Calling All Entrepreneurial Visionaries-- Part 3- Articles- BlackandChristian.com

A Christian Entrepreneurial Visionary MUST:

Be CHRIST CENTERED--Yield to The Controller; The Balancer
Be CALLED--Convicted; Purposed; Convinced that your life and other lives depend on your business vision coming to pass
Be COMMITTED--Determined; Passionate; Focused; Tenacious; Patient
Have CORE VALUES--Intrinsic, rooted & grounded ideals, principles & motives
Have CHARACTER--Integrity; Honesty
Have COURAGE--Faith; Trust
Be CORRECTABLE--Changeable; Teachable; Seeker of Truth
Have CO-LABORERS--Conveners; Team; Minds; Labor; Help; Collaboration
Have a COURSE--Vision; A Path; Progress
Have CASH-Some, However, The More the Better

I stated in my previous article that I have observed directly or indirectly businesses that have been built to last. I need to clarify this statement to say that in observing the businesses that have been built to last, I had to “eat the meat and throw away the bones”.
That is, these businesses may or may not have been operating on Christian (Kingdom) principles. For those that were not, I observed imbalance in the owners, leaders, employees and families’ lives. If individuals are unbalanced then and of course it affects the communities at large. Christian (Kingdom) businesses are vision-based, quality of life businesses that will afford the owners, leaders, employees and families balanced lives throughout their lives and into the lives of successive generations.

CHRIST— Matthew 6:33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and
all these things shall be added unto you. (God, Family, Business)

1. Be CHRIST CENTERED--It is imperative as a Christian business owner to have
Christ at the center of your business. In observing the “typical” company that was built to last, many times the lives of the business owners, organization leaders and employees are unbalanced. Never ending days run into evenings and nights. Work, issues and problems are brought home either literally or are on the minds of the business owners, organization leaders or employees. Too many hours are spent away from family, community and church obligations and activities. When Christ is the center of the business, then everything else will line up accordingly. Order and Balance.

GOD, FAMILY, BUSINESS--It’s not just a cliché, or cute phrase, it is the model for Christians to apply in their every day lives including in starting, growing, and developing businesses.

YOU--2 Peter 1:5-7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. AND 2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. (A work in process.)

2. Be CALLED--If you are called, you will see it come to pass. You will see it come to pass because you were made to do it, it is in you and you will not rest until it is done. As Booker T. Washington said it’s, “Christ-life work”.

3. Be COMMITTED--You know you are obligated to steward this business. You will not let any thing, person, circumstance or situation keep you from glorifying God through this business.

4. Have CORE VALUES--Your very core of being is of the high calling of God. You operate in every area of your life in the pursuit of perfection. Your core values are reflected in your business activities.

5. Have CHARACTER--Your character is being molded and developed to properly represent Father God in every aspect of the business. You are dealing with and shedding the various issues of life that have held you back and prevented you from properly representing Father God.

6. Have COURAGE--You have mountain-moving faith based upon your trust in what God has said about you and the business.

7. Be CORRECTABLE--You are open to correction and redirection. You want the truth.

TEAM--Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established. (Collaboration is key)

8. Have CO-LABORERS--You acknowledge that this is more than what you alone can do and that you need help and you ask, seek and find it. You surround yourself with a community of Godly counselors.

OTHER RESOURCES--Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? (Vision and Provision)

9. Have a COURSE--You know you are on your way someplace but you may not know exactly where. You are taking the steps that you need to take in order to continue to move where you are supposed to be. You know you need to determine the What-Intentions/Goals; and the How-Strategies and you are moving toward resolution.

10. Have CASH--At some point, cash will be required to move forward. You are open to receive instructions from God concerning his vision and provision.

Christ, You, the Team and Other Resources--What’s next for you? You are now ready to lay the foundation for either business startup, growth or development.

Bonita M.W. Shelby is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Business Manager. A graduate of Howard University, Ms. Shelby is a member of Jericho City of Praise and a Breast Cancer survivor. She helped establish the Howard University Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group. Ms. Shelby is the principal and business life coach of Kingdom Business, Inc. Responses are encouraged and for more information, I invite you to visit our website or contact us:
http://www.kingdombusiness.biz
bonita.shelby@verizon.net
301-445-0398 (Tel)