Is it possible to find practical business development advice in the Bible? Do the various teachings of Jesus Christ have anything to do with how a small business operator can take his business to the next level?
Have you operated your business for many years and still find it difficult to get out of debt? If you want business development secrets that will help you succeed in business, then you are reading the right article. I will be describing 5 practical Biblical secrets for growing your business.
Secret 1: Start small and grow big “…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Mark 2:7)
Jesus, the Son of the Living God came into this world and chose a manger as His birthplace! What a way to start for the One who owns the earth and the fullness of it!
I want you to know that in business there is a starting point. It doesn’t matter when you have a poor or small start. It takes effort to grow the business. Jesus left the manger and rose to become the One whose name is above all other names.
(Philippians 2:9).
Your small business today can become a big business tomorrow. Therefore, you should never be afraid to start small. You should also not lose courage when it seems that things are not working as they should.
Practical tips
Most aspiring entrepreneurs mistakenly think that starting a business is the ticket to running a successful business. The truth of the matter is that starting your business small is the best strategy for achieving lasting success.
PZ Cussons Plc, the giant producer of quality personal care products, began by shipping palm oil, palm kernels, cocoa, cottonseed, ground walnuts, as well as hides and skins to the UK. This activity gave them the opportunity to gain the necessary experience to do business profitably in Africa.
Secret 2: Let the world know about your business
“…and the star which they had seen in the east went before them until it stopped over the place where the child was” Matthew 2:9
The magi needed to locate Jesus, the Savior of the world who had just been born into the world but they had no idea where His birthplace was. God provided Jesus as a solution to the world’s problem. God himself came to the rescue of the magi by making a star to announce the birth of Jesus and also brought the magi to where he was (Matthew 2:10).
When you have provided a solution to a problem, pack it up and please let the world know. This is the only way they can do business with you. I’m sure you know that your business improves when many people know about and patronize your products and services. How do you let people know about you and the problem you have solved? This is through well targeted marketing activities. Marketing activities done correctly will draw people to your location just like the star drew the wise men to the birthplace of Jesus.
Practical tips
Production is not complete if the product your business offers does not reach your customers. The brains behind BOC Group Plc understood this and in an effort to ensure efficient and effective distribution of their gas in 1887, they began licensing independent companies throughout Great Britain to produce oxygen under their process.
In the 1950s, they also built tonnage plants at or near customer sites. Customers had the opportunity to learn about their products and this did their business a lot of good.
Secret 3: What is your key business?
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus came into this world with a ‘ruling profession’: to save his people from their sins. He never lost focus on this important task. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, quenched the thirsty, and taught both old and young about the kingdom of God. However, his main task of saving the people from him was always his top priority.
Your business should have a key assignment from the start. You must define it before you start or redefine it if you have lost focus.
Practical tips:
Intel Corporation, reputed to be the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, devoted much attention to its flagship product: microprocessors. This helped a lot during the depression they faced in the mid-1980s. The core product remained highly profitable and helped revive the company in all areas.
Secret 4: Your poor background doesn’t matter
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, little among the families of Judah, from you will come forth the one who will be Lord over Israel…” (Micah 5:2)
The Lord Jesus, Savior of the world, came from the small town of Bethlehem.
Bethlehem, according to the previous biblical passage, was small among the clans of Judah. Well, the good news for you in this is that the little town of Bethlehem produced the great messiah who would save the world from sin!
No matter how humble you come from or how weak you are financially, you can still jump into a business and grow it to become a force to be reckoned with in the business world.
If Bethlehem produced the messiah, then you too can do business feats, regardless of your background.
Practical tips
Chris Gardener, the founder of Gardner Rich & co. – a multi-billion dollar US stock brokerage firm has very humble beginnings. Born the only child of a family of twelve children, his early years were filled with difficulties and uncertainties.
Today Chris runs a successful brokerage firm and is currently busy working on what he considers the biggest deal of his career: he is establishing an investment company in South Africa that will earn him consistently large profits.
Secret 5: Are you doing the right thing?
“After the festival, while his parents returned home, the child Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, but they did not know it” (Luke 2:43)
Isn’t it interesting to note that Joseph and Mary got involved in so many activities that they didn’t know that little Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem after they left? The Bible says that they “thought he was in his company and traveled for a day before realizing his mistakes” (v44).
They were without Jesus (a gift to the world) for a day!
Do you get involved in so many activities that won’t do your business any good? It’s about time you reconsidered and set about doing only things that will improve your business.
Practical tips:
Great business success comes when you must have established your business as an expert in an area. In order for you to develop this necessary expert position, you must stay focused and continue to do what you do best.
A few years ago, Reckitt Benckister, the world’s largest manufacturer of household products, ensured that it only acquired related businesses while selling its fire-fighting business that was unrelated to its core business.