Kristen Luidhardt arrived at IWU-Marion in 1999 on a track scholarship. When she graduated four years later, her greatest takeaway was not medals or trophies but something far more lasting: a vision of how Christian faith could shape a life of influence. She learned how to use her faith to become a world changer from her mentor, John Foss, Ph.D., then chair of the Political Science Department.
“I’d grown up in a religious family, but Foss exposed me to a more biblical worldview. For the first time I understood how to defend Christianity and use it as an operating system for life,” she explains.
While at IWU, Kristen met her future husband and business partner, Kurt Luidhardt. In 2004, while launching careers in political consulting and planning their wedding with little money, the couple started an unlikely business selling fireworks for the Fourth of July.
“We had three small stands and in two weeks made $9,000,” she says. “I was amazed at how much we could make as small-business owners.”
The experience opened their eyes to entrepreneurship. They later added a seasonal Christmas light installation business while continuing to build their work in political consulting.
In 2006, the Luidhardts formalized that growing work by launching The Prosper Group, an Indiana-based digital marketing firm that serves political campaigns as well as mission-driven organizations and businesses. The early days were demanding. The couple traveled thousands of miles for clients and sometimes slept in their car to save money.
Trusting God, they persisted.
As the political campaigns they supported began winning, the firm grew rapidly. Over time, Prosper Group expanded its reach beyond politics while maintaining a strong presence in the political arena. To date, the Luidhardts have helped elect leaders at the highest levels of government, including a president, governors, senators, and members of Congress, raising more than $600 million from 13 million donations.
Through it all, they leaned on their Christian faith for guidance.
“We’ve been in the trenches of the toughest political races of the last 20 years,” Kristen says. “One of the biggest spiritual lessons was learning how to slow down and wait for God’s direction. I began to ask, ‘Is it God’s will or my own?’ Real leadership is knowing how to surrender and trust.”
Listening closely led the Luidhardts to an observation: people are drawn to businesses that openly reflect values of faith, family, and freedom.
“What we saw was an opportunity to teach Christian business owners how to be bold in their faith and use their convictions to build their businesses.”
This led the Luidhardts to author the No. 1 Amazon bestseller Liberty Spenders in 2024. The book teaches businesses how to reach the $5 trillion market of conservative and faith-based clients. Its success inspired the couple to launch LibertySpenders.com and a podcast of the same name featuring guests such as Hobby Lobby CEO Steve Green and IWU President Jon Kulaga, Ph.D.
Kristen reflects on how faith and mentorship at IWU shaped her path.
“I didn’t realize we could weave faith into politics and business in such a public way. God has called us to be world changers. Our faith has given us clarity about who we are and how to build.”
Kristen Luidhardt’s advice to IWU students: “If you can be comfortable with being uncomfortable and devote yourself to knowing God personally, you will have the foundation for a life well lived.”
