Small Business Advice Blog
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April 10, 2010
Can I Truly Be A Christian Business Owner?
Absolutely. In this day and age many people feel like everyone is out for themselves and will step on anyone to get to the top. It is rare to find people with true morals who actually apply them. Below are some steps to help you maintain that atmosphere you want without sacrificing success.
First, know that God is on your side.
God loves us all, yes, but He will shine through His followers. I know that He is here for me which is why I never worry about my future or success. This doesn’t mean that I sit on my butt and wait for success to walk through my door. I just don’t worry when circumstances dictate that I should. He loves to shine through us, especially when we stand up and say that we are here and even if it costs us business we will stand and say we are followers than Christ.
Next, don’t sit on your butt.
People who think that God will do it for them are fooling themselves. He asked his disciples to follow him. It was up to them to put one foot in front of the other. You have to do the work, research, and time. He will open the right doors and close the wrong ones.Don’t get discouraged.
I speak from experience. It seems sometimes like you are on the right path for success only to have it fall apart. Then you turn around and try again only for that to blow up in your face. Every time you try you lose money, time, or faith. Know that God will and does close doors when they are not the right ones. You never know what He has in store for you and His way is always better than what we have planned for ourselves. If it blows up, it was not the right fit and He will have something better for you later. Just have faith and keep trying. Look at Joseph and how long it was before he came to know the power God had in store for him. Just keep faith and He will come through.Let others know.
Don’t worry about being politically correct. God is not, so why should we. Love all and truly love, but NEVER let anyone tell you that you can’t praise God or be an example for Him in your own business. I know I would rather be sued than to be quiet. Understand that I don’t stand on my soap box in my office, but I proudly have written on my white board in my conference room “Jesus First.” If potential clients don’t like that, then they were definitely not going to like me. I have Christian music playing in the front office. If customers don’t like it, they don’t have to stay. I never tell someone they have to be a Christian to work with me, for me, or around me but they must, absolutely understand the circumstances they will be working in or around. I am upfront and clear about my love of Christ and flat out say that if they are uncomfortable with this situation, this might not be the right fit for them.PRAY
Oh I can’t say this enough. My largest clients have come in immediately following heart-felt, cry-out-to-God praying. My husband and I pray together about our companies. If our employees wish to pray, they are welcome to and welcome to join us. If they prefer not, then they are never pressured or even asked. Prayer is a must and should be practiced daily and additionally when in need. God loves our moments when we cry out to Him. Don’t you love it when you are truly needed? God loves to see us focused on Him and sometimes this is the most He sees it. Pray, pray, pray.Be honest.
Be sure that your company has a reputation for being honest. Never sell a service or product that you can’t back, always tell the truth as much as you know, and never ever try to cheat someone to make a buck. Be sure that your name is synonymous with good, honest, reputable, and trustworthy work. This is actually a benefit for your company because there are so many people craving this type of business that they are willing to pay more for services or products that they can trust than one that is more affordable. Now, this doesn’t mean gouge your customers. It just means that being honest has it’s perks.Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.
There is nothing worse than to put your trust in someone or some company just to find out that they never backed up their promises with action. The same thing goes for Christians who claim to be such just to turn around and act like the rest of the world. My team members say all the time that they have worked for companies who claimed to be Christian companies only to have been cheated out of commissions, told they couldn’t pray or wear Christian paraphernalia to work, or play Christian music. The owners or managers never even prayed, let alone spoke about Christ, yet they were suppose to be Christian owned and operated.I love Chick-fil-a. They are such a wonderful example of a Christian-run business. They are not shy about their beliefs and yet they are a growing and profitable, national company. For the majority, the employees love working there, the managers are treated with respect, and the owner truly cares. I love it. When others say it can’t be done, they prove otherwise. Use their example and don’t just say you’re a Christian but ACT like it.
Respect all and be fair.
Be sure that there is not any hate in your heart for any nationality, competitor, or gender. If there is, there is a problem. Diversity is not only what is needed but what is good for a company. Because of the diversity in my office, we have view points from all kind of walks of life. From poor to better off, from black to white, from natural born citizens to those who were born abroad, we have it all. Because of this we have viewpoints that so many others have to pay money on focus groups to here from. I don’t mean you have to search out every nationality, but never close your eyes to the right team members that God puts in front of you. Our best sales-guy had NO sales background and blows my sales manager husband away with his unorthodox techniques that seems to work majority of the time. We love him and could not be where we are without him.Just love Christ with all your heart.
If you stay in-love with Christ, all the other things just seem to stay where they should. Because you love Him, you want to do what is right. Because you love Him, you in turn love others, your family, your life. Christ is love and that love will flow out to others not only increasing your success, but increasing the happiness of your entire company. The atmosphere is set by you. Set the right tone.
Carter Services Plus offers accounting services, bookkeeping services, payroll services, training, marketing advice, tax preparation services, and consulting among various other financial services. Please feel free to call us to set up a FREE consultation to review your current financial situation or to find out if we are the right fit for you.
