When Your Passion Doesn't Equal Profit

We have heard this phrase many times before "Follow your passion and the profit will follow". I think many people embraced this concept but somewhere along the path, they began to feel frustration. If that is you then this blog is for you or someone you know. 

I have found a few issues with the phrase stated above:

1.) Sometimes what you are passionate about does not work in a "system". What people focus on is the passion creation and not the system creation. Those that find profit in their passions have figured out a way to create a "system" around their passions. It is not your passion that generates income it's the systems around your passion that you put in place in your business that run like a well-oiled machine. What I mean by systems is the process from acquiring a customers (marketing), them purchasing from you (internal operations #1), the customer receiving the service or product (internal operations #2), and the after purchase process (follow-up).  Knowing each part individually and inside and out and the data connected to them will help you create systems that work. 

2.) Passionate people want to do the "work". It's not work to them so they do what they love but the business will only ever grow beyond how much that one person can do. Which is why again, you must create a system. I think it is totally okay to start off with just yourself doing all the work. Find out the good and bad parts, tweak and then when you ready to scale you have the foundation in place. The second step is to create a document or video that will help your employees do what you do without giving away your "secret" sauce. Also leave a competitive edge by giving them what they need without giving away everything. That leads me to my next point. 

3.) Have something unique about your passion that sets you apart and makes it uniquely you. If your growing a brand, I always tell people to share the story behind the brand. No one can recreate your story because it is unique to you and your life. That is your fingerprint. If you have a product that you want to sell take your time, as much time as you need to figure out how to set your product apart from all the others out there. You may even want to look into getting it patented before you launch out. It will be your signature piece! 

4.) Don't be surprise if profiting takes a little bit of time. It DOES take time. This is not an overnight success type of thing. Your work will pay off if you keep on going. Tweak what doesn't work, remove the bad part, try something new but keep on going. Never allow your lack of profit to hinder you from learning the vital lessons about what is not working. Even when you are "failing" you are progressing as long as you see it as an opportunity to learn and not a set back. 

5.) As you know my blog is about faith, family and business. One of the TOP things I do in my own life and business when it comes to profit is ALWAYS tithe off of your gross sales. Tithing is when you give 10% back to God (local church). God doesn't need your money, He wants your heart and our money is often times connected to deep places in our hearts. He can do so much more with your 90% than you can with your 100%. I am a living witness! Tithing has been the single most powerful thing in my own life. I tithe monthly off of all my business sales. I make it a habit to do it when I am reconciling the month. I like to see the profit, expenses, and then how much I owe God. I take care of God first then everyone else comes second. Also, don't forget an offering. Tithing and offering go hand in hand. Ask your Pastor to learn more. 

I share with you all things that I personally have gone through. The reason I am able to share these 5 tips is because I was that entrepreneur going after her passion but was seeing very little profit. I was the person doing all the work and never realizing their was no systems in place. I was the person that didn't see the power in tithing and offering. I was also the person that failed enough to learn and make the correct changes. This is what I want for you. Until next time lovely.....let's go higher! 

When God Says "No"

Have you ever prayed for something and nothing seemed to happen? It almost feels like God was ignoring you. It was like you had this super strong desire and you knew that prayer was the answer. You connected your scripture to it and you stood by faith on the belief that GOD heard you. Yet nothing seemed to change.

Last night, I was up at 1:00am and God said to me, write a blog on this topic. I knew why he wanted me to write this. You see, there was a time in my life that I felt like God was torturing me. I prayed for things and it was not happening. It was like a flat line in the phone line and just nothing. I connected my scripture to it and I said Lord, this is the desires of my heart. Let me share with you why I needed to be delivered from that place....

1.) My motives were wrong. My prayers consisted of incredibly selfish things that were grounded in building up my ego. It was all about me. Even though I didn't see it at the time (we see what we want); my pride was blinding me from the fact that I had motives not founded in pure truth. 

2.) I desired the "thing" more than God. This was a HARD lesson for me to learn. God asked me one morning a few years ago "Do you REALLY love me?" It was right after my prayer list and request was given to Him. I was like "Of course God, I do. Did you hear me though" (Horrible, I know!! I feel SUPER bad about it). Then he responded, "Do you remember what it feels like to fall in love?" Being that I was a newly wed, falling in love was a familiar feeling. I responded, "Yes Lord, I do." He asked me "What do you do when you fall in love that you are not doing with me?" BOOM! That's when it hit me. I loved God....but my pursuit of God had fallen short. I began a new endeavor or falling in love with God all over again. I had to get real with myself and why I had stopped that strong pursuit. It was EYE-opening to say the least.

3.) He had other plans for me that brought more peace. You see, the bible states to us and promises us that the "Blessings of the Lord, maketh rich and addeth NO sorrow". Proverbs 10:22 The things I was praying for, I truly believe would have stressed me out because it was NOT in Gods will. His "NO" was Him protecting me from me. That was a HARD pill to swallow so when I got to a point through frustration in myself and decided to "SURRENDER" (Took a whole year). I began to see Him manifest in my life in ways I NEVER imagined and you know what, I HAD PEACE!

4.) God wants me to share with you that "His delay is not always His denial". There are things that you are praying for that is just not time for yet. I think of my daughter Olivia. As she has been growing her appetite has been growing. There was a time I said, she has enough teeth, I'm going to chop up these apples into small pieces and give them to her because SHE was going crazy over them. She just had to have them. Well, she started choking on a small piece because while she had a lot of teeth her molars had not come in yet which caused her not to be able to fully chew on the apple slices. Needless to say, even though she wants them I will NOT give them to her again until she has a FULL mouth of teeth. For a moment, I was scared. Never again. She wasn't ready no matter how much she wanted it. She had some growing to do. I hope you get my point. 

I want to pray with you. I know how it feels to go to the one that has the ability to give you what you desire but for whatever reason he hasn't. Can we fall in love with a God that doesn't gives us what we want all of the time? Can we find contentment with where we are instead of where we THINK we should be? I know it's not an easy thing to do, trust me...but contentment is a choice sis....choose peace in contentment and enjoy your life and the things YOU love. I also want you to continue asking questions to God...he's speaking so make sure you are open to hearing from in ANY way that he speaks. Let's pray....

God, I pray for the person reading this blog. You know what keeps them up at night. You know the lies the adversary is telling them about their situation. God help them to see YOUR truth. Help them to fall in love with YOU all over again. Lord, we need you more than ever in this day and time. We look forward to when you return. Help us set our affections on things above and NOT on thing of this world. Most importantly, helps us to fall head over heels in love with you over and over again. In Jesus name.....amen.

Let's go higher sis! 

The Danger of Mommy Comparison

When I became of mom in 2016, one of the least expectant things that hit me was how moms compare their abilities and their child's abilities. It hit me like a ton of bricks because obviously you want what's best for your child but today I want to explain why "mommy comparisons" is so dangerous.  (DISCLAIMER: Let's me say this.....this blog is NOT because I'm a pro at parenting. I'm a new parent right? This blog was inspired in prayer this morning and was heavy on my heart. With that being said...let's chat.)

First, ANY comparison is unhealthy if it's not rooted in truth. Comparison that is rooted in truth is based on looking at life and Gods word and seeing that you need to adjust some things. Comparison based on anything else is unhealthy and unfruitful. When a mother compares how she loves and is raising her child with another mom abilities, the enemy starts to grow a root of bitterness in her heart. It may not be visible at first but overtime it turns into competition instead focusing on what's best for your child. 

Second, if your not careful people will push their comparisons on you. I see this all time. I don't think people realize when they do it, so you just have to let it go and focus on what God is revealing to you about your child. 

Third, comparison robs the child of a free environment to grow and develop at their own pace. The parent feels the need to push their child to be at some great level that another is, when it may simply be that child is gifted scholarly. I believe every child has a gift/talent that comes natural. Our biased school systems unfortunately highlights those with scholastic abilities and rewards them. But don't be discouraged, your child has amazing abilities and I pray God reveals them to you sooner rather than later. It is those gifts that you want to encourage and promote no matter what the world feels or how your neighbors kids is doing.

I think about my own journey. I did really well in math and have always excelled in that area. The other areas were weird for me because only a few subjects I connected with but didn't excel. Writing is a good example. I was encouraged at a young age to write more, but only one person told me that after reading my writing. Everyone else encouraged a different route. I didn't do well in "school-based" or grammar focused writing but I could tell story that was crystal clear via writing. (Not trying to boast just sharing my story). I tried to follow the others suggested route but my gifts weren't in those areas. It wasn't until after college that I started focusing on my true natural gifts. That is when I realized I had been focusing on all the wrong things. Hindsight is super clear but I thank God that eventually I realized this fact. Everyone has a different path. Doesn't make one better than the other....just different. 

Let's look at Gods word and what it says about parenting:

"Train up a child in the way he should go; when he is old, he will never depart from it" Proverbs 22:6  

The main thing I gather from this is the responsibility on the parent to train the child. It never says "if you have the ability; train up your child." What I grasp is that every parent has the ability to train up their child in the way he/she should go. It's not based on your education, family background or income. It's based on knowing what is right and wrong in Gods eye. At the end of the day, our goal should be to make sure they seek to please God first and foremost. Our focus should be on getting their hearts directed towards the Lord. Let's look at another scripture:

 "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

What I take from this is that teaching starts at home. School should be the follow-up but parents should teach from home and I think that's God way is helping parent see the unique nature of each child from the parents perspective. Maybe God wants to show us how he created them rather than the school system telling us.  

I want to end with this because I sense mothers feeling anxious about this topic...so I leave you with this comforting, reassuring scripture to meditate on day and night. It's also happens to be one of my favorite scriptures:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6  

Truth is....we just need to do our best and let God do the rest. Since so many people compare....let's start a movement of moms encouraging each other rather than comparing. Are you with me?   

God....I pray for the mom reading this. Help her to know that you are right there with her walking with her, teaching her how to raise her child. God uproot any bitterness in her heart, and help her be free from comparison. Help her see those in her circle that may be unhealthy to her mom journey. Help her to guard her heart so that she may be the best mother to her precious children that you created her to be. God...heal our world from this vicious cycle of comparison. Help us to focus on you and be humble in our approach to parenting. We need you God. Lead us and help us to stay focused. In Jesus name....Amen.  

Let's go higher! 

My Biggest Business Mistake

It's my born day. As you get older you reflect. I wanted to reflect on my lessons learned from mistakes I've made.

It happens, those darn mistakes that we make that set us back. I’ve made them, many people make them, but you know what, it’s okay. I wanted to share with my readers today as I take you on this journey of small business entrepreneurship Gods way one of my greatest business mistakes.

First of all, I never want to give off that I have “MADE” it. Truth is, we’re just getting started with where I see our family business going. Honestly, the only reason I started this blog about my journey is because I get asked SO many questions on a daily basis. I wanted to use this platform as a way to share with you all some lessons I’ve learning and AM learning along the way.  We have multiple businesses running under our household and one of them we’re running as a “test” business. Surprisingly, it’s becoming one of our most profitable businesses which leads me to my biggest mistake I made and I see others making as well.

So, what it is? Focusing on what you love before you profit AND trying to plan without consulting God. 

Profiting is so important in being an entrepreneur. That’s why we do it, right? If that is the case why do we build systems and business that only WE can do. Why do we focus on a small part of our business and limit it based upon how much WE can do. My biggest business mistake was thinking I can do it all. As a person who knows what she wants and how I want things to be done, I got to a point where I thought I have to learn this and do it myself because I know how it should turn out the best. Right? Wrong. Eventually, I bruised my head good enough to realize I needed a team. Not only did I need a team, I needed to manage the goals of the team. I needed to learn to trust and delegate where people had talents far beyond my own. We all have gifts and talents that suite and serve us but we can’t do it all. We can't even do half of it effectively. We need others to help us. So what are the areas for me that I got the most help in:

1.)Marketing & Advertising: I know a little bit, but marketing is an art. I’ve gained some basic understanding but there are people out there that do this with ease. I like working smarter not harder so one of my first hires was a person to help me in this area.

2.)Branding: I was the QUEEN of DIY when it came to branding. Problem is I was HORRIBLE at it. LOL! I laugh now because it was a disaster and anyone that has been following me for awhile knows my path...whew! No judgement lol! I FINALLY broke and got help. This website is an example. See the link in my footer if you need help. She’s amazing.

3.)Administrative task: My issue with administrative task was not that I couldn’t do it, it was that it was taking up SO much time to do that I just didn’t have. Being present with my daughter, family outings and cooking dinner daily is important to me. In order for us to run multiple businesses under one roof we HAD to get administrative help. A great place to start is Upwork.com. Just make sure you choose someone that has already worked and has high ratings. Takes a bit of trust but it will be AMAZING if you can find the right person.

4.)Business Coach / Mentor: I've gone through a few and I can tell you all coaches aren't created equal! Think about what you need, where you are and how to get there. If your just starting out and have a limited budget, seek a business coach that is just a little bit farther than you. Later on, get a better one. There is no law that says "thou shalt not change business coaches" Lol...it's okay. Find one based on your budget, needs and goals. 

Finally, don't ever, ever, ever run ahead of God. He knows the future and sister/brother it's in your best interest to follow Him. Check with Him and get a GOOD understanding of what He's saying. Not just your interpretation or what you think He's saying. Take your time to listen, adjust and ask again! Another scar I have, as I've mentioned before is running ahead of him and boy did that one hurt.  

Learn from me. Don't make my same mistakes and like always...let's go higher! 😘

A Cure For Burnout- Unplug

We live in a day and age where we are glued to our phones, social media on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the others. It honestly can become too much at times definitely as a business owner with a family and is involved with your church community.  Your family needs you the most and God wants to speak to you, but how often do we miss our quiet time with God yet make sure to post something online. I can admit, I’ve done it. (Insert cringe) I hate when I do it, but when I do, I see the need to unplug.  When I sense myself getting short with my husband or with other people, that is my sign that I am on the brink of burn out.

If I can be really honest, at first I was having a HARD time unplugging because most, about 80% of my businesses is ran online. This year that number will go up as we are doing things a little different. With that being said, I feel obligated to log on and check my stats on this, update my Facebook fan on my business website, do a live video, post a picture on IG. It can be A LOT! My fear is that my daughter will grow up thinking, being on your phone all the time is the normal way of life and while it is definitely a huge part of our society, face to face communication is STILL important. Unplugging is so necessary! I’m a work in progress in this area to be honest. I still haven’t found a way to do enough and not feel like I was abandoning my customer base.

You all know I am big on balance. But even at times, I find that I need to re-calibrate. Things can get out of hand fast but learning to unplug is so key to managing your time, your emotions, etc.

With all that being said, I am working on a few courses for you all that will help you get the income you want on your terms and what to do with that income to keep on growing. Keep an eye out, my goal is to have it ready for you by September 2017. You can sign up for our email list or by clicking on the contact link and letting me know that you want to be added to our list.

This blog is not answer to your problems, but more me saying, I feel you and let's go do this thing called life together.   Let's go higher together. 😘