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
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 6, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors, Marketing & Monetization
Your Online Presence
Your website is a storefront, a first impression and a doorway for your customers.
It doesn’t matter if you are a brick and mortar business or you are an entirely virtual and online business, your online presence matters. That’s where people are! According to the World Internet Usage and Population Statistics, there were 320,068,243 internet users in North America in March 2017. Multiply that number by 6 for Asia. YEP! That’s where people are – ONLINE! That’s where we need to be as Christian Entrepreneurs.
These are some basics of your online existence.
“You can never go wrong by investing in communities and the human beings within them.” – Pam Moore CEO & Founder, Marketing Nutz
The internet is an extension of the community in which you live. If you have a brick and mortar business, it is essential to extend your presence in the community through engaging with your community online. If you have an online business, you also need to have a clearly defined and active presence online. Start with a website.
Your Online Presence Basics – You need a great website.
In our digital and smartphone times, we are always on the go. We have information at our fingertips. We have a tendency to research more. We make more price comparisons, and we read reviews more than ever. You need a website because no one uses the yellow pages anymore to find goods or services and because that’s where people are!
Word of mouth is still one of the most effective ways to advertise and acquire customers. These days, word of mouth is happening online. When you have a website, you can help direct that conversation. Your site provides a landing place for any social media links and any blog posts or articles you post about your business. Your website is a capsule of all you offer, how you offer it and where to get it. Your online storefront is a first impression and a doorway for your customers.
Your Online Presence Basics – Social media networking is imperative.
One of the most overlooked aspects of social media is the fact that it is an active and engaged community. Finding your niche or tribe and creating a following is an excellent way to grow your business and get people talking about you and your business. It is a way for you to show up, interact, and make yourself real to potential customers. It helps create brand loyalty when people know who is behind what they are buying. You have the ability to control and highly influence the social media community you are a part of and that you create. It is an excellent way to make yourself known, and it allows you to go deeper. Social media gives you an outlet to express and apply your vision and mission. It also gives you the opportunity to show followers how Christian Entrepreneurs do business.
Your Online Presence Basics – Blogs are an extension of your voice.
It doesn’t matter what you are selling or how you are selling it; blogs are a sales platform. They are an extension of your voice, your mission, your vision, and the voice of Christ in you. Blogs are a space you control. You can talk about your product and how it fits into your life and your potential customer’s life. Blogs can be used to give detailed testimonials or case studies. Blogs can also be used to inform and encourage. You started your business because you wanted something more. You felt a pull to something bigger. A blog on your website is a place to grow into that something bigger. Blogs can be personalized and managed by you. You chose how often you write about your products and services. You chose how much you talk about God. You chose how people interact with you on your blog. You get to direct the conversation. It is a controlled environment. With the right strategy, blogs are great sales tools and community builders.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 ESV
Your Online Presence Basics – Community is the foundation.
The point of having an online presence is to build a community around your business and your brand. Keeping a balanced perspective of it being about you and being about your customer is important. We are not meant to maneuver through this life alone. Anytime you can encourage another by identifying with them or helping them solve a problem; you are building community. You are doing it the way Jesus wants you to. Everything you do online is about building community. There are real people behind the pictures, comments, and questions. Treating them as if you were face to face with them builds trust. It also lets people know who you are because ultimately the first thing you sell is yourself.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV
My Prayer for your Online Presence
Lord Jesus,
Please give us wisdom to accurately represent You and our businesses online. Help us to maintain integrity and excellence in the online community as we do in our real life community. Point us in the direction which is best for our businesses, best for our communities, and best for our lives to glorify You in all we do.
In Jesus name – Amen
Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 6, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors
ELEMENTS OF AN ATTRACTIVE WEBSITE
Your website is your digital image and the front door of your business. It presents your “curb appeal.” It is the first the impression of you and your business. Understanding what you need to make a good impression is imperative when putting together your website.
For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 2 Corinthians 8:21
Even if you aren’t into having a website and your cousin’s daughter offered to build your site for free, it is still important. You want to practice excellence in every part of your business because, ultimately, you are working for the Lord!
Elements of an attractive website include –
One of the first things to consider about your website is appearance. Have you ever walked into a Wal-Mart and the aisles are strewn with pallets and pallets of stock? Have you been in your favorite store after a major holiday sale and it just looks messy? First impressions work the same with websites. How things seem to influence the potential for bringing a person deeper into your website. Let’s consider the following aspects of appearance when you (or someone else) is building your website.
- Color – There is much to be said about color and the mood it evokes. You can discover what color means and how it makes you feel with a simple color search on Google. Consider the mood you want your visitors to have when they come to your website. Choose colors that blend – they can be contrasting or complimentary colors. (Think of the colors of the NACWE logo. The red and yellow are complimentary. The turquoise is contrasting.) Stick to two of three colors. Be sure your bolder colors don’t distract from the written content – make sure the colors are dark enough to read.
- Font – There seem to be as many font choices as there are color choices. When choosing your font consider what you would be willing to stare at for an hour. It needs to be readable. Also, consider font size and the age and demographics of your audience. Font size suggestions range from 12pt to 14pt type size for paragraphs, larger for headings.
- Photography – We are visual. Therefore quality photography is a must. Dimly lit photos are distracting and less professional. There are many completely free website resources for quality photographs like
- morguefile.com – there is an array of photos here. You will have to do some sorting and editing to choose the best ones.
- unsplash.com – This website is updated every ten days with new pics. The photos are beautiful. The search feature is decent. You will also have to choose the most appropriate of the best photos.
- gratisography.com – This site offers more quirky choices. It comes across as a one-person operation. However, that doesn’t compromise the quality of the pictures.
- Let us know where you go for free photos!
- Graphics & Video – Video is very popular right now. It doesn’t take the place of written content on a website. However, it is an attractive added value to blog posts, front pages and about pages. People want to know who they are dealing with, especially if your business is online only. However, make watching a video an optional once in a while. Don’t force your visitors to sit through something. Graphics, like infographics, are also popular. However, don’t overuse them and keep them simple. Flashing and moving graphics are old fashion and distracting. Too many pictures, graphics or videos can distract the reader from their purpose.
- Simplicity – Keep is simple. Don’t overcrowd your pages. Leave white space. Busy and overcrowded pages distract visitors from the content you want them to see. Every single page of your website needs to have a sole purpose, keeping things streamlined in your design and flow of the website. It will also keep your readers focused on what you want them to know.
These few points are the beginning of what you need to know to maintain a professional and appealing website. You want your visitors to come. You want them to stay. You want them to come back again – just like you would a guest in your storefront. Visitors who come and stay invest! Visitors who come back usually bring a friend!
Don’t overlook or neglect your online presence which makes you available, ultimately, to a worldwide market. Keep that website up and running and looking great.
What is one thing you found that works best regarding the appearance of your website?
Lord, help us to focus clearly on the purpose of our businesses and communicate this goal clearly online. May all we do please You! Amen!
Blessings,
Karen
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Nov 6, 2020 | Entrepreneur Endeavors
Be Strong and Courageous So You Will Have Success
Be Strong and Courageous “…SO that you will have success wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7
Do you feel strong and courageous?
As a wife, mother, Nana, Christian Woman Entrepreneur wearing many hats – counselor, coach, author, publisher – sometimes I do; sometimes I don’t.
How about you?
I’m reading through Joshua in the Bible. In the very first chapter we understand that Moses has died, and Joshua will take his place as the leader of Israel. Two things happen in this first chapter:
-God commissions and encourages Joshua
-Joshua assumes command and prepares the people to enter the promised land.
Yikes! Those are tremendously tall orders for someone who just took over!
Be Strong and Courageous So You Will Have Success – God provides so we can be strong and courageous:
I love the fact, and must be reminded quite often, that God has provided everything I need to do all He has called me to do!
I often feel overwhelmed or tired or distressed and immediately assume that I don’t have everything I need to do what God has called me to do. I assume there just aren’t enough hours in the day or that I am not skilled enough or some other such lie!
In the 1st chapter of Joshua God states,
-“I have given you every place where the soul of your foot treads…” Verse 3
-“I promised…” V3
-“I will be with you…” V5
-“I will not leave you or abandon you.” V5
-“I swore to your fathers to give them an inheritance.” V6
-“…the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” V9
-“Certainly, the Lord your God will be with you…” V17
Lots of promises here! The Lord encourages us and reminds us that He is with us.
Be Strong and Courageous So you Will Have Success – I have a responsibility to be strong and courageous:I didn’t grow up in churches that, as far as I can recall from my youth, taught that God was sovereign. The first explanations of His sovereignty opened my eyes, filled my heart, and solidified my faith like no other lessons before or since!
In this 1st chapter of Joshua, God explains that because of who HE is, I am encouraged and can be strong and courageous. I will “have success where ever I go,” not because of my own might or my own skill, but because of God’s promises. It is my responsibility to be obedient to the whole instruction of God and to “meditate on it day and night” and “carefully observe everything written in it.” V8 If I am obedient, only then will I prosper and succeed in whatever I do. Only then will I be strong and courageous.
Step 1: Observe and meditate on God’s word day and night!
Step 2: Carefully record and stand firmly on His promises.
Step 3: Be strong and courageous!
Step 4: Boldly take the next right step. You DO know what that is!
Let’s Be Strong and Courageous together!
Blessings,
