Today's Entrepreneur: Steve Gatena, CEO of Pray.com

Learn who you are, why you are here, and the legacy you want to leave behind.

Today's entrepreneur is Steve Gatena, CEO of Pray.com.

Gatena is an American Entrepreneur and the founder of pray.com, the world's #1 app for daily prayer and faith-based audio content. As the digital destination for faith, Pray was started with a mission to grow faith and cultivate community. It’s vision is to create a world where everyone leaves a legacy of helping others.

I am a(n): Entrepreneur 

Companies I've founded or co-founded: REP Interactive, VideoFort, Pray.com 

Companies I work or worked for: CEO of Helinet 

If you're an entrepreneur or corporate innovator, why?

I believe in the American Dream. My Mom is an entrepreneur, I watched her go from a single Jewish mom on welfare to a successful married executive. She was always a living inspiration for me and I naturally wanted to follow in her footsteps. 

My favorite startups: Pray.com 

Why did you start your company or why do you want to innovate inside your company?

I felt called by God to start Pray.com. I ignored the calling and my wife sat me down one day and explained why passing up on this opportunity would be the biggest regret of my life. She was right. I wasn’t smart enough to see it at the time but I was smart enough to listen to my incredibly wise wife. 

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?

The most rewarding thing about entrepreneurship is the opportunity to lead people, equip people, and watch them accelerate in their career. Oftentimes employment ends in unexpected ways. The transitions can be rocky. Rarely do people have concrete and definite accomplishments that they can show they achieved for the business, for the customers, and for themselves when they leave a job. If you ask anyone that has or is working at Pray.com if they’ve positively impact others, helped create business results, and are now in a position with more skills they will tell you “absolutely yes.” 

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs/innovators make?

Underestimating the time and money it takes to realize your vision. 

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?

Learn who you are, why you are here, and the legacy you want to leave behind.