The Faith Varwig Episode: How Do You Build the Future Before it Exists?
The future rarely arrives with an invitation.
Faith Varwig has built her career by stepping forward anyway, defining problems early, taking ownership, and building solutions before the industry catches up. In Season 2, Episode 7 of The B-Side with Sri, Connico President and CEO Sri Kumar speaks with Faith, founder and managing principal of Faith Group, a firm known for pushing the boundaries of aviation technology, security, and systems integration.
From starting her career as a plumbing designer to shaping how modern airports think about connectivity, data, and infrastructure, Faith’s path is anything but conventional. Long before the industry caught up, she was already asking a different question: not just how to design systems, but how those systems should evolve and serve people.
Top 3 takeaways
- Innovation starts with seeing what others don’t, then building toward it. Faith didn’t wait for the industry to define the future of aviation technology. From early work in mechanical engineering, where controls were still pneumatic, her approach has always been forward-looking – even when the tools didn’t yet exist.
- The best decisions come from many voices and a willingness to fail fast. For Faith, that means diverse perspectives instead of a single point of view, rapid idea testing, and continuous learning. Not every idea works – but progress depends on trying, adjusting, and moving forward.
- Empowerment isn’t a philosophy; it’s a system. Faith’s leadership model is rooted in trust, ownership, and visibility. By encouraging employees to think and act like owners, she’s built a culture where people are expected – and enabled – to grow.
“You plant the seeds, you water them, and then you trust that something will grow.”
- Faith Varwig
Grow people. Improve the industry. Repeat.
This episode challenges the idea that leadership is about control. Faith offers a different model, one where success is built by trusting others and creating space for people to step up. When leadership is ruled by empowerment, growth isn’t limited to one path. It multiplies.
Love this episode? Follow the podcast! You can listen to other conversations like this with leaders and creators who are trying to make the world a better place on The B-Side with Sri.
Flip the record. Press play. We’ll see you on The B-Side.
