GuideLayer
Company

Why GuideLayer is a For-Profit Corporation

Why is GuideLayer a for-profit corporation?

It's a fair question. On the surface, it feels contradictory—a supposed mission of faith paired with what appears to be financial gain. I understand the tension. It feels disingenuous.

But here's the answer: Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations, and the for-profit model is the best engine to achieve that. For-profit doesn't have to mean maximum profit. In fact, our Benefit Corporation status converts this structure to "for impact" while still retaining the financial engine of a for-profit that enables massive scale.

Our financial structure—a for-profit Benefit Corporation—creates the maximum impact, which is precisely what Jesus called for in The Great Commission. And our commitment to transparency proves it.

Let me explain.

The Great Commission Foundation

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave His followers a clear command:

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

“

Not "some people." Not "your local community." All nations. Billions of people.

Maximum impact requires maximum exposure. This is why GuideLayer exists: to help billions of people find, understand, and apply the Bible—to their lives and the communities around them—so the world as a whole will follow Jesus.

This mission, given by Jesus Himself, must determine everything we do. Including our financial structure.

If The Great Commission demands we reach all nations, then our business model must be capable of that scale. And that's exactly what the for-profit model enables.

Why For-Profit is the Best Engine for Jesus' Command

Let me be clear up front: For-profit does not mean maximizing profit for shareholders.

Profit effectively means a business model that can be optimized for growth or impact. The financial engine makes the maximum impact possible—but doesn't require "maximizing profit" for owners and investors.

Here's what profitability specifically enables:

Growth Engines

When you spend $1 on ads and produce $3 of revenue—enough to cover the ad cost plus the expenses of the company—you enable literally infinite reach. This is the growth engine that will allow GuideLayer to reach billions of people with the message of God and Scripture.

Non-profits don't have access to this mechanism. They rely on donations, grants, and institutions. Those funding sources limit scale and speed, create dependency that can compromise the mission, and prevent the kind of investment capital required to reach all nations.

Product Development

A portion of that $3 produced from $1 in ads funds ongoing development—improving the tools we build to serve people better. Better technology means clearer understanding of Scripture. Clearer understanding means more lives transformed. More lives transformed means The Great Commission advances.

Investment Capital

By having the ability to provide some measure of return on investment capital—which is only feasible in a for-profit model—we can bring on millions of dollars of investment to reach billions and bring them to Jesus.

Investors who are fiscally required to earn a return on investment cannot invest in non-profits. This cuts off access to the capital needed to achieve global scale.

The for-profit model isn't a compromise of the mission. It's the engine that makes the mission possible at the scale Jesus commanded.

Benefit Corporation: Optimizing for Impact, Not Profit

So if we're for-profit, what stops us from maximizing shareholder profit at the expense of the mission?

This is where the Benefit Corporation structure comes in.

What is a Benefit Corporation?

A Benefit Corporation is a legal structure that allows companies to optimize for impact. Unlike traditional C-Corps, Benefit Corporations are not required to maximize shareholder profit. Instead, they can make decisions based on mission, not financial return.

Why This Matters for GuideLayer

As a Benefit Corporation, we can legally prioritize impact over profit. Our board and leadership are accountable to the mission, not just the financials. This structure protects us against future mission drift or pressure to "maximize returns" when those returns would compromise what we're actually here to do.

Here's a concrete example:

  • If a growth tactic increases revenue but compromises the mission, we can say no.
  • If a feature serves the mission but isn't the most profitable option, we can still build it.

Being for-profit gives us the engine. Benefit Corporation status ensures that engine serves the right destination.

Biblical Grounding

There's biblical precedent for this approach. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:14 that "the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel."

Notice the word: living. Support. Not maximizing profit. Not enrichment. A living.

This is precisely what a Benefit Corporation enables—a business model that can sustain those doing the work while optimizing for the mission, not the margin.

Timeline Note

We're currently structured as a Delaware C-Corp and will be converting to Benefit Corporation status in Q1 2026 as we formalize our long-term governance and mission accountability.

Full Financial Transparency

I know what some people might still think: "You're trying to make money off faith." Here's the truth: We're not making money.

  • It's hard to make lots of money in business. Most startups fail.
  • Most businesses operate on thin margins. And GuideLayer is no exception.
  • As of December 2024, we've invested approximately $20,000 into GuideLayer and generated $0 in revenue.

This isn't about money. And we're a long way from being able to generate piles of cash to enrich ourselves.

But I also know that saying "trust us" isn't enough. Words are easy. Accountability requires evidence.

That's why we're considering full financial transparency—complete public disclosure of revenue, expenses, profit, and compensation. This level of transparency is rare in the startup world, but it's a tool we're considering to "walk in the light" without hiding anything and demonstrate that our motives are pure.

Starting in Q1 2026, we intend to publish:

  • Revenue: What we earn
  • Expenses: Where every dollar goes (marketing, development, operations)
  • Profit: What remains after expenses
  • Compensation: What team members are paid

This will silence unfounded criticisms and allow anyone to judge for themselves whether we're optimizing for impact or enrichment.

Specifics may change as we refine our approach, but our commitment is to maximum transparency. More on this in future posts.

Conclusion

The Great Commission requires maximum impact.

For-profit enables that impact by providing the growth engine, investment capital, and product development resources needed to reach billions of people.

Benefit Corporation status ensures we optimize for impact, not profit—legally protecting the mission from future drift or pressure to maximize shareholder returns.

And transparency proves it—by showing exactly where the money goes and what we're building.

The mission determines the method, not the other way around. Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. We're building the financial structure that makes that possible.