Though there are many high-qualified professionals abroad, I can imagine there are more highly-qualified professionals (w/ the experience and/or certifications) that have attitudes that are not complimentary to our current economic situation. The “TRUTH” of the matter is that many are discouraged and negative when considering our future outlook. So.. before leaping into that new business venture or career, work on your attitude. These are times where our motives and intentions will be tested. An individual with a positive attitude who is less qualified is more advantageous to our progression than a high-qualified profession with little or no vision in addition to a bad attitude. Focus on your personal growth and development. A consistent attitude equates to consistent results.
“A Peripheral View”
Entrepreneurs and those who have an “Entrepreneurial Spirit” are personnel who have access to peripheral view. A mass majority of society have yet to obtain access to this type of perspective due to a substantial amount of legalism that resides in our communities, our hearts and our minds. Legalism is the oppressor of creativity and focusing on rules, regulations and rhetoric. However, when we come into relationship with a primary contact of influence the blinders are removed and peripheral view is restored. Primary contacts of influence take place in the form of mentors, coaches, peers, and even our children. These are people who awaken us to opportunities where our entrepreneurial skills can be utilized and our minds can be stretched.
Peripheral view is the ability to observe and identify ENVIRONMENTAL problematic situations that call for SOLUTIONS. Our solutions should have a direct impact on our families. The family units that are affected by our solutions consist of:
1. Immediate family – Your household which in most cases consist of your wife/husband and children.
2. Extended family – This comprises of your in-laws, brothers, sisters, cousins, etc.
3. Spiritual family– Your church and other churches – The ENTIRE body of Christ
4. Community – Whatever locale you reside and have INVOLVEMENT in.
5. School – The institution that assists you with becoming employable through education and training.
6. Work – The place where you earn your wages.
In essence, we are to have influence within our sphere of influence and abroad. However, you cannot become a person of influence if no one has influenced you. This situation will indeed increase your peripheral view.
EMPOWERED TO EDUCATE
“Marketing 101 – The key to your business success lies within your community”
There are many, MANY mediums of marketing with a great number of monies spent. Truly, just because you spend an insurmountable sum of money on marketing does not necessarily mean you will receive a positive ROI (Return On Investment) or even a desirable result. It is most critical to your business health that you choose the right method in your marketing campaign, and in order to accomplishment the desired objective one must: 1. Be sensitive and responsive to the needs of her or his community 2. Be cognizant of how her or his business will affect the community. This provokes the identification and possible fulfillment of a need, therefore we need a need assessment. How do we do this you ask? Do we send out an electronic survey? Do we go the telemarketing route or do we construct the old fashion traditional hard copy survey? All good and somewhat effective approaches, however to discern the needs of the community ONE must be ACTIVELY involved in the community. People often ask me is it advantageous for them to start a business outside of their community confines and I always tell them NO. Why?
The community you reside in is the community you should know the most about and they will and should know the most about you. The perception in the eye of the consumer is vital and this next sentence deserves your upmost attention and concentration: If you, the entrepreneur, are to establish a sought after and respective brand name then you must seek out and respect others. Success involves the cooperation of others, nobody does it alone. Lay the foundation first (PROPERLY), establish it, then look for the increase.
“A Better You”
SELF-assessment and evaluation is critical to your success and the success of OTHERS. It is a FACT that some of us have different viewpoints and levels of understanding of what success really is. However, a successively successful individual is always evaluating himself. It is impossible for an individual to refine his skill and ability if his work is not being assessed. Furthermore, he does not possess INFLUENTIAL authority or ability to EFFECTIVELY guide and speak into the lives of those who he has been sent to. We are all teachers of some sort, but the question is “Are we upholding the same standard that we expect from our students?” Success does not stop at a point of achievement, it is a process that is cultivated and developed throughout the lifespan of an individual in five major areas {Spiritually, Mentally, Physically, Socially, and Financially}. In order for us to be better we must first know better then and only then can the power “To Do” better be activated. As teachers (which we all are) we must examine ourselves daily, and if we cannot effectively evaluate ourselves then we must look for feedback from our colleagues and those who we are accountable to. This circumstance results in “A Better You” and ” A Better You”equates to “A BETTER US.”
EMPOWERED TO EDUCATE
Perfecting Your Craft – Moving into and higher in “HIGHER” Education
“HIGHER” education is: A SELF – Imposed (independent),CONTINUOUS perfecting (maturing) of your profession and/or discipline through various educational resources (i.e. books, seminars, audio, school, college, etc). It is a FOCUSED, CONCENTRATED, ONGOING study. The pursuit of certifications, degrees and doctrines are sufficient, but are all derivatives of independent studies performed by a person or team of personnel. These “HIGHLY” educated specialists turned authors have presented their philosophies, concepts, and axioms to the world and we have universally accepted them as “TRUTH”. However, we must consider these as “TRUES”, but not “THE TRUTH.” Anytime you see “THE” in front of a word (noun) it is considered as a definite article, meaning that it is the one and only. Trues used in this scenario is in plural form, the word is emblematic of “MANY.” My assumption is that after much trial, test and speculation these concepts are accepted as industry trues (norms) and are embedded into a framework for us as students, people and practitioners to follow. The objective of this discourse is to broaden your understanding in the area of philosophy , defined as a set of values, OPINIONS AND IDEAS. Many times we read something in a book , a newspaper or a magazine and accept that information as “THE TRUTH”. These are not “TRUTH” but should be seen as “TRUES.”
“Your Exit Strategy”
For most entrepreneurs, the journey to success and prosperity starts with a vision. When properly developed, this vision soon formulates in to a plan of action which some professionals like to call a “BP” or “Business Plan”. A typical business plan should consist of all the basic pieces, but certain sections may be omitted depending on the product or service offering. One section that I feel should never be omitted is the “Exit Strategy” portion. From personal observation, the majority of business plan templates have disregarded this section. When you walk into someone’s home, building or facility, there is always an exit. When an issues arises there’s always some alternative available that will help you resolve an issue. Whether your house is on fire or your business is crumbling, there should always be more than one way to escape. Exit strategies are alternatives that can be implemented in negative and positive situations.
Acquisition is one option that can associated with your exit strategy. According to Robbin Abrams, author of the Six Week Start Up, a company can be acquired by another entity if it is a good fit for the larger company. For example, a well developed company presents several opportunities for other companies that lack in certain areas or may be looking to expand a product or service offering. The key word here is “DEVELOPED.” An advantage that comes along with the acquisition strategy is the number of interested parties that may be willing to buy your business. In some cases, multiple bidders present offers to a company and this can be used as leverage in the negotiation process. Abrams states that the price of a company can skyrocket to stratospheric levels when this situation occurs. However, there is one major factor to consider with regard to the objective of an exit strategy. Abrams insists that when you construct your company around a specific “be acquired” market, you set limitations on who you can market your business to. This is the REAL reason why the addition of your exit strategy is important. The exit strategy not only provides you with a way out, but can assist you in the development of your business. We are now in a situation where we are attempting to sell a percentage of our business, but if our concept hasn’t experienced any growth throughout the life of the company then the probability of the business being acquired decreases. With no definite direction for the long-term future of the organization, peaking the interest of other companies will be added to the task list. An idea is to target a few industries and develop a plan to expand and test those markets. This presents us with a realistic long term outlook and can provide an analysis of our current plan. Who knows, maybe we won’t have to sell the business at all because of the ideas that were generated from the innovation process. In order for this acquisition strategy to be implemented, this development process must take place.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God”
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Principle # 1: The Kingdom of God resides and abides on the inside of you – You do not have to seek for something outside of yourself when that something is on the inside of yourself.
Lifetime employees better known as “Job Seekers” seek for opportunities without discovering the vision God has for their lives. This is the cause of the steady and increasing rate of unemployment in our society. If you are seeking out jobs that don’t help you fulfill God’s purpose for your life then these positions will be temporary at best. We are not to be in a state of being permanently temporary or what some of us know as a “Permanent Temp.” Lifetime employees are “Hunters” that search for opportunities to feed themselves and their families. They are consumed by effort and time invested in seeking the opportunity to work for an organization whose vision is outside of the one that God placed on the inside of them. The hunger is satisfied for a time, but it is never fulfilled.
Tend to Your Garden – The Kingdom of God must cultivate its fruit. We are “Meat” eaters, however it is meant for us to consume the meatier things of the kingdom to produce fruit. Kingdom people are “Gardeners”, those who have refined their skill and talent to be sown into future generations. They are submitted to the vision of an organization that helps them fulfill the vision that God has for their lives.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Blessings and Favor
Communication: Skill vs. Ability
Listening skill and listening ability are two integral pieces involved in the communication process, and are very independent of one another. We all possess the ability to listen, but some lack the skill of listening because we don’t practice with the objectivity of improvement. With that being the premise, being consciously aware of every opportunity as a practice session to enhance your listening skill is critical to communication in general. If we approach every conversation and situation with the intent to listen in an unbiased, non-critical spirit our ability will reveal itself. We must actively improve and refine our listening skills to perfect this art form. Consciousness of our current skill, ability and opportunity is vital to the enhancement of our communication with regard to enhancing our listening skill and ability.
Financial Empowerment
Being “financially free” and “financially empowered” is not at all the same. Empowerment gives you the fortitude to make a decision, however is it UP to you to make the decision to be financially free. Many of us have the ability to make a decision concerning our finances, but the ability to make the right decision is not a common practice. Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes for improvement. This holds true when we have the intent to improve, not the intent to repeat the same mistakes over and over. This called a habit, and some habits need to be broken. I believe that some of us are in a “Make It” or “Break It” season. I also believe there is a grace for breakthrough, but only if you are willing to submit to the will of God. The key word here is “OBEDIENCE.”
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