Kathy Piech wanted to bring it all together—her love of God, her desire to give back to the Church, her marketing experience. So in 2001, the 1998 graduate launched Kum-buy-yah.com, an online Christian store that offers churches nationwide an alternative to traditional fundraising avenues. Every time someone buys something, their church receives 10 percent back. “It’s also year-round,” Piech says. “It’s not like you take two months to sell popcorn. You just send the link out and encourage people to give to the church.”
The Cincinnati-based company and its subsidiary, Christcorner.com, offer a staggering inventory of 200,000 items, from $5 candles to $2,000 statues. While Piech is a lifelong Catholic, her company targets all denominations—a move that reflects her big-picture view of religion. “My philosophy is that God is like a TV set,” she says. “Everyone’s tuned in, but they aren’t all watching the same channel. As long as you’re watching, you’re part of something great.”
