Dave Bachman | The Nashville Navigators
Director of The Nashville Navigators
Dave Bachman shares his journey as the director of the Nashville Navigators, a nonprofit dedicated to developing spiritual leaders in everyday life. He reflects on his entrepreneurial roots and offers valuable insights on navigating challenges and embracing risks as an aspiring entrepreneur.
What Businesses Do You Run?
Dave Bachman leads the Nashville Navigators, a Christian nonprofit organization that operates across multiple campuses in Nashville, serving college students, international students, and young professionals. Each week, they gather across the city of Nashville and whether you’re a freshman or a young professional, they will be there for your journey.
How Did You Get Started as an Entrepreneur?
Dave’s entrepreneurial journey began through his upbringing. He observed his father start and grow a company, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. This experience ignited his passion for leadership and community impact, ultimately leading him to establish the Nashville Navigators in 2009.
How Do You Think About Growth in Your Current Business? How Do You Plan for the Future?
In his current role, Dave prioritizes expanding ministries to reach diverse groups, recognizing the importance of investing in individuals and fostering a culture that values people. He approaches growth with a vision that balances immediate needs with long-term goals, continuously seeking innovative ways to engage and empower those they serve.
What Advice Do You Have for Aspiring Entrepreneurs?
Dave encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace risks, even in small ways, as these experiences can spark creativity and growth. He emphasizes the importance of community, urging them to seek guidance from mentors and peers. Resilience and a willingness to adapt are crucial, as every entrepreneur will face challenges along the way. Ultimately, he believes that a passionate commitment to serving others can lead to meaningful impact and fulfillment.
“I would encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to not be afraid, to take risks... taking risks often brings out the best in us”
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Dave Bachman 0:00
Hi. My name is Dave Bachman. I lead the Christian nonprofit here in Nashville called the Nashville navigators. We seek to develop everyday people into being spiritual leaders wherever they live, work, play, study or worship. We started in 2009 here and in Nashville, primarily at Vanderbilt University, and we focused on investing in sort of the next generation as a starting point. The Navigators are an international organization. We're in about 100 countries around the world. Been around since 1933 we started in the military, primarily working with Navy servicemen off the coast of California before World War Two, we started investing in college students in 2009 primarily at Vanderbilt University, and from there we branched out. We work in about five campuses around town, and we also have dedicated ministries to international students and young professionals. I am passionate about starting new ministries that reach new groups of people and invite them into this vision that we have of developing everyday people into being leaders, not only as spiritual leaders, but also servants and mentors and guides. I've always been someone who could see the potential in a person or in an organization or even just an idea. And I think I got that from my father. My dad started his own company when I was growing up, and I kind of got a front row seat to watch that whole process, the highs and lows and ins and outs. One of the big things that these men and leaders would talk about is that the bottom line mattered. You know, revenue, income, quarterly, you know, results, it mattered. But what mattered most was people. And I picked up on that from being around these, these business owners and entrepreneurs, and I think that stuck with me. I think I developed that same vision for people matter. We've got to invest in people and develop people, put their good will even above some of our other goals that we have. If you can found an organization or start something or be the leader of it, then you get to be the person who does cast the vision. Who sets the direction, who gets to be an active part of creating the culture that puts people first? Becoming an entrepreneur, even in the nonprofit sector, was interesting to me and attractive to me because of the role that you get to play and setting the direction, setting the culture, casting the vision. If you get to be the one calling the shots, you get to put the bulls eye on the issues that matter the most to you, for the company to focus on, for the organization to be all about. Any entrepreneur is going to face challenges and setbacks and hit a wall, and there is a certain amount of tenacity that a leader needs to have and a resilience that a leader needs to have to be able to overcome these kinds of challenges. I would encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to not be afraid, to take risks, and even to step out in small ways, to take risks, to develop that even as a skill. Taking risk often brings out the best in us, even though your knees are shaking and you can be anxious about what's going to happen here, but it sort of keeps us ideating and thinking of new ideas, getting creative as we step out in a new way that others haven't done. It also helps us reach out for help from friends and mentors and others and who can speak into this challenging thing you're facing, or speak into this opportunity to step out in a new way. And then I love the idea of stepping out into something that's thrilling and fun and really engaging for you.
