The Courage to Say Yes: Innovation, Risk, and Christ-Centered Leadership with Randy Brunk

In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with longtime mentor and former Head of School at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Randy Brunk, to explore what happens when school leaders embrace a culture of yes.

For 18 years, Randy led CHCA through seasons of growth, experimentation, and deep cultural transformation—laying the groundwork for what would become one of the most replicated K–12 entrepreneurship programs in Christian education. Together, they unpack how thoughtful risk-taking, teacher empowerment, and student engagement converge to build thriving, innovative schools rooted in faith.

You’ll hear stories about:

– Launching groundbreaking programs like Personal Responsibility Time (PRT) and the Teacher Innovation Fund
 – Why student engagement—not tradition—is the best metric for success
 – What heads of school can do right now to foster flourishing and innovation
 – How “minimum viable risk” creates space for big ideas to grow
 – The power of saying yes—even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed

Whether you’re a head of school, principal, or educator looking to ignite something new in your school, this conversation is packed with real-world wisdom and actionable takeaways.

Connect with Stephen to get started with entrepreneurship at your school by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/ and connect with Randy at https://next-ed.com/