We’re Not Self-Made: The Power of Weird but Relevant

What happens when your biggest struggle—being the “weird one”—becomes your biggest advantage?

How a branding strategist turned his weirdness into kingdom impact by partnering with God

Meet Kenneth Yu, a digital branding strategist from Singapore and Malaysia, whose journey is anything but conventional. From being rejected for speaking English in a small town, to writing songs for job interviews, to leading a disruptive branding agency… Kenneth learned to embrace his difference and steward it with obedience to God.

But this isn’t just about business success. It’s about obeying a whisper and watching it turn into a forest.

The Challenge

“I was always the weird one—speaking English in a town that didn’t, writing strange songs, and thinking in ways no one around me understood. I didn’t fit in church or business… but I knew God had made me this way for a reason.”

Kenneth’s early life seemed like a misfit story. But what felt like rejection was actually God’s setup. His uniqueness was the seed of his future calling.

The Turning Point

At a nearly failed Jesus Culture concert in Malaysia, Kenneth and his wife Laura were among the few who showed up. It looked like a loss—but Banning Liebscher prayed over them, calling out their destiny to create kingdom strategies.

That one act of obedience by another man - hosting the event - became a pivotal launch point for Kenneth and Laura.

How He Partnered with God

Kenneth built a “secret history” with God through daily devotion and listening.

He submitted major decisions to prayer, prophetic insight, and trusted advisors (like his wife!).

He obeyed whispers from God, even when they seemed impractical or disruptive.

Business Practices Applied

Kenneth wrote a marketing song for a job interview—and got the job with ease.

He combined world-class marketing insights with kingdom frameworks.

He avoided “creating Ishmaels” by filtering decisions through strategic and spiritual discernment.

He stayed humble, accountable, and connected to mentors with aligned values.

The Impact

Spiritual:

• Nurtured deep intimacy with God
• Recognized obedience as the highest form of success

Business:

• Six-figure salary by age 25
• Founder of Spur Press, impacting clients across industries

Community:

• Mentored others to embrace their uniqueness and steward their favor
• Bridged prophetic strategy and branding excellence

Transferable Principles

1. Nurture your secret history — Everything public starts in private.

2. Be weird but relevant — Your uniqueness is part of your calling.

3. Favor has a responsibility — Steward it wisely.

4. Obedience is success — Not every open door is yours to walk through.

5. Master two languages — The language of God and the language of the marketplace.

Share these memorable quotes:

“Be weird, but relevant. Weirdness without relevance is just noise.” Kenneth Yu (1981-2023)

“Obedience is the currency of the kingdom. Sometimes what seems like failure is the catalyst for destiny.” Kenneth Yu (1981-2023)

How About You?

Are you embracing your secret history with God?

Is your “weird” the very thing God wants to use?

Email [email protected] with your questions, comments and feedback.

[This blog post was adapted from an interview with Kenneth Yu (25 August 1981 – 30 October 2023). Kenneth’s life was a powerful example of creative excellence, courageous obedience, and kingdom innovation. His legacy continues to speak through the lives he influenced, the ideas he championed, and the love he carried for God and people.]

Coming Soon…

We're about to launch the Heaven in Business Growth Path—a new guided journey to help you intentionally and practically grow in faith, business, and kingdom impact. Case studies like this one will be part of the curated content showing you HOW ordinary people can partner with God and do the extraordinary in business.

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