As Christian entrepreneurs, our hearts are shaped from before we were born to hurt for a particular wrong in this world. We don't know it from birth, we uncover it along the way. Entrepreneurship (God's way) is taking a risk to launch a venture that will solve that specific problem you were created to pain over. But with so many avenues to take and so many people we can help, how do we know the exact pain we were born to pour into? I've always been in the business of launching businesses, either for myself or for my clients. Before knowing anything about Christ, I've had a marketing and branding agency. But something weird happened when I started my relationship with God 5 years after launching my company. I began to "feel bad" for entrepreneurs that were coming to launch their business that I knew deep down the venture wasn't going to work out for them. Before knowing God, if you had an idea for a business, I would take your deposit and start working on whatever you had come to me asking to be done. But after knowing God, I began to question the client, "Are you sure this is the business you were born to do?" My relationship with God revealed to me a pain that I couldn't shake off: there are people launching businesses that they have no business launching. Furthermore, if this isn't the right business, then what exactly is the business he or she is supposed to be in. When we start our relationship with Christ and couple that with our vocation of entrepreneurship, God begins to shape our hearts to pain for the same things He pains for. God gives us a NEW heart-shaped like His. The Bible says "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (EZEKIEL 36:26 NIV) The first clue to deciding on a niche is carefully analyzing how when certain problems come up; your heart is moved. The movement of your new heart is one way God teaches you what is your "thing" in the marketplace. Business books call it your unique selling proposition (USP): what you and your company uniquely solve, different from every other company on the planet. Your heart is made to notice, to care, to move more for certain people (target market) and particular needs (niche problem to solve): when their needs meet, your heart is satisfied; when they aren’t, your heart hurts with their heart. For me, it would pain me to see an entrepreneur try to be everything for everyone. It wouldn't sit right if the person launching the business were doing it off of a whim, or because there's "money" to be made. When I got my new heart, I grew a passion for helping people discover what they were born to do BEFORE launching their business. We can all become conscientious of the feelings our God-first heart gives off, and begin to meet the true needs or the people we're called to help so that we can not only find their joy but ours too. Also, take note that you're not moved by the same thing I'm moved for. It means you and I were uniquely created, and not all of us are shaped to solve the same thing. A second clue to deciding on a niche is understanding that although all of us Christian entrepreneurs are created for good works, as individuals, we're not created for EVERY work. We're all called to help those in need in our marketplaces, but as individual companies, we're not called to meet EVERY need. It is especially difficult for realtors to grasp their heads around. They think because they have a license to service the entire state of Florida, that everyone is their target market. But that's impossible. I have to help them see that they were created to solve a particular niche need, and the process of deciding on a niche makes the difference between top earners and those that struggle. I have discovered my thing to do here in this world, and my prayer is that CHRIST teaches you what is yours! Don't look for your niche at a seminar or a YouTube video or because you saw someone else succeeding. Your niche will come from a heart after God's heart. Imagine if we all detached ourselves from our selfish desires and considered only our hearts. What specific group of people can we help with a particular need that uniquely moves us? That's our niche. #NewEntrepreneurs #FindMyCalling Deciding On A Niche In 4 Steps to Deciding on a Niche for your Business, join Alex Miranda as he guides you to launch a brand with intention and purpose and decide on a niche already. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

I’ve always told my clients that you don’t need marketing. As the owner of a branding and marketing agency, let me explain myself. When I tell my clients that they don’t NEED marketing, it’s because I’m trying to drive home the point that if you figure out what you were born to do, what your calling as an Entrepreneur is, what your purpose is in business, then God will magnetically attract business to you. You’ll be so “in the zone” that marketing or advertising wouldn’t even be necessary because people would talk about you so much that referrals and word of mouth would take over. But…you have to be willing to trust in your calling and drop everything else to focus on that ONE THING you were called to do. This is really a lesson on trust, and how much are we willing to trust in God and not our marketing or advertising campaigns. See, we entrepreneurs can start to rely to much on the things of this world as the provider of our happiness, success, or identity. We put so much trust in our employees, vendors and contractors as the thing that will make our business succeed. And when we start succeeding, guess what, we give credit to those things for our success. And if we fail, we ask God “why did you let me fail?” As entrepreneurs, we have trust issues. Our entrepreneurial self wants to take things in our own hands and control everything around us. But what happens when we’re in a waiting period and there’s nothing there except for God? Or what happens when we’re putting all of our eggs into this one Facebook advertising campaign as “the thing” that will really bring the business in. Or what if someone comes alongside and tells you that your business stinks and you should do something else, but you know you’ve been called to be where you are at. The good news is that God already saw this coming and made a way for us to fully trust in Him. We can’t afford to rely on the things of this world in our business. The Bible says: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God". Psalms 20:7 NIV Here is the commander of the army telling us that he doesn’t rely on chariots and horses. Back then, the strength of your army was determined by the number of chariots and horses you have. Put it to you this way. It’s like the general of the army saying we don’t rely on tanks and airplanes, we rely on God. It’s not that we need to get rid of the chariots and horses, it’s that our mind needs to understand that those are vehicles God can use, but our entire existence is not dependent on those (very important) things. It’s not only important for you to understand why trust is important in your business, but why specifically is trust important to God. Trusting God in our business is an indicator of our heart’s condition, showing where our commitment and loyalty lies. Trusting God during a waiting period, during a major setback, or during a storm of bad public relations shows Him that we count on Him, not the world. It’s trusting that when you have a choice to make things work in your business by the world’s standards or by God’s, you choose God 10 out of 10 times. We Godpreneurs sometimes to struggle so much bm for this very reason: so that we learn to trust God more. When I faced my own struggles in business, upon reflection, I can’t help but think if it was all a lesson for me to trust God more in leading my business. Was the waiting period a time for me to remove me from me, so I could be filled with God and trust Him more? Thankfully you’re reading this and getting godly counsel to encourage you to trust in God and move forward with your calling! We must hold firm to what He has called us to in our businesses. Otherwise, we would be bending to the world instead of remaining steady to the course He has marked out before us in the marketplace. Our hearts need to reflect a commitment to God. That’s our testimony to employees, vendors and contractors. Lets all choose today to be Godpreneurs committed to the calling, purpose, and God-ordained direction on our business. Like my clients who hear my explanation of why they don’t need marketing if they trust in their calling, few will choose this path. But to those that do, God will pour down blessings on your business for those Godpreneurs who are faithful, loyal, and fully committed to Him. Godpreneur Rule: A Godpreneur’s heart reflects His commitment to God. Questions Are you facing a business battle that calls out your trust? Are you in a waiting period that has you holding on to God more now than ever? Perhaps a competitor or employee is coming against you as well? Is there is a situation at the office that confronts you to operate out of trust or fear? #BusinessBibleStudy #FindMyCalling #StrengthenIntegrity

I have the privilege of meeting with entrepreneurs either before they start their business or at a big turning point in their current business.  When someone needs a logo and a website, it’s a big deal in that person’s life. We always start with a strategy session.  One of the main things I want to understand is what is the vision?  What’s the big picture here? Most will start with the END in mind.  That’s a good place to start.  We’ll work through all the products and services they see, all the markets they could serve, and where they could grow the company to. After they are done, it’s my job to K.I.S.S. them.  Keep it simple stupid.  I don’t call then stupid!  I just simplify it down to what we can do TODAY.  Not tomorrow, not 1 year from now…TODAY, right here, right now. We entrepreneurs are visionary.  We see the big picture, but some of us struggle to know the NEXT STEP.  We’re so focused looking ahead that, if we don’t take the next careful step, we could trip or fall into a ditch. How do we stay focused on what we can do TODAY? I’ve studied the missionary journeys of Paul in the book of Acts.  Here’s a man with a BIG MISSION and VISION: let all the Jews and gentiles know about Jesus.  How he did it?  Well, He let God take the lead.  He followed what the Spirit led him to do.  I’m sure he had desires to go to certain cities in the future, but the most important day was today, the current moment he was in, and being totally present to hear and provide the service he set out on a mission to do: tell people about Jesus. If you’re feeling stuck, confused, frustrated at your business, and overwhelmed by opportunity you see in the future, you need to pause and become aware of TODAY. Here’s a bible verse that, when you feel overwhelmed and don’t know what to do next, you keep it in your memory bank: "Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." (James 4:13‭-‬17 NIV) We Godpreneurs have a responsibility to balance the vision tomorrow with the mission today.  Shooting for the stars is amazing, but along the way, God has things meant to help you grow stronger in your gifts and talents. Godpreneur Rule #173: Godpreneurs see the vision of the future while having the balance to focus on the current mission, today’s goals. #EnhanceFocus #BusinessBibleStudy

In my business it’s very easy to get into the rhythm of doing project after project. People always need logos and websites.  The projects take anywhere between 2-4 days, and if you are busy like me, you could be doing work for weeks before getting a break. I also have other endeavors that are more in the space of speaking, coaching and consulting.  This side of my business also brings me tons of joy.  It’s a huge field with so much reward because I get to help many people at once, as opposed to one-on-one branding work. There’s a huge difference between doing a project for a client and creating an online course that will help hundreds and thousands. I’ve struggled for years in this constant tug of war between client work vs. the personal development space.  It’s not a matter of either or, I like doing both.  The problem is that I’m so busy with the client work that I can’t get to developing the other work that will bless so many others. Where do you think God would want us Godpreneurs? If we could admit to ourselves, some of us are stuck playing in the little league of trading time for money, and meanwhile there’s a major league of opportunity waiting for our true gifts and talents to be stirred. I have other dreams and goals that I want to accomplish.  I want to create more online courses, host more live events, speak at more conferences and write more books and blog posts. But I also get stuck in the project work. What do we do when we feel like we’re stuck in the rat race of doing work, yet there’s this other burning desire to do so much more and serve so many other people? Maybe you’re not at my point, where you’re eager to get out and teach and show others what you’ve learned. Maybe you’re still in the ‘project based’ mindset, but you too feel trapped because there’s so much more to do. Listen, God didn’t sow gifts inside of us so we could use it for a few people, he sowed seeds of greatness in us so that through us, God could do more for others. I know many people (like me) who are playing the small business client game yet they feel discontent where they are at.  They know there’s a bigger play to make, a pivot to a bigger growth opportunity, but they’re afraid: Afraid they wouldn’t have great content to contribute Afraid they’d bring on too much work, so it would all come crumbling down Afraid of failure Afraid of rejection or being made fun of by industry colleagues But what if God’s been waiting on us to trust him and take that leap of faith into this new dimension of business? Reminds me of the closing statements Paul wrote to The Ephesians, this great pep talk exit: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," Ephesians 3:20 NIV In today’s bible reading, Paul was reminding them in the end that they had a great power now, and to use that to their advantage and growth. God wants to turn you and I lose to use us for much greater things.  If you haven’t gotten this bug yet, then you will.  God’s still tweaking a few things in you, then he’ll reveal. But for those of us that have been called to this, it’s time to stand up and answer the calling of taking our gifts and talents to all new levels. Are you trading time for money when you know you have a calling to go BIG LEAGUES with something? What keeps you from using those gifts? #BusinessBibleStudy

Purpose is one of those words that people have tossed around so much, especially in the business world.  It’s hard to know exactly what it means. Is it this one foundational meaning of existence for the business that will drive sales and profit through the stratosphere? Is it what my company is passionate about or what we’re really good at?  Is it doing work that makes me happy as an entrepreneur?  Does it mean I have to help others? Let’s peel back the onion of purpose. The purpose of a hammer is to stick this nail into that piece of wood.  But this means nothing to the poor, beaten hammer unless he knows that he’s part of a bigger architectural plans to create this amazing home that a family will live in and create great memories. If I focus on my business purpose (the service I offer), I miss my business identity (the reason my idea was born). My business identity is what is given to me by my creator.  I don’t come up with my identity.  When I went to the DMV to pick up my identification card to give me permission to drive, this was issued to me by the state agency and the right was bestowed upon me to drive. In the same way, identity is handed to me by authority.  The best part is that there are no exams to find out if I can perform a 3-point turn (precisely why I failed my first driver’s test).  My identity is free and God wants nothing more than for me to uncover, discover and recover it to be used in my business. I am bigger than my business purpose.  Therefore I must focus on my identity in Christ, and living in that space of rest knowing that as I align to the workmanship that God created me for, He will magnetically attract the exact clients that I’m destined to serve. The bible says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) Identity is about me doing not just meaningless or average things in my business, but good works, wonderful things that make a difference in the marketplace. This means that my business is important and significant. I matter.  What more could I dream of? When my business life gets tough, when deals fall apart, when employees upset me, when I can’t beat the work addiction, when my competitors talk behind my back, when I feel stuck in a boring routine, its important for me to come back to God’s love for me and the amazing purpose I have through my identity in Him. I know what my purpose is: I help people find and bring to life their identity. I know what my identity is: I’m grounded in God and I trust him to reveal to me the bigger picture and guide me to living out the wonderful masterpiece I was born to do. What’s your born to do identity? #FindingMyBrand #BuildMyPersonalBrand

I heard about a bus driver that was far from being your typical bus driver. He would pick up people in Manhattan and take them over to Queens.  Same route everyday for years. Before getting off the bus, his passengers would hear him say “Now before you get off the bus I want you to leave all of your problems from the day right here so you can go home whole and complete to your families.” He did this day after day, year after year. Here is a man whose identity is NOT in being a bus driver.  Instead, he has discovered the ultimate secret in finding your calling.  He has realized that his calling is really in being the salt and light to the world.  The bus was simply the vehicle (no pun  intended)) for enacting that calling. My clients want advice on how to hear God’s call for their business lives. I’ve heard people tell me that God may not have called them to the business they are doing every day. I’ve had friends worry that they have missed their entrepreneurial calling. I long for the same sense of purpose in my day-to-day business life. I have to be conscience of choosing to find my purpose and fulfillment in something more important than my role in my organization. I’ve chosen to make the distinction between calling and business. Our business has meaning, yes. God cares about our businesses. Our products and services can benefit the community around us. Owning a business certainly functions as a tool to refine us in God’s image. Through our entrepreneurship, we use specific skills and talents to serve others. But my company is first of all an opportunity to follow Jesus—to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. That’s your calling as a Godpreneur: to love. The bible says "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 NIV God invites us to serve in the ordinary businesses we lead.  What makes a business extraordinary is when we’re able to love our clients like God loves us.  This is when we get to live our the gospel and hopefully share it with partners, vendors, contractors, employees and clients. Let God guide you to be the salt and the light in your niche. #BibleStudy #FindingMyCalling

When I first started my entrepreneurial career, I didn’t get rich quickly. In fact, I suffered for over a decade (yes, 10 years). I struggled to pay bills, keep up with school loans, and hire and keep good talent. I changed business models almost every year trying to get out of debt, enjoying life and feeling like I’ve succeeded. Maybe I could finally pay for my parent’s dinner instead of them paying for mine. Although I struggled, I refused to accept that a 9-5 job was what I needed to do. I refused to give into the comfort of a steady paycheck. As a maturing entrepreneur and growing born-again Christian, I learned to trust God, and his promises, one of which says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). And there are more promises where that came from. I meditate frequently on God’s promises. Why? Because nothing is for certain, and nothing in business lasts forever. What has been and always will be is God’s promises. During my entire entrepreneurial life, I spent much time looking for certainty and fulfillment in and through my business when in reality God is asking me to find that certainty and fulfillment in Him. He’s given me promises that say so! Praise the Lord, He brought me (and continues to bring me) through times of uncertainty and feeling purposeless. The Bible says "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." 1 John 4:4 NLT There are times when God gets you out of debt and flourishes your business and times when He allows suffering for His glory. But no matter what, you need to trust in His promises for rest, peace, and victory in Jesus’ name. Because it’s in His promises that you can find hope no matter what you go through. Our minds need to be set on God’s promises for our lives and business, in order for us to continue living in purpose and passion, even through the storm. I pray the Lord to give entrepreneurs full hope in His promises for rest, peace, and ultimate victory through Jesus Christ today. #EnhanceFocus #FindingMyPurpose VIDEO COURSE AVAILABLE! Instead of reading the blog posts, take the video course!  I personally teach you the method.  You get: Workbook 5-Video Teachings Access to dozens of courses in the Godpreneur Academy! TAKE COURSE TODAY

I’ve noticed a crazy phenomenon in my entrepreneurial career. When I get an idea to come up with something great (a marketing campaign, a new product release, a new business venture), the success of that new thing depends 100% on whether I’m 100% in or not. Let me explain. At one point I wanted to turn my business into a shared workspace. I approached it half-heartedly because I really didn’t want random strangers at my office. But I needed the money, and it sounded like I could make it work if the conditions were right, so I set out to launch it. Guess what. It started, and then it stopped. Although I went through the entire process of doing a logo, a website, emails, and even paid for advertising….my half-hearted approach yielded halfway results, and I pulled the plug. In contrast, when I started my venture Launch in 2 Days, I was 100% committed. I thought it was the best revolution in branding in our generation. And guess what? It’s been wildly successful! The difference was in my FAITH. I wasn’t “all in” for the shared workspace idea, and the results showed it. But with Launch in 2 Days, I was totally sold out to the cause. Through thick and thin, I kept on digging deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole. And guess what happened the deeper I dug? THE MOUNTAIN MOVED! Time and time again, I’ve witnessed firsthand how God can use an entrepreneurs faith in big ways in my business. In the Bible, Jesus said “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 NIV Your business idea, when starting, is a small mustard seed. You have faith that, with water and God’s nature shining on it, it will grow. The key we need to have is that we need to believe 100% that this tree will grow. Any doubt at all will prevent the tree from growing big enough to move mountains. God will use the little you have to do great and extraordinary things in and through your business. Godpreneurs ask God to give us the confidence to be bold with faith. #FindingMyPurpose #GainConfidence VIDEO COURSE AVAILABLE! Instead of reading the blog posts, take the video course!  I personally teach you the method.  You get: Workbook 5-Video Teachings Access to dozens of courses in the Godpreneur Academy! TAKE COURSE TODAY

Godpreneurs constantly ask me, “How do I know if my business idea is from the Lord, or if it’s just what I want?” I can’t say 100% for certain if a vision of mine is from God. I haven’t seen God in a dream and I haven’t heard him from the heavens audibly telling me my purpose. I’m sure some people have experienced that, I haven’t had the privilege yet. Here’s what I do know and have learned and experienced: My purpose will be bigger than I can think I can handle My purpose will never contradict the bible My purpose will scare the heck out of me. I will have fear and doubt What does this mean? It means that my purpose is NOT the opposite of this. In other words, If I can handle it on my own, I need to keep digging deeper If it goes against anything biblical, I’ll walk away If it makes me comfortable and complacent, I need to move I get tons of visions. So many sometimes that I’m overwhelmed. I think to myself “how am I going to get this all done”. That’s how I realized I had a huge calling over my life. It scares me. It drives me. It motivates me. At times I get fearful and back off, but God brings me right back into the battlefield. The Bible says in Genesis Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” Genesis 15:1 NLT When I have a vision for my business that is from God, I tend to experience an initial fear or intimidation at what is required of me, because a real vision requires faith. At the same time, the visions and dreams that God have given me for my entrepreneurial career build my faith, as I choose to obey, take risks and see Him make good on His promises. God gave Abraham a big vision. He told him, at 75 years of age, that He would give him a son, and that through him all nations would be blessed. Abraham would have been afraid. In fact, we know there were times his trust in God was weak. Yet God came through, and his wife bore a son when Abraham was 100 years old! If we want to know if a vision is from God, we must ask ourselves, “Does this require me to step out in faith?” God’s vision for our businesses will often challenge us to step out into territory that we may be unfamiliar with. Pray and seek discernment from Scripture, and look for God’s guidance at every step. Godpreneurs pray for supernatural guidance when it comes to His leading in our businesses. #FindingMyPurpose #BusinessBibleStudy VIDEO COURSE AVAILABLE! Instead of reading the blog posts, take the video course!  I personally teach you the method.  You get: Workbook 5-Video Teachings Access to dozens of courses in the Godpreneur Academy! TAKE COURSE TODAY

My purpose is to be God’s hands and feet when it comes to an Entrepreneur recognizing his or her need to come close to their creator if they want to discover their business’s higher purpose, thus resulting in the best possible brand that is presented to the world. It really doesn’t matter to me if someone doesn’t agree with my purpose in life. My purpose is God-given and Spirit-led. This means I’m doing this all for an audience of one. That doesn’t mean I don’t run things by my wife, my mentors, and my tribe of followers. I can get ‘confirmation’ and ‘refinement’ from other Godpreneur’s. But ultimately, only God will let me know when I’m successfully following my purpose. Successfully identifying my entrepreneurial purpose now makes it easier to accomplish goals and succeed in other areas of my life. I have the drive, motivation, and backing of my God. That’s all I need. The Bible says What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31 NLT The only One whose favor we desperately need in our businesses is God. It doesn’t matter what any attorney, doctor, employer, employee, friend, or family member thinks about us if God is not for us. That’s because, without His favor, we have no chance for real success! God is the ultimate measure of what’s real and what’s good for our entrepreneurial purpose. Yet so many business owners I meet with try to find contentment without Him even in the picture. I remember leading my business before Christ in my life. The only purpose was to make money and build an agency so I could look cool. There was no heart behind it. But those plans ultimately failed as I realized there is no true satisfaction in business without a relationship with God. We Godpreneurs find our contentment in God, not in how others regard us. All the accolades in the world could never make up for hearing those words at the end of your life, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Godpreneurs find our contentment in God as the ultimate measure of success in our business! #BusinessBibleStudy #FindingMyPurpose VIDEO COURSE AVAILABLE! Instead of reading the blog posts, take the video course!  I personally teach you the method.  You get: Workbook 5-Video Teachings Access to dozens of courses in the Godpreneur Academy! TAKE COURSE TODAY

reflect the divine character of God through your actions, through your products and services, and your leadership

As Christian, is it possible to have fame and fortune, yet still, be rooted in Christ? Can I be the exception to the rule that “its hard for a rich man to get into heaven?” I struggled with this because I wouldn’t mind being rich and famous, but I don’t want to miss out on heaven! So, what does PROPER AMBITION actually look like? Yes, rich business owners go to heaven all the time. The issue isn’t how much money we have, the test comes to where our heart is at. Yesterday I talked about improper ambition and using my work as a means of making a name for myself. When the Babylonians tried to build their fame and fortune, God “scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city” (Genesis 11:8). To God, the motives behind my ambition obviously matter a great deal. The bible says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 NIV 1 Corinthian also echoes how our ambitions should be set: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV Imagine a marketplace where people aren’t out for themselves and not using their creations to glorify themselves, but instead, they are laying their creations down as an offering of worship to God. Godpreneurs are called to be ambitious, to work hard, and to be good stewards of the talents God has given us. But we are called to own businesses, not for our own glory, but to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). When our entrepreneurship is motivated by a desire to glorify God, serve others, and create products and services laid down as an offering to God, then we have the proper ambition to create with everything we’ve got. #StrengthenIntegrity #EnhanceFocus

I love a good business partnership. When I can partner with someone really good in an area I’m weak at, amazing things happen. Each of us stays in our zone of genius, complementing each other so we can move the business forward. There have been some businesses that I refuse to go into without first securing a business partner. Strategically, I know I could move an idea along better if I had someone to joint venture with because they have a strategic advantage in an area I may not. This is also how I feel about my partnership with God on my entrepreneurial journey. Knowing what I know today about God’s power in every area of my business, there’s no way I would ever start a business without partnering with God. The biggest reason I partner with God is that I have so many areas of weaknesses, both personally and professionally, that having a relationship with God helps me to balance it out. Without God as my partner; I probably would have quit entrepreneurship a long time ago. We all have shortcomings in our personal and business lives. Our weakness can show up in the area of finance, sales, relationships etc. We’re not 100% perfect in every area. The danger that happens is that if we focus on our shortcomings, we can convince ourselves not to launch a certain venture or campaign simply because we don’t feel qualified to do it. Our shortcomings can kill our calling. However, God wants to partner with us and has called each of us and set us apart to bring something to life. The fact that we have shortcomings is ON PURPOSE! Why? By design, God set it up so that we rely on Him for the areas in business we are weak in. What defects, deficiencies, or drawbacks are preventing you from moving forward in your calling? God doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called. Most of us are familiar with the famous Bible verse “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) But it’s what Jeremiah responds to God that is often forgotten. Jeremiah says, “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” (1:6) What we see here is Jeremiah receiving the calling from God, yet focusing on his shortcomings and giving excuses and convincing himself that he’s not qualified. However, the verse continues. “But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord . (Jeremiah 1:7-8 NIV) Jeremiah was called and set apart by God, but He didn’t intend to leave Jeremiah there. No. God needed Jeremiah to be His physical representation on earth, while God would continue to do the heavy lifting from above. Your calling from God means He’s inviting you to co-labor with Him in the business He designed you correctly to start. Notice that He’s called us to PARTNERSHIP with Him, not for you to do it alone. Imperfect as you are, you are designed to do God’s will in your marketplace. You’re invited to partner with God to bring products and services He needs in our industries. Imagine that you were born with an instruction manual that said: “I created this entrepreneur of mine to (fill in the blank).” You were appointed. You were assigned. And you are being backed-up by the world’s greatest investor and the top business mentor with all the resources in the world. That being said, God knows your shortcomings and has already brought about the people and resources to make up for it. So what’s on your list of excuses for not pursuing your calling? The business God created us to start isn’t about our abilities as entrepreneurs, but God’s ability. When God appoints us to start a certain business or to launch a specific marketing campaign, He also empowers us to run it all. God is faithful and will provide us Godpreneurs all that we need. He will work through us—weaknesses and all. It’s our weaknesses in business that help us to see God working in our businesses. Imagine if we all took a new view of our failings, faults, and flaws in business, knowing that the power of Christ is all we need for the Godpreneurial journey. His power will empower us to be in our calling. Choose to embrace in the fact that Christ in you is more than enough to thrive in your calling…the dream that He put in your heart. Embrace your weaknesses in the business. Surrender your shortages; they can’t hold the calling God has on you and your business life. God has made you able; he has set you apart for His glory. No more excuses. You have all you need to do everything God has called you to do in business. #BusinessBibleStudy #FindMyCalling The 7 Calling Killers Overcome the Enemy's Plan to Steal, Kill and Destroy the Entrepreneurial Calling Over Your Life. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

I have to be honest – I like it when my business is coasting, there’s a good flow of clients, and I’m NOT launching a new campaign or doing some big change in my company. I like the comfortable times. Sometimes I think, “Why can’t my business always stay in this same place? No changes, no employees leaving, no product or service changes – just let the good times roll with no interruptions.” The only problem with my thought is that I also have the burning desire inside of me to do more and be more. I know God’s called me to new levels. I’ve seen the vision. I’ve felt the calling. But this pursuit would mean change…lots of uncomfortable change. As humans, we seek safety and comfort. We don’t want what we want. We want what we’ve known. Unless we’ve known or experienced something already in our business, we can’t predict the outcome. So rather than trying something “better,” we operate in “the best of what we’ve known.” This is why comfort is a calling killer. So many Christian entrepreneurs are stuck in “ruts,” or do not want to change even though they know it’s what would be best for them. God doesn’t operate in the familiar comfort; He’s in the business of faithful discomfort. The bible says, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NIV) The enemy wants us to seek comfort, believing that it makes us safe, but we live in a world where God’s shown us that there is no such thing as real security, unless it’s under the security of our faith. God designed us to evolve into a new way of thinking where our physical items are temporary and can be lost and broken, but our calling from God is forever. Are you seeking comfort, rather than accepting the transitory nature of the Christian way of running a business? The only way you and your business grow is by stepping into the unknown. God wants to lead you to better possibilities than you ever thought possible. The UN-comfortable-ness that you feel is good because it’s the Holy Spirit speaking to you. God wants to use your “breaking-down” feeling to produce a BREAKTHROUGH! You’ve probably gone through a long time of increasing discomfort, and now “not changing” is not an option. It’s time to PRESS PLAY on the calling you’ve known all along. God is whispering, or He’s already started screaming because you’ve gone too long! The best Godpreneurs listen even while the call is still quiet. God designed the business world to evolve, grow, expand, and change. People that stay in their comfort zone are going AGAINST God’s design. It’s no wonder things aren’t working out in their lives. Successful Godpreneurs, on the other hand, enjoy what they have, and experience it fully, because they are inherently unattached from comfort. Remember, the enemy doesn’t want you to do what God created you to do. He uses “comfort” to kill our calling. But God, through faith, is trying to show us there’s no such thing as “comfort,” which is why comfortable things don’t last, and why the faithful Godpreneurs are most “comfortable” in “discomfort.” Comfortable is just a tool the enemy uses. God is hoping we will choose discomfort. The Godpreneurial life isn’t about being “certain,” it’s about trying anyway. Comfort in business is, essentially, certainty. We can either choose to be certain about what you’ve known or certain that we’ll make the best of whatever happens because we are certain that God has our back when we’re pursuing the very thing He created us to accomplish. Christian entrepreneurs who run businesses they love live out of faith (uncomfortable), not by sight (comfort). We will always have everything we need in our businesses to do everything He calls us to do in the marketplace. It won’t be easy and comfortable, but it will be with our God who provides. Let us be faithful Godpreneurs. We are called to be faithful no matter what—even if we don’t feel like it at the moment. When you are compelled to launch a certain marketing campaign or rebrand to a new thing, move in faith. God will supply all your needs. Remember: Easy won’t transform your business, and comfort won’t challenge the status quo and bring to life what God wants to do in you and through you and your business. It’s time for you to step into the uncomfortable. I pray your business life always reflects the faithfulness of Christ Jesus, our savior. #BusinessBibleStudy #SharpenLeadership #FindMyCalling The 7 Calling Killers Overcome the Enemy's Plan to Steal, Kill, and Destroy the Entrepreneurial Calling Over Your Life. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

I’m going to list the things that stress me out the most in business. When I’m fighting with someone (a client, a partner, even my wife!) When my clients don’t pick a specific niche group of people to target with their brand (they’re not helping who they are supposed to help) When I’m not doing tasks surrounding my calling (not doing what God created me to do in my business) In each of the cases above, there’s a common thread, this is a relationship that is being disrupted, either between people or between people and God. Business is about relationships. Without relationships, nobody would buy anything from us or work with us. Without a relationship with God, how could we know what our calling is, our purpose in business, our reason for doing all of this? Why Right the Wrongs If our relationships aren’t right, it seems like nothing is right….right? And guess what? That’s by design! God made it this way on purpose. Why? Because being in the right relations with Him and with others is the entire point of the Gospel and our existence in the first place. If our goal is to get by in business, then we don’t have to worry too much about relationships with others. But if our goal is to achieve the greatness that God set out for us, then that can only happen through the right relationships. The bible confirms this need for right relations. 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. The fourth beatitude is Jesus’ case for righting our wrongs. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6 NIV) In ancient times, the word righteousness meant “to vindicate, acquit, restore to the right relationship.” So someone who would thirst for righteous was conscious of maintaining the right relationships – with God and with the people around them. The “RIGHT” Mindset One of the mindset shifts you have to make to achieve greatness in business is to genuinely hunger for right relationships for the sake of blessing others, and not to meet your own needs. You can only form proper relationships with others when you stop making all your business moves revolve around yourself – something that goes against the natural tendencies of an entrepreneur. And remember, it’s not just about having the right relations with other people, but also with God. If you’re not in your calling, the business God created you correctly to start, then something’s going to be off because you’re not honoring the relationship between the potter and the clay. If God is saying go right, and you’re going left, the relationship is broken, and something isn’t right. 3 Keys to Developing Righteousness So how can you develop a thirst for righteousness as a Godpreneur? For starters, you can’t do it with your strength. Jesus’ beatitudes are laid out in order because one must be absorbed before the other. You must recognize your need for help (Matthew 5:3), hurt for your unrighteousness (Matthew 5:4) and become more gentle-hearted (Matthew 5:5) Once you can make any bit of progress in the three beatitudes above, you will be able to hunger and thirst for righteousness in your business relationships and level up on one of the greatest qualities in highly successful entrepreneurs: the art of making right out of wrong situations. As Godpreneurs, we always need to guard our relationships with people and our relationships with God. Relationships are so important that even before we can make things right with God, we have to go and make things right with any people we’re fighting with (Matthew 5:23-24). When we make it one of our top priorities to serve God and serve others by taking a stance against injustices that disrupt relationships, we can take part in changing the landscape of the entire planet in so many areas where this is needed. In your business, are there any wrongs in your marketplace that you hunger to see, right? My prayer is for God to reveal to you how to be an instrument of righteousness in places where you have influence. #BusinessPartnerships #SharpenLeadership