Business Development

Tough Questions

2024-08-09T11:25:21-05:00August 14th, 2024|Tags: , , |

A friend of mine had history with a publicly traded company that had invested heavily in a DEI program. He believed their program was harming the business. He called a board member to ask a simple but profound question. “What problem were you trying to solve with this program?” The program has since been discontinued. Many businesses get caught ...

Small Business Stewardship

2024-08-09T11:04:51-05:00August 6th, 2024|Tags: , , |

When I was a banker I worked with hundreds of small businesses, most of whom never had a budget for their business. They sometimes pulled together projections to obtain a loan, but they rarely used them for comparison purposes later.  Although a budget is simply a tool to help you compare your original expectations to your actual results, it ...

Continuously Improving

2024-08-09T12:08:01-05:00July 10th, 2024|Tags: , , |

Many organizations, including our ministry, use surveys to determine ways to improve their services. The tension is determining legitimate issues that need to be addressed versus those multiple issues raised by rare people, who I like to say, “have the spiritual gift of criticism.”  In Acts 6, the Apostles received a complaint. In verse 1 we read, “A complaint ...

Business Wisdom from James: Part IV

2024-08-09T20:30:35-05:00June 13th, 2024|Tags: , , |

When we host our Summit conferences, our hope is to change lives and to transform workplaces. Many people in attendance will hear great ideas, some will take notes, but I suspect only a few implement the ideas.  Those who do implement, however, experience great benefits, according to our surveys!  James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word and not ...

Digging for Wisdom

2024-03-29T00:28:31-05:00April 30th, 2024|Tags: , , |

My friend, Jim, in his previous CEO role, was meeting with a newly promoted store manager. Jim knew this person could have some valuable insight from his frontline experience.  But, when Jim asked this new manager for ideas to improve the stores, he didn’t receive any feedback. Jim tried a different approach.   Jim informed this new manager that at the ...

It’s Never Been Done

2024-03-28T23:56:35-05:00April 24th, 2024|Tags: , , |

“It’s never been done” is a phrase that may deter some, but for many entrepreneurs, it’s a challenge to be considered. Selling books over the internet seemed foolish to many, but not Jeff Bezos. Building electric vehicles when the world was using gas didn’t deter Elon Musk.   Even in Biblical times, no one had ever built a boat, let alone ...

Purpose and Profit

2024-03-28T23:01:29-05:00April 18th, 2024|Tags: , , |

In a Wall Street Journal editorial, Andy Kessler complains that our younger generations are looking so hard for purpose in their work, that they sometimes overlook the actual work that needs done. His article reminded me of an old adage, “You are so heavenly minded, that you are no earthly good.”  Personally, I believe that God does have a purpose ...

Shrinking the Work Week: Part I

2024-03-22T20:36:36-05:00April 1st, 2024|Tags: , , |

Senator Bernie Sanders recently proposed to change the workweek from 40 hours a week to 32 hours for the same pay. Any hours worked after that would require employers to pay overtime.  Although some data looks favorable for those companies who have shifted to a 4-day workweek, there are other factors that need to be considered.  A shortened work week ...

Rickey Hill’s Calling

2024-03-11T11:23:45-05:00March 21st, 2024|Tags: , , |

In the movie, The Hill, Rickey Hill tries to convince his father that he can glorify God by playing baseball. Rickey’s father, as a pastor, seemed to believe that the only real calling was being a pastor.  Rickey Hill overcame significant bone and spinal cord problems to become a professional baseball player with the Montreal Expos. Sadly, Rickey’s father never ...

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