Standing where you are today there may be many questions of where you are going. The fact is we all stand in front of doors that look questionable; however, if we know where we are going the look of the door will not scare us.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Having a Special Day
Standing where you are today there may be many questions of where you are going. The fact is we all stand in front of doors that look questionable; however, if we know where we are going the look of the door will not scare us.
Monday, December 7, 2009
If a Man Doesn’t Work Shall He Eat
Helping others does not mean I do everything for them and thus rob them of the incentive to work. Nothing destroys a man and a culture faster then the loss of the incentive to create and produce.
It may seem a little insensitive to suggest we don’t help out people who are hungry but wait a minute. I think we should help out our fellow man. In fact I think we should be very driven to help out as many people as we can especially when they are between blessings; however, I don’t support poverty or the mindset of poverty. A poverty mindset suggests that one person should go out and work while another sits and reaps the benefits. There is something a person can give even if it is just their labor, their time, their encouragement, etc. You have something of value even if it isn’t cash.
It is a total lie to believe that each person born upon this great earth and created by God doesn’t have some type of gift. You may have to be creative but you have something. It is in this search of your gift that opportunities are found that will enable your current situation to change. If we rob you of this moment then we rob you of having a fulfilled life and a sense of purpose which are some of the greatest joys of all.
It may seem a little insensitive to suggest we don’t help out people who are hungry but wait a minute. I think we should help out our fellow man. In fact I think we should be very driven to help out as many people as we can especially when they are between blessings; however, I don’t support poverty or the mindset of poverty. A poverty mindset suggests that one person should go out and work while another sits and reaps the benefits. There is something a person can give even if it is just their labor, their time, their encouragement, etc. You have something of value even if it isn’t cash.
It is a total lie to believe that each person born upon this great earth and created by God doesn’t have some type of gift. You may have to be creative but you have something. It is in this search of your gift that opportunities are found that will enable your current situation to change. If we rob you of this moment then we rob you of having a fulfilled life and a sense of purpose which are some of the greatest joys of all.
Monday, November 30, 2009
You are more to God then Your Checkbook
This may come as a surprise to some of you but the vision God has for your life is bigger then the checks you are able to write. Don’t get me wrong I believe in tithing and giving to where you are taught the Word of God. However, I honestly don’t think when God formed me in my mother’s womb that was the biggest thing he saw for my life.
For one reason God is not short sighted. He sees things from the position of eternity. My mother use to always say that whatever God was grooming me to do here I would be doing throughout eternity. There would still be a world running and things would still have to get done. We are not just going to be sitting around hanging out in heaven. So what is God’s bigger picture. He is working to bring all things together in both heaven and earth. (Ephesians 1:10).
So your purpose here on earth has got to be bigger then your ability to write a check. If God has gifted you in business then He expects you to use that gift for a bigger purpose. Yes, pay your tithe and give your offering. But also see that Monday through Friday are not just an excuse to keep you busy until Sunday comes around again. There are things God expects you to do through the gifts of your hands that expands His impact far beyond the walls of the traditional church.
One last thing. I guarantee when this reality hits you and you grab a hold of it there will be a joy in you that will overflow. It will feel as though a dim light has gotten brighter and something suddenly came alive in the depth of your soul. You have not fully lived until you have lived out the purpose God has for your life.
For one reason God is not short sighted. He sees things from the position of eternity. My mother use to always say that whatever God was grooming me to do here I would be doing throughout eternity. There would still be a world running and things would still have to get done. We are not just going to be sitting around hanging out in heaven. So what is God’s bigger picture. He is working to bring all things together in both heaven and earth. (Ephesians 1:10).
So your purpose here on earth has got to be bigger then your ability to write a check. If God has gifted you in business then He expects you to use that gift for a bigger purpose. Yes, pay your tithe and give your offering. But also see that Monday through Friday are not just an excuse to keep you busy until Sunday comes around again. There are things God expects you to do through the gifts of your hands that expands His impact far beyond the walls of the traditional church.
One last thing. I guarantee when this reality hits you and you grab a hold of it there will be a joy in you that will overflow. It will feel as though a dim light has gotten brighter and something suddenly came alive in the depth of your soul. You have not fully lived until you have lived out the purpose God has for your life.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Your Business is Not Your Island
Not sure when this philosophy started but after so many bank failures, major corporations dissolving, and tons of small and medium size business doors closing; the reality we are connected should have birthed a light bulb over our heads. “Hey! Perhaps I need to think broader then the walls of my firm or my stockholders portfolio.”
The reality is when a decision is made in one organization it has an impact on a number of people, groups, and cities. Strangely the budget of a major car dealership in the mid-west has an impact on a small business in California where they don’t even use their product. Imagine that! What about vice versa? The closing of a number of small businesses located in Texas has an impact on a major International company and its budget.
Today, our companies are not our own small islands in which we can afford to make consistent bad management decisions. We must begin to think on a broader level and ask ourselves constantly how my company will affect the global market. Then ask ourselves how will the global market affect my business?
The reality is when a decision is made in one organization it has an impact on a number of people, groups, and cities. Strangely the budget of a major car dealership in the mid-west has an impact on a small business in California where they don’t even use their product. Imagine that! What about vice versa? The closing of a number of small businesses located in Texas has an impact on a major International company and its budget.
Today, our companies are not our own small islands in which we can afford to make consistent bad management decisions. We must begin to think on a broader level and ask ourselves constantly how my company will affect the global market. Then ask ourselves how will the global market affect my business?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
If Cash is King…The Cash Flow Statement is His Wife
In a good marriage the husband and wife have good communication; understand one another’s character, and a good understanding of who rules the house.
If you are going to have a successful business today you had better make sure the marriage between your cash and the cash flow statement has not filed for divorce. In other words, you need to understand how money is flowing through your organization and the impact on operations. Basically, how they are talking to one another. If not, lack of good communication can cause the house to crumple and your only customers are lawyers.
It doesn’t matter the size of your organization make sure you know the exact profit for your organization and if it has already been allocated. Owners should know the true character of transactions – is money actually flowing into the business or is it just a paper entry. (Ex. Change in Accounts Receivable.) This will give you a clear path to plan for the future and make necessary adjustments.
Lastly, it is not the balance in your checkbook but the balance at the bottom of the cash flow statement that truly rules the house.
If you are going to have a successful business today you had better make sure the marriage between your cash and the cash flow statement has not filed for divorce. In other words, you need to understand how money is flowing through your organization and the impact on operations. Basically, how they are talking to one another. If not, lack of good communication can cause the house to crumple and your only customers are lawyers.
It doesn’t matter the size of your organization make sure you know the exact profit for your organization and if it has already been allocated. Owners should know the true character of transactions – is money actually flowing into the business or is it just a paper entry. (Ex. Change in Accounts Receivable.) This will give you a clear path to plan for the future and make necessary adjustments.
Lastly, it is not the balance in your checkbook but the balance at the bottom of the cash flow statement that truly rules the house.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Eating to the Edge of My Bread
There is an ancient farming philosophy which states you do not harvest your field to the very edge but leave the edges for the poor and needy so they may be fed. Farmers would instruct their staff to harvest only the main sections of the fields and leave the edges alone. The harvest of the farmer would be enough to meet their needs, provide revenue from what was sold, and provide additional seed to sow for the next season. After the land owner would finish harvesting, the poor would come along and harvest the edges of the field to feed their households and provide for their needs.
In my opinion, I believe this could be a secret for having great success in the midst of troubles and prospering when everyone else is struggling especially for business owners. Yes, a business strategy that could actually move you from being in the red to being in the black.
Think about this. How are most of us trained to run our businesses today? How have we seen most corporations manage their cash flow, today? Now, what has been the end result?
Today more organizations run their businesses with a ‘me mentality’. Most believe, “I take care of me and the rest of the population can just try to make it the best way they can.” We can see from our current worldwide situation that this methodology does not work.
On the contrary, we are not supposed to set up systems in which people can sit around and just be taken care of as others produce. This system has also proven it does not work by the example of Africa. Over the years, billions of charity dollars have been poured into this nation yet it still remains one of the poorest nations in the world.
Operation of the Strategy
To implement this strategy you have to think different then you have in the past about what it means to help another. Helping others does not mean I do everything for them and thus rob them of the incentive to work. Nothing destroys a man and a culture faster then the loss of the incentive to create and produce.
To institute this strategy in a business you must first outline it in your business plan and see it as a policy for the entire organization. Set up budget line items specifically focused on developing the widows, poor, and orphans. What service or skill set can this group bring to your organization that will take care of small task (which represent the edges of the field) and how much money can be allocated to pay for these services?
Note, in the example of the farmer he has already harvested the main harvest for his livelihood and operational budget. The edges of the field have not been factored into the equation for regular operational needs. Consequently, the overall organization will not suffer if the task is not completed. In our example, if the harvest is not picked by the widows, poor, or orphans then it will simply dry up and return to the ground to nourish the soil.
A few things to notice in the illustration of the farmer: First, he has proper financial projections to know how much grain is needed for the current season (how much for personal needs, how much to sell, how much to reinvest for a future harvest). Secondly, the vision is properly planned and communicated to their entire staff for proper execution. Thirdly, he understands that as he prospers he has an obligation to take care of those who are less fortunate and give them opportunities. Fourth, he has control over where his wealth is allocated and he can define how others can be helped without putting a strain on his companies operations.
Perhaps you may feel as a business owner trying to survive that you can’t afford to give much less add one more line item into your budget to care for others. Honestly, you can’t afford not to give and take care of others who are less fortunate. Let me put it this way! You may not pay at the moment and you may not pay directly but at some point in time you are going to have to pay and it will cost you much more. Additionally, someone else will be making the decision on how you will give and how much. It’s your choice. You can control the bottom line of your company today or you can hand it over to someone else for them to control it tomorrow. Be mindful that hand may be the government.
For more information on this strategy or help implementing it into your organization please contact EDALS Consulting.
In my opinion, I believe this could be a secret for having great success in the midst of troubles and prospering when everyone else is struggling especially for business owners. Yes, a business strategy that could actually move you from being in the red to being in the black.
Think about this. How are most of us trained to run our businesses today? How have we seen most corporations manage their cash flow, today? Now, what has been the end result?
Today more organizations run their businesses with a ‘me mentality’. Most believe, “I take care of me and the rest of the population can just try to make it the best way they can.” We can see from our current worldwide situation that this methodology does not work.
On the contrary, we are not supposed to set up systems in which people can sit around and just be taken care of as others produce. This system has also proven it does not work by the example of Africa. Over the years, billions of charity dollars have been poured into this nation yet it still remains one of the poorest nations in the world.
Operation of the Strategy
To implement this strategy you have to think different then you have in the past about what it means to help another. Helping others does not mean I do everything for them and thus rob them of the incentive to work. Nothing destroys a man and a culture faster then the loss of the incentive to create and produce.
To institute this strategy in a business you must first outline it in your business plan and see it as a policy for the entire organization. Set up budget line items specifically focused on developing the widows, poor, and orphans. What service or skill set can this group bring to your organization that will take care of small task (which represent the edges of the field) and how much money can be allocated to pay for these services?
Note, in the example of the farmer he has already harvested the main harvest for his livelihood and operational budget. The edges of the field have not been factored into the equation for regular operational needs. Consequently, the overall organization will not suffer if the task is not completed. In our example, if the harvest is not picked by the widows, poor, or orphans then it will simply dry up and return to the ground to nourish the soil.
A few things to notice in the illustration of the farmer: First, he has proper financial projections to know how much grain is needed for the current season (how much for personal needs, how much to sell, how much to reinvest for a future harvest). Secondly, the vision is properly planned and communicated to their entire staff for proper execution. Thirdly, he understands that as he prospers he has an obligation to take care of those who are less fortunate and give them opportunities. Fourth, he has control over where his wealth is allocated and he can define how others can be helped without putting a strain on his companies operations.
Perhaps you may feel as a business owner trying to survive that you can’t afford to give much less add one more line item into your budget to care for others. Honestly, you can’t afford not to give and take care of others who are less fortunate. Let me put it this way! You may not pay at the moment and you may not pay directly but at some point in time you are going to have to pay and it will cost you much more. Additionally, someone else will be making the decision on how you will give and how much. It’s your choice. You can control the bottom line of your company today or you can hand it over to someone else for them to control it tomorrow. Be mindful that hand may be the government.
For more information on this strategy or help implementing it into your organization please contact EDALS Consulting.
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