About TeachPassion Summit
More Than A Conference
We often hear that the TeachPassion Summit is unlike any other conference. That’s because it is. Built from years of feedback, lessons learned, and a passion to equip leaders, TeachPassion is constantly evolving to deliver the highest ROI for every participant—and not just for two days, but for an entire year of growth.
Here's what sets us apart:
All-In Pricing—No Surprise Costs
When paying for your team, you shouldn’t have surprises in your budget. That’s why our conference uses all-in pricing. You don’t have to worry about airfare, hotels, dinners, Uber fare, and more. We’ve paid over $5,000 once we added up all the receipts to send our team to some conferences. When you commit to bringing your team, you get hotel, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and all the speakers at one low price—and when you bring 3 or more from your team, you get a discount.
Focus on getting the ROI from your investment, not figuring out how much you’re investing!
Grow Together
A lot of conferences have breakouts and different tracks for different areas of focus or development. While that can be helpful in certain situations—especially when specific training is needed—we believe that when it comes to growth and leadership development, it’s more powerful to learn together.
The separate breakout and track approach often leads to leadership learning one set of tools, language, and skills—while their team learns another. You come back speaking British English, and they’re speaking American English—and communication breaks down. Let’s break those barriers with common tools and language. Growth and development work best when it’s shared. That’s why at the TeachPassion Summit, everyone is given the same workbooks, tools, opportunities—and most importantly, we all learn together!
The One Take-Away
After each talk, you’ll be asked to submit your one takeaway —not 2, not 3, just 1. This forces you to slow down, think critically, and boil everything down to what matters most. It’s not about taking in more—it’s about clarity and focus. At the end of the Summit, you’ll choose your one big takeaway from the entire two days. Then, two weeks later, we’ll send you a list of your takeaways—your personal roadmap for the year ahead. It’s like your own Cliff Notes guide to growth, built by you, for you.
TeachPassion Half-Time
Have you ever gone to a conference and, with the best intentions, created a list of things to change? Maybe it was stop doing this, or start doing that, or do more of something else. Then you got back to the office, got swamped, took a vacation—and a year later, realized you spent all that money and not one thing actually changed. We’ve been in your shoes. That’s why we created the TeachPassion Halftime.
Included in the price is the TeachPassion Halftime, a mini-conference in Pittsburgh six months later. You’ll reunite with the friends you made at the TeachPassion Summit for a half-day experience focused on reviewing and discussing the original speakers, checking in on your “one takeaways,” revisiting your commitment letter, and writing a new one that we’ll mail to you two weeks before the next year’s TeachPassion Summit.
TeachPassion Huddles
To help keep your team inspired and working toward their goals they set at the Summit, we’ve created the TeachPassion Huddles. These are 1-hour calls (included in the all in pricing of the summit) that occur monthly during the 11 months following the TeachPassion Summit (excluding August due to the TeachPassion Halftime).
On these calls, participants will review a highlighted speaker from the summit, their key takeaways from that speaker, and discuss their progress while sharing what they’ve learned with others on the call. We want to make sure you're getting the most out of your investment and the time you spent at the TeachPassion Summit—and not allowing the busyness of life to get in the way of your progress.
We could all use a monthly reminder to refocus!
The Commitment Letter
At the closing of the Summit, you are given paper, an envelope, a pen, and—most importantly—time to write yourself a commitment letter. The only person who will see this letter is you. You are more likely to stick to the changes if you put them in writing and make it a commitment.
The best part? After you write it, seal it, and put your address on it, we’ll stamp it and mail it to you two weeks before the next TeachPassion Summit. We want to do everything we can to hold you accountable to becoming the person God has called you to be. This is just one of the ways the TeachPassion Summit helps keep your team inspired and growing beyond just the two days!
TeachPassion Spotlights
At most conferences, the only voices you hear are the big-name speakers on stage. While those talks can be powerful, they don’t always reflect the real, in-the-trenches experiences of everyday leaders.
That’s why we created TeachPassion Spotlights—a unique opportunity for any attendee to apply and share their story on stage. These are TED-style talks from business owners, team members, and leaders just like you, who are living out their values, taking bold steps, and making real impact.
We believe everyone has a story worth sharing—and hearing from peers brings practical, relatable insights that hit differently. The result? A diverse range of voices that inspire action and remind you: you’re not alone in the journey.
The Summit Workbook
Have you ever been at a conference with a compelling speaker and found yourself scrambling to keep up with the notes? Maybe you’re fumbling with your phone to try to grab a picture of the slide, or you forgot a notebook altogether. We’ve got you covered with our Summit Workbook. This workbook includes every speaker’s slides, guided questions for each session, and space for your one takeaway. It also includes the tools we’ll use together to build your intentional life plan during the Summit, plus bonus tools to support your growth after the event.
That’s not all—the workbook includes everything you might want to know about the Summit: a list of participants we affectionately call “students,” current and past speakers we call “professors,” information about the area, and more.
We want to make sure you have every tool you need to get the most out of our time together—and to continue inspiring you long after you get home.
Workshop Sessions
At most conferences, after you hear a great speaker, you’re immediately on to the next session or off networking. But do you actually get time to think through the concepts you just learned?
That’s why, after each of our speakers, you’ll participate in a guided workshop using your Summit Workbook, along with thoughtfully crafted questions to make you pause and reflect. At your round table, you’ll discuss what you’ve learned and work together to identify your key takeaways. This intentional space gives you the time to process each speaker’s message—so you get the most out of the time you invested listening to them.
The Group Dinner
We believe that to grow deeper and truly do life together, we need to break bread together. At most conferences, you’re left on your own for dinner—but not here. Our signature group dinner is a core part of the TeachPassion experience. While we’ve outgrown having it at Dutch’s at Silvertree, we still have them cater it—because they are part of what makes it so special. You’ll enjoy some of their award-winning food in a relaxed environment surrounded by new friends.
What makes this dinner truly unique is our “One Conversation” dinner format—a simple but powerful way to break down barriers and spark meaningful connection. Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, you’ll find yourself engaged in intentional, encouraging conversation designed to help us grow deeper together.
Round Tables
Our room is filled with round tables by design—not rows of tables or just chairs like many other conferences. After each speaker, you’ll participate in guided discussions (workshop sessions) with your table to process insights, share ideas, and refine your key takeaways. Growth happens through reflection—and we create the space for it. It also gives you plenty of space to use your Summit Workbook as we guide you along in your growth throughout the two days.
Guided Networking
At most conferences, you meet a lot of people—but it’s usually rushed between sessions, while you’re checking emails, or on your way to the next event. You leave thinking, “I wish I had more time to really connect.”
We’ve been there. That’s why at TeachPassion, we’ve created dedicated networking time with guided questions built into the schedule. These intentional moments help extroverts stay focused and equip introverts with the tools to confidently grow their network.
You won’t be left awkwardly wondering how to start a conversation or wishing for more time. You’ll walk away with real relationships, not just business cards.
Tools and Time to Build Your Better You
A lot of conferences have great speakers—that’s often why you sign up and pay the money. But do they actually equip you with the tools you need to make real change? Often, it’s an upsell or you have to visit some sponsor booth (we don’t have sponsors) just to get a few free resources.
At the TeachPassion Summit, each participant is given both the tools and the time to start building out their own intentional life plan—live, during the event. We don’t just want you to leave inspired; we want you to leave equipped. We all deserve to have a clear plan for a preferred future—to become the person God has called us to be.
And yes—like many conferences, we’ve got great speakers, powerful content, and plenty of snacks. But it’s everything else we’ve built around those two days that makes TeachPassion different—and worth bringing your whole team.
About TeachPassion Summit
2 Days to Inspire Your Team
The TeachPassion Summit is more than a conference—it’s a year-long journey of growth, accountability, and alignment for leaders and their teams. Built for business owners, leadership teams, and professionals across Western PA, the Summit equips you with practical tools, shared language, and intentional follow-up to help you and your team grow together. With dynamic speakers, powerful breakout discussions, and faith-driven inspiration, TeachPassion creates a space where personal development, leadership growth, and team alignment collide.
While most conferences deliver inspiration for a day or a weekend, TeachPassion is designed to create lasting change. Through a system of monthly Huddles, personalized takeaways, commitment letters, and a mid-year Halftime event, attendees stay engaged and supported long after the two-day experience ends. Whether you’re a visionary leader or part of a growing team, TeachPassion provides the clarity, structure, and shared experience to help you live and lead with purpose—together.
The History
The TeachPassion Summit began as a vision Greg Furer had to grow and develop his team outside the distractions of everyday business. Drawing from the leadership examples of his father, former employers, and his own experience attending conferences throughout his life, Greg knew he needed something different—something immersive. He believed that getting the team out of the office and into an intentional environment would allow them to focus on culture, alignment, and growth. From the beginning, everyone was invited, regardless of title or role, because Greg believed that every team member should understand the mission, how they serve, and why it matters.
Without the budget to pay for outside speakers, Greg offered early speakers, or he called them “Professors” the opportunity to return to the conference at no cost. What began as a practical solution became a defining tradition—one that attracted a growing tribe of outside thought leaders who brought new ideas, contagious energy, and shaped the direction of the entire experience.
By 2022, the Summit hit a turning point: the majority of both the content and attendees were from outside Greg’s company. The event had organically shifted from an internal training experience to a leadership development conference that others wanted to be part of—and bring their teams to experience.
In 2025, after several years of hearing the same question—“Can I bring my team next year?”—and recognizing the growing hunger for aligned leadership development, God placed a clear vision in Greg’s heart. The 7th year of the conference would become the TeachPassion Summit and be launched to the public, and it would become one of the ways to fulfill the vision he gave decades earlier to Sam Shoemaker to make Pittsburgh more famous for God than steel, TeachPassion’s purpose is to create a space where leaders and teams step away from the noise, grow in unity, and return inspired—not just for a moment, but for a movement.
Our Mission
Bringing leaders and their teams together to make Pittsburgh more famous for God than it is steel.
Our Core Values
Fully Known
We lead best when we’re known deeply.
Fully Loved
We lead with love—even when it costs us.
Fully Challenged
We push each other to grow into our God-given purpose
Doing Life Together
We weren’t designed to do life alone, so we choose to do life together!
Spirit-Led
We trust the Holy Spirit to guide the experience, our decisions, and the transformation that takes place.
Contagious Generosity
We give freely from the time, talent and treasure God has entrusted us to steward. Generosity is a spark that spreads and multiplies.
The Vision
By 2036 we will have achieved the 412 Vision.
4000 Leaders Gathered that Impact
1,000,000 Lives in Western PA Donating
$200,000 that is contagiously Multiplied
Leaders Want to Be Here
We want to add so much value to participants that leaders are coming to us for the opportunity to join our community. It becomes a sought-after opportunity for leaders in the 412 to become a professor at TeachPassion Summit. Leaders want to be here with their teams.
For Small Business Owners in the 412
Very few small businesses host a conference due to the sheer amount of time and money it takes—but also because they have no experience and don’t know where to start. We want to take what we have learned over the years and let it be a blessing to others.
We envision, as we grow, that many small businesses across the 412 will not only want to participate with their whole team as part of the TeachPassion Summit, but go a step further and host their own team the day before, just like we do.
Each company could brand it with their name. For example, a company called “Yinzers R Us” would have “Yinzers R Us University” at the TeachPassion Summit. We would handle all the logistics and work with the leader to prepare their team’s customized agenda and formulate training to meet their team’s goals.
This would take place the day before TeachPassion Summit and would consist of internal team training sessions, with each team secluded and finishing the day with a team-building event and game night—just like we’ve done for years with our team.
This would allow us to magnify our impact on the community, providing small businesses and their teams with the fire to fuel their growth and create greater impact in those they serve—strengthening the 412.
It’s More Than Just a Conference—It’s a Community
We’ve heard from so many of you, “This is more than just another conference.” You can feel it, even if you can’t fully describe it. We want these to be the dates people mark off on their calendars as soon as they’re announced. We want professors to come back each year and become part of our community. We want participants to bring their spouses to be part of the magic. We want attendees to parlay the trip into a family weekend getaway.
We envision a growing network of leaders in the 412 that creates unparalleled opportunities for connection, collaboration, and growth. We don’t want this to be just another event—we want it to be the week that supercharges your life.
TeachPassion Founders Retreat
As our community continues to grow, we plan to hold an invitation-only retreat for founders of companies in the 412. This would be a group of 12 founders who have brought their teams to the TeachPassion Summit and have chosen to do life together. Spouses would be invited and included in this experience as well. Over two days, we would go in-depth on leadership and running your company. We plan to host interactive sessions where, as a group, we focus on the core areas of a business leader’s life: health, people, numbers, systems, marketing, and faith.
This community wouldn’t stop at the retreat—it would carry on throughout the year to provide accountability, create a safe space, share best practices, solve real issues, and do life together. All while working toward our shared vision of making Pittsburgh more famous for God than steel.
Leadership doesn’t have to be lonely anymore. Our goal is to launch this in 2027.
TeachPassion Retreats
We’ve found that many leaders struggle to take time away from the day-to-day demands to work on their business instead of just in it. Having seen the power of regular clarity breaks—for self-reflection, reviewing the direction of the company, setting goals, and spending time with God—we want to create that kind of space for leaders across the 412.
In the future, we plan to develop a retreat center specifically for business leaders—a place to withdraw, reset, and become healthier, more Spirit-led leaders. It will be a turnkey space for intentional time away, but also a place where we offer guided retreats for leaders who don’t know where to start.
It’s just one of the ways we feel called to help make Pittsburgh more famous for God than steel—by helping business owners grow in wisdom, discernment, and disciplined leadership through time with God.
Partnerships
We currently do not accept sponsors, and our vision is to continue operating without traditional sponsorships. However, in alignment with our core value of Doing Life Together and our ecumenical mission of making Pittsburgh more famous for God than steel, we believe in the power of partnership.
We are actively exploring opportunities to collaborate with other faith-based organizations that are called to serve small businesses and their leaders. Our hope is to create meaningful connections between Summit attendees and trusted organizations that can help meet their needs, solve real challenges, and support their long-term growth. These partnerships, as we envision them, are rooted in relationship—not revenue. They are not sponsorships or dollar exchanges, but intentional collaborations to build something greater together.
As the Body of Christ is made up of many parts, we believe many organizations—each with their unique strengths—can come together in unity for a greater Kingdom impact. Unified, we can serve more deeply and multiply the mission we share.
Gloria Deo!
When this conference started six years ago, we could never have envisioned all that God had in store. While this is the current vision, we remain open to His will—trusting and following wherever He leads the future of the TeachPassion Summit and all the work we do to serve Him. Gloria Deo! (Glory to God!)
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
What kind of topics are best for a TeachPassion Spotlight?
We encourage talks that align with the mission of TeachPassion Summit—leadership, faith, growth, business, resilience, innovation, or personal transformation. The key is to bring fresh perspectives, share powerful stories, and challenge your audience to think differently.
Do I need prior speaking experience?
Not at all! Whether you're a seasoned speaker or this is your first time stepping on stage, our team will provide guidance and coaching to help you deliver an impactful talk.
Your Title Here
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Autem dolore, alias, numquam enim ab voluptate id quam harum ducimus cupiditate similique quisquam et deserunt, recusandae.