There's a version of the American dream that looks like working with movie stars, an Aston Martin in the driveway, and a beach house in California. Scott-Vincent Borba had all of that. And standing at a party at the height of his success, surrounded by everything he'd built, he felt completely empty, he says.
What happened next is one of the most dramatic career changes you can think of: he decided to sell everything and become a priest.
From Celebrity to the Seminary
Borba co-founded e.l.f. Cosmetics in 2004 alongside a father-and-son business team. The brand – "Eyes, Lips, Face" – hit $100 million in sales by 2014 and became one of the most recognized names in drugstore beauty. Borba served as its celebrity esthetician, building a client list that included some of Hollywood's biggest names and a lifestyle to match. He left the company in 2019.
In the years that followed, that lifestyle caught up with him. At an industry party one night, Borba hit a breaking point – and says he felt a calling to give it all up.
So he did. His fortune, his property, his vehicles, all were donated to charity. He now lives in a small room at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California where he has been studying to become a priest. He will be ordained as a Catholic priest by the Diocese of Fresno later this month.
"My life has been culled down to the bare minimum," he said. "I have never been happier in my life."
What This Says About Faith and Wealth
Borba's conversion sits in striking contrast to one of the most prominent strands in contemporary American Christianity. Prosperity gospel theology frames financial success as a sign of God's favor – a reward for faith. By that logic, a $3 billion fortune should be evidence of divine blessing, not a burden to surrender.
Borba's story turns that narrative upside down, but it's also true that the Catholic tradition he's entering has a very different relationship with material wealth.
From Francis of Assisi to Thomas Merton, the tradition is full of figures who found that stripping away possessions brought them closer to God rather than further from it. Priestly vows of poverty are not framed as sacrifice so much as freedom. Borba seems to have arrived at the same conclusion on his own terms.
He's also not the first famous person to undergo a religious conversion. But at a moment when trust in clergy is at historic lows, partly because of highly publicized cases of leaders who pursued wealth at their congregation's expense, a story about someone moving in the opposite direction proves an interesting examination.
Whether you share his faith or not, it's hard to ignore someone walking away from billions of dollars to pursue a religious calling. What would you have done in his shoes?
16 comments
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Keoni Ronald May
He truly had a calling, and, he demonstrated his true intentions, by giving up all of his worldly goods, to become a true believer of God.
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Rev Ned
Good for him!
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Patricia Ann Gross
Been there, done that. Not giving up billions, but a six figure income and a large 401K and stock portfolio to follow a calling. It hasn't been easy, as I had to finance everything, came close to bankruptcy and huge issues with imposter syndrome. Once I finished seminary I was rejected by churches, because I wanted to do missionary work rather than lead a church, so I followed with a chaplancy residency that gave me experience in spiritual care, which was my calling. I later joined an agency to work with the poor and marginalized, many of whom were unhoused, and guess what. I discovered that my missionary calling was fulfilled right in my own back yard. I have never been happier or more fulfilled, to the point that I have gone back to school for a PhD in Theology and Leadership. I am happier now than when I had money. I have faced ridicule for giving up what I had for something with less than half the "earning power," but I believe I am making the world a better place by lifting up those without voices or the strength to do it for themselves. My congratulations go to the Future Fr. Borba,
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Reverend Paula Copp
Why is this article important?
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Just a reminder to be careful. There are some real whackjobs out there.
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Sir Lionheart
I just might have missed it, did anyone say this article is important?
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ServantOfJudgement
Because it puts a cork in the mouths of anti Christians who complain about how churches spend their money or don't spend their money.
When a Christian comes along and gives his money to charity, the anti Christ's all then say......so what....
See?
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Colleen McAllister
Since I have never had wealth it is impossible to know what I would do in that situation. I do pray that Borba finds what he's looking for. It seems as if je might be on the right track.
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Rev. Miche'al Yosef Dixon
As a child both of my Grandfathers influence us that "Jesus rode a donkey and technically had no home I can't see My savior wearing thousand dollars clothes and jewelry riding around in million dollar cars living in million dollar mansions." His from two men that didn't always see eye to eye, One a Freemason (Methodist by faith) the other a simple Baptist farmer by life. I got my first Ordination as a Christian Minister expressly because I wanted to be rich like the televangelist. But during my studies I discovered truths hidden within the lies the common sects teach their followers. Common sense right in front of everyone, we arrogant species refuse to see that Yeshua pointed out and the same scripture text that been around for millennia they call "New teachings". Although this man I applaud his desire to be faithful his method is questionable. Yeshua said, "It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into Heaven." First you have to know what the "eye of the needle" is in his context. He's referring to the 2' X 5' door in a city gate for foot traffic not the hold in the end of a pin. And further the reference to getting "into Heaven" has hard cord meaning as overlooked and sugar coated it's scripturely inferred that every one will get into "Heaven" for the "Great Judgement" so to say "harder to get into Heaven" inferring some will screw up soo bad they won't even get that far. Yeshua was asked by a rich disciple, "Master what must I do to get into Heaven" Yeshua told him, "Sell what you have and follow me". Now, 99.9% of Ministers will tell you you must "sell Everything" yet that's not what Yeshua said. Peter had a house, fishing business and wife and children yet didn't sell everything, in fact Jesus stayed at Peter's House, Lazarus house, (Matthew) Levi's house. Scripture has people "Blessed" with material wealth for following YHWH's commands yet almost every one became corrupted and "Did evil in the sight of YHWH". I once became wealthy money wise from my company Artemis Entertainment, Inc. in California. My company and even my name in credits in a few cheap SYFY channel movies under the production crew. I hobnobbed with a few rich stuck up crowds and trust me they smell "new money" like sharks smelling blood. I can understand how he felt, surrounded by wealth and lonely as hell. But all those expensive things are for showing off to empress the shallow people. If YHWH led him to give it all up and be a priest more power to him. My riches were stolen by the government that is hell bent I never have a cent to my name to survive. As Yeshua proved, "No good deed goes unpunished." "What God giveth, Satan taketh away".
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Charmaine Hodges
God's calling is the greatest of all drop everything u have or what u doing and answer, you been chosen for a reason which cannot be questioned but to follow
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
God’s ‘call’ is an auditory halluciation.
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Sir Lionheart
Did you have a particular God in mind? I’m asking because mankind has created hundreds of gods throughout the eons of time. Would yours, by any chance, be the one that in your opinion is the only real god, like everyone else thinks theirs is?
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Dr Dennis Chevalier, MDiv, PhD, DDvin
you are kidding right?
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Nicholas J Page
Well it seems like. Money doesn't buy you happiness and now he's given it all away he's happier now then ever before and will be ordained later this month Good for you and I hope you find eternal happiness in your new role as a priest Gid Bless and enjoy life 😊
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Geoffrey C. Olive
Eejit!
The news this morning reported on a Meals on Wheels program in California suffering because of the cost of gasoline. Not only did they reduce the amount of food given to seniors and disabled, but the volunteers themselves are cutting back their hours because they can't afford the gasoline to get to the center. Then I found out that my local food bank has run out of money for the month, hence, one of the meal plans is not operating. My first thought was if I were a billionaire, I would fund these organizations. Sure, it's never ending but people need to eat today, not next year or when the situation improves. I also thought about what I would do with a huge amount of money and I sure wouldn't want to spend my time in court (like Musk suing Altman) or tweeting all night. I would look for where I could do the most good and also live my best life. This man made his decision and I support him and wish him well. He may be the first person to become a billionaire that isn't miserable. The rest of them sure act unhappy and frankly, a lot of them act rather insane. They think they are going to live on earth forever and spend their time and money trying to achieve it. I'm baffled by the number of people posting here that do not wish this man well. He made his money, he gave it to charity, he lived life large, and now he has been called to serve his god.