Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this solo episode for June, Stuart reflects on the connection between vision and purpose, and why the two are almost impossible to separate. He also shares a glimpse into a new leadership chapter he has stepped into, using it as a real-time example of how vision gives people purpose, energy, and a reason to keep moving forward.

Through personal stories about family, legacy, leadership, and his 97-year-old father’s daily mission to encourage others, Stuart reminds listeners that purpose does not have to be huge or world-altering. Sometimes purpose looks like painting a clear vision for the future. Sometimes it looks like helping people believe in what they are building. And sometimes it is as simple as making someone smile.

Why vision and purpose go hand in hand, and why one rarely works without the other.

The meaning behind Stuart’s phrase, “If the promise is clear, the price is easy.”

How a clear vision helps people face sacrifice, hard work, and challenges with greater strength.

A personal look at Stuart’s new leadership chapter, and why his first priority was helping people see a bigger future.

Why leaders must paint a clear picture of where they are going if they want people to feel purpose in the work.

Stuart’s personal vision for his grandchildren and the legacy he wants to leave as “Papa Mac.”

The story of Stuart’s father, who at nearly 97 still lives with the simple purpose of encouraging others.

“If the promise is clear, the price is easy.”

“Significance is far more important than success.”

“Purpose is simply making sure that you live every day for something.”

“Paint that vision, find your purpose, and help others to find theirs.”

Stuart MacMillan is a leader, speaker, and co-founder of The Lighthouse Collective. With decades of experience in building people-centered cultures and coaching purpose-driven leaders, his passion is equipping others to shine brightly and lead meaningfully. Through the Keep Shining podcast, Stuart shares insights on leadership, faith, and personal growth, all centered on the core belief that everyone is made to be a light.

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Book Stuart MacMillan for keynotes and workshops:

www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

📩 Contact: Debbie@ImpactThisDay.com

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at

www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this solo episode for May, Stuart reflects on the theme of holding onto hope when life feels darkest. Drawing from his own recent experience of losing his faith and feeling disconnected from God, he shares how hopelessness can unexpectedly lead to new beginnings, fresh purpose, and a deeper understanding of the foundations that sustain us.

What you will hear

• Why spring is actually the perfect season to talk about hope after a long winter of darkness.
• Stuart's personal story of briefly losing his faith and feeling that God was not answering prayers.
• How a season of despair over retirement dreams, health struggles, and legal battles transformed into unexpected new opportunities.
• The importance of having a foundation to hold onto when circumstances feel hopeless.
• A reminder that the darkest moments can become the very things that redirect us toward something even better.

Memorable lines

"Find your foundation. Reach for it."

"Light will shine through the darkness."

About Stuart MacMillan

Stuart MacMillan is a leader, speaker, and co-founder of The Lighthouse Collective. With decades of experience in building people-centered cultures and coaching purpose-driven leaders, his passion is equipping others to shine brightly and lead meaningfully. Through the Keep Shining podcast, Stuart shares insights on leadership, faith, and personal growth, all centered on the core belief that everyone is made to be a light, even in the darkest seasons.

Resources & links

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Book Stuart MacMillan for keynotes and workshops: www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

• 📩 Contact: Debbie@ImpactThisDay.com

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this powerful episode for the month focused on hope, Stuart sits down with Bruxy Cavey, former teaching pastor, author, and founder of Black Sheep Bible Study. Bruxy opens up vulnerably about his own moral failure, the devastating loss of ministry and identity, and the long, painful journey toward repentance and restoration. Together, they explore how hope is not the absence of darkness but the light that shines through it, and how the gospel uniquely calls us to move beyond justice to mercy.

What you will hear

• Bruxy's story of building a seemingly perfect life as a nationally known pastor and author, and how it all unraveled through a self-inflicted crisis.
• The psychological fracture of denial, and the moment when "he came to himself" and could no longer hide from the truth.
• A raw look at the three-year wilderness of repentance, therapy, medication, and re-discipleship that became the unexpected path to hope.
• Why the Bible is surprisingly gentle with those who repent only after being caught, and what that means for all of us.
• The critical distinction between the world's demand for performative moral outrage and the gospel's call to go beyond justice to mercy.
• How to be a beacon of hope even when you are in the middle of your own crisis, doubt, or failure.
• Practical practices for staying hopeful: meditating on the fruit of the Spirit, partnering with the Holy Spirit, and rejecting the cultural addiction to anger and judgment.

Memorable lines

"If you want to be a beacon of light, there are so many people out there who do not need your justice or judgment; they need you to go beyond justice to mercy."

"He goes beyond justice to mercy. That's the gospel."

About Bruxy Cavey

Bruxy Cavey is a speaker, author, and the founder of Black Sheep Bible Study and 1820 Life. For many years he served as a teaching pastor at one of Canada's largest churches and authored bestselling books within the Canadian Christian market. After a profound personal failure and a subsequent three-year journey of repentance and healing, Bruxy now dedicates his voice to those who feel like outsiders, black sheep, or failures. Through his YouTube channel and online community, he explores Scripture through a lens of radical mercy, hope, and the relentless love of God for the lost, the broken, and the ashamed.

Resources & links

Follow Bruxy Cavey and learn more:

• YouTube: Black Sheep Bible Study
• Website: www.1820life.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BruxyCavey/

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this episode, Stuart sits down with Joan Hartel, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, direct sales strategist, and founder of Vantel Pearls, the company she built from just $1,000 in savings into a $43 million direct-selling success story. Together, they explore belief, gratitude, trust, fear, community, and what it really takes to build a business that people do not just buy from, but deeply believe in. From bold early risks, including moving to Spain with almost nothing, to the defining emotional lessons that come with leadership, Joan shares hard-won wisdom on identity, courage, service, and shining your light through every season.

• How Joan turned a single spark of inspiration into Vantel Pearls, a business that grew into a $43 million company rooted in belief and gratitude.
• What her early entrepreneurial risks, including time living in Spain, taught her about courage, faith, and trusting the unknown.
• Why strong businesses and strong brands are built through community, connection, and shared identity, not just transactions.
• Joan’s perspective on the emotional side of leadership, including what happens when trust is broken and how those moments shape who we become.
• A deeper conversation on fear, and how it often shows up disguised as judgment, ego, or anger.
• The role of gratitude, belief, and service in building culture that lasts, whether in business, leadership, or everyday life.
• Lessons for leaders who want to create something meaningful, lead with heart, and build communities that truly serve people.

Joan Hartel is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, direct sales strategist, and mentor known for building Vantel Pearls from a $1,000 idea into a $43 million direct-selling company. Under her leadership, the company became known not only for its growth, but for a culture grounded in belief and gratitude. Since stepping into retirement from that chapter, Joan has continued to mentor leaders, advise successful female CEOs, and champion company cultures rooted in purpose, service, and endless possibility. Her personal motto is: “Believe in endless possibilities!”

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this special solo episode for April, Stuart explores the themes of joy, gratitude, and celebration. He challenges leaders and listeners alike to move beyond problem-solving and intentionally celebrate wins: both for themselves and for those they lead. With a powerful story about a surprise office party, practical leadership wisdom, and a simple framework for finding joy, this episode is an invitation to party purposefully and embrace joy as a way of being.

What you will hear

• Why successful people often forget to celebrate and the cost of constantly focusing on problems.
• A personal story from Stuart’s time as a company president: how a magician, champagne, and a “purposeful party” changed the culture.
• The startling statistic: 80% of an individual’s overall quality of life comes from how their leader treats them.
• A simple leadership test: when people see your name on their phone, are they excited or dreading the call?
• The acronym GAS: Gratitude and Service as the two keys to unlocking lasting joy.
• Why a thankful heart is rarely sad, and how helping others succeed can pull you out of feeling stuck.
• The crucial distinction: happiness is circumstantial; joy is who you can choose to be.

Memorable lines

“A thankful heart is rarely sad.”

“Happiness is circumstantial… joy is who we are, or at least who we can be.”

About Stuart MacMillan

Stuart MacMillan is a leader, speaker, and co-founder of The Lighthouse Collective. With decades of experience in building people-centered cultures and coaching purpose-driven leaders, his passion is equipping others to shine brightly and lead meaningfully. Through the Keep Shining podcast, Stuart shares insights on leadership, faith, and personal growth, all centered on the core belief that everyone is made to be a light.

Resources & links

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Book Stuart MacMillan for keynotes and workshops: www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

• 📩 Contact: Debbie@ImpactThisDay.com

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

📩 Contact: Debbie@ImpactThisDay.com

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this episode, Stuart sits down with Stephen Christian—former lead singer of the multi-platinum alternative rock band Anberlin, founder of Anchor & Braille, and now a campus pastor at Grace Family Church. They explore the dramatic transition from a touring rock star lifestyle to pastoral ministry, the hard-won lessons about identity, leadership, and the unrelenting pursuit of God's calling.

What you will hear

• The early days of Anberlin: from a local punk band to signing with Universal Records and touring the world.
• The raw reality of life on the road: the temptations, the "Peter Pan lifestyle," and how accountability from a best friend and his wife kept him grounded.
• A jaw-dropping story: a label executive suggesting he either get arrested or cheat on his wife for marketing—and why he chose neither.
• The painful but necessary "divorce" from his band, his identity, and the decade-long transition into ministry.
• How a season of financial crisis and sleepless nights led to a clear calling: from Albuquerque to pastoring in Florida.
• Leadership principles from the music industry applied to ministry: staying DIY, starting with "yes," and letting the best idea win.
• The creative passion behind Anchor & Braille and the new album New Mexico—and how he balances pastoring with artistry.
• Practical wisdom on setting your future self up to win: the discipline of time-blocking, routine, and following the peace of the Holy Spirit.

Memorable lines

“I had to rid myself of any type of ego and pride, because I went right from being in a rock band to being a worship leader.”

“I have to go down to a red light or a green light… God, do I wanna work here? Red light. Do I need to quit my job? Green light.”

About Stephen Christian

Stephen Christian is a musician, songwriter, and pastor. As the founder and lead singer of the iconic alternative rock band Anberlin, he sold over a million records and helped shape a generation of alternative music. He is also the creative force behind Anchor & Braille, a personal project that recently released the album New Mexico. Today, Stephen serves as a campus pastor at Grace Family Church in Clearwater, Florida, where he leads with the same passion, creativity, and authenticity that defined his music career—now channeled into shepherding people and building community.

Resources & links

Follow Stephen Christian and learn more:

• Anchor & Braille: https://anchorandbraille.lnk.to/newmexico
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christianmusic/
• X: https://x.com/christianmusic
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1S2egSoRjdPc7t2eXIrpjD?si=TNfRQ4IHSIyRY2jQ1mLbfw
• Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/stephen-christian/273257317

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this special spring solo episode, Stuart gets vulnerable about the relationship between growth, change, and pain. Drawing on the imagery of spring: the crocus pushing through thawing ground, the earth groaning back to life. He shares deeply personal stories of loss, betrayal, and crisis of faith, and how those hard seasons ultimately produced a better, more patient, more peaceful version of himself.

What you will hear

• Why spring is a powerful metaphor for growth—and why growth almost always requires change, which almost always involves pain.
• The story of being hospitalized as a child for "growing too fast" and what it taught him about the physical reality of development.
• Mike Tyson's famous line: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth"—and how to respond when life delivers that punch.
• Gretchen Huijskens' story (from a recent episode) of how the Haiti earthquake "wiped the slate clean" and birthed Trades of Hope.
• For the first time publicly: Stuart's own 18-month crucible—cancer, a nightmare neighbor, Hurricane Helena, a devastating lawsuit, betrayal by trusted partners, and a crisis of faith that shook him to his core.
• How walks on the beach, silence, reading, and leaning into "iron sharpener" relationships became the unexpected tools of growth.
• A raw, honest look at whether healing means being "fixed" and why being "better" is enough.
• An invitation to embrace the painful seasons, because on the other side of change, there is hope.

Memorable lines

“I remember you know, just crying out God, are you here? Do you even hear me? Are my prayers falling on deaf ears?”

“I am better. I have grown. I have developed... but I know that it wouldn't have come without pain.”

About Stuart MacMillan

Stuart MacMillan is a leader, speaker, and co-founder of The Lighthouse Collective. With decades of experience in building people-centered cultures and coaching purpose-driven leaders, his passion is equipping others to shine brightly and lead meaningfully. Through the Keep Shining podcast, Stuart shares insights on leadership, faith, and personal growth, all centered on the core belief that everyone is made to be a light—even—and especially—in the darkest, most painful seasons.

Resources & links

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Book Stuart MacMillan for keynotes and workshops: www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

• 📩 Contact: Debbie@ImpactThisDay.com

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

📩 Contact: Debbie@ImpactThisDay.com

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!

Welcome to The Lighthouse Collective podcast series Keep Shining with Stuart MacMillan. In this episode, Stuart sits down with Gretchen Huijskens, co-founder and CEO of Trades of Hope, a multi-million dollar ethical fashion brand. They explore her journey from eight years of charity work in Haiti to building a global business that empowers women out of poverty through dignified work, proving that creating jobs is the key to sustainable change.

What you will hear

• The pivotal moment in Haiti that transformed Gretchen’s view from charity to sustainable economic development.
• How the devastating 2010 earthquake became a “clean slate” to reimagine a more impactful, business-focused model for change.
• The powerful story of Gina, an artisan in Haiti, and her visible transformation from desperation to vibrancy through stable employment.
• Insights into the holistic work of partners like Starfish Project, which helps women escape brothels and rebuild their lives with dignity, community, and even birthday celebrations.
• Practical advice for everyday people on how to “shine light” through ethical shopping choices and understand certifications like Fair Trade.
• How Gretchen stays hopeful and renews her passion while navigating the emotional weight of this work.
• A look at the future, including new ventures like purpose-focused travel retreats and the pressing question: how do you know when a new idea is a distraction or the next step in your calling?

Memorable lines

“Charity is necessary… but charity's place typically is in time of like desperate circumstances… I wanted to create change.”

“She looked 10 years younger… this young woman was vibrant.”

About Gretchen Huijskens

Gretchen Huijskens is the co-founder and CEO of Trades of Hope, an ethical fashion brand and social enterprise that partners with artisan groups in over 15 countries to create sustainable jobs for women in poverty. Her passion was ignited after eight years of running a children’s relief organization in Haiti, where she saw firsthand the limitations of aid. She is the author of Our Voices Rising and a passionate advocate for a world where consumer purchases can be a direct force for good, dignity, and global connection.

Resources & links

Follow Gretchen Huijskens and learn more:

• https://www.instagram.com/gretchenhuijskens/
• https://www.threads.com/@gretchenhuijskens
• www.tradesofhope.com
• Book: Our Voices Rising

Follow Stuart on Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macmillanstuart/

https://www.instagram.com/macmillanstuart/

Follow The Lighthouse Collective on Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/lighthousecollectiveglobal/

Connect with Stuart MacMillan at www.TheLighthouseCollective.Global

Subscribe to The Lighthouse Collective on YouTube and watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLighthouseCollective

Thanks for listening. Keep Shining, Be A Light!