Business tips for Beginner Christian Entrepreneurs that will set you up for success
Are you a new Christian entrepreneur looking for some business tips to help you position your business for success? Lots of aspiring or new Christian business owners want to run their business in a way that honors God. But, some are worried they won’t succeed if they stick to biblical business principles.
This fear is unfounded because there are lots of successful Christian businesses out there, so there’s no reason to think you’ll fail, if you make God the center of your business.
I have been a Christian for a long time, but I first became an entrepreneur in 2013. So it’s safe to say, I have had my fair share of ups and downs, and I have learned a lot over the years.
While there’s no perfect way to run a christian business, here are a few Christian business tips for beginner entrepreneurs that can help you get the results you desire.
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7 Essential Christian Business Tips for Beginner Entrepreneurs
1. START WITH A PLAN
One thing that separates those who succeed from those who fail, is planning and execution!
The Bible has a lot to say about the necessity and benefits of planning, but my favorite verses are found in Proverbs 24: 27 “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.” and Luke 14:28-30 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.”
The reason many business owners fail is because they don’t have a plan. These entrepreneurs think they can just make thing up as they go along, or they fail to count the cost of starting and running a business.
Running a business is hard work, that’s why you need a plan that you can execute, if you really want to see results in your business. You can’t expect to see a lot of success if you don’t have a plan, strategies or tactics for your business.
Every business needs a plan, if it wants to achieve it’s goals.
So as a new entrepreneur, the first thing you should do for your business is to create a plan. Your plan should include things like: how your business will make money, how you’ll finance your business, how you will deliver your products, and how you will find and retain your customers.
Don’t think you can run your business without a plan because others have done it that way. Everyone is different, and what works for one person may not necesarily work for you.
If you don’t have a business plan, get to work creating one, and continue to tweak it, to meet the needs of your business.
New business owners can get overwhelmed trying to do all the things. It’s very important to stay organized when you are just starting out. Good time management is essecntail along with knowing what tasks or activities to focus on.
A weekly planner can help you stay organized so you can focus on growing your business. Check out the Weekly Planner for Christian Entrepreneurs if you are struggling to get things done.
2. BE READY TO WORK HARD
You see all these overnight success stories you hear about? Unfortunately, that’s not the whole story. A lot of times, these storytellers forget to mention their overnight success took only ten years.
Many people don’t want to hear they have to wait a number of years to become successful. That doesn’t sell as much as telling people, they can be successful in thirty days, if they follow a proven system!
This instant success syndrome is one of the reasons many people who jump into entrepreneurship, give up after a few months, if they don’t achieve the result they expected. They simply move on and start searching for the next magical thing.
But, as a Christian entrepreneur, you know that building a business takes time. You understand you have to be diligent and faithful, if you want to see some success.
In 5 Habits of a Christian Entrepreneur (That Sets You Apart), I talked about the importance of being diligent, and why a Christian business owner, should desire and develop the habit of diligence. You must be prepared to work hard on your business, and put in the effort daily, if you want to succeed.
If you want your business to grow and fulfil it’s potential, you have to be dedicated and focused. This Christian business tip is non-negotiable, so get yourself ready for the hard work that lies ahead!
3. BE WILLING TO HELP AND SERVE YOUR CUSTOMERS
If you really want to help, and serve your customers, you must start by seeing your business as a ministry, and a medium to reach people for Christ.
Your business should improve people’s lives, solve their problems, and in some cases, transform their lives. Yes, I know this sounds like some lofty goal, but it really isn’t. It doesn’t take too much to help people or make their lives better.
If you’re truly committed to helping and serving your customers, you must start by knowing their pain points, and creating products or resources to address them.
Helping and serving your customers means you know their dreams, goals and aspirations, and you understand what is really important to them. When you commit to helping your customers, you’ll find that your business isn’t just a business, but also a ministry.
So start by thinking of ways you can get to know your customers better, so you can meet their needs, in a way no one else can. Focus on creating solutions for your customers. That’s how you gain and retain them.
4. DON’T BE GREEDY FOR GAIN
Some people think that the Bible says “money is the root of all evil.” The Bible doesn’t actually say that. What the Bible says is “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
The love of money has caused a lot of grief for so many business owners, that’s why we can’t leave it out when we talk about Christian business tips.
As an entrepreneur, you are going to have lots of opportunities to stray from the faith. You’re going to be tempted to engage in practices that don’t honor God because you want to make an extra buck.
Don’t get me wrong, making money is nice. Having enough money to take care of your family, support your church, and other worthy causes, is something everyone should aspire to. But, how you make your money matters.
The constant pursuit of money, or being greedy for gain are things you should watch out for. Not only do they lead to discontentment, they also expose you to risky ventures, and get rich quick schemes, which can cause financial ruin.
So it’s okay to want to make a profit from your business. It’s okay to want to earn enough money from your business, but you have to go about it in a way that pleases God.
Don’t engage in shady practices, or bait and switch. Also, don’t inflate your prices or sell sub-standard products to make as much money as you can.
One thing you can do help you stay true is to come up with a list of do’s and don’ts for your business based on biblical principles. So whenever you’re tempted to stray, you can refer to your list, and use it as a reminder.
5. DON’T DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS
For a long time, I couldn’t understand why patience was considered a virtue. If I am being honest, I still don’t always understand it, but I have accepted that it’s part of the process.
When you start a business, you want to start making money right off the bat, and it can be pretty demoralizing when that doesn’t happen. Many of you go into business with the expectation of making a full time income within a set period of time, so when that doesn’t pan out, you start feeling like you’ve failed.
But, that’s the wrong way to look at things. When you become an entrepreneur, you have to be ready to stick it out long term. Be prepared to wait a few years before your business really takes off. If you talk to successful christian entrepreneurs, they will tell you it took time and hard work to get to where they are.
When you approach entrepreneurship with a long-tem view, you don’t put yourself under unneccessary pressure, or compare yourself with anyone else. You understand you are running a race, and your timeline is going to be different from other people.
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is just a long-winded way of saying you should be patient. Give yourself time and lots of grace as a beginner entrepreneur. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but keep your head down and do the work.
6. STAY CONSISTENT
Like some of you, I struggle with staying consistent, but I have been working on it, and I will continue to work on it because consistency pays!
So what does it mean to be consistent? Staying consistent means you show up for your business every day. It means, you get the job done when you are supposed to. You don’t procrastinate or make excuses for your shortcomings.
When you are consistent in business, you don’t let days or weeks go by without working on your business, or doing something to improve it.
One of the biggest benefits of being consistent is, it can accelerate the growth of your business. I am not going to lie. It’s difficult to be consistent when you are not seeing the results you’d like. It’s much easier to show up for your business when everything is going according to plan.
So how do you stay motivated and consistent when you don’t feel like doing anything? For me, I remind myself of this scripture. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8)
What I am saying is, even if you don’t see results immediately, you know they are going to come. So plant your seeds when you’re supposed to, water them, and wait for the harvest.
The best way I know to stay consistent is to have a set of routines that I follow daily. Create a schedule for yourself. Use checklists, to-do lists, and daily goals to help you stay consistent.
Your business isn’t going to take off unless you’re consistent.
Check out the articles below for some more helpful tips.
The Importance Of Consistency In Your Business
7. GUARD YOUR REPUTATION
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)
While you shouldn’t spend your time obsessing over what people think about you, you should definitely be concerned about your reputation and keeping a good name.
Isn’t it funny how you can spend years doing good, but one misstep can ruin your reputation and image?
As a Christian business owner, you want to be known for your honesty, generosity and kindness. You want to be the one people refer others to because they know you will treat them right.
When someone says they are looking for a business that can deliver on their promise, your business should pop to mind.
Having a good reputation means you’ll enjoy one of the best and least expensive forms of marketing; word of mouth marketing. This can really be a big boost for your business, and would ensure a steady stream of customers.
Your reputation as a Christian and a business owner is very important, so guard it jealously, and do everything possible to be remembered as an honest and ethical business owner.
Last Word on 7 Essential Christian Business Tips for Beginner Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship is a marathon. There are times when you feel like you’re not making any progress no matter how hard you try.
Remember, it takes time to see results. So why you wait, remain consistent, keep working hard, continue to serve your customers, and make sure you create a plan for your business.
I can’t guarantee your success, but these Christian business tips should help you lay a solid foundation for your business, and help you to grow your business in a way that honors God.
Which of these tips do you think is the most important for your business?
Related Christian business advice posts
Top 9 Tips for Christian Entrepreneurs (To Improve and Grow Your Business)
20 Qualities of a Good Businessman (Every Entrepreneur Should Learn)
How to Be Successful in Business As a Christian
7 Essential Christian Business Tips for Beginner Entrepreneurs
