In this series, we’re discussing seven keys to successful business startups. The final key to success is to be generous. One of the paradoxical concepts in the Bible is that if you generously give away money for God’s work, He, then, can trust you with more, sometimes replacing far more than you gave. Bob faithfully tithed from his personal paycheck ...
In this series we’re discussing seven keys to successful business startups. The sixth key is to know the condition of your business. The owner of a chain of retail stores hired my consulting practice years ago to help their struggling business. This was a $5 million a year operation, yet, when I asked for financial information, they had no answers. ...
In this series, we’re discussing seven keys to successful business startups. The fifth key to success is to trust God rather than lenders for your funding. If God desires you to start a business, He has the ability to fund it in multiple and creative ways. Assuming that you need to borrow money, before exploring other possibilities, leaves God out ...
In this series we’re discussing seven keys to successful business startups. The fourth key is counting the cost. As a commercial lender, very few budding entrepreneurs came to me with an actual budget for their new business idea. Yet, one of the most common reasons for business failure is being undercapitalized and overextended. Most entrepreneurs are overly optimistic about how ...
In this series, we’re discussing seven keys to successful startups. The third key is to under promise and over deliver. Trust is the backbone of commerce. Many new entrepreneurs undermine trust by not being reliable. For the first meeting with a new client, try showing up early. Then, at that meeting, make a commitment to provide your next step or ...
Recently, I was a judge in an entrepreneurial pitch event for college students. My job was to listen to six startup business presentations, ask clarifying questions, then, provide feedback or recommendations. The thought and work of each of these young people was impressive. The event for me was a reminder, however, that the most critical factor in any new ...
Recently, Kathy and I found ourselves impacted by Hurricane Helene. After evacuating from the island we were visiting, we secured a downtown Sarasota hotel for three days. During the height of the hurricane, most restaurants were closed. But one ambitious pizza restaurant owner saw an opportunity due to the weather. He passed out flyers at hotels and became overwhelmed with ...
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 ...
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 ...
Upwork’s Freelance Forward 2023 Survey found that 38% of the U.S. workforce performed freelance work last year. A staggering 52% of all Gen Z workers operated as freelancers. This trend is dramatically impacting the way work is done. Leaders in today’s workplaces not only have to manage their in-house employees, now they also must navigate how to lead remote ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
