Kingdom At Work
In the heart of Texas, an experiential marketing business was thriving on paper but straining at its core. For Heath Hill, Founder and President of Lime Media, leadership was built on long hours, tight control, and a relentless push for results. It was all he knew—12-hour days were normal, high performance was expected, and getting things done fast was the mark of success.
But over time, the cracks in the culture grew impossible to ignore.
“I looked around and saw burnout. Disconnection. People who showed up for a job, not a mission,” Heath shared. “It hit me—I was leading in a way that worked against the people I was called to serve.”
That realization became a breaking point—and a turning point. Heath signed up for a Kingdom at Work Workshop expecting a few leadership tips. What he encountered instead was a radical redefinition: Your first ministry is your people. And relational leadership is the model Jesus gave.
“It was like getting hit with a freight train of truth,” Heath said. “Jesus led relationally. He built people. He cared about hearts, not just results. I realized that’s what I wanted my leadership to look like. Honestly, I wanted to be a part of the win-win Kingdom Jesus leads—where He looks out for all sides but ultimately His will and His purposes prevail.”
That commitment set Heath on a completely different leadership path—one marked by presence, humility, and a willingness to endure the messiness of real relationships.
“And it was messy,” Heath admitted with a grin. “People don’t always want love and accountability. Some even weaponize it against you and the company. But I had to decide: Would I be driven by fear of that or by vision? I chose vision. And that meant when we got it wrong—and we did—it was my job and my team’s job to own it and make it right.”
The early days of the shift were brutal. Letting go of control felt like freefall.
“Honestly, it was ridiculously hard,” Heath said. “Sometimes you have to lose in the short term for a bigger purpose. And that’s hard. I don’t care who you are—it doesn’t feel good in the moment.”
But as he stepped back from solving every problem and micromanaging every outcome, something unexpected happened: his team grew. His leaders stepped up. Accountability increased, not because of pressure, but because of ownership.
Heath restructured his leadership team around relationship—trading micromanagement for mentorship, and metrics for maturity. He started measuring success in terms of relational trust and spiritual growth, not just revenue.
The result? A culture transformation that didn’t just restore health—it tripled profitability.
“We added ‘love’ to our core values,” Heath said. “That’s not soft—that’s strength. It means being honest, being present, and walking through hard things together.”
Even as payroll grew, the company shattered previous financial benchmarks. But more importantly, Lime Media became a place where people flourished—not just performed.
Heath’s encouragement to other business owners is simple but deeply challenging:
“You don’t have to choose between performance and people. You start with people—and the performance follows.”
And if you’re wondering where to start, Heath offers this:
“God rules, God reigns. Filter everything through that lens.”
Join us for our upcoming Kingdom at Work Workshop—a space for CEOs and business leaders to hear unfiltered stories like Heath’s and explore what happens when Kingdom leadership transforms not just companies, but people.