Andreas Widmer's Philosophy of Life

Today we profile Andreas Widmer, a 6 foot 8 inch gentle giant whose life was transformed by a saint. Andreas is the director of entrepreneurship programs at the Catholic University of America, and he believes that business is a vocation. He's one of the most engaging 6 foot 8 inch giants you'll ever meet in your life. He grew up in Lucerne, Switzerland, the youngest of six children. And by his own admission he was an awful student and his faith was not very important to him at all. In 1986, at age 19, upon the urging of his dad, he got a job as a security guard. His first day on the job was December 24, 1986, Christmas Eve. They put him in a hallway about 25ft long with a little chair, a little light, a door there and a door there. He had to work from 4pm till midnight. First day on the job, they said, andreas, all you have to do is if that door opens, go turn and open that door. You got it? That's all you have to do. So here's a 19 year old kid, lonely on Christmas Eve. And about 7pm this door opens. Brilliant light. And here's a man in all white comes through the door. And the man looks at this 6 foot 8 inch kid. He says, you're new, aren't you? What's your name? Andreas Witten. Is this the first time you're away from home for Christmas? And the kid starts to cry. And with that the man hugs him. Jack, that's how I met Pope John Paul ii. He had become a Swiss Guard. That's how I met St. John Paul II. And he said, Andreas, at midnight mass tonight, St. Peter's I'm going to offer it for you and your family. That's how he met the Pope. From 1986 to 1988, three years he served as Pontifical Swiss Guard protecting Pope John Paul II all over the world. The Swiss Guards have been protecting popes since 1506. The first time he came on the show in 2014, I asked him to tell me a few stories about St. John Paul II. He said, Jack, if I heard him say once, I heard him say 20,000 times in maybe 50 languages, the three most used words in the Bible, it's not love your God and it's not love your neighbor. 365 times in the Bible it says, be not afraid. And my goodness, we are all afraid today. That was this Pope's favorite mantra, Jack. I would hear him say it 10, 20, even 50 times a day in 50 plus languages. Be not afraid. Outside St. Peter's is the Vatican Square, St. Peter's Square. And every Wednesday afternoon, 20, 30, 40,000 of the Pope's closest friends would come to see the Pope and listen to the Pope after he got shot. We had him in the Pope mobile. We would always want to jump out, hug people, hug babies, etc. He was a people person. We did not want him to do it. We could not stop him. And just outside square is North American Seminary up on a hill. This is a seminary where the best seminarians from America go for three or four years. They're going to be the future bishops, cardinals, etc. They're the five star seminary, hand picked. And there was a Father George who had gone to that seminary about 20 years ago. He was serving in Kansas City and there was a small commission formed at the Vatican where there were going to be about 20 people come for a month, seminars, etc. And they selected this Father George as one of the 20. He had not been back to Rome since he was ordained 20 plus years ago. So he had been going to the seminary say for two weeks now. And every morning he would go to a different church in Rome to say mass in the morning. A lot of churches in Rome. And one day he's going up the steps and he sees a homeless guy. And he looks at the guy and he says, do I know you? The guy looks at him, looks at Father George, no, and turns his head, are you sure? So he goes into the church, he says mass, he comes back, there's the guy still sitting on the steps. Father George says, I know you. What's your name? And he looks and he says, Father George, I'm Luigi. And Luigi had been a classmate of his 20 plus years ago, had become a priest, had done something wrong, got defrocked, and he was a homeless bum. So Father George hugs him, gives him a little money. Luigi, don't give up hope. God's got a plan for you. I don't know what it is, but I'm going to pray for you, Luigi. So he goes back to that seminar, sits in the normal seat and by chance the person next to him that day didn't show up. And about 11 o' clock in the morning, the Pope is walking through the halls with Andreas and says, let's go inside, let's see what they're talking about. The Pope can go anywhere he wants in the Vatican. The Pope can go anywhere he wants in the world. And the Pope sits down next to Father George and it's a break. Father George says, you, Holiness, I Went and said mass today at a church. There was a homeless guy on the steps. His name is Luigi. He was a priest, did something wrong, defrocked. Now he's a bum. Homeless bum. Would you pray for him, Holy Father? And the Pope says, father George, what are you doing for dinner tonight? What if you go get Luigi and the three of us have dinner in my apartment overlooking the Vatican Square? So Father George goes back to that church. Luigi is still there. Luigi, what are you doing for dinner tonight? What do you say you and I, 6pm, go have dinner with Pope John Paul II in his apartment? No. What do you mean, no? Luigi, you're my meal ticket. Without you, I ain't getting up. Tick. Luigi, I'm taking you. Takes him to his apartment, cleans him up, dresses him up. Six o' clock, they show up. And the Pope has all of these cardinals always hanging around him like rock stars, like sports stars, you know, hangers on. So the Pope says to Andreas, get all of these cardinals out of here. When Father George and Luigi come, get him out of here. I just want to have dinner with these two men and Andreas in the corner. So the deal is, after we have dinner, Andreas, get Father George out of here. Luigi, tell me your story. What happened? And here comes this tale. Luigi, are you sorry? Oh, Holy Father, I've ruined my life. My purpose in life was to be a priest. I ruined it. That's all I think about all day long, every day. Well, Muji, I've been looking for a priest to serve the homeless in Rome. And I am the Bishop of Rome and we are in Rome. So I'll make you a priest again on one holiness. What's the condition when I do, Luigi, would you hear my confession? So then Father Luigi hears the Pope's confession and leaves. And here comes the cardinals back in. Holy Father, Holy Father. You give these two guys three hours. You give Mother Teresa an hour and a half. You give presidents, dictators an hour. You give us 30 minutes. Three hours. You give these two guys. What happened? Well, we had dinner. Boom, boom, boom. Luigi told me his story. I decided to make him a priest again. I heard his confession and he heard my confession. And the one cardinal says, your Holiness, that Luigi must have had one long confession. Well, not really. The long one was my confession. Andreas says, jack, two different occasions. We're in the apartment and he's having lunch. Soup, a little tea, some bread. He's here. And here is a 4 foot 11 inch woman, mother Teresa of Calcutta. And I'm watching them two saints having lunch together. Andreas believes that Pope John Paul II is the most authentically human person he's ever met. Andreas is the author of the Pope and the CEO John Paul II's Leadership Lessons to a Young Swiss Guard. There's five lessons in that book. One, encourage people to dream big and keep their eyes on the long term. Two, be fully present for every conversation. Three, show people that you believe in them. Four, view work not as a burden, but as an opportunity. Five. Celebrate entrepreneurship. Andreas found his faith not BY Anything that St. John Paul II said, but Jack it was who St. John Paul II was and what the Pope did. Jack I said to myself, whatever that guy has, that is what I want. Let's go back to April 8, 2005. Andreas went back along with 4 million plus people and a TV audience of hundreds of millions of people for the Pope's funeral. Jack Here was the man in the little pine simple box. No more power, no possessions in life. Four million people came to Rome and there were about 400 of the most powerful leaders, presidents, dictators, etc. Right here. And about 150 cardinals on the steps St. Peter's all to honor this man who had no more power and no possession. One of the most amazing days of my life. Andreas believes that business is a vocation and he talks about the gospel of work. Entrepreneurship is meant to be a force for good. This his latest book is entitled the Art of Principled Creating Enduring Value. In this book he talks about five pillars. Pillar one the economy exists for people. Pillar two to work is to create and to create is to be human. Pillar 3 Culture eats strategy. Pillar 4 PEs create win win solutions. Pillar 5 Always think like an entrepreneur. Andreas is the co founder of Seven Fund, a philanthropic organization run by entrepreneurs who invest in original research, books and films to further enterprise solutions. A few quotes do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds. Lay first the foundation of humility. That's from St. Augustine. The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit. Excellence is something that never is and is always just becoming. In May of 2024, he wrote me his philosophy of life. He asked me to send you a quick note on what I would have to say about my philosophy of life. You're the first person to do that. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to think about that question. Much of what I've learned from having had the great privilege of serving Saint John Paul II as a Swiss Guard still informs and guide my life 40 years later. I once heard him say that he preferred how Italians say I love you to those they work with or have a friendship with. They don't say tiamo, they say Ti voglio benye, which translates to I want your good. This ethos, deeply Italian at its roots, transcends the conventional expressions of affection, embodying a desire for the holistic flourishing of those around me. It's a philosophy that guides my actions, urging me to see beyond the immediate, to recognize the inherent dignity and potential within each individual. In embracing T Voglio Beni, I commit to a life where every decision, interaction and endeavor is infused with the intent to uplift, support and and contribute positively to the lives of others. It's a call to lead with love, to prioritize the well being of others, and to create environments where everyone can thrive. This philosophy is not just about personal relationships. It extends into the realm of principled entrepreneurship, where the success of our ventures is measured by not only by profit, but by the positive impact we have on the world and the common good we serve. Jack Tivolio Benny Andreas Whitten professor of Entrepreneurship, the Bush School of Business that's the story of this 6 foot 8 inch gentle giant, Andreas Whitmer. Thanks for watching. If you enjoy these messages of inspiration and hope, please like subscribe and or share them with family and friends. Until we meet again, please remember with God anything is possible.