Why We Need Haters In Business, and How to Handle Them
Updated: Dec 27, 2020
As a branding agency, my job is to launch people’s business ideas. Being in this position gives me a lot of influence in the entrepreneur’s life because what I say and do has a direct impact on the success (or failure) of the business.
Understanding this power I have is really what’s led me for most of my walk as a Christian entrepreneur. Knowing that I could point someone in the direction of their calling – regardless of their faith – has driven me to study anything and everything the bible has to say on the matter of discovering people’s calling and launching THAT business for them.
My insatiable desire to launch the “right” business for someone is what led me to create Launch in 2 Days, a groundbreaking way of bringing a brand to life in 48 hours or less.
This is a true market-disrupter. The branding world doesn’t like me right now. Other people that do logos and websites aren’t really happy with me. Customers love it, but my colleagues are hating. Why? They mainly say that there’s no possible way to come up with a great brand for someone in such a short time. They say that you need time to massage a brand’s message and that creativity can’t be rushed.
And while I can see the value in taking time for many things, and that rushing in some situations is terrible, the act of bringing someone’s calling to life is something that needs to be done fast because the devil doesn’t want that product or service to existing. See, I’ve made my Launch in 2 Days service a product that stands against Satan and his lies that keep entrepreneurs from doing what they were born to do.
And because I’ve made the brand of my business something that opposes the forces of darkness in this world, therefore, I will be persecuted by anything and everyone around me that isn’t on my side.
Haters Come with the Entrepreneurship Game
We, Godpreneurs, will all be persecuted for standing up for what we believe in our businesses. The policies we implement, our plans, our prices, our products – it will all be used against us because we’re purposing to do God’s will in the marketplace.
But how do we suffer well? How can we keep going when even the ones we love the most are against us? How can we keep fighting for what we believe is right, also when we’re alone in our battle?
Welcome to every Godpreneur’s dilemma! And who knew this was going to happen even before we would suffer? Jesus did.
In the most famous preaching ever given on the planet, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount lays out the eight beatitudes, which are qualities of the people that enjoy special favor from God. I believe these qualities are the keys to unlocking the next levels of achievements in our businesses.
But the eighth and final beatitude is different than the rest. The first seven beatitudes focused on humility, meekness, right relationships, mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking. These were all positive qualities. But Jesus foreshadows the possibility of “persecution for righteousness’ sake.”
The bible says,
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12 NIV)
Jesus knew that if you follow the first seven beatitudes, you’ll see your life change and achieve more. But because you’ll see more success, you’ll also see persecution. Haters will hate because the forces that oppose God’s ways in the business world still hold great power in the marketplace.
It sounds contrarian, but Jesus is talking about the blessing of being persecuted for doing right in business!
Why There’s Persecution in Business
But why would you be persecuted for righteousness?
The reality is many will reject us Godpreneurs because we’re in a fallen world! Jesus points out that any entrepreneur who announces God’s kingdom through their brand will be persecuted (Matt. 5:11-12).
As Godpreneurs, we may be subjected to active, even severe persecution if we stand up against injustices in the marketplace.
For me, I feel it’s an injustice for a branding agency to launch an entrepreneur’s business just because they pay me, and not take into account if this business is even the business they should be going into. Others in my industry disagree, and that’s when I get persecuted.
The good news is that my clients don’t mind it at all. Once I explain my logic to them, they agree with me! And because my clients agree with me, they bless me with their business, and I keep on doing more launches!
Bring On The Haters
Our blessing is that active persecution for the right reasons is an indication that the powers of darkness believe we are succeeding in furthering God’s kingdom!
In other words, more suffering and persecution means we’re on the right track! Hallelujah 🙌
Imagine if we all had the courage to look our haters straight in the eye and love them even more because they are helping us live out all of the qualities described in the beatitudes in our marketplaces.
Jesus, I pray for the courage to run my business in humility, meekness, right relationships, mercy, and purity of heart. Please give me the strength to be a peacemaking Godpreneur who hungers for righteousness and answers the call to reflect your kingdom’s values in my marketplace. If I am persecuted for these things by my partners, employees, clients, or anyone I do business with, may You be my comfort.