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As the guy people come to for logos and websites, I’ve met with many newly-formed business partnerships over the years. From realtors who came together to form a team, to lawyers that joined forces to complement one another’s services, I’ve learned a lot from these experiences to understand a bit about what it takes to succeed in a partnership. Far too many partnerships place the bar precariously low when choosing their standard for what they expect in business. This sets them up for failure. Lack of preparation before starting, fear of commitment, and disregard for God’s plan for how humans should deal with one another are all among the many things that help to lower the standard for business partnerships and fill the marketplace with more and more failed ventures. When partners arbitrarily choose how far they will carry their partnership commitments, they lower the standard for their business. A business partnership is such a serious, binding relationship, and every partner who desires a lasting and lucrative commitment must set a high standard for their joint venture that is in line with God’s design for two people coming together. I always say starting a business with someone is almost like marriage. God intended marriage to be a gift to us and something that we should cherish. But this gift is not to be taken lightly. We all know 1 Corinthians 13 as the verse read at a wedding, but that was actually written as a standard for Christians interacting with each other. Read this verse below keeping your business partner in mind: "[love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres". (1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV) A Godpreneur’s business partnership begins with a commitment to God and the person(s) you’ll be starting the business with. It is not a commitment for an hour, a day, a month, or a few years. It is a commitment for life! Well, that’s the way you should look at it. Why? Because that’s the mindset it takes to give 100 percent to your partnership. That’s the standard God desires for anything we do unto Him. It is saying that you will go through the entrepreneur roller coaster —together. It is saying that the group of you are committed—you, your partner(s), and God. It is having a no-quit attitude. It is being willing to fight for your partnership. If you can raise the bar and aim high for God’s plan for your partnership, the chances of your having a successful business are great. The highest standard for your partnership has already been set by God; reaffirm your commitment to that as your standard today! How can you purpose bring God into your business partnership? Leave a comment below. #BusinessBibleStudy #BusinessPartnerships Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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 been doing CrossFit since 2010. It’s a full-body workout that requires every ounce of your attention and commitment for a period. From beginning to end, you’re supposed to give it all. Workouts could be 7 to 25 minutes long…but it feels like hell when you’re in the middle of it. I’ve quit halfway through many times because I can’t take it. The times I quit, I feel terrible because I know I didn’t complete it. The times I finish it, I feel like I’m on top of the world. There’s a saying in CrossFit that goes “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” It’s the same philosophy and mindset when we’re trying to restore the relationship with our business partners after a period of fighting. Whether we’ve been fighting for hours or years, choosing to fight well and restore the union is the only way the business will succeed. When we’re in the middle of a fight with our business partners, and we’re looking to resolve that issue we have, it’s important to know that it’s easier to start the restoration process than to finish it. Halfway through, we want to quit. An issue will resurface that threatens the entire process and send us back into the crazy cycle. Or, even worst, we think we’ve resolved the issue when the problem is much deeper and more work needs to be done to uproot the problem, but we believe we are good to move on and keep running the business. The bible says: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". Galatians 6:9 NIV Don’t quit halfway through your recovery with your business partner. When a business partnership is in need of healing, you might think to work through conflict until the pain goes away, especially since there are a business to run and mouths to feed. Just make sure the deeper issues causing the trouble are corrected. We should not quit halfway through a resolving of a fight with our partners. With God’s help, we need to work on getting through the underlying problems, not just the pain they cause us and the business. #BusinessPartnerships #BusinessBibleStudy Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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

My brother passed away in 2008. He was 33, and I was 28. I was at the beginning of my entrepreneurial career. Life has been dramatically different since that day. The loss of my brother meant that partnership was over and new bonds would need to take its place. My business partners may know a lot about me. The question is: do they really understand me? As partners in business, we may have our facts straight about the person we’ve teamed up with, but knowing them on a deep level is where God wants – no – needs us to be. The bible says: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn". Romans 12:15 NIV If you’re not careful to understand your partner emotionally, you could be missing out on opportunities for tremendous growth and progress because you fail to see why they make decisions and what makes them tick. Do my partners really understand how my brother’s death affects me, even today? Do they know moments in business that remind me of him and how it affects my decision-making? If a tear comes to my eye, will they be compassionate with me? Many of us Godpreneurs in partnerships experience conflict because we treat events in our partner’s lives as facts about them. But we don’t truly understand out those moments have shaped their lives and impact their behavior in business even today. We need more than acknowledge our partners pain from a distance. Imagine if all of us Godpreneurs in partnerships were compassionate like the Lord, present with them in the midst of the emotional challenges from their past that affect the business today. #BusinessPartnerships #BusinessBibleStudy Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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

My partner and I used to get into huge fights that would last several days and span over a dozen emails. Our tirades were like an intense volley of ping pong, each hit becoming more intense as the argument picked up momentum. Eventually, one of us would begin to feel terrible about the whole incident and offer a truce so there would be peace again in the business. Every business partnership experiences conflict, but for problems to get resolved, someone has to be willing to go first in bringing the peace. Let’s be real; it’s in an entrepreneurs nature to see someone else jump first before we make a move. We need the sense of security more than others do. In business partnerships, this is especially true because we’re so focused on our partner’s behavior more than our own (read my previous blog post). So how can we develop the habit of always being the partner that will swallow their pride, look in the mirror, and be the first to bring the peace? With God’s help, of course. The bible says: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye". (Matthew 7:5 NIV) God’s always going to bring it back to you, the person of you, your own strengths and weaknesses, and your own salvation. God will handle your partner, He wants you to handle you. Why? Because of a thing called “The Crazy Cycle” that I learned in the book love and respect. Does this sound familiar: your partner admits that he doesn’t come to the office because you start micromanaging. You, on the other hand, start micromanaging your partner’s efficiency because he’s never in the office. See the crazy circular cycle? Each partner is blaming the other rather than taking responsibility for their own behavior. It’s a death cycle that kills business partnerships and takes down the whole company with it. Godpreneurs, we only have one solution: we must always be the first ones to jump in and offer the peace. We must stop the cycle and keep the ship moving towards the purpose of the business partnership in the first place. If our business partnerships need help, let’s not work on changing our partners. Instead, by God’s grace, we must consider what we can do to move our business partnerships in a positive direction. We’ll be surprised at the difference we can make when, as Godpreneurs, we take the first step. #BusinessBibleStudy #BusinessPartnerships Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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

A big turning point in my personal development in business life is when I began to take responsibility for everything around me. I began realizing things like – Yes, that client really sucked, but what did I do or not do to cause the relationship to get to that point? Or – Yes, that employee isn’t doing their job, but where did I fail in the hiring and training process? And – Yes, my business partner lashed out at me in anger, but what did I do to cause him to feel that way? When I began to take a different point of view on the circumstances around me, I could see how I contributed to the issue and made corrective measures for it not to happen again. We Entrepreneurs have a hard time seeing our reflection in the mirror. The problems in our business partnerships are difficult to resolve because one of us refuses to see him- or herself as part of the problem. We don’t recognize when we have a bad attitude or when we speak harshly toward our partner. Even when someone in the office points out these traits to us, we dent that it’s true. How do we face up to the man in the mirror, drop our pride and humble ourselves? We know we need to do this, but it’s not easy. The bible says: "Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us". Romans 12:3 NLT I think the biggest mindset shift you can make as a Godpreneur is to be confident that you are amazing, but be aware that you’re always growing and learning, and there’s always another lesson waiting around the corner. You need always to be a student, and let life be the teacher. God wants to use your business partnership as a place to mold and shape you. This means that your circumstances will always be an opportunity for you to look within and make adjustments. Maybe not so much for you, but for many of us, it’s hard for us to consider the part we play in partnership problems, especially with our egos. Consider that this could be your partner’s situation. Share this post with him or her and ask to go over it with them. But you can do this only if you have mastered the art of taking blame first. You should also consider seeing a Christian counselor. Business partnership problems are created by both partners, but, with God’s help, so are the solutions. #BusinessPartnerships #BusinessBibleStudy Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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

My partners and I used to get into big arguments. It ranged from how a particular project was handled, to fighting over roles and responsibilities, to disagreements on what a service should be priced at. But if I could do it all over again, I would argue differently. All of these topics we fought over the need to be talked about, but not the way I handled it at the time. I’m more grown up now, I’ve learned a lot in my walk with God, and my marriage has helped me tremendously on the topic of handling conflict. It’s no different in marriage than in business partnerships – HOW you fight makes the difference. We all get into disagreements with our business partners. Most partnerships are high conflict zones. It’s only natural that owning a business – when money is on the line, and reputation is at stake, and there are families to feed – produces a high-stress environment. But HOW we, as two entrepreneurs, argue will either strengthen our business or weaken it to the point of shutting down operations. So how do we argue? How do we disagree healthily? How can we have conflicting talks that build up and not tear down? The word of God has a lot to say about the way we communicate with each other. HOW we talk to each other will. Make all the difference. The bible says: "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing". Proverbs 12:18 NLT Ultimately, you’ll need to change the way you speak if you want to have a healthy business partnership and a business that thrives. Here are some key takeaways I’ve picked up along the way. Don’t Talk Like Mom or Dad A big problem in partnerships is that we argue like we’re a parent scolding our child. When you say things like “You should do this!” or “You had better do that!”, You don’t resolve anything. It makes your partner defensive. You’re acting like an authority figure over them when, really, you are both at the foot of the cross playing at the same level. Instead, you have to talk adult-to-adult. You’re both equal, no matter what the percentage split is between partners. Next time you’re ticked off about something, talk about your feelings and how the action affected you instead of offering your unsolicited advice about how you would have done a better job. With this approach, your business partner won’t feel belittled or attacked. Don’t Let Things Escalate Another tip for business partners is not to let things escalate. When you reply to an email with something more hurtful, and carbon copies others to see it, you’re making it worst. When you raise your voice and cut your partner off, you’re adding fuel to the fire. You’re a Godpreneur. Stay calm, ask questions, and listen. Remember James. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. When your business partner feels like they’ve been listened to, they’ll calm down, and now you can have a great meeting to improve whatever happened in the business to cause this argument. There are disagreements in every business partnership. Handled correctly, God can use that tension to make our businesses even stronger. #BusinessBibleStudy #BusinessPartnerships Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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 remember my partner and I would get into these nasty email wars. We’d even copy our other partner who had nothing to do with anything. The first email would be some snarky remark. Then the reply would step it up a notch. Finally, the emails would turn to anger and insults and all-out war would ensue. Upon reflection, I think I would reply with insults and anger because that’s what I felt was being delivered to me. It was only fair, right? If he could insult me, especially copying my partner, that give me the open the door to do the same back, right? Playing fair is great when you’re my toddler son learning soccer for the first time. Playing fair is okay for my kid at the park. But playing fair in business partnerships can ruin the union and friendship like it did for me. We naturally think an eye for an eye, good for good and bad for bad. Playing fair is returning exactly what was done to us. It means we give our business partners precisely what they deserve when they do something good or bad to us… …but that’s not what Godpreneurs in partnerships do. The bible says: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you". Ephesians 4:32 ESV Playing fair works for everyone when it’s nice things being done. But when you’re disrespected by your partner, that’s when the Christian is tested. You can yell and insult back. You can talk bad about them like they did about you. You can let them give him what he deserves. Unfortunately, many business partnerships operate on this premise, and it’s a significant reason why businesses of partnerships fail. But we also have the OTHER choice. As Godpreneurs, we can put aside what our business partner deserves and respond by giving them what they need – for us to rise above the offense and help them be better, not simply get even with them. We have the opportunity to express God’s grace. We can meet our business partners mistakes with a response that heals and moves the business to a whole new level. Imagine, especially if our partner isn’t Christian if we all did this? It would enable our business partnerships to grow, rather than further deteriorate. For more help on your business partnerships, visit https://godpreneur.teachable.com, and check out the many courses we’ve set up. #BusinessPartnerships #BusinessBibleStudy Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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

One of my biggest problems in business partnerships is that I want to control everything. For example, if I hire a subcontractor to do a job for me, I want it done a certain way – my way. It always ends up this way because somehow, some way, the company I’ve chosen to partner with drops the ball or something didn’t go right. And because my name is on the line, I immediately move in to control the situation to make sure I save the situation. The problem is that it eventually ruins my relationships and I have to move on to a different vendor, contractor, employee, or partner. All of us entrepreneurs want the control in our businesses. But if we use it in our business partnerships, we could lose everything. Whether it’s controlling the temperature at the office or the cleanliness of our desk, we all want our business life to function in a way that suits us. And what do we do when something doesn’t work the way we like in our businesses? We try to control it. But if we try to employ this same strategy in our business partnerships, we lose connection and brotherly love we had when we first started together. All partnerships start out great. But when we don’t feel validated and appreciated in the business partnership, anything starts to tear the group apart because controlling behavior starts coming into play. It’s our survival instinct kicking in. So we control our business partners actions to ensure we get the relationship we want. Listen, control erodes joint ventures and the unity present at the beginning, which was the very foundational reason we even got into the partnership. The Bible says: "So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up". (Romans 14:19 NLT) Do you want the truth? If you control your business partners, employees, vendors or contractors, you’re in danger of losing the relationship and business altogether. People who feel controlled will try to escape your grip. They’ll avoid you at the office or on the phone. They may distract themselves with other ventures and mentally check out. They may start to spend less time at the office or just away from you. Is this happening to you? Sounds familiar? Here’s the solution for us Godpreneurs: we need to give up the role of “overbearing boss.” We must begin cultivating a relationship of openness and brotherly love. After all, they are your brothers and sisters in Christ. We may need to seek some business counseling for this. I know, sounds like marriage therapy, right? But it’s true because I’ve experienced it myself – when business partners learn healthy ways to deal with conflict, connect regularly, and become complimentary in the way God intended for the business, a strong business bond is just over the horizon. For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, subscribe to the daily email devotional at www.dailygodpreneur.com/subscribe. #BusinessBibleStudy #BusinessPartnerships Finding Purpose In Your Business Partnership You and your business partner are unique individuals and God is creative in the way He wants to use both of your gifts together. 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

One of my most difficult challenges has been to learn to trust in the Lord with all my heart in all areas of my life, including building my personal brand. I first attempted to start a business and build my brand almost nine years ago. I remember I was just a baby in my walk with the Lord, but even so, I knew then, I wanted to build a business and a brand that would allow me to be in a relationship with women to lead them to God. Truthfully, my faith was weak. My fear of running out of time and never reaching my goals or success (I thought) were much stronger. The thought of fully trusting God in business and my life, for that matter, of letting go of the outcomes and practice letting go and trust him seemed almost impossible, especially with my type-A personality. As Christian Entrepreneurs, most of us, if not all, struggle with this. As we begin getting closer to the word of God and building a relationship with Him, we start discerning our gifts and calling; we even start feeling and being drawn to a specific group or need. However, the uncertainty of whether this is truly God calling us leads us to fear and to doubt God’s word and promises. We quickly take back the wheel and driver’s seat. We take back our control and let go of our trust in Him. God’s word and promises say to us in Proverbs 3: 5-8: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 5: 5-8) I wish I could tell you that I quickly learned my lesson to “Let Go and Let God,” but unfortunately, that was not the case. During this period, I attempted three times to follow my calling and build my business; the first two attempts were made in desperation and fear of never becoming the woman and daughter God promised. I failed. But, here is what I have learned throughout my walk and process. God’s timing is always perfect. Thank God for this truth. He knows better than us what qualifications we need to get to where he wants to take us. I learned that to grow in my faith. I must join God’s Bootcamp. I have no valid reason to doubt His word. It is so right for all of us; as we start reading the Bible and learning about God’s character through Jesus and his disciples, we see that all the prophecies found in the old and new Testaments have been fulfilled and continue to be. When He knows you’re ready, get ready. I’m living proof of this! For the past five years, I’ve practiced this; to let go of the wheel and let God lead me. Today he’s entrusted me with a business that employs seven women, including me, and we get to serve women in mortgage and real estate by identifying their born-to-do calling and building a Personal Brand that genuinely represents them and their audience. I believe that if more of us Christian Entrepreneurs sought to grow from the teachings and wisdom of the bible, our brands and businesses would stand stable on the rock; His rock. We must learn to put our eyes on the things not seen, for these are the things of the spirit that strengthens us to walk on this earth, trusting blindly in God’s Promises to us. To learn more about Trusting God and Letting go of our Control in our brand and business. Check out this podcast Episode by Divine Confidence. #FindingMyBrand #FindingMyCalling #WheretoStartFirst

Confession time. I am not really good at waiting on God for things in my business. I’m just not. I’m horrible at waiting. How about you? I am not really sure why– maybe because entrepreneurs are go-getters and we want to do everything fast. Maybe I want to be successful, faster. It seems us entrepreneurs are always wanting to go, go, go! Get things done. Go faster. Do more. Get to the finish line already. But when we’re at our most frantic pace ever, God says, “Wait a second. Slow down a little bit.” We hate waiting. We hate going slow. When something is going slow, it is easy to attribute the waiting to laziness or inactivity, or passive-aggressiveness. But did you know that waiting can also mean hoping? We’re waiting with expectations in our businesses. We’re hoping and expecting and waiting to see what God is going to do. While you are waiting for something in your business, here are 10 encouraging Bible verses about patience that will really help you wait on God. Top 10 Verses Hosea 12:6 Therefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually. Psalms 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. Psalms 37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Psalms 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious to us. Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. Jeremiah 14:22 Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not You, O Lord our God? Therefore we hope in You, For You are the one who has done all these things. Psalms 25:5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all day. Psalms 145:15-16 The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. James 5:7-8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Luke 12:35-40 Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Share this blog post with someone you think is in need of some encouragement for waiting on God! More Resources on Waiting Blog Posts: How WAITING Helped My Business Grow Born to Do – Part 3: The Waiting Period Overcoming Obstacles to Launching Your Idea – Step 1: The Miracle Waiting to Happen Staying the Course in Business: Part 7 – Humility While Waiting Course: Waiting on God in Your Business How Godpreneur Wait #GainConfidence

I’m a competitive kinda guy that played sports my whole life. That’s why when I found CrossFit, I was immediately drawn into the sport. CrossFit is a crosstraining workout mixed with weightlifting and gymnastics. I often leave the workouts sore for days, muscles in pain, hands full of calluses, and exhausted. And even though I curse at the brutal workouts sometimes, I go back for more…and more…since 2010! I look at CrossFit as the adversary inside of my mind that I have to defeat. Every time I add weight to my lifts, I see it as a new challenge I must overcome. I see CrossFit as the place where I work on breaking physical barriers and challenges so I can rise to new levels. Our businesses and marriages are like CrossFit. There are challenges we’ll need to overcome. New, often difficult circumstances will be presented to us, and we either step up to fight, or we walk away and do nothing. Sadly, too often, we’re so exhausted from running the business that we don’t have the energy to fight in the marriage or vice versa. Fear then begins to set in our hearts and paralyzes us. We don’t know what to do so we react in our natural defensive mechanisms. How should Godpreneurs react when difficulties in our marriage and business come our way? Will we start to fear or will we look at the challenge dead in the eye and attack it knowing we have God’s Word? As Godpreneurs, we have to trust God no matter how challenging our business and marriage gets. We have to fear nothing or nobody. The bible says When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?(Psalms 56:3‭-‬4 NIV) When business and marriage present a challenge, you need to REJOICE! Yes, sounds crazy, I know! But it works! God wants you to rejoice in your challenges because God’s in control and He promises to finish what He started in your business and marriage. James 1:2-4 NIV says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". You need to count your business and marriage challenges as joy because God is up to something! There’s a certain CrossFit workout that I absolutely HATE! It’s a terrible workout, and every time they announced it, I cringed and sometimes wouldn’t show up that day (I would call it my off day…). But once I learned what I’m teaching you now, I changed my mind set on that and many of the other challenging workouts. I now REJOICE when I see that workout on the board. I say fake it till you make it 😉 Now I’m getting better at that workout! I’m serious. We Godprenuers can REJOICE that God is working on our behalf in our businesses and marriages, and He’ll do it as fast as our mindsets can change! God says your challenges are done! Read Ezekiel 12:28 KJV. It reminds us, married entrepreneurs, “There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.” There is no reason to be concerned or worried about our business and marriage because God is in control. Imagine a world of Godpreneurs that walked up to our business workouts stood up to those challenging weights in marriage and greeted the obstacles with a smile and positive attitude knowing God promises to fight those battles on our behalf. Godpreneur Rule: God fights my business and marriage battles on your behalf. #MarriedEntrepreneurs #BusinessBibleStudy #GodpreneurAcademy 21 Days of Breakthroughs in Business and Marriage This course provides needed strength and faith, in the truth of God’s holy Word, for breakthroughs in both your business and marriage. 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 in the business of Branding. This means when my friends have an idea to launch a business, I’m one of the first phone calls. Since my company produces logos and websites, I’m right there at the beginning of their plans for financial freedom through entrepreneurship, even before the company even opens up. It’s exciting for me to be at this initial stage, but it’s also frustrating. Why? Because of how many phone calls I get about bringing a vision to life, I know there’s 10 of my friends just sitting on their dreams, unable to move forward and launch this new possible financial vehicle in their life. I know this is true because I talk to friends all the time who tell me “Yeah man, one day I’m going to launch this thing or that service.” Then we speak a year later, and it’s the same story – they give me the “one of these days Alex…..”. And I understand why people aren’t eager to launch businesses – it’s risky, it’s hard work, and the return on investment isn’t immediate. We all have experienced financial setbacks in our lives that paralyze us sometimes from continuing to plant seeds. We’ve been hit hard, and getting back up has been a process – some of us are still on the ground. Some of us have lost great deals of money, and risking it again is simply not an option. We’re still paying off debt and credit cards, embarrassed at losing someone’s money, and traumatized at the thought of doing it all over again. But if we don’t get back up and continue trying, we’re simply delaying the amazing things God has for us through our businesses. The bible says: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". (Galatians 6:9 NIV) We know that God is for us, and we know that there are seasons of delays, and we know that Christ’s strength will take us through anything. But how do we shift our minds to a place where we can experience the blessings of reaping what we sow? The answer is that we must launch NOW! Today is the day the seeds must be planted. We can’t wait for things to get better, we must always be planting new seeds – seeds that will produce fruit later on. But we must be patient to know that later on isn’t tomorrow – it’s on God’s Timing. Jesus says in the Bible: “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed spouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain — first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head” (Mark 4:26-29 NIV). The financial blessings of entrepreneurship will come, but we must always be planting seeds (launching our visions) with the understanding that things take time. The time between the planting and the blessing is God’s timing. Here are some examples of launching (seed planting) you can do, even if you don’t have money: Write the business plan Pitch your ideas Get quotes for cost Get a job somewhere that you know will be experienced for the future vision Start blogging (it's free) Design a free website on Wix.com and launch a service I can keep going on about things you can be doing NOW that serve as seeds being planted into your future financial freedom. The main point is that financial management for entrepreneurs will have its ups and downs, but there are things we can always be doing today that show God we are obedient to His calling and will continue to show steps of faith towards His vision for our business life. I love this Psalm for entrepreneurs: "Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them". (Psalms 126:5‭-‬6 NIV) When we’re angry, upset, or grieving over past financial mistakes and setbacks, that’s exactly the time we need just to keep launching. Keep on, because joy comes in the harvest! Godpreneur Money Rule #14 – Godpreneurs keep on launching because fruit can’t be enjoyed unless seeds were planted. #BusinessBibleStudy #MakeMoreMoney The 19 Rules of Money Management for Christian Entrepreneurs This course will help you develop a better sense of money management God’s way. 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

Life has never been fair to anyone, not even to Christian entrepreneurs, but there's an exception. Life can be fair to those who make the right choices amidst the circumstances that life brings. Life in this world is full of turbulent times, good times, and bad times, and no one is immune to these experiences. No one is smart enough to avoid running through one of them. Troubled times are no longer strange to man. They have become part of our living. Whether turbulent, troubled, complicated, perilous, or stormy times, none is a pleasant life experience. They hurt, cause pain, discomfort, stagnate, distort plans, kill destinies, leave people devastated and bewildered, and sometimes bring loss of money and business. I am yet to find one who has complete mastery over these storms. However, I have seen these difficult times leave people at different levels of impact, making them either better or worse, stronger or weaker, richer or poorer. Despite the daunting challenges these experiences present, many have come forth victorious. In my opinion, the victory was not entirely the case of "tough times don't last, but tough people do,” but a matter of making the right choices at that time. Storms in business can manifest in the forms of losses, betrayal, disagreement with partners, slow pace of business, low patronage, funding, rejection of products, loss of market share, regulatory issues, tax issues, human resources, and other variants of storms. How long the storms would persist varies, depending on nature and individual involved. The truth remains that, in the process of doing our businesses, we encounter some moments of storms described above. These are typical life experiences and are common in the business environment. It is good we understand that we can all emerge through the storms as victors. Victory over storms shows how strong we are through the strength of the Lord. We must reckon that; storms are raw materials that firmly establish the foundation of our businesses. The devil does not orchestrate all storms, but whatever the source, the Bible says of God, "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm" (Nahum 1:3 AMP). This scripture points out that although storm and whirlwind are violently stubborn and harmful, God and his power can be seen in them to control their course, to determine their operations, and to shield His entrepreneurs and businesses from being harmed by their violence. God is actively present in the storms to cause His divine purpose to be worked out for His people. Until a Christian entrepreneur understands this, the storms are likely to persist for a long time. For anyone that must have an easy way out of the stormy business experiences, he must see God at work on it, put their trust and take refugee in Him, and seek His divine guidance to act. He must also know and be assured that "He uses everything that happens to them to bring good results on their behalf" (Romans 8:28 Easy English). The application and appropriation of these truths are an easy way out of stormy business experiences. Furthermore, the Psalmist testifies, "He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So, He guides them to their desired haven" (Psalm 107:29-30 NKJV). It's incredible to know that God does all of these for His people. He is much more present than the storms to ensure the desired results are seen and enjoyed. This is another assurance that no storm can perpetuate itself in your life or business. We also saw Jesus calm the raging storm that was contrary to the peace of His disciples (Mark 4:39). He has promised never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). You cannot have a better reward than you know and apply all the above knowledge against every coloration of storms. Your insistence or persistence on them not only threatens the storms but truncates their tenure. However easy it might be to escape from storms, you must dispense patience while walking through them. By the nature of storms, you will experience a measure of discomfort, but it won't be to your destruction or eventual ruin of your business, and the discomfort is nothing compared to the glory ahead. God is mighty to see you through the stormy moments, but you have to take advantage of the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit to make the right choices per time. Imagine how sweet a victory over business storms. Imagine being at peace during business challenges. Imagine showing others how you made it. Imagine how successful our business will be because we overcame the storms. This is the state God has always wanted us to be. Let’s do the needful. The storms are over now. #DifferentiatingMyself

I love starting new projects. I believe the reason I'm in branding and not marketing is that branding is the "start" of a business. And my multiple businesses is even more evidence of my love for starting things However, I'd be kidding myself if I told you that I didn't feel overwhelmed sometimes when launching a new project. A lot of the work I do is so spiritually charged and will have a major impact on my life and the lives of others that the pressure can be immense. Oftentimes, right at the beginning of a project, the enemy starts to plant seeds of doubt in my mind; I feel alone and I'm tempted to back out. However, we God-first business owners know that God is always there at our side, ready to give His blessing that will strengthen us. The Bible says: I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:1-2) God wants to help you, but you have to lift your eyes up to Him and ask for help in your business. God wants us to acknowledge that whatever project we are launching - whether it’s a new business, a marketing initiative, or a new blog series - can only be accomplished through His power. The prayer below will help us orient our minds and hearts toward God and give him the wheel for our next major business project. It may feel weird, but if we get in this habit, we'll be guided every step of the way, thus assuring that the outcome is God's will. Father, I come before you, and through the power of Jesus Christ, I take on this new project. Consecrate this endeavor through your hands to your glory. I call on the Holy Spirit to help me execute this new initiative in a manner that honors you and puts a smile on your face. You know that I can't do anything without you; I'm powerless except through Christ who strengthens me. Lord, give me the necessary assistance to accomplish your will in the marketplace. Search me, Lord, and remove anything that would not have me observing your faithful laws of justice. Keep me free from sin throughout the execution of this project. Father, take charge of all the plans. Give me wisdom beyond my years, power beyond my own strength, and bless me with the joy of being able to serve you, once again, through the gift of entrepreneurship. You are good, you are holy, you are eternal, and my life's work is for you. Amen. #WheretoStartFirst #EnhanceFocus

I had a business partnership where this person was constantly pouring out their personal, emotional struggles on me. A very talented individual, gifted at what they do, but every conversation somehow felt like an episode of Dr. Phil. And because I was a people-pleaser with poor boundary-setting skills, I became emotionally exhausted in the partnership. On the other extreme, I had a hard business partner as a rock, stoic in every business decision, completely emotionally unattached from every move, and difficult to work with. And again, because I was a people-pleaser with poor boundary-setting skills, I allowed myself to be bullied, manipulated, and controlled. Needless to say, these two extremes were clear examples that I needed boundary-setting help in my business partnerships if I was going to have successful ventures with future partners. In my studies of boundaries in relationships, I learned that most business partnership problems we entrepreneurs face are caused by boundaries that are either too penetrable or too fortified. Let's think of our boundaries like the gates of a medieval castle – you know, the ones with the moat around it and a drawbridge that lowers and closes, allowing useful people to pass through while blocking harmful people out. Like the castle gates, the boundaries in our business partnerships should aim for that perfect balance between being receptive to positive influences and blocking negative ones. If we fail to achieve this balance, we're at risk of experiencing various issues in our business relationships. If our boundaries are too penetrable, for instance, we'll be vulnerable to absorbing a partner's needs and emotions as our own. However, if we go too far in the opposite direction and our boundaries are too fortified, we're in danger of ending up emotionally isolated and alone. My business partnership problems were caused by boundaries that were too penetrable on my end or too tight on their end. Entrepreneurs with Too Penetrable Boundaries Not only have I been in unhealthy business partnerships, but I’ve also experienced them in others as well. Because I'm in the business of launching people's businesses, I've seen all types of business partnerships. I’ve noticed that someone with penetrable boundaries will usually be partnered with someone who has fortified boundaries. Funny, huh? When I'm sitting down with the partners to develop their branding, I notice that the penetrable partner is weak, overly flexible, or poorly expresses themselves in the strategy session. I notice a lack of emotional separation, dependency, and a partner-pleasing attitude from one partner. And in some extreme cases, I've seen the partner with penetrable boundaries emotionally enmeshed and codependent on the other partner. These partnerships are weird because there’s no clear distinction between the emotional lives of the two partners. This usually happens when a boyfriend and girlfriend start a business where they spend every waking moment with one another. This also happens with parents and children that are in business together. I've experienced this many times when branding or rebranding a family business. There's continued codependency in the parental relationship that extends way longer than it should. Codependent business partnerships take the form of one person (mom or dad) dedicating everything in the business and personal life of the child. I've witnessed that this arrangement is generally bad for both parties since one side never has their own needs met, and the other never learn how to solve their problems. In both cases above, the partner who suffers from penetrable boundaries needs to reclaim their autonomy in the business. It would also be good to establish some physical and emotional distance. Maybe one works from home while the other works at the office. I believe they also need to be clear about their purpose and calling in the business. This will require some personal development, focusing on you and your gifts and talents and what you bring to the table. Entrepreneurs with Too Fortified Boundaries On the flip side of boundaries, entrepreneurs who have extremely fortified boundaries generally find it difficult to get close to their business partners. I once partnered with a stone-cold fortified business owner on a venture. I pray I don't get into one of these relationships again. This person was way too serious, never opened up to me emotionally, and did whatever it took to succeed at everyone else's expense. I thought I could help this partner realign their mindset on business and life, but instead, I was put in a losing situation. In my studies of healthy boundaries, I discovered that this former partner of mine suffered from the most extreme form of fortified boundaries by being totally emotionally distanced and could never express any vulnerability. Yet, this partner was never wrong or always too proud to admit it. I remember opening up to this person about wanting to be by their side to help them, and it has the opposite effect - this partner became more distant. The Bible says “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17) Suppose your partner is stone-cold like mine was. In that case, the Biblical solution for fortified boundaries is to purposefully express how you feel and let them know that if the partnership is going to succeed, they also need to express how they feel. The fortified partner needs to get to a point where they are comfortable asking for help and loving themselves in the partnership. Ultimately, if a fortified partner can't bring their boundaries closer to you, then it's time to end the partnership. In conclusion, healthy boundaries in business partnerships will be found somewhere between penetrable and fortified boundaries. We'll have healthy boundaries in our business partnerships once we can combine a concern for our own needs with a concern for our business partner’s needs. #BusinessPartnerships