Today we're going to be discussing the topic of using business to fund global missions, and we're joined by entrepreneur, philanthropist, speaker, and author Simon Lee. Simon founded EIS Office Solutions Incorporated in August 2004 with one specific goal, and that was to donate 50%, 50% of the company's profit to support organizations focused on education, fighting the cycle of poverty, and sharing the love of Christ. And today, EIS Office Solutions is a multimillion dollar company with 38 warehouse distribution centers located around the U.S. offers support to eight charities locally and worldwide. And you can read more about Simon's story in his book. It's a uh excellent book, One Company Under God. You can go and check that out on Amazon. And he's got other ventures going on, but just uh incredible guest we've got on the show today. Welcome to the Christianity and Business Podcast, Simon.
SPEAKER_03Thank you so much for the time and opportunity.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, thanks for sharing your time and and your expertise with us and your story here today. So, as a starting point for the interview, I wanted to kind of uh back up. I know you've got more history even before this point, but how did God call you into business?
SPEAKER_03Wow, that's a that's a that's a big question. But um I'm a third generation entrepreneur, so my grandfather and my father, uh, they were both in business, and so they they were uh very successful in businesses, and so um my father was going to pass down his company to me when I finished uh first finished college from the University of Texas. And so I worked for him for about seven years and really uh um understood business from him. He even though I had a minor business in uh at at UT, I really discovered how to run a business through my father. And so it was through that that I knew that um I had the entrepreneur bug, if you will. I really love entrepreneurship, love uh managing and and developing ideas and grow a business. So that's how it came about.
SPEAKER_01And your dad a Christian?
SPEAKER_03Yes, um, my whole family got saved after we came from Taiwan uh in 1983, and um shortly after that we went to um uh uh Tollywood Baptist Church and and and I personally got saved through Kemp Good News. Um it's a retreat near Houston, so that's how I got saved.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. So so more specifically, what what really helped you to make this connection between your faith and the business world? So you you just was it something that you're there there seemed to be um just such an overlap with your father, with your grandfather? Because I find that a lot of Christian business people it it's like this this extreme sacred secular divide. How did you really kind of make that connection?
SPEAKER_03Yes, that's a very good question. Um I came uh to the University of Texas my freshman year, and after that, my discipler challenged me to go on a missions trip. And that's um my first mission trip overseas uh was my freshman year, and that really um set the trajectory of missions in my life. And so um I told God, man, this this trip was so awesome. I want to dedicate at least one or two missions trips a year to you. And so um I I was able to go to one or two missions trips the next uh 20 plus years, and through those missions trips, uh whether it was in Africa or South America or Asia, um it shaped who I was. And I realized that surrendering to God is not about 10% surrendering to our life or or surrendering half of our life, it's indeed a hundred percent surrender. And so when we understand that as a believer, that there is no longer uh segments in our life that are dedicated to God and segments dedicated to the world, that everything that we have and own uh belongs to God, and that includes businesses. And so when I was um uh even before I I went to um college at the age of 16, um I I surrendered to uh to Christ and I and I remember vividly going back home and destroying a lot of the the the the cassette tapes I used to have uh on secular raps and secular songs, and I just thought, man, even even the music that I listened to, man, I want to I want to dedicate everything to the Lord, 110% of my life to the Lord. And so even at a young age, I I remember God coming to my life and just um gutting out the things that are not of him. And so uh that was the beginning, the seed, if you will, how God has transformed me in that time. And so um my my current pastor always preaches that 99.9% surrender is not really surrender. Um it's about it's about hundred percent surrender. We never we never um say, hey, you know, God, I'll I'll give you 90% of myself and I'll and I'll keep 10% to myself. It's it's never the the the kingdom of God is not about that. It is always about everything that we have and own and and most important our life uh belongs to the Lord. And so um that's that's how the journey started for me, if you will.
SPEAKER_01Wow. So I was reading about in your book about how your dad came to you with uh $50,000 investment uh to start your company, and that was EIS Office Solutions, correct?
SPEAKER_03Correct.
SPEAKER_01And so this was about how many years ago now?
SPEAKER_03This was 12 years ago, so August 23rd of this month, we will celebrate our 12-year anniversary.
SPEAKER_01Okay, well, congratulations.
SPEAKER_03Thank you, and and and that $50,000 was a miracle because my father initially told me that I was um there'd there'll be no way that he would support this venture because he had the entire future laid out for me. He was gonna hand me over his company that he's run for about 30 plus years, and he was gonna retire and and I was gonna take over. And so I just told my my dad, I said, Dad, um, I would love to for you to pray about this, you know, and and and my dad loved Jesus, and and three months later the Lord changed his heart and my mom's heart and gave me $50,000 to start this venture. So that's how everything got started.
SPEAKER_01So so now you started this company with the vision, and with I mean, was it something that went into the bylaws or what? That you were gonna donate 50% of corporate profits?
SPEAKER_03Yes, it's it's absolutely in the bylaws. It started from day one, that was our vision, and our and I I wouldn't say it was my vision, it was a vision that God gave us. And um, and so and so d definitely um that was in the bylaw, in the policy, in in our website, and everything that we do, we talk about it. So um yeah, we do indeed sell office supplies, but we tell people first that we're a company that donates half the profit to change lives, and then they ask us what do we do, and then we say we sell office supplies. So the story of giving is always primary.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I love that. You said in your book, although we sell over 50,000 kinds of office supplies and office furniture, that is not our calling. Our calling is to donate our profit so we can see God change lives around the world. So, from a Christian perspective, what would you say is the purpose of business?
SPEAKER_03The purpose of business, purpose of career, purpose of work, everything that you want to include in that is all about God. And so if you are an engineer, you are a Christian engineer. If you are a businessman, you are a Christian businessman. If you are a lawyer, you're a Christian lawyer. We are saved first for a purpose, and that purpose runs through our career, runs through everything that we do. And so that's that's how I see it, is that is that um Jesus Christ is in all and through all, and not just part of our life. And so um I I tell people there there's a big difference between a a a CEO that happens to be Christian or that Christian is running a business that belongs to Jesus. And so one is um a vision of um a Christian CEO trying to live business out in in in the Christian mission, which is great, but the other idea is to let God own everything that we have so that every decision that we make, every money that we donate to, every business decision that we have to make, it's it's all because of Him. And so how we play that out in our in our workplace is that every decision that we make, first and foremost, we pray first. So our sales team, our marketing team, our our our our our our our customer service team, we all pray and ask God for direction. If there's any decision that we need to make as a company, we pray for his direction and his vision first before before we do anything else.
SPEAKER_01So the people that are are coming to work, it it because you were saying there that our calling is is not to sell office supplies, it's to donate the profit. Um is that kind of the mindset that people have when they come to work in EIS Office Solutions that you know we're not our focus is not on the office supplies, uh uh, you know, but it is insofar as it relates to this this calling, as you put it, to donate the profit. How do you kind of frame that?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so um everybody that we interview, we we tell them straight out that we are a Christian company. And that we are a Christian company that loves to to not just change lives that are outside of our office, but we love to see people's lives change while they work at EIS as well. So majority of our team members are Christians, but there are a few non-Christians um in our in our midst. And and when we tell them straight up up front who we are, they're more than happy to work for us, even though they might not be a Christian. And in fact, uh a few have received Christ since they worked for us. And so the vision is laid out from day one on an interview. And so uh we we have never interviewed anybody uh in 12 years that said, well, man, I don't like that vision. I I really don't want to work for that vision. In fact, it has been quite the opposite. Even for non-Christians, is that man, I want to I want to work for a a company that's that's that's more important about just making profits every single month. We wanna we wanna uh see the money go to a good cause. And so even even a non-Christian uh is excited about uh living for a greater cause. But I but I would I would suggest that that a Christian company needs to be really clear about their mission and vision so that we're not throwing Jesus uh in in in secrets, but that Jesus is up front with people of who we are and what we do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, I think it's uh it's such a valuable perspective that you're bringing here because you know, often in this kind of faith in work, theology of work conversation, it it it can it can lead people to believe that you know your work is your worship, and and certainly it is, but but that you just need to be so uh because there's no divide between sacred and secular, certainly that's true. But it if it's not kind of tempered properly, it can lead people to believe that you just need to get so wrapped up in your work, so wrapped up in your business, because hey, it's ministry. So you can you can justify it that way. But the perspective that I got from from reading your book is that you really encourage your people to understand that it's not it's not, I mean, what happens within the company is yeah, it's a big deal, but it's it pales in comparison to you know what you're doing with your families and what you're doing kind of beyond the company, that the company is really just a tool. Did I kind of uh take the right conclusion from that?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yes, absolutely. Um we we promote the family aspect of of of um importance in our core value by giving everybody one month vacation from day one. And so and so even if you work six months from us and you quit, you still have that one month. And so um so we really value people taking time off, and we also value um the work time that we have, which is nine to four thirty. And and and and people tell tell us all the time, I said, man, you know, you know, office people they're open until nine o'clock. Why do you need to close at 4.30? What if what if someone needs um their their item at 5? What what happens? What well I think I think the vision and the core value needs to be um uh um I I guess shared to our customer. So when we tell our customer why we close at 4.30, they are more than happy that we do that because we are upholding the value of family within our company. So so customers now know to order before 4.30 if they want to you know if you want they want to get the order on time. So so customer adjusts to our core value instead of us adjusting to uh uh our our customers' core value. And uh, you know, you know, in a secular business, we are trying to appease to our customer as much as possible. So that's why we see 24 hours open uh restaurants and and and and and and and just stores um uh uh alike to really appease to the need of the customer. And so what happens when you open 24 hours is that people's family are being um abused in a way because their their kids don't see their mother, and and it's just it's just a downward cycle from there. And so so I actually remember when when Sunday um in the US where most stores are closed, you know, and and people are just adjusted to that. People are just accustomed to not eating out on Sunday because Sunday is a time of rest. And so I think I think if we uphold value of family and and really share that value to people, people will understand that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, it's it's certainly countercultural in the in the business world to start a business that's gonna give away 50% of corporate profits. I mean, I I know that with Chick-fil-A, what Truett Cathy told his his heirs was that you were to never take this company public because if you do, then the shareholders will not allow this level of philanthropy to happen through the company. And and so I'm I'm curious, how does it affect your level of motivation? Because I think if you were to ask a lot of business people, like if you knew that you were, you know, your profits were gonna get cut in half, um, would that motivate you to to work harder or you know, to to get those to get those sales, or knowing that maybe if if you're wanting to, if your goal is like an exit strategy to to sell out, that you know, maybe uh a potential buyer might not be as um as inclined to to purchase a company knowing that it's it's obligated itself to giving away 50% of the profits. How do you kind of deal with some of those issues?
SPEAKER_03Um my primary motivation um is to make as much money as possible so that we could give it away. That's that's the primary mo that's the primary motivation. Now, in order to get to that motivation, the love of money in someone's life must be completely destroyed. Because if you have the if you have the love of money and you want your desire to give it away, those two things really don't mix. And so, and so so the Lord had to do a radical um a gutting of my heart in in declining materialism and the love of money. And so, so how how that works in our company is that I've capped my salary um at $40,000 for the past six years. I capped it even before I have kids, I I was making forty thousand dollars and and and and and two kids later, I just reassinated gave myself a little bit of raise um last month. But at at forty thousand dollars, you know, I I really didn't want to um get into the love of money because greed is very, very um uh dangerous. And so it takes just a little bit for our heart to want to go there. In fact, these past 12 years, um I I struggle with the temptation of, hey, you know, just let's just double my salary, let's triple my salary. There's not absolutely no problem with that, you know. But then as I pray to the Lord ask for direction, he every time he tells me, Simon, you have enough. Simon, you don't need that. Simon, I'm gonna protect you. Simon, I'm gonna I'm gonna get this company to A to B because of your faithfulness. And so so being faithful to the calling from day one is important. And and your question about uh people buying our company now, if there's an exit strategy, we we don't plan to sell anytime soon, but we get phone calls at least once a month from from people that want to buy from us, you know, even though they know that we don't have to profit all the way. I think I think there's something in our hearts, whether it's Christian or non-Christian, that they they want to do something greater than themselves. And so so I I I feel like that's why they want to they want to buy our company out, but I don't know the real reason. I didn't ask them, but um but yeah, I think I think selling a company like this would absolutely be no problem because uh everything is everything is established, it's a growing company, and so um yeah, I mean I I don't know if I answer your question fully, but that's how I would kind of kind of reply you on that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I guess would you be concerned that if you were to sell that they would change the uh you know, they they would dramatically decrease the percentage of donations?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, well, one of the um one of the criteria is someone was ever gonna to buy this company now, it would it would have to be a Christian-owned business that is passionate about giving money away and passionate about missions of God. And so this company does not belong to me, it belongs to God, and so we want to continue that trend, uh, for sure. So and you know, you know, um, if the Lord has called me to sell it, that would be the criteria of the of the buyer.
SPEAKER_01Got it. Yeah, that's uh I think that's an excellent stance. So as a kind of parting piece of advice, what would you say to uh a business person to kind of help to, you know, maybe it's they're they're really struggling with the love of money as so many of us are, um, what would you say to that person that's maybe an entrepreneur to kind of put up some of those guardrails?
SPEAKER_03Um I I would go back to to what I talked about earlier, is that have you considered surrendering hundred percent of your life? And that includes the love of money. And if you if if your if your reply is, well, I I I can't do that, then my question is, what are some fears in your life that you need God to really conquer? You know, when when we talk about money, it's the the number one fear that we have is well can get can God provide for me? Can God really is if I if I cap my salary or if I decrease my salary or if I increase my giving, or if I if I if I increase the financial activity towards a kingdom of God, what can God do, or what can God not do? And so that's the that's the struggle that we often go to. Can God really, really be there? And I would say, man, test God. Because God is bigger than your fear, God is bigger than your than your bank account, God can do anything that he wants. And so, and so I would I would say that in these 12 years that I've that that we ran this company, I never had a need that was not met. Never. And and and and and the joy level of my life is at an exponential. Um because joy really comes after you surrender. Before surrender, before surrender, there is such a gut check. I mean, there's so much fear, there's so much anxiety from people, but then after you surrender, that's when joy really, really comes into your life. And so uh, you know, I would say money is one of those big, big uh idols in most Americans' life, most Western people's life, and and that needs to be completely gutted before we even talk about how do we start giving to God, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well said. So where can people support what you're doing with EIS office solutions? I mean, definitely if if um are your target customers um corporate clients or are they individual uh customers, or who are you targeting there?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, our our target audience is um small to medium-sized businesses, uh, to be more specific, um, in a suite spot of 25 employees or more. And so um some of our customers are locally that you know, probably Falachi Factory, West I Lexus, um, and so those are some of the big ones. We we sell to state and local government as well. And so um so yeah, I mean we our prices are are are lower than staples and office stable. So give us a shot if you guys want to save some money and use the money for a good cause. But but aside from that, we have a list of nonprofits that we support on our website and and please support those nonprofits. Some of them you most Houstonians know already, um Star of Hope, Living Water International, and some of these big ones that that that we support on a regular basis. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And tell us about your book and kind of where people can get a hold of it.
SPEAKER_03Well, you could certainly drop by our office and I'll give you a free copy because um this book was written as a as an offering to the Lord and as a ministry piece. And so when we visit new customers, we often give them a free book, and and um so you can get it on Amazon.com, one company under God. This this book is really for people who are uh in business um and who wants to take the business to the kingdom level. And and or someone that wants to do business, but they haven't started yet. So I want to give them an option of using company as a vehicle to expand God's kingdom. And so and then and then you know if if anybody wants to get just a just just have some free time to read a read a short book, it's it's only a few few few pages. You can probably read it all in one setting, but um, but um just to just to know that all not all businesses are about greed and money. There are businesses out there, uh a lot of Christian businesses out there in Houston that are doing great things for the Lord. So hopefully you'll be encouraged by that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, definitely. I I would certainly encourage everybody to take advantage of that that offer. And I noticed that it's also available for sale on Amazon, right? Yes. And so the best place to connect with you would that be EISOffice.net?
SPEAKER_03Yes, there is an email on there as well, and and people could always email me. Um Simon at EISOffice.net is my personal email. You can email it to me anytime. And um, I I do a lot of speaking engagement and and workshops and things like that to to uh to help people out if if there's anything that could add of value, and so um um love your feedback as well. Any question that you might have, simply email it to me and I'll uh try to walk with you through it as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, obviously there's a tremendous amount of value that Simon can bring to your group. Um Simon, thank you so much for taking the time. I know you you got a lot going on, changing the world, selling office supplies, doing kingdom work. Thanks for uh sharing your time, your expertise, and may God just continue to bless the work you're doing.
SPEAKER_03Thank you so much, Karen. God bless you.