Financial Freedom Series – Build Your Own Business (Part 9)
According to the latest data from South Africa, many people are struggling to make ends meet. Even those with jobs are not earning enough to cover their living expenses.
If you are battling to find work or are in a cash flow crisis, why not consider BUILDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Over the last two months, we have looked at…
- How to find the right business fit
- How to develop the right skills and knowledge
- How to set up a business plan
- Know who your potential clients are
Your BUSINESS PLAN will improve your chances of success and help you formulate a strategy for achieving your goals while giving you clarity, focus, and confidence.
You also need to IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET MARKET. Many think it will make money if they have the right business idea, but this is often untrue. You need to ensure your business is brought to the right target audience. Without the right audience, you will battle to build your business and make money.
Today, we will look at how to market your business effectively.
You also need to MARKET YOUR BUSINESS EFFECTIVELY. The aim of marketing your business is to generate leads. Your leads are potential clients you can contact or who will contact you, people and companies who will benefit from your services and possibly buy your product or subscribe to your service.
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)
Can you use your qualifications, skills, experience, and unique gifts and talents to set up a business that provides a service? You could start small and work from home to cut costs.
Why not consider becoming an entrepreneur and starting a business or side hustle?
May God open doors of opportunity, give you wisdom, and take you on an adventure as you build your business. May God bless your business.
Please do not do it alone. Ask God for guidance. He wants to lead you.
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)
You may be on the brink of a new business opportunity allowing you to add value to others while earning an income doing what you love.
Who knows, you may even be able to provide a few job opportunities to others through your business venture in the future.
Last week, we examined five lessons from those who have built successful businesses…
If you start a business, what are the essential requirements?
“What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.” –Dave Thomas, Founder, Wendy’s
Plan well.
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)
Be wise.
“The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.” (Proverbs 14:16)
- Provide a high level of quality service…
“Always deliver more than expected.” –Larry Page, Co-Founder, Google
Be a person of excellence.
“Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him.” (Daniel 6:3)
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23)
“The LORD detests dishonest scales but delights in an accurate weight.” (Proverbs 11:1)
- Have a vision…
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)
Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.” –Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO
“When you find an idea that you just can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue.” –Josh James, Omniture CEO and Co-Founder
“And the Lord answered me and said, “Write down the vision clearly on tablets so that even a runner can read it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
- Dare to dream…
“As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” –Donald Trump, The Trump Organization President
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true there is life and joy.” (Proverbs 13:12)
- Run with your passion…
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” –Steve Jobs, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, Apple
Today, we want to explore a few business lessons on how to learn from your mistakes and get moving – forward, onward, and upward)
I am confident that the advice I will share with you will benefit you today, whether you are starting a new business venture or have encountered a challenging obstacle on the road.
- Don’t just talk about it. Don’t procrastinate. Get started…
“The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” –Walt Disney, Co-Founder, Disney
“Hard work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 10:23)
“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” –Nolan Bushnell, Entrepreneur
- Always look on the bright side of life…
“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t — you’re right.” –Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company Founder
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” –Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister
Rest in God.
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
- Focus on what you can do…
“You shouldn’t focus on why you can’t do something, which is what most people do. You should focus on why perhaps you can, and be one of the exceptions.” –Steve Case, AOL Co-Founder and CEO
- Learn from your mistakes…
“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” –Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder
“I don’t consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” (Philippians 3:13)
- Fail forward…
“I knew that if I failed, I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” –Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO
Learn from your mistakes. Allow your past failures to be stepping stones to a better tomorrow.
If you have messed up or made a mistake, own up to your errors.
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)
If you sin, go to Jesus. On the cross, he paid a high price for your failures.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Strip off the weights and press on forward, onwards, and upwards.
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Lastly, don’t try to do life alone. LOOK TO GOD.
God has all the resources.
“The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:8)
The Bible recounts how Jesus fed over 5,000 men and their families with a boy’s lunch, resulting in baskets of leftovers.
Once, he was at a wedding, and they ran out of wine. He turned water into wine so that the wedding celebrations could continue. When experienced fishermen had been fishing all night and caught nothing, Jesus told them to cast their nets into the deep.
These fishermen’s lives were forever changed. That day, they caught such a large catch that they nearly sank their boat.
God can turn the tide.
He can do all things.
Nothing is impossible for Him.
Put your hope in him.
No situation is so far gone.
No need is too small.
Jesus calms storms.
God can provide for your needs.
He can make a way.
Invite him to be your business partner.
May God open doors of opportunity, give you wisdom, and take you on an entrepreneurial adventure. May God bless your business.
“Commit your work to the Lord and then your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3)
Next week, we will continue to inspire you and provide practical tools and insights to help you build your own business, attain financial freedom, and honor God.
This post was well worth the read—thank you!
God bless you!
This was a really helpful read, appreciate it.
God bless you!