STARTING A BUSINESS
DECEMBER 2012
by Lisa Maki
If you have been contemplating about starting your own business but don’t know where to begin, or if you are scared about what lies ahead, let me encourage you.
As a believer, you have to understand that you have God’s favor upon you. This sets you apart from the world. You have the Bible as your business guide and the Holy Spirit as your adviser/counselor. More than that, you have God as your true employer who will ensure that you get rewarded for your hard work.
First things first: Be sure that it is God leading you to start a business and not just you wanting it.
Let me share with you what happened to me with regards to this, to make my point clearer. Sometime in January – February 2010, I was sitting in the car waiting for my husband when all of a sudden I had this idea to start a Professional Writing business. I shared the idea to my husband but he was not very convinced. I knew I could do it. I had years not only of Professional Writing experience but of being an entrepreneur. However, my husband’s lack of support made me seek God as to what He really wanted me to do. I told God, “If I can’t have my husband’s full support, then this is not going to work out. Please give me a clearer leading as to how you want me to go about this”. The next days and weeks after, God started giving me Scriptures on business. I received that as a confirmation that He really wanted me to have a business. Still, I didn’t get my husband’s full support. He advised me to look for part-time jobs instead. So I went back to God and said, “I am going to apply for jobs now. If you really want me to have a business then you will close all doors for any job I will apply for”. I started not only a job hunt but I sent real good Resume’s to each job I have applied for. I never got a call from anyone. That’s when I knew that God was serious about me starting a business. I didn’t wait for my husband’s full support. Instead, I asked God to bless my business.
Next to consider is: Ask God to lead you on the steps you have to take.
Proverbs 16:3 says Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.
I love this Amplified version of Proverbs 16:3. It clearly indicates that you should entrust your plans (of starting a business) to the Lord. Then He will make your thoughts align with His will, meaning, He will reveal to you what to do. And if it is God revealing to you what to do, then your plans will succeed.
When God starts revealing ideas and plans to you, write them down. He will give you more details as you move along. From here you can begin with your research about your business.
The third step: Research about your business.
This is the “works” now that go with your faith.
One thing you have to remember is that you don’t have to register your business or get a license for it if: you don’t have employees under you; your annual income is not over $12,000; and you are using your own name for your business. Just be sure to pay your taxes as self-employed.
If you want to register your business right away, then find out all the necessary information with regards to licenses and other requirements. It is also wise to research about businesses similar to what you plan to set up.
The fourth step: Create a Business Plan
A business plan is the blueprint of your entire business. It includes your vision-mission statement, the history of your business, your goals and objectives, your strategies, your financial plan and projection, your target market, the people behind your company/business, your products/services, and other pertinent information.
Target Market
This is very important not only in starting a business but being successful in your business. Start by asking yourself who will be interested in your business. Who are they? Where are they? What is their age bracket? What are their professions? Any gender or ethnic preference? Once you have narrowed down your target market, you’re good!
The fifth step: Have a place where you can do business.
You don’t have to rent an office. You can use your own house or place of residence as your office, unless your business requires you to be in a commercial area. Make sure that this place is accessible to customers, unless your business is an online business.
The seventh step: Be ready with your promotional materials.
You need a business sign outside your business place, business cards, flyers/brochures, letterhead, receipts, etc. Be sure that the contact information you put on these materials are information you will keep for a long time such as address and numbers.
The last but not the least step: Promote!
As a believer, you have to understand that you have God’s favor upon you. This sets you apart from the world. You have the Bible as your business guide and the Holy Spirit as your adviser/counselor. More than that, you have God as your true employer who will ensure that you get rewarded for your hard work.
First things first: Be sure that it is God leading you to start a business and not just you wanting it.
Let me share with you what happened to me with regards to this, to make my point clearer. Sometime in January – February 2010, I was sitting in the car waiting for my husband when all of a sudden I had this idea to start a Professional Writing business. I shared the idea to my husband but he was not very convinced. I knew I could do it. I had years not only of Professional Writing experience but of being an entrepreneur. However, my husband’s lack of support made me seek God as to what He really wanted me to do. I told God, “If I can’t have my husband’s full support, then this is not going to work out. Please give me a clearer leading as to how you want me to go about this”. The next days and weeks after, God started giving me Scriptures on business. I received that as a confirmation that He really wanted me to have a business. Still, I didn’t get my husband’s full support. He advised me to look for part-time jobs instead. So I went back to God and said, “I am going to apply for jobs now. If you really want me to have a business then you will close all doors for any job I will apply for”. I started not only a job hunt but I sent real good Resume’s to each job I have applied for. I never got a call from anyone. That’s when I knew that God was serious about me starting a business. I didn’t wait for my husband’s full support. Instead, I asked God to bless my business.
Next to consider is: Ask God to lead you on the steps you have to take.
Proverbs 16:3 says Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.
I love this Amplified version of Proverbs 16:3. It clearly indicates that you should entrust your plans (of starting a business) to the Lord. Then He will make your thoughts align with His will, meaning, He will reveal to you what to do. And if it is God revealing to you what to do, then your plans will succeed.
When God starts revealing ideas and plans to you, write them down. He will give you more details as you move along. From here you can begin with your research about your business.
The third step: Research about your business.
This is the “works” now that go with your faith.
One thing you have to remember is that you don’t have to register your business or get a license for it if: you don’t have employees under you; your annual income is not over $12,000; and you are using your own name for your business. Just be sure to pay your taxes as self-employed.
If you want to register your business right away, then find out all the necessary information with regards to licenses and other requirements. It is also wise to research about businesses similar to what you plan to set up.
The fourth step: Create a Business Plan
A business plan is the blueprint of your entire business. It includes your vision-mission statement, the history of your business, your goals and objectives, your strategies, your financial plan and projection, your target market, the people behind your company/business, your products/services, and other pertinent information.
Target Market
This is very important not only in starting a business but being successful in your business. Start by asking yourself who will be interested in your business. Who are they? Where are they? What is their age bracket? What are their professions? Any gender or ethnic preference? Once you have narrowed down your target market, you’re good!
The fifth step: Have a place where you can do business.
You don’t have to rent an office. You can use your own house or place of residence as your office, unless your business requires you to be in a commercial area. Make sure that this place is accessible to customers, unless your business is an online business.
The seventh step: Be ready with your promotional materials.
You need a business sign outside your business place, business cards, flyers/brochures, letterhead, receipts, etc. Be sure that the contact information you put on these materials are information you will keep for a long time such as address and numbers.
The last but not the least step: Promote!
Lisa Maki is the founder, publisher, and editor of God'z Gurlz. She is a Professional Writer/Consultant and manages a Professional Writing business which includes Résumé Writing, Business Letter Writing, Essays, Business Plans, Website Content, Editing Jobs, Press Kits, and other writing requirements. More about Lisa at ...
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