With all the uncertainty surrounding both our personal and professional lives due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s easy for our minds to get filled with worry, anxiety, and fear. When we fix our eyes on the negative circumstances, we fill our minds with despair that leads to depression. But have you noticed that there’s a whole bunch of people out there that are actually excited about what’s going on with the quarantines? They lost their jobs too! They are in the same situation as all of us, however, they are joyful and hopeful throughout this season. How come two people can be in the same exact situation, however, their OUTLOOK on life is completely different? Because when we focus on God and His eternal plan, He swaps out our negative notions for His positive perspective. During the pandemic, I lost my two biggest clients and had to pause two new businesses I was launching. This represented hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost revenue. And sure, I was worried. No doubt that stress and anxiety tried to creep its way into my mind. But I’ve been trained by the Word over all of these years that in the midst of my problems, I can’t allow my thoughts to become dirty. And I know if my mind is dirty, all I can produce is mud. We’ve all experienced an incredible change in how the world operates. Things will never be the same moving forward. Some of our businesses will fail and never re-open. Some of us will lose our clients forever. This pandemic could cause us entrepreneurs to sink into an uncomfortable, shaky, and dark place in our life. But remember, sometimes God takes us to a place of solitude in order to sit us down to hear His voice! What if this was a time to press in to God and listen to His NEXT STEP for our businesses? The Bible says "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8‭-‬9 NIV) If the enemy is allowed to fill the mind with depressing thoughts, then it will be too noisy to listen to anything God has to say. You may be there today? Today, don’t just read this devotional. Let it speak to you – and then speak it over your business! Let God guide you with His counsel (Psalms 73:24), and let God take over your mind to thinking about the glorious business He has waiting for you! I wrote a blog called “Growing Through the Business Depression”. In it, I share that the way I made it out of my entrepreneurial depression was not only reading God’s word but starting my blog (Daily Godpreneur) to speak and teach the Word to others! I wrote blogs so that I could replace the enemy’s thoughts with God’s thoughts even more! The more I taught, the more I was speaking life into my mind and business. You can also develop your joy and grow your faith in business again, even in the midst of a pandemic, by speaking life into your own business, and encouraging others along that way to do the same! By verbalizing God’s promises over your business, you create room for Him to fill you with the purpose, calling and a joy that overcomes all types of depressing thoughts. The point is that you have to position your mind towards God and His calling for your business amidst this pandemic the world is experiencing. A mindset on God will lift your perspective to see the business He has created you to start, re-start, or take to the next level! There will be trouble and problems, no doubt about that. But you have the choice of looking at the problem and letting it affect you, or you having the power to help solve it! However, this can only happen if you don’t allow the problem to devour your mind. A devoured mind produces depression. In this pandemic, your mindset and the words you speak are everything! Keep your mind positive, lips pure, and only speak God’s truth over your business’s future! God wants to give your PEACE in exchange for that anxiety that is distracting you from the business He created you to focus on. God wants to take that heaviness you feel, and exchange it for His light load. He wants you to stand tall, firm in your faith, and ready to listen to His marching orders for your entrepreneurial future. He loves to see His children walking in upright obedience in His presence – free from depression. Godpreneurs worldwide need to begin our journey towards our God-called businesses, especially NOW! We have to humbly come to God as our only source of joy in business – not money or clients or the size of our companies. If our source of joy only came from the act of walking out our calling, I believe we would all develop a deep joy that is eternal. The joy is what will guard us against the enemy that lurks around, ready to devour a mind not set on God! We can’t be anxious about our business’s future. Instead, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present yourself to God and make your requests to REMOVE THE DEPRESSION to be known by God. (Philippians 4:6). Remember, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7‭-‬8 NIV) We all need to stop complaining about the economy and talking fearful thoughts with others. Let’s surround ourselves with a group of God-first entrepreneurs refusing to succumb to the circumstances and instead, are lifting up our arms in the battle towards our calling from God! Let’s not be guided by our feelings, but instead by faith in knowing the direction God wants to take our businesses in these uncertain times. I’m praying for God to teach all Godpreneurs to acknowledge His ways and to guide us all with His counsel, leading our businesses to a glorious destiny! #BusinessBibleStudy #GainConfidence Overcoming Depression in Entrepreneurship Join us on a 5-Day Plan to shift your mindset to the MORE God has for you. 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

When we’re feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed, our mind is restless. There’s no room for rest when our thoughts can’t stop. We’re up at night, tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, wondering when things will go back to “normal.” But when we stand our ground on the calling that God has for us in this world, we can rest in that assurance. God wants to exchange your dark worries for His deep rest. I have several businesses. Most were negatively affected by COVID-19 and we’ll need to ride this storm out with those. But I’m standing my ground because I know I was called into those businesses. The hope I have in the outcome of those businesses lifts me above the challenges and sits me down to rest in His purpose for me. But when we don’t have a calling and purpose to press into for rest, we fill our minds and schedule with busyness to make ourselves think we have a purpose. We get the kids ready. We knock out deadlines. We attend more church Bible studies. We make more appointments. We check off tasks. All the while, the depression still doesn’t let us…rest. 11% of Americans now take medication to treat depression. And that number will rise during and after the pandemic. It’s depressing just thinking about it. But God not only designs us for rest, but He desires for us Christian entrepreneurs to experience a deep, purpose-filled rest in Him! The Bible says, "Be still before the Lord ; wait patiently for Him and entrust yourself to Him." (Psalms 37:7 AMP) Rest was designed by God as a tool to build trust in God. His plans are perfect when we trust in His playbook. Which business is distracting you from totally resting on Sundays?  In Exodus 23:12, God says, “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.” Rest isn’t just for you, it’s for your entire team.  It’s for your family. It’s for your office, equipment, car, and all the tools that help you function. When you commit to rest, you let others rest too. What projects are you working day and night on without proper sleep?  In Genesis, God rested after creating the Earth. In Psalm 37:7, God said, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” If you’re having trouble finding room for rest in your life, examine all the projects on your plate. What can you delegate, delay, or DROP in order to make time for rest?  You’ll find that it will give you more time to focus on the project God really needs you to work on. As I conclude my series on overcoming depression for Christian entrepreneurs, I want us to make a commitment to resting in God’s calling for our business. He’s got is in the palm of His hands. The pandemic only has a hold on our businesses if we allow it.  Resting in God places our trust back in His promises! Say: “I will rest in my calling.” “I don’t have to hurry to launch a business.” “I  don’t have to worry about how the money will come in.” “All my hope in entrepreneurship is in Jesus.” “My past business mistakes are gone.” “My  sins are forgiven.” “God  is so good to me and my business.” Amen! #EnhanceFocus #ShareYourTestimony Overcoming Depression in Entrepreneurship Join Us on a 5-Day Business Bible Plan to Shift Your Mindset to the MORE God has for You. 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

How do faith and entrepreneurship mix? Christian or not, I'm sure every successful entrepreneur would say, "you gotta have faith in your product or service for it to succeed." However, is this the same type of faith we learn about in the Bible?  And how can we take our entrepreneurial faith walk more seriously so that we can reap the full benefits of a faith-filled mindset? I used to stress out about thinking of innovative ideas, launching new products, and attracting new clients. The stress would keep me up at night, stating at the ceiling, wondering if I'm good enough to succeed. This stress would take a toll on my relationships with everyone. My wife would see me working too much. My child would see me leaving home early and coming back late. My employees would hear from me less. And my relationship with God would take a lesser role. But over the last two years, I've been working on my FAITH walk. I'm not talking about my faith in Christianity. I'm talking about my faith that God will provide. Faith, as a Christian entrepreneur goes beyond our declaration that we believe in God, go to church and participate in Bible studies. Faith as an entrepreneur is 100% confidence that, when you're in your calling, God will provide.  Faith changes our language from "hoping" something will happen to expect it to happen. Faith is the gift that keeps on giving us business owners the fuel to keep on pursuing our purpose.  Since we're always taking risks by starting businesses, hiring new people, and launching new campaigns, faith-filled entrepreneurs don't hope their actions will deliver results; they KNOW God will provide. However, faith is also a hard mindset for us to understand and a challenge for us to take advantage of fully. We like results we can see, touch, and experience immediately. We like money in the bank that we can store up for a rainy day. But we're not sure how to manage a gift we can't take inventory of, yet we have an endless supply of it. The issue isn't if we have faith or not, the issue is that we miss it's deep significance and tremendous advantages in our business as we either ignore it or take it for granted.  Faith becomes an assumed quality of being Christian and starts to blend into the normal routine of our business day and we can no longer tell it's there. We have it as a card we pull out of our pocket only when circumstances call for it. A great source to go to when we want to understand faith more is the book of Hebrews.  Paul the Apostle wrote: "THE FUNDAMENTAL FACT OF EXISTENCE IS THAT THIS TRUST IN GOD, THIS FAITH, IS THE FIRM FOUNDATION UNDER EVERYTHING THAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING. IT’S OUR HANDLE ON WHAT WE CAN’T SEE. THE ACT OF FAITH IS WHAT DISTINGUISHED OUR ANCESTORS, SET THEM ABOVE THE CROWD." (HEBREWS 11:1‭-‬2 MSG) From an entrepreneurial point of view, there are three golden nuggets to pull out of this verse that you may have never realized. 1) It's not worth owning a business if you don't have faith. You'll be a big stress ball if you're always doubting yourself or second-guessing your actions. Faith is the fun in owning a business because you get to experience God's provision day in and day out. 2) Faith is your handle on what you can't see from your business plans. You can only hope for what you can't see and touch. On the other hand, faith turns entrepreneurial expectation into a surefire substance. “Can't see” usually does not fit with return on investment. However, faith makes it so. Faith turns God’s promises for your business into tangible realities. Faith turns things of the unseen spiritual world into visible things in the business world. 3) Faith is an action of obedience for God-first business owners. All the famous characters of the Bible did things out of faith, taking risks in stepping into the unknown. This should sound like entrepreneurship to you. Like they did for their ancestors, your choices in business will unlock the full benefit the gift of faith God has given you. Faith is what brings your visions to life and is the testimony to all that you trust God in being first in your business. As you make your leadership decisions, the outcomes of your faith are put into motion. As Christian entrepreneurs, faith is our most potent tool, our biggest ally, and our competitive advantage. We don't wait around for faith to show up, hoping that, maybe this time, God will come through. We've missed the opportunity of faith if we live under this false perception. Faith as a business owner is the hope of our entrepreneurial spirit. If we don't use it, then that's a choice we've made. No circumstance, situation, or setting should be able to affect our faith. Faith in action is merely choosing to run our businesses, knowing God's got us covered. If we've uncovered our calling, then bringing it to life and telling the whole world can be a faith-filled pilgrimage where our businesses serve to sanctify us and draw us closer to God. Imagine if all of us Godpreneurs chose to have the kind of faith that turns hopes and dreams into realities we can experience today. Put your action into faith in your business today! #GainConfidence

The Christmas story is full of awesome stories — Mary’s encounter with the angel, Joseph’s dreams, and the shepherds’ invite to the birth. Yet, while these stories are amazing, I found it hard to disconnect from my business in order to focus on the season. I tried devotionals, music, church services and reading plans. It was all joyful, but there was still a separation between my business and the holiday season. Until I met the wise men. It wasn't until I sat down to analyze the intriguing quest of the wise men that the Christmas story came alive to me as an entrepreneur. After a long journey, God leads the wise men to Jesus. The adventure, their actions, and the victory in finding the child gives us Jesus-seeking business owners great wisdom for approaching the Christmas season in our own unique way. Although the Holidays are a peaceful and joyful time, most of us business owners are trying to close the year strong, so it also becomes a stressful, noisy season. For many of us, the 4th quarter will determine the profitability of the entire year! How can the birth of Jesus 2000 years ago compete with the realities of meeting our numbers today? Is there a way that even the busiest of entrepreneurs can both meet their holiday goals WHILE embracing Jesus and drawing closer to His peace? The keys to tuning out the noise that wants to take your focus off the reason for the season is to quiet your heart by doing as the wise men did — earnestly, joyfully, and generously adore Jesus. Today, I want to share the 3-Steps that will revolutionize the way entrepreneurs can approach Christmas. 1) Look for Jesus A wise friend once told me, "Alex, it's not that you need more money, it's that you need more of Christ." I was seeking fortune, success and a feeling of accomplishment, but God just wants us to seek Jesus. What was the wise men’s first step? Cultivating a desire for Christ’s presence. The wise men were certainly experts in astrology, authorities in their industry, and insatiable wisdom-seekers. They would have also probably been very rich and held high esteem in their own society. These leaders sought out Jesus with unexpected eagerness, all because of their hunger for God’s Word. Traveling great distances, through unknown places, they had studied the Jewish Scriptures and were stirred to the point of hunting across miles for the prophesied Messiah. “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2) The wise men were on a mission, actively searching the streets and asking anyone and everyone to find the mysterious King. Their passion was so noticeable that it even takes them to the king of the land himself, Herod. In this way, we entrepreneurs too can pursue Jesus in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle by going to the Bible. Just because it's busy, don't neglect your DAILY HUDDLE with God. The wise men were wise because they never stopped learning. They had a thirst for more knowledge which led them to the greatest source of wisdom: God as man. Year-round, Godpreneurs dive into the Scriptures like the wise men, seeing Christ’s glory and finding Him time and time again, witnessing to our respective marketplaces along the way. 2) Joy for Christ I've noticed something interesting about the day-to-day operations of running my business: the days that I do my morning devotional and huddle with God, I have a great day! I'm especially "on fire" when that day when I uncover a golden nugget from the Bible that I end up sharing on my blog or social media. However, the days I miss my morning meeting with God, I'm not as joyful and cheery. If we entrepreneurs want to experience joy during the holidays, it's going to come from, first, seeking God in the morning and then, finding Him! The wise men looked for days on their own strength, but it is by God’s power that they finally reach Jesus. What is their response when they found God's son? Great joy! “After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” (Matthew 2:9-10) The result entrepreneurs get when we search for God's wisdom daily in the Bible, and the consequent discovery of new knowledge of Christ should be rejoicing! Why? Because in His faithfulness, God has led us to Himself, giving us eternal love and hope. Our passion for the business God has called us to run is renewed daily! With all the external pleasures the holidays bring us, there is one joy that should surpass them all – an internal delight that Jesus has come, granting salvation to His people. Whatever difficulties the wise men may have experienced on their journey, they conclude it with celebratory recognition of Christ the Messiah. Likewise, whatever challenges, disappointments, or setbacks we entrepreneurs have faced throughout the year, we can finish strong by embracing the everlasting security we have in our Savior, Jesus! It is by God’s grace that you have “found” and know Jesus and are able to lead a God-first business. It is by His grace that you can always have joy, because of the gift of baby Jesus on Christmas day. 3) Give for Jesus Another wise friend of mine shared a profound Chinese proverb with me. It goes: "Me, unhappy. Others, happy." The insight is that when I'm focused on me, I'm unhappy. However, when I focus on others, I'm happy. I've caught myself trying to "get the most sales" out of the holiday season out of selfish ambition, motivated by fear or greed. But when I take the attention off my own needs in order to meet the needs of my customers, employees, or friends, I feel great. The last example the 3 wise men leave us entrepreneurs to help us experience the most out of the holiday season is that they jubilantly worship and give, their goal all along. “And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11) The wise men didn’t only come to admire Jesus, but to acknowledge Him as King with offerings. They had given of their time, their energy, their resources, their very selves in this journey of seeking Jesus. Their quest culminates in this moment, when they “fell down” and gave unto Him precious presents. In this season of giving, we entrepreneurs can sacrificially show Christ is King by tithing to His church, donating to charitable causes, and giving of ourselves. What will you “give” to Him this year? Will it be a larger-than-normal donation because you had a great year? Will it be volunteering for an outreach or offering your services or products for free to someone in need? How can you honor Him in worship? Perhaps it’s as simple as obeying His Word more closely and trusting His sovereignty over your business more deeply. Imagine if all of us Christ-first business owners fell down in our hearts, surrendering to Him anew as we begin a new year, continuing our own Godpreneurial journey to glorify Him. Leave your comments below on ways that you bring Jesus in your business mindset during the holidays.

Do you wake up every morning to run a business you hate, with clients and employees you don’t like, getting paid less than you're worth? Do you feel like quitting the ENTREPRENEURIAL race and going back to a 9-5? The REAL problem is you haven't found your "purpose" in business yet. Without a purpose, your business has no meaning, no sense of destiny, and no sense of specificity. The greatest tragedy in business is an entrepreneur without a purpose. But this tragedy is completely avoidable. God wants to guide us on our entrepreneurial journey. He's got a specific plan for each of us, and they are plans to succeed! Failure only happens when we choose to go our own way and veer off on our own paths. But if we do some simple shifting of our mindset, we can uncover our purpose, discover the business God created is to start and begin living a purposed-focused life full of all the riches God has already set aside for us. 1) YOU'RE NOT ALONE No entrepreneur is a mistake; not one of us is a mistake. We are sent here specifically to do something valuable. This means God has something that needs to be done that made you and your business necessary, yet most of us don't know our purpose on earth. The average entrepreneur doesn't know why they´re on planet earth. They wake up every morning to run a business they hate, with clients and employees they don’t like, getting paid less than they're worth. They're quitting on the business too soon, closing up shop from frustration because they don´t know why they exist. I discovered that the greatest tragedy in entrepreneurship is not a business shutting down. There’s something worse than a failed venture. The greatest tragedy in business is an entrepreneur without a purpose. Nothing is worse than being running a business and not knowing why. This is a tragedy to give the best years of your life to build something and still not know why you were called to entrepreneurship. That’s a tragedy. Without a purpose, the business has no meaning, no sense of destiny, and no specificity. Why are me and my business here? And this is the frustration of many entrepreneurs. Millions of business owners are searching for their purpose and their brand - the "why" of their company's existence. Maybe that includes you? 2) GOD AS YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL GUIDE God has a will and a plan for all of us entrepreneurs. Don't ever listen to clients, loved ones, or even your own internal voice tell you your business is unimportant. Anytime you feel unimportant, immediately think, "Jesus died so that I could be free to pursue the business God created me to start! And He didn't just die for me, He died for all the clients, employees, vendors, contractors, prospects, and competitors I'll be doing business with!" God knows all about your background and all the fears you would bring up. You think God can't use you, you're not good at business, or you don't have enough money. God knows all about you. He knew what business you would run before you were even born, and this means has a will and a plan for all of our business visions. The tragedy is that most entrepreneurs will never think about business from a "God" perspective. They were never told that entrepreneurship is God using humans to solve a problem and fulfill an unmet need in this world. They never thought about it from God's point of view - that God had a special plan for their business life. Yes, He does have a blueprint already laid out! 3) GOD'S HAS A BUSINESS PLAN So, what’s God's plan for your entrepreneurial life? Have you ever asked him? Proverbs 3:5-6, for example, one of my favorite passages says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Just trust him, see what he’ll do when you simply ASK, "God, what's my entrepreneurial purpose? What problem am I here to solve? What business do YOU want me to start?" God desires the best for your entrepreneurial journey. And if you're lost, confused, and overwhelmed, then your starting point is to tell Him: “Lord, I don´t know what you can do, or how you're going to do it, but God here I am, Father, take me like I am." 4) GOD'S PATH TO YOUR SUCCESS In Jeremiah 29 verse 11, God says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." God already finished you before He started you! God already created the business you were born to step into! It's yours for the taking! The bible says God cared for you before you were born. Isaiah 46:3 continues, "I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." This means God knew you'd be an entrepreneur one day, and because of that, He's going to take care of that business! Verse 10 continues, "Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish." God says He plans an entrepreneur's future before it even happens. Why? So that we would realize that we have an opportunity to PARTNER with Him to bring the visions to life. He's going to do it with or without us. What do you think He prefers? Here’s the good news: God would not allow you to have been conceived in your mother’s womb unless there was a business already finished that you were born to start. That means your choice of becoming an entrepreneur was not a mistake! You are starting a destined business that's already finished. God never begins with the beginning; he begins with the end, then He begins. Your success is already finished! Only you have the unique DNA God has designed to carry out a certain business He predestined for you to start and operate in. Here’s what Ephesians 2:10 says: “For we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance to do,” the living translation says: “For we are God's masterpiece, he has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things He planned long ago." Now stop and process that! You are God's masterpiece. Before you were born, he created you for your entrepreneurial purpose and at the same time, He created your calling not for anyone else but you. 5) WARNING: WHY ENTREPRENEURS FAIL For this reason, be very careful about comparing your business journey with others. There’s always someone who seems more successful or more accomplished than you. If you’re not careful, you can slip out of your purpose and begin imitating their calling, even without realizing it! If you look at another entrepreneur for the pattern of who you should be, you’ll miss out on discovering your calling in business. God made your gifts, talents, and specific set of circumstances so that you could travel your own unique journey. God drew up the blueprints; Jesus is who we need to look to for revelation of that plan. The secret about you existed before the world began. God didn't give you birth and then tried to figure out why you exist. He established your destiny first and then gave you birth. That means that the secret about you cannot be discerned by human intelligence or by your high school grades. How many of you have allowed your high school ranking to determine who you are? You may have been an A student or a B student or C student or an average student - and you take that score with you from high school into an average job because you think, "I can't start my own business, I'm not good enough, or smart enough. I didn't go to an Ivy League school. Well, I´ve come to tell you that’s a lie. That's not who God created. He doesn't create average things. Some entrepreneurs already have their life mapped out. Sometimes it's your parents, and so your mother is calling you rather than God calling you. How many children are living the dreams of their parents rather than God's purpose? And that´s why they’re frustrated. They’re doing things they were not born to do, to please their parents, not to please God. I say it again; no human knows the truth about you because the truth about you is hidden in God. When I study the bible, I see every single human, every last one, was different. Every single human that God met disbelieved him first - everyone! Abraham. Yes, Lord You are the father of many children Abraham was barren! Moses Yes, Lord You are a mighty warrior and deliverer Moses was a shepherd hiding from the law. David you are a king This kid was a shepherd behind the rocks! You see, the truth about our Godpreneurial calling is so incredible that we ourselves find it hard to believe. The world doesn't know who you are yet. The truth about you will defy your self-concept because the picture you have of yourself is the one that the world gave you. God's picture of you is very different. I wonder how many miracles we miss in our businesses...I wonder how many just flat out astounding things God would do in an entrepreneur's lives if we could ever get over caring what everybody else thinks and only focus on the calling God gave each of us. Listen, the God who created this world can do anything he chooses to do no matter what´s been in the past. That's who he is. You’re talking to the God who makes the impossible. Business isn’t about using God for your purposes; it’s about God using your business for His purpose. It's about the Lord Jesus showing you how you fit into his plan...and you do fit in! God has a lifetime of purpose stored up for you and me. 6) HOW TO FIND YOUR UNIQUE PURPOSE Thank God for the strength you need to be an entrepreneur. Thank him for your weaknesses, too. Weaknesses create your dependency on God throughout the life of the business. Once you understand that your strengths and weaknesses form the uniqueness of you, you’ll be well on your way to pursuing the business God created you for. So, first of all, present yourself and your business to God. Hand it all over. Then say to yourself, I am a unique creation of the almighty God! He made me alone and threw the plans away. There’s no Godpreneur like me on planet earth. He has a special thing for me to do! Maybe you’re thinking, "I´m not sure the business I'm created to start in God's plan. What if I don’t like it?" Oh, you will. It's what you were made for! This is what you were born to do! If you don´t embrace God´s plan, you´ll miss the entrepreneurial purpose for which he created you! The bible is very clear about that. This what Jesus said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world, he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life. When you follow Jesus' plan for your business, you will be walking in the divine wattage of God's light. There's no other source of ultimate purpose. All other ventures lead to darkness and futility. When you venture off, it's because you're still afraid to present yourself and your business totally to God. Do you think He'll mess up your business by telling you to launch something you don't want to do or go to some business event you don’t want to go to? By my own testimony, I can tell you that everything I ever dreamed of doing in my business, I found in God's purpose for me. I cannot imagine doing anything else than what I’ve done. As He has led me, so many of my dreams have come true! Plus, quite a few dreams I never even knew I had! I can't reiterate enough how the first step in pursuing your God-given entrepreneurial purpose is to present yourself totally to God. He loves you, he wants the best for you, and you can trust him. When you find your purpose in business, you stop chasing things that will never satisfy you. Instead, you find the joy of pursuing the next steps God has for you. Some of you have no idea what God would do for you and your business. Well, the only way you’ve ever going to know is to step out and find out. God told Abraham to leave everything you’re familiar with and go to a place that I will show you. He had to step out. I wonder how many people live with business dreams and visions and amazingly great things in their hearts, but they’re afraid even to take one step in that direction to see what God might do. You´re not waiting on God, God's waiting on you. He's waiting to give you and your business his best. Listen, if you wait till you figure it out, you´ll never do it. What do you think God will do? He’ll amaze you. #FindingMyPurpose

My mom is my biggest fan on social media. She likes shares and comments on all my posts. Although I know she's my mom, and she had biased towards me, it still encourages me to keep inspiring others through my posts. My mom's not on LinkedIn, but there are a few connections I have that encourage me and keep me focused on producing great content and continuing to engage on LinkedIn. Our best qualities as Christian entrepreneurs will surface in the presence of good, godly connections. When you are around other Godpreneurs who are industrious and focused, don’t you find yourself more inclined to work hard for the Kingdom? It’s easy to get excited about an upcoming product launch when you mastermind with a God-First creative group and can visualize where you are going. Connections on LinkedIn can bring you up or take you down, so surround yourself with other Christians who push you to be better. The Bible says "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25) When you purpose to connect with other Christians on LinkedIn, you'll be building relationships with business people who recognize your true capabilities and believe in you. So, value the relationships that generate God-inspired energy and enthusiasm towards your entrepreneurial dreams and goals. Good, godly entrepreneurs are not easy to find on LinkedIn, especially ones who are active on the platform. We have to seek it out and become part of the few so that together, we can make an impact. I formed a Christian Entrepreneur's group (Godpreneur group) on LinkedIn. Come on in and develop business relationships that encourage you, that motivates you and that celebrate you – it's a group I pray will be truly rich in business wisdom for you! To read more articles on LinkedIn, click here. #AttractingRightClients

The best relationships I've formed in business is when someone is struggling and, through my guidance, I'm able to help them make a breakthrough. Entrepreneurship is recognizing there's a problem in the market and taking a risk to solve it with a product or service. Therefore, a business owner's biggest opportunity on LinkedIn is building relationships with prospects who need your solution or others that feel the same way about the problem needing solving. The tricky part, of course, is recognizing the people that are struggling. It's easy to help when someone asks a direct question like, "I'm struggling with my WordPress website, can someone help?!" However, someone in our network may be drowning in helplessness, in loneliness, or in circumstances that have gotten out of control in their business. Our care and concern for that connection may be their only recognized hope. This is our opportunity to do God's work in the LinkedIn marketplace. The Bible says "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." (Galatians 6:1 NIV) If you want to develop strong relationships on LinkedIn, find someone to help. It's likely you'll help someone struggling with something technical that's within your wheelhouse of expertise. God designed it this way. That may open up other deeper struggles. Continue deepening the relationship with gentleness and humility. We Christian entrepreneurs will make the most impact on LinkedIn when we see the social media network as a marketplace to put our attention on people in need. To read more articles on LinkedIn, click here. #AttractingRightClients

I graduated from Cornell University in 2003. I'm lucky to be part of the generation that embraced social media because I can stay connected to friends that I had many great memories with. What's amazing is that now we're older, wiser, and thriving (hopefully) in our careers. Things would be different now if we connected on a professional level. Enter: LinkedIn The reality is that relationships die through neglect. If someone isn't living or working with us, communication isn't happening so the connections break. LinkedIn gives us the opportunity to restore once-thriving relationships through a relatively easy communication platform. God designed us to communicate with each other. God himself is a communicator, talking to us through the Bible, Jesus, and other Christians in our lives. This communication is what builds our relationship with God. This example God gives us is to show us that restoring a relationship starts with restoring communication. The Bible says "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."(Hebrews 4:12) You can use LinkedIn to restore business relationships you haven't done business with in years. Look up some old clients and talk over situations, discuss industry thoughts, and open up a dialogue about anything. This is part of the business relationship dynamic. We shouldn't expect others to reach out to us; we have to be the ones to do it first because God has CALLED us to do it. Loving others is part of our greatest commandment. We Godpreneurs have to be the ones to bring relationships with past clients into right standing again, and LinkedIn is a great place to start! To read more articles on LinkedIn, click here. #AttractingRightClients

Sometimes someone will reach out to me on LinkedIn because I announce that I'm available for discovery calls or I'm giving away access to one of my products. Whatever I'm promising, I need to make sure to deliver the goods if I don't, I've lost my integrity with a potential relationship. Integrity is so critical for us that I did entire teaching called "Conquering Integrity in Business". I dive deep into the subject of keeping our word in business because it's something I personally struggled with. Integrity in business means being truthful. It's doing what we say we're going to do. And for Christian entrepreneurs, it's especially important because our testimony is completely based on what we do. The Bible says "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12)" God sees integrity as being upstanding and honorable in all business interactions. He wants the right thing to be done every time. He demands it from ourselves and all the relationships we form. Great relationships on LinkedIn have integrity. It means you do exactly what you say you're going to do. If you make an offer or make yourself available for advice, you have to come through. Your conditions may change, a situation may arise, or circumstances may no longer be beneficial, however, you must keep your word. We can't compromise our Christian principles for convenience or advantage. Integrity in our business friendships on LinkedIn is critical because it is the foundation upon which we build trust that leads to the more that God has for that relationship. To read more articles on LinkedIn, click here. #AttractingRightClients

One of my favorite tricks on LinkedIn is to thank a random person for their wisdom. Lots of people are sharing amazing thoughts and posing great questions. I'll comment on their post or I'll reply to someone's comment of a post with a "wow, that's good stuff! Thank you for sharing!" This sows seeds into the relationship. I'm now on their radar. LinkedIn should be treated like school - we can learn by listening and asking questions. People that are active on LinkedIn are a tremendous resource because most people treat LinkedIn the same way I'm explaining in this teaching - a place to build relationships. As Christian entrepreneurs, we're already conditioned to surround ourselves with experiences and knowledge we don't have. That's why we participate in Bible studies at church. We have the opportunity to learn from the wisdom of those that have been there and done that. The Bible says "Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance (Proverbs 1:5)" Find people in your industry who can teach you. Ask them questions. Comment on their posts. Then listen closely to what they are sharing. Seek to understand their mind and heart. Make it a goal to learn something new from a person or group every day. This habit will benefit you because you'll gain Wisdom AND gain the attention of the person you're trying to connect with, therefore helping you reach your goal of growing your business through LinkedIn. In just a few weeks, your network and knowledge will expand. To read more articles on LinkedIn, click here. #AttractingRightClients

Ever feel like it's never enough? Like no matter how big the client or number of employees, you're never satisfied with your business? The bigger problem might be that we're replacing Godly satisfaction with cheap earthly offerings. We have to learn to become satisfied TODAY or we will live lives of daily regret and discontentment. How can we do this? Morning time with God is especially important for us ambitious entrepreneurs because it's where we hone in on the skill of setting aside what is fleeting, and spending time to be transformed by the eternal. “BECAUSE OF THE LORD’S GREAT LOVE WE ARE NOT CONSUMED,FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS”. (LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His lovingkindness is all we need. Let's surrender our desire for worldly attention to center on God because He is sufficient! That's what God is working on ME on right now. Anyone else going through this too?. #ArticulatingMyIdeas #WheretoStartFirst

Some of my most successful clients had a terrible LinkedIn presence when I first started working with them. I wouldn't have known that their company was ultra-successful because their LinkedIn made it seem like they weren't worth trying to get in touch with. We can't judge someone on LinkedIn solely on their profile (or lack of profile) because we might be missing a great opportunity! As Christian entrepreneurs, we're called to show love and respect for all and not judging people our businesses come in contact with. The Bible says "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24) When you're tempted to look at someone's profile only from the lens of what you "expect" a successful connection to look like, remember that they might not consider LinkedIn as important as you do, you can't make an informed decision about someone without personally connecting with them, and don't penalize someone for not having their LinkedIn skills altogether. Great relationships develop on LinkedIn when choosing to approach the community with love and grace (like Jesus would). To read more articles on LinkedIn, click here. #AttractingRightClients #RelationshipBuilding

I think I love branding so much because I get to easily talk about how God is involved in the entire process without coming across as an overzealous Christian (at least that's what I tell myself). To my employees, vendors, and contractors, I explain that my mission is to point more entrepreneurs towards running God-first businesses. This group of people will follow me closer because they get to be involved in helping more people discover their calling from God.. To my clients and prospects, I explain that the reason why we see great brands in this world is that the owners of those companies felt a "calling" to do that business. This group of people hears my service testimony of how I used to launch whatever idea the entrepreneur has. That's when I let them know that if they want to create a brand that makes money and makes them feel purposeful, we need to uncover the business God is calling them to start. We all have a story where Jesus redeemed and rescued us; we need to learn how to say it in a way that inspires our clients, prospects, vendors, contractors, and employees. Each one of these groups of people will be more excited to come alongside your "mission" if you can say it in a way that benefits their personal goals too. That's when we're in alignment and attract perfect people around us. If we Christian entrepreneurs have put God first in our businesses, then we have a story to share with others in the marketplace. The Bible says "Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies." (Psalms 107:2 NLT) God is on a redemption mission. And God knows the best way His Kingdom would travel is through telling heroic stories. What’s the right time for you to share your testimony with clients or employees? Well...when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will receive power, and you will be His witnesses on a discovery call, during a strategy session, or at lunch with a vendor or employee. It's a good idea to get together with another Godpreneur and practice preparing and sharing your business testimonies. Your brand’s “God story” is something you can even go back and share with clients you’ve already done business with. This is about EVERYONE in your network, knowing how God took your business and services to a whole new level. Make a top 5 list of past clients you could have a conversation with about their business as it relates to your NEW brand testimony. Who knows, it might even produce a sale or two! When we Godpreneurs share our God-first brand story with clients and employees we know, the gospel travels fast. When we share it with people, you don't know yet, the gospel travels far. We can use social media, YouTube, podcasts, or email marketing to blast out our testimony. God wants entrepreneurs to become marketplace ministers so the gospel can travel fast AND far. Imagine if we all took a deep and discovered how God saved our businesses and influenced our products and services, and how He wants us to share that simple before and after the story! I pray that God inspires you to be bolder in sharing your testimony in as many places in your business as you can. I pray your sales team will be receptive and also jump on the testimony train! I pray you to share this post with other Christian business owners so the Word can travel fast and far...until the whole world knows! #GainConfidence #AgencyOwners #ShareYourTestimony

Has Jesus saved your business? Did God inspire you to create a product or service? Do you feel God called you to entrepreneurship? Then you have a testimony to tell in your brand story, and I'm going to show you how to share it authentically. In 2005, I opened up my branding agency, Creative Complex. For nearly two decades, I've been guiding entrepreneurs to discover their calling in business, uncover a well-defined niche, refine their product and service offerings, clarify their message, and bring their visions to life. My agency then creates their brand's logo, website, business cards - all that good stuff needed to get out and start selling. But I wasn't always the "God First" agency owner; most people know me as. I was 25 in Miami when I started my agency, and the nightlife was my passion. I was a popular nightclub promoter. I saw that the clubs needed help with branding and graphic design, so I met their needs. We grew to be one of the most popular in the nightlife industry globally. But in 2008, a friend took me to church, and my life changed. I knew I needed to leave the nightlife world behind. I began my transformation as a born-again Christian. With the personal change came the change that would revolutionize my personal brand, my business, and the services I provide. By 2014, I had split up with my partners, dropped all nightlife clients, and completed my personal and business rebrand NOT to serve the nightlife, but instead to be God's instrument to help other entrepreneurs ALSO discover the business God created them to start and bring that new purpose-filled brand to life. God revealed that I'm not just a logo and website guy, but that I'm here to help entrepreneurs find their God-given identity. It's a completely different mindset and approach to the business I was already doing. There are two major testimonies I just shared with you directly related to my business and the service I provide: My business testimony - this one is how God moved from not being in my business at all to how He took it over. My product (service) testimony - how I discovered my calling in business and brought it to life through my service offerings. We all have to learn how to tell our two testimonies in business. We have to identify them, write them out, and take any chance we get to weave it into the fabric of every new hire, new client relationship, and new venture we do. And if you're a branding guy like me, you have to train your clients to tell their God-first stories too. It's the secret sauce of the happiest and most purpose-focused entrepreneurs and brands on the planet. The Bible says "And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die." (Revelation 12:11 NLT) A testimony has the power to defeat the forces that work against what God is trying to do - bring heaven on earth. A testimony is also a powerful transformational tool to leave the old behind, to step into the NEW that God wants to create. For me, God saved me from the nightlife niche and placed my agency in the world of helping purpose-filled entrepreneurs bring their "born to do" business. But what's a testimony if it's not shared? If nobody knew the story I just told, would my brand be as popular? Would my agency be as successful? Would I feel so purpose-driven? As I went through the same exercise you're going to go through, I was able to understand my two major business testimonies clearly, and it has magnetically attracted new prospects, helped me establish deeper relationships with my clients, and ultimately, it has shown God my obedience to what Jesus said in Mark 16:15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” (Mark 16:15‭-‬18 NLT) If we all share our testimony and help other clients do the same, we're all going to experience the miracles God wants to do through our business life and the brand we impact. #GainConfidence #AgencyOwners #ShareYourTestimony For more posts on SALES, click here.

I'm in the business of launching businesses, so there's always something to be excited and terrified about! The exhilaration of the risk, the long nights, and the successful take-off all make entrepreneurship the most exciting profession on the planet! It's fun when I'm launching a new thing, but it's when I'm NOT launching that I do my best spiritual connecting with God. I'm doing my best personal development when in between the launches, during the slower seasons, when I'm coasting and enjoying the fruits of the previous launches and looking forward to the next. We entrepreneurs will spend most of our business lives in the day-to-day operating or our businesses. These "plain" times are different than the highs and lows of good times and bad, during launches and closing up shop. The "valley" of entrepreneurship terrifies us. The "mountain-top" of business ownership exhilarates us. But the majority of the time will be spent between the feast and the famine - the ordinary times. It is where entrepreneurship can seem ordinary and mundane, however, this is the time where we can do the most spiritual growth. See, we put a lot of hope in the mountains of business ownership. That's where the gold is hidden, right? It's as if it has the secret to us FINALLY being happy and free. It's in the "next big thing" where our faith wanders off to. But after the mountains, the ordinary plain time still comes, and we're back in operation mode. Things seem boring and monotonous again. And us risk-taking entrepreneurs tend to fear the valleys. We fight to protect ourselves from pain of loss in profits, reputation, trust, and leadership. We build all these systems and processes in our businesses as to avoid the sorrow of failure from destroying us. The result is that this "in-between" time is spent either daydreaming about the next mountain or building operation to avoid failure. So, when do we sit down to enjoy the presence of God and bask in the glory of what it is to be a creator alongside God? How can Christian entrepreneurs learn not to neglect the quality time afforded to us during times of calm in our businesses? God gives us the "everyday" arena not to become apathetic or complacent, but instead to draw closer to Him. If we sit around waiting for what we long for and for what we fear, we'll miss where we are right now. 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’s Word says to have a grateful heart and be thankful day to day. You must embrace this perspective every day in your business. Your entire reason for being in business leaves nothing for which gratitude is not the appropriate attitude. God is the God of the day-to-day ownership and operation of your business. He's looking over your entire workday - every decision, interaction, emotion, idea, and step. And that's the BEAUTY! You're not alone! You have a partner in God to enjoy His presence and run ideas to grow your business faithfully. We Godpreneurs afford a valuable opportunity to see the Presence of God in our business lives. There is nothing more essential for us believing business owners than seeing God as the Divine Chairman of the Board of Directors in our everyday business life. Imagine if we all placed more value on the worth of our day-to-day God-first business decisions. I believe we would take more notice of the innumerable ways God is communicating with us to be our daily action guide to help us grow our influence and profits! #LaunchingMyBusiness