From Microsoft to Ministry: Cliff Peterson on Surrendering Stock Options & Finding His Mission Field

Cliff Peterson didn't set out to build a ministry disguised as an IT company. He started with a criminology degree, a broken wrist that ended his law enforcement dreams, and a punch card computer class in the 70s. He became one of Microsoft's first 1,000 employees, walked away from stock options in 1994 because it was costing him his family, bounced through federal service at NIH, rode the dot-com wave into the ground, and spent 18 months unemployed with six kids at home while his mom paid his mortgage and his sister bought groceries. Today he runs Integrency, a five-person managed service provider in Maryland built on a name that fuses integrity and transparency. But this conversation isn't really about IT. It's about a man who spent 40 years wandering the wilderness trying to figure out his calling, only to realize at 50-something that God called him to be a nerd and use that gift to love and serve others. Leaders On Tap is brought to you by C12 Maryland, where Christian CEOs and business owners come together to build great businesses for a greater purpose. ABOUT THE GUEST Cliff Peterson is the founder and CEO of Integrency, a managed service provider in Maryland serving 65 clients with a team of five. He's been in IT since the late 70s, was one of Microsoft's first 1,000 employees, and has spent over 40 years learning that his calling wasn't to be a pastor or preacher but to be a nerd who loves and serves others through technology. He's been married for 43 years, has six kids and five grandkids, and works from the same family room as his wife, who he calls his best friend on the whole planet. CONNECT Integrancy: Serving Montgomery and Frederick County, Maryland C12 Maryland: https://c12md.com Take The More Audit: https://themoreaudit.com SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with Christian leaders building great businesses for a greater purpose. #LeadersOnTap #FaithAndWork #ChristianLeadership #BusinessAsMinistry #ITMinistry #ManagedServices #Entrepreneurship #Discipleship #KingdomBusiness ⏱️ CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: From Microsoft to Ministry 00:01:35 Integrancy: Where Integrity Meets Transparency 00:03:34 From Criminology to Computers: An Unexpected Path 00:05:22 Microsoft Years & The Cost of Success 00:06:54 Gaming as Ministry: PS1441 & Protecting Kids Online 00:09:14 Dot-Com Crash & 18 Months Unemployed 00:12:39 The Miracle Tree: Learning to See God's Presence 00:15:05 Hardy Boys & What Really Matters 00:16:55 Busyness, Balance & Protecting What Matters 00:18:35 Prayer Life: The Closet & The Commute 00:19:53 Zero-Turn Tractors & Finding Your Zone 00:20:56 Hiring for Heart: Teaching Skills, Not Character 00:23:10 AI: Pandora's Box & The Future of IT 00:25:31 AI Wisdom: Local Models & Protecting Client Data 00:28:02 Faith in the Marketplace: Not a Christian Business 00:31:02 Why Are You Different? The Question That Matters 00:32:31 Called to Be a Nerd: 40 Years in the Wilderness 00:33:48 Business as Ministry: The Great Commission in IT 00:37:02 Dream Small: The Power of a Local Mission Field 00:38:53 The Whale Client Dilemma: Growth with Purpose 00:40:16 Racing to the Bottom: A Healthy Relationship with Money 00:44:09 Hands Around Your Neck: Trust & Delegation 00:45:02 No Margin, No Mission: The CFO's Warning 00:46:40 Transition Planning: What Comes Next? 00:49:53 The Mission Can't Be Sold: Protecting What Matters 00:51:37 Beyond the Multiple: Tri-Value Transition 00:52:52 Teaching as Calling: Making People Too Good to Afford 00:54:14 Prime Time at 66: Steve Tate's Example 00:56:03 Money Isn't Evil: Putting Wealth in Its Place 00:56:51 No Richest Man in the Cemetery: Advice to the Young 00:58:47 The Fruit We Hope For: Family & Generational Investment 01:00:01 Working Together: The Unexpected Blessing of Partnership 01:02:39 The Work-Life Balance: Keeping Work in Its Place 01:03:48 Mentoring Young Couples: Strength Through Struggle 01:04:49 Remember He's Right Here: The Closing Challenge