Build a great company on a powerful foundation!
DO YOU PRAY for your business?
I know that I’ve struggled with this question over the years.
In our society, we try hard to separate our religious lives on Sunday from our secular lives the other six days of the week.
But God has asked us to be focused on him at all times, not just for an hour or two.
IT‘S DARN HARD to start a business.
I was speaking with a gentleman this week whom I had met a couple of months ago. He had an interesting and unique business idea, but has been struggling to gain traction.
So a couple of weeks ago, he had to go get a full time job.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE SUPPORTERS. 
Humans are social beings, and we have a fundamental need to be encouraged, even to look good in front of others.
In business this can be particularly difficult. A company is a bit of a faceless entity, so people aren’t as accustomed to stating things in a polite way like they would to someone’s face.
Quite likely, you’re awash in a sea of criticism.
THERE’S A WELL WORN STATISTIC 
which states that 95% of businesses fail in five years. Or something like that.
I’m not even going to bother looking it up, because it doesn’t matter.
This is just a way to discourage people, to make me somehow feel better than you because I was able to land a real job while you’re … frittering your life away trying to do that “start your own business thing.”
It’s not real.
And it doesn’t matter.
MANY OF US STRUGGLE to keep the energy going. 
Running a business is hard work!
It can be a deep test of character.
I’ve found that persistence is partially an innate characteristic, but is also a skill which can be intentionally developed.
I was amazed (and grateful!) to discover that my 2-year-old’s weakness was having the attention span of a goldfish. Read the rest of this entry »
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DIVIDED by languages and cultures. ShareLingo is a new company that’s taking this challenge head on.
There are a lot of language education programs and tools out there. You can purchase programs for your PC, connect with online resources, and take classes at school.
ShareLingo has a different approach: To focus on co-learning, forming community and personal friendships.
C HRISTIANS ARE CALLED to be joyful:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. — Romans 15:13
This isn’t easy, of course. We all get discouraged by happenings in our families, in our businesses, in society. This is not an easy time.
But I’m not sure that there’s EVER been an easy time.
IT’S WONDERFUL to step back occasionally and look at the world through different eyes.
I’ve come across several things this week which struck me as absolutely amazing, including this picture here. Sure, we’ve all seen many great nature photos, but isn’t it wonderful to ponder this incredible beauty, and our tiny role in the world?
I was talking with the owner of a business on Thursday, I’m hoping to be able to profile them on the blog here soon. They have a wonderful organization and philosophy, something which seems all too rare.
Of course, the passing of our beautiful cat last week has opened me up to some deeper conversations with the folks I’ve run into. Read the rest of this entry »
TODAY OUR DEAR FRIEND 
Mario left the family. It was a hard decision with us, but his battle with cancer has come to an end.
I took him to the vet and was with him to the end. It was a rough experience for me personally – something I haven’t had be so up close before.
But good things come to an end. Relationships change. People leave. You lose your job. Business ventures have to be shut down.
THERE SEEMS TO BE 
a strong trend of optimism growing right now – so much that it’s even showing up on the news.
I’m greatly encouraged by the trend.
When I lost my job and launched out into business coaching full time, I had to make a conscious choice to nurture confidence and optimism. I had to look to the future and leave the past behind.
It wasn’t easy: This was 2009 Read the rest of this entry »
The Values-Based Business 