34
You know, you have a, as you said, a unique perspective, because the Lord has blessed you to travel and see a lot of the world do business around the world. You do business a lot and you're very comfortable doing business with Christians, non Christians. Your you just talked about your style of doing that. What would you what that perspective in that wisdom? What would you like to say? Do Christian business owners, to encourage them, you know, to be more open and to be more more bold about their faith.
Sammer Fam 15:16
I'll start with saying this, there's nothing, nothing more, quote unquote addictive than seeing somebody being transformed in the business world, through your life, through your testimony, and seeing them really transformed and having a huge impact on in their families and in their businesses, because you've been able to connect the dots for that person,
Leray Heyne 15:48
Right.
Sammer Fam 15:51
But I would also say that your question was, you know, doing business with Christians and non Christians. So, we have kind of an approach theory into that, we do what is called the sandwich theory.
Leray Heyne 16:06
What is that?
Sammer Fam 16:06
Which is basically whenever we go anywhere.
Leray Heyne 16:09
Right.
Sammer Fam 16:09
We have non-believers in the middle.
Leray Heyne 16:13
Right.
Sammer Fam 16:13
And then we have some good very hardcore believers, like either above that person or underneath that person. And we have an actual mind map chart,
Leray Heyne 16:26
Right.
Sammer Fam 16:27
For every project that we have. Where people are located spiritually.
Leray Heyne 16:33
Okay.
Sammer Fam 16:33
And we have any. And
Leray Heyne 16:36
What is that tell?
Sammer Fam 16:37
It's called the spiritual mind map? SMP, we call it SMP. SMP.
Leray Heyne 16:42
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Sammer Fam 16:46
Yeah, so we have that code for it.
Leray Heyne 16:48
So nobody knows really what, right?
Sammer Fam 16:50
But what that is, is who's who's in that project that is really notes, the Lord who's in that project that is questioning? Who doesn't care. So we do this, every month, have a three other people that kind of talk to me about where their projects are doing and are happening, and then they give me kind of a spiritual report. So it's the way I see this, is that just that just as I, I do have to report to him directly. I feel like he's my CEO. He's my boss.
Leray Heyne 17:27
Yeah.
Sammer Fam 17:28
So I have to go every month and knock on his door and say, Hey, Jesus, well, this month, you know, we have these couple of guys, you know, so please, you know, we want capital in that sense, capital is not financial capital, but spiritual cap,
Leray Heyne 17:43
Right.
Sammer Fam 17:43
So, so he keeps me in check in that sense. And I try the the lure here is to do it without an agenda, not to do it with like, Hey, I'm checking remarks. It's actually get involved in those people's lives and pray for those people. So sometimes I run on empty, and it's just a checkbox. So I've done my job. But I think he keeps me back in check and say, hey, I'm interested in you being interested in their lives for real, so don't be fake, be real. So what I would tell other businesses is don't be afraid to deal with non Christians. I love actually getting to know you like more than Christians. It's, I don't know, I find there's a lot of thirst and hunger, and also the feed my soul to so it's not just a one way street.
Leray Heyne 18:33
Right.
Sammer Fam 18:34
It's beautiful. They have a lot to add to me. And I learned a lot as well. And they challenged my faith as well.
Leray Heyne 18:42
Right.
Sammer Fam 18:40
It's not like, you know, black and white. Sometimes they come up with a lot of things that have to get me back to the Bible, right? Get me back to my knees and figure things out. So I love working with non Christians. I truly do and it's in my heart.
Leray Heyne 18:53
I noticed.
Sammer Fam 18:55
Yeah, and so don't be afraid. You don't have to have just a network of Christians and then create some form of a spiritual mind map.
Leray Heyne 19:02
Tell us that acronym again.
Sammer Fam 19:04
Yeah, SMP.
Leray Heyne 19:05
SMP spiritual mind.
Sammer Fam 19:06
It's supposed to be Mind Map.
Leray Heyne 19:06
Mind Map.
Sammer Fam 19:08
Like we just do the P for prayer.
Leray Heyne 19:11
Right? Okay.
Sammer Fam 19:11
It's all spiritual mind that prayers. Okay. So that's what it's for.
Leray Heyne 19:14
All right.
Sammer Fam 19:14
So, yeah. So just have that, even just inside of your head, just know how you're structured and how your products are going and who's where and who's close to the end zone.
Leray Heyne 19:25
Right.
Sammer Fam 19:25
And at a point in time, this is really nice. Yeah, one of our projects. I remember. We had somebody full time, his job in the company. He was hired on under HR as an HR and his real job in the company was just praying for people. Oh, awesome. Nine to five theory. This is one of the best parts of my life. Yeah, I don't have it now. Right. But this happened for three years. Wow. And it was amazing. Yeah. We had one person who was literally an intercessory prayer in disguise.
Leray Heyne 19:55
Right.
Sammer Fam 19:55
Nine to five. Job was so cool.
Leray Heyne 20:00
It's awesome. Yeah. So I'm so so great. I mean, you just poured out a tremendous amount of wisdom and experience, and I appreciate it. I want you to close and pray, would you pray for them. So let's you and I pray to get you, you pray.
Sammer Fam 20:14
Lord Jesus, I'm very thankful for this opportunity. I'm very thankful for Leary and the ministry that he has penetrating business through you so that you become the core and the center and the CEO. I pray, Lord, for everybody that would listen to this broadcast and watch it, that they will be transformed with a new purpose and a new life. And I pray for blessings, Lord, not just financial blessings, but that he will see the seeds and that they would see people grow in you. And they see that the conversion that takes place is so addictive in a good way. I pray that you bless Christian businessmen that they influence this globe, everywhere they go. And I pray this in Your name Jesus, amen.
Leray Heyne 21:04
Amen. Thank you so much, brother for sitting down.
Sammer Fam 21:06
Thank you.
Leray Heyne 21:06
Love it.
