by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 8, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors, Firm Foundations
The Keystone: The Third of Four Business Cornerstones for Helping Professionals
…therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
—Isaiah 28:16
A cornerstone, in ancient building practices, was the first and principal stone placed at the corner of the structure. All other stones would be set in reference to this one stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.
Here, I present to you four “cornerstones” for building a business that pleases the Lord!
We discussed THE Cornerstone—Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul referred to Him as the “head of the corner” and the “Chief Cornerstone of the Church.” He must be the head of our businesses as well!
Then, we discussed the dedication stone, your mission and vision. It includes your purposes and is fundamental to and defines your past, present, and future growth.
The Keystone
Another keystone is your customer or client.
God has called you to serve them and to represent Him as you work together—you are His ambassador and builder as you offer your clients services and products that will enhance their lives and draw them even closer to the Redeemer: THE Cornerstone! Without the customer, you don’t have a business or ministry. The satisfied client may be the mortar or cement that holds the whole business together! We can create, build, and launch new programs all day, but reaching out to touch and care for our consumer is paramount and is a way to lovingly represent Christ in their lives!
- Who is your ideal client?
- Does defining him/her lead you to change or enhance your services or products?
- How do you reach out and touch your customer when they’re not in your presence?
- Devise a communication and “touch” plan monthly to let them know they are valuable to you and your ministry!
A final, but crucial foundation stone is… You! Let’s talk about You as foundation stone next time!
What new steps are you taking to reach out and touch your clients?
Let’s take these steps together! Join us and share your keystones.
God Bless You!
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 8, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors, Firm Foundations
The Foundation Stone: The Fourth of Four Business Cornerstones for Helping Professionals
…therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
—Isaiah 28:16
The ONE cornerstone was usually the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the building. In this series, we’ve been discussing types of secure stones necessary to build a successful business. We discussed THE Cornerstone—Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul referred to Him as the “head of the corner” and the “Chief Cornerstone of the Church.” He must be the head of our businesses as well!
Then, we discussed the dedication stone, your mission and vision. It includes your purposes and is fundamental to and defines your past, present, and future growth.
Another keystone is your customer or client. God has called you to serve them and to represent Him as you work together—you are His ambassador and builder as you offer your clients services and products that will enhance their lives.
The Foundation Stone
A final, but crucial, foundation stone is…you! After all, it is you God has called to minister to others in this unique and effective way! He will lead you to the equipment and expertise needed to draw others to Him as you follow your purpose and calling as entrepreneur! I waited seven years for God to show me what this looked like, and then I realized (in this stagnant state) that I had to move as far forward into His will as I could before He would show me more of the purposes and vision for RHEMA Counseling Associates.
- Who are you?
- Who are you in Christ?
- What has He called you to do?
- How do you believe He has equipped and will equip you toward this calling?
As you seek His will and look at what He has already shown you, what is the next step to take toward bringing Him gory and honor in your organization? Let’s take that step together! Join us and share your cornerstones.
God Bless You!
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 8, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors, Firm Foundations
The Dedication Stone: The Second of Four Business Cornerstones for Helping Professionals
…therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ Isaiah 28:16
A cornerstone, in ancient building practices, was the first and principal stone placed at the corner of the structure. All other stones would be set in reference to this one stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.
Here, I present to you four “cornerstones” for building your business!
Last time, we discussed THE Cornerstone—Jesus Christ. Jesus described Himself as the Cornerstone that His church would be built upon, the foundation of a unified body of believers, and He should be the chief and foundational cornerstone in your business or ministry!
The Dedication Stone
The dedication stone is your mission and vision.
Your mission and vision (your purposes) are foundational to and define your past, present, and future growth. In older times, the completion of a building involved a ceremony of the rite of laying the cornerstone that was symbolic of the produce and the people of the land and the means of their subsistence. Some contemporary builders include an inscription on the stone indicating the construction dates of the building and the names of architect, builder, and other significant individuals. For our team of associates, this celebration will include a ceremony of prayer and dedication and the placing of a custom designed stepping-stone in our offices.
- Have you clearly defined your mission and vision statements?
- Can you concisely talk about what you do?
- Do you have a catchy 30-second introduction prepared?
- Do you have a 2-3 minute “commercial” video on your homepage?
- How can you celebrate and re-dedicate your business and stay true to your mission and vision?
Another keystone is your customer or client.
A final, but crucial foundation stone is. . .you!
Let’s talk about these next time!
What steps will you take now to dedicate and celebrate your organization and its mission and vision before the Lord? Let’s take these steps together!
God Bless You!
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 8, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors, Firm Foundations
THE Cornerstone: The First of Four Business Cornerstones for Helping Professionals
…therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ Isaiah 28:16
A cornerstone, in ancient building practices, was the first and principal stone placed at the corner of the structure. The cornerstone was usually one of the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the building. Today, the cornerstone is most important, since all other stones will be set in reference to this one stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.
We just moved our offices into a newly constructed building. I assumed it had four corners, so it must have been built on four “cornerstones.” Granted, I build thriving businesses, generate innovative services and programs, and craft creative products. I encourage, empower, and equip through counseling, coaching, and supervision. I don’t construct buildings! Still, I’m going to present to you four “cornerstones” for business success!
THE Cornerstone is Jesus Christ.
Jesus described Himself as the Cornerstone that His church would be built upon, the foundation of a unified body of believers. The Apostle Paul referred to Him as the “head of the corner” and the “Chief Cornerstone of the Church.” It is the desire of our founder and servants at RHEMA Counseling Associates to make Christ our chief and crown—our cornerstone.
- Who is chief cornerstone in your business?
- What does that mean in your organization?
- How do others recognize this sure foundation?
- What action steps do you need to take today to establish a secure cornerstone?
The dedication stone is your mission and vision.
Another keystone is your customer or client.
And a final, but crucial, foundation stone is… you!
Let’s talk about these next time!
As you seek God’s will and look at what He has already shown you, what is the next step to take toward bringing Him glory and honor in your organization?
Let’s take it together! Join me and share your cornerstones.
God Bless You!
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 6, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors, Marketing & Monetization
Your Online Presence – Communicating Online
It is a pretty well-known fact that your online existence is essential to building a business in modern times. Your online presence is a way of communicating your brand, services, and products.
The PC has improved the world in just about every area you can think of. Amazing developments in communications, collaboration, and efficiencies. New kinds of entertainment and social media. Access to information and the ability to give a voice to people who would never have been heard. – Bill Gates
Communicating Online
There are different outlets for communicating online. We are not limited to getting our news and entertainment just from magazines and newspapers anymore. Expert advice and instruction were once only the information of specialty books. Scholarly input was once only found in niche journals. Today, we have a myriad of information troves and treasures at our fingertips.
Because so much is so readily available, we have to consider under what conditions we communicate in the virtual world. It is a real community, and we are representing Christ there. We must be careful not to disconnect from the humans connected to the screens, profile pics and comments we see online.
Communicating Online – Building and keeping a good reputation
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1
Just as in real life, you are responsible for your reputation online. If you are in the process of building a business, consider these points
- Pictures – This is a tricky topic because social media is often based on the pictures we post. Everything centers around how good you look. However, it is bigger than just having a nice profile pic. While sincerity and authenticity are paramount to building a following ( a tribe), editing which events you post is also important for the safety and security of you and your family and of your business. Strongly consider the kinds of pictures you post of your children and family. You might be comfortable with the exposure – they may not. Also, consider pictures you post which have controversial content. Believe it or not, depending on your business, that picture of you on summer vacation in a swimsuit can cause an uproar. Are you willing to deal with the comments?
- Comments – When someone is trying to figure out if you are for real, they will investigate. They will read comments you have left. They will check out the interactions you’ve had with others online. They may even engage to see how you respond to them. Never forget, no matter how another person acts, you are still talking to a real person, with feelings, with problems, and with their issues of brokenness. It is in the commenting and interaction where you can mirror Christ. How would He respond?
- Privacy – Learn how to adjust the privacy settings on your social media accounts. Find out how to delete someone and how to block someone if necessary. These parameters are useful for safeguarding your family and business from those individuals who are acting inappropriately or trying to take advantage of your platform. Decide what action you will take in these situations before it happens.
Communicating Online – Vulnerability sells, but has limitations.
In all circumstances, especially online, authenticity and sincerity are recommended. Tell your story, because you have a story to tell and someone needs to hear it. Being yourself draws people to you. Humans seek connection. We are designed to be in community. We are created for relationship.
You cannot make real connections without being real. And being real means being vulnerable. It means taking off the mask and getting truthful about your story. This is easier to do when there is some distance between you and the most painful or the hardest parts of your story. However, it still means putting the softer parts of you out there. So, how do you find balance with vulnerability?
Finding the balance with vulnerability is very personal and very individual.
Start with only telling your story. Use caution when talking about other people’s stories!
Consider how tender you are when telling parts of your story. Do you still cry? If someone responds with criticism or doubt to your story, does it wound you? If so, those parts should be told carefully and sparingly until you feel more healed.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 ESV
Don’t tell your story with vulnerability if you are looking for validation. Validation and meaning can only come from the Lord. He is the one who gives meaning to your life and all things in it. Do not look for this from your followers or you will be disappointed.
Communicating Online
Being online, having an online presence means you are communicating online. You are never NOT communicating; you are either communicating poorly or communicating well. But you are communicating! As in all we do, as Christian entrepreneurs who are leaders, we must consider how God would have us do things. With a little thought, prayer, and guidance from the Holy Spirit you can make your online business presence an accurate extension of your real life business presence with dignity and finesse!
Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
