Kingdom Leadership in the Fast-Paced World of Innovation
As leaders, we often find ourselves at the intersection of ambition, innovation, and faith. Navigating the high-stakes world of business while staying grounded in Kingdom principles is not always easy, but it is possible—and even advantageous.
In this episode of The Kingdom Leadership Advantage, I(Dionne Van Zyl) had the pleasure of speaking with Jasmine (Jazz) Loh, a Silicon Valley executive with decades of experience in tech leadership, from startups to multinational corporations. Her story is a powerful testament to faith-driven leadership, trust, and the power of building people—not just businesses.
What stood out most about Jazz’s journey was her ability to integrate faith into leadership without compromise. She’s led successful exits, scaled businesses, built high-performance teams, and embraced a Kingdom-driven approach to business—one that prioritizes trust, accountability, and authenticity.
If you’re a leader—whether in a startup, a growing business, or even a church—this conversation is a masterclass in how to lead with faith in a high-performance environment.
From Singapore to Silicon Valley: A Global Leadership Journey
Jazz’s journey began in Singapore, where she grew up with a strong Christian foundation. But like many, she initially separated faith from her professional life.
“I didn’t realize how my faith and leadership would intersect until I entered the corporate world,” she shared. “As a child, you learn Bible verses and hear about integrity, but it’s in leadership that these lessons become truly real.”
Jazz moved to the United States over 20 years ago, landing in the heart of Silicon Valley, where she built a remarkable career:
- Started and sold multiple tech companies
- Led the Global Cloud Center of Excellence at PwC for nearly a decade
- Served as CEO of Netrio, a high-growth software company
- Worked with Fortune 500 companies, federal agencies, and global enterprises
- Became a part-time lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business
Through it all, she discovered that faith was not just a personal belief—it was an active advantage in leadership.
The Shift: Bringing Faith Into Leadership
Jazz’s turning point came when she realized that the core principles of faith—trust, integrity, and stewardship—were the exact qualities needed to build a successful company.
She described it this way:
“The best business leaders aren’t just strategists; they’re people builders. And the best way to build people is through trust, accountability, and authenticity—exactly what Jesus modeled.”
Rather than seeing her Christian faith as something separate from business, Jazz intentionally wove it into her leadership philosophy.
Her company, Netrio, had been operating for nearly two decades, but when she took over as CEO, she transformed the culture by implementing a simple, powerful framework: the ‘Triple A’ model.
The “Triple A” Model: A Blueprint for Kingdom Leadership
Jazz knew that in order to scale a company, she needed more than just great strategy—she needed a culture that empowered people to lead.
That’s when she implemented what she calls the Triple A model: Accountability, Authenticity, and Accessibility.
1. Accountability: Empowering Ownership
“Accountability isn’t about punishment,” Jazz explained. “It’s about stewardship—taking ownership of our roles, our decisions, and our growth.”
How she built accountability:
- Every team member was encouraged to own their role—not just complete tasks.
- Employees set personal OKRs (Objectives & Key Results) that challenged them to grow.
- The company celebrated calculated risk-taking—failure wasn’t punished, it was learned from.
Biblical Principle: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)
2. Authenticity: Creating a Culture of Trust
Many companies claim to embrace authenticity, but Jazz took it a step further—she made it a core leadership expectation.
“People don’t just want to work for a company; they want to belong. And that only happens when they feel safe being themselves,” she shared.
How she built authenticity:
The company adopted a radically honest approach—employees were encouraged to voice concerns, ideas, and feedback.
Diversity was celebrated—different perspectives were seen as a strength, not a challenge.
Transparency with clients became a selling point—they won a major FBI contract simply because they were honest about what their product could and couldn’t do.
Biblical Principle: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
3. Accessibility: Leading with Open Hands
Jazz believes true leadership is about making yourself available, not unreachable.
“Many CEOs hide behind closed doors. I wanted the opposite—I wanted an open-door, open-mind culture.”
How she built accessibility:
She encouraged team-wide innovation, allowing employees to contribute ideas that shaped the company’s direction.
She removed the “hierarchical wall”—leaders weren’t untouchable, they were approachable.
She built a coaching culture, empowering leaders at every level to step up.
Biblical Principle: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Scaling Leadership: From Founder-Led to Team-Led Growth
One of the biggest challenges leaders face is moving from startup mode to scalable growth.
Many founders struggle because they:
- Try to be the smartest person in the room.
- Keep control instead of trusting others.
- Make themselves the “single point of failure.”
Jazz took the opposite approach—she designed herself out of the equation.
“My goal was never to be the hero. My goal was to build a team of leaders.”
That mindset helped Netrio:
Triple in size during COVID
Expand into new markets
Earn a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for 8 consecutive years
Successfully exit through acquisition
Instead of hoarding leadership, she distributed it—and the company thrived.
The Kingdom Leadership Advantage
As we wrapped up our conversation, Jazz shared some powerful lessons for leaders who want to integrate faith and business:
1. Build People, Not Just Products
The best companies don’t just sell—they serve. Build a culture where people are valued, and they will build the business for you.
2. Trust is Given, Not Earned
Most leaders make people earn trust. But Jazz found that when you start with trust, people rise to meet it.
3. Faith is an Advantage, Not a Handicap
Bringing faith into business isn’t a weakness—it’s a competitive edge. It leads to stronger values, deeper trust, and greater long-term impact.
What Do You Know About God?
As a final thought, I asked Jazz: What do you know that you know about the Lord?
Her answer was profound:
“I know that He has me in His hands. I know that I can trust Him.”
That trust is what allowed her to lead boldly, take risks, and empower others. It’s what sustained her in the high-pressure world of Silicon Valley.
And it’s what can sustain any of us as Kingdom leaders.
If you’re a leader navigating business, faith, and innovation, Jazz’s story is proof that you don’t have to choose between success and surrender—you can have both.
So the question is: Are you leading for God, or with Him?
Listen to the full podcast episode here: Silicon Valley Meets Faith, Tech, and Transformation
For more insights and leadership strategies from Dionne Van Zyl, visit dionnevanzyl.com.