How Asking for Help Saved My Business
I’m horrible at accounting.
Ok, let me rephrase this. I took finance and accounting in Cornell and lets just say that I loved the marketing and business organization classes better.
In the early days of my company, I ran us into a lot of financial problems. Backed taxes, overpaying employees, bad accounts receivable, you name the financial mistake, I did it.
But I never admitted it to anyone. Mr. Cornell business graduate needs to know everything there is about business and can’t look like a failure.
Only my accountant knew the extent of the problems. He tried to sell me on a monthly package where I would come in for consulting but I always declined it and committed to doing better that year. Things got worst.
We have difficulty accepting help from others. It makes us feel weak, incompetent, and vulnerable. Receiving help requires letting go of my self-sufficiency – even if it’s just for a moment, its uncomfortable. Instead of feeling vulnerable, many of us prefer to hide behind a mask of confidence and capability.
Sadly, this affects our relationships with our employees, business partners, vendors who want to help, our customers, and even God. Sometimes we have it so “together” that it’s hard for anyone to see we are Christians and we need a Savior.
We may think we are being strong, but when we fail to admit our needs and struggles, our employees and partners are often reluctant to share theirs. They may feel inadequate in comparison and compelled to hide behind their own masks. This verse in the bible has helped me tremendously grow as an entrepreneur:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
When I realized that all God wanted from me was for me to admit my need for Jesus, then He could begin helping me out. Furthermore, when I showed others my need for Jesus, I was allowing God to work through them to help me out.
In 2014 I hired an accounting agency to meet with me every week. Money is an area of weakness for me, and now my employees know and they step up to help with accounting too. Since meeting with my accounting firm, my profits have gone up 4000%. Yes, you’re reading four-thousand. It’s incredible what God can do when we admit our weaknesses.
Godpreneurs, ask God to reveal where you’ve been depending on yourself instead of Him and remember He often meets our needs through others…even the lowliest employee on your team.
Godpreneur Rule #44: Godpreneurs take risks and allow others to help them in areas of major importance — maybe even one of your employees!