If You Lost Everything You Built, Will You Still Trust God’s Plan?
Walking by Faith, Not by Sight
Have you ever looked at your life and wondered if God actually has a plan for the crazy, unpredictable steps you are taking? Meet Josh Iverson.
Meet Josh Iverson
Josh Iverson is a veteran digital media executive, tech entrepreneur, and pioneer in the online advertising space. Best known for his early work establishing ad monetization strategies for emerging social networks, he has spent over two decades bridging the gap between major corporate brands and localized digital marketing. Today, he serves as the founder and leader of iMediaSalesTeam and iMedia Audiences, a certified AI-powered digital agency network.
In a candid conversation on the Anchoring Hope podcast with host David Mansilla, Josh took us back to where it all began. Fresh out of college and newly married in 2001, Josh and his wife packed up their lives and moved to Boston to launch into the business world. But right after they arrived, tragedy struck. On September 11, 2001, sitting in a hotel room, they watched the news in total shock as the Twin Towers fell on live TV.
Josh was trying to jumpstart a career in advertising, but suddenly the economy felt terrifying and uncertain.
"That night, my wife offered a really powerful prayer and we just knew things were going to work out." — Josh Iverson
That simple, quiet moment of prayer set the course for his entire life. When everything around them was shaking, they anchored their hearts in God. God doesn't promise us smooth sailing, but He does promise to be our anchor when the storm hits.
The Gift of Divine Boundaries
When you are an entrepreneur or a young professional, it is so easy to chase big success at any cost. Josh was right there on the frontlines of the early tech boom. In fact, early in his career, he actually sold the very first advertisements on "The Facebook"—working directly with the founders back when it was just a small site for college students!
Looking back, Josh and David talked about how easy it is to miss huge financial opportunities or watch other people make billions off ideas you once touched. But instead of feeling bitter about the "what-ifs," Josh sees it through the eyes of faith.
"The Lord will prevent you from doing things that would have given you great wealth because you were not ready for it... God puts boundaries around His children."
— David Mansilla
Money by itself isn't good or bad; it is just a tool. But God, like a loving parent, knows our hearts better than we do. He knows when huge wealth might pull us away from Him or break our character. Sometimes, what feels like a missed opportunity is actually God’s protective hand keeping our souls safe.
Serving the "Little Guy" with a Servant’s Heart
After years of working with massive companies and tech startups, Josh felt God calling him to do something different. He kept seeing local, small business owners—hardworking folks like landscapers, dentists, and local contractors—get taken advantage of by big advertising agencies charging crazy fees for terrible results.
That passion to protect and uplift everyday people led Josh to build his businesses, iMediaSalesTeam and iMedia Audiences. Instead of just trying to make a quick buck, Josh turned his career into a ministry of service.
His leadership style isn't about control; it's about empowerment. Through iMediaSalesTeam, he coaches and trains everyday individuals so they can become digital marketing experts in their own communities. For Josh, business isn't just about profit margins; it's about genuinely caring for the person sitting across the table from you.
Honoring Choice and Seeing Others Like God Does
Leading with faith in the business world isn't always easy. Josh has sat in corporate boardrooms in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago where the culture felt wild and far removed from his values. It would have been easy to judge or pull away. But Josh chose a different path—he chose love.
"These are just people. They're God's people and they are loved. Just don't judge them... Try and see them the way God sees them and just be friends." — Josh Iverson
This perspective completely changes how he leads his team. Josh admits that as a leader, one of his biggest struggles is wanting so badly for every client and team member to succeed. Sometimes he wants to jump in and fix everything for them. But he realized that just as God gives each of us free will, a good leader has to respect people's freedom to make their own choices, learn from their mistakes, and grow on their own timeline.
Heartbreak Hill and the Miraculous Selfies
Life is full of moments where a single second changes everything. In 2013, Josh was running the famous Boston Marathon. Right around mile 19, just before the grueling section known as "Heartbreak Hill," he saw his family in the crowd. He paused, stepped off the track for just a quick moment, and took a selfie with his wife and kids.
That tiny pause slowed him down by just a few minutes.
About a mile from the finish line, the entire crowd of runners suddenly ground to a halt. Unknown to Josh at that exact moment, the tragic Boston Marathon bombings had just occurred at the finish line.
If Josh hadn't stopped to hug his family and snap that photo, he could have been standing right where the bombs went off.
Josh doesn't claim to have all the answers for why hard things happen, but he lives every single day with deep gratitude. He knows his life is a gift from God. Whether he is teaching Sunday school, building an AI-powered agency network, or spending time with family[cite: 1], his goal remains the same: to run his race with faith, honor Jesus, and love people along the way
Author: Jovilyn Abella
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“These are just people. They’re God’s people and they are loved. Just don’t judge them... Try and see them the way God sees them and just be friends.”
