OWNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS

She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. Proverbs 31:18 NKJV


Is your work challenging, stimulating, and a reflection of who you are? Or do you feel like you are in a dead-end job, always watching for the clock and living for the weekends? If you want to create a work life that expresses who you are and reflects your highest values, consider owning your own business.

Over a million businesses start in the U.S. ever year. Women are starting new businesses fast as much as men. More and more women are choosing to start businesses twice as fast as men. More and more women are choosing to start businesses-from one person home businesses to multimillion-dollar corporations. Women are more likely to start a business because they have to hit the glass ceiling in their climb up the corporate ladder, want to spend more time with their children, need more flexibility in their schedules, or have a passion they want to pursue.

Women-run businesses come in all sizes and shapes. One women might open a local floral shop, another might create a dried-flower crafts business, and another build a national flower-delivery empire. (somethin about flowers, huh? is there a hint?) From consultants to creative artists, from stockbrockers to secretarial services, women are creating businesses that suit their lifestyles and offer them the opportunity to pursue a passionate interest and make a profit at the same time.

What does it take to make a success of your own business?

1. Persistence-You need to be able to push ahead, having what it takes to plug away a little at a time, day after day until a job is done.

2. Ability to face the facts-You need to be able to constantly reevalutate changing situations, learning, adjusting, and changing your behavior when your way of doing things no longer works.

3. Ability to minimize risks-While being open to new ideas, you also need to make fall-back plans and sek alternative solutions, constantly and methodically looking for ways to reduce risk and to get the most out of resources.

4. Ability to be a hands on learner-Participating in the total process, you learn by doing. Every business is a learning laboratory, and every business owner needs to understand all aspects of the business.

5. Market-focused perspevtive-You need to be able to find and focus on your appropriate market niche. Know what you want to sell, whom you want to sell to, what need your product or service fills, and how you can reach those who want to buy.

6. Cooperative attitude-There is more power in cooperation than in cutthroat competition. Even with a one-person business working out of your home , you'll have to work with clients, customers, suppliers, and people who provide services to your business such as accountants and consultants. You live in a community, and your business functions in the matrix of that community.

7. Confidence- You need to be wise enough to ask questions and confident enough to make your own decisions and stick with them.

8. Faith- You have to have faith in yourself in yourself and believe that it's possible to succeed. There will be many challenges and obstacles to overcome as you plan and build your business. Your faith in God and reliance on His help and guidance to give you strength to pursue your dreams and reach your goals. (see photos above; for they show how you will have to step out on faith and pray about the matter)

I WILL

Trust in God as my business partner and career counselor.
Be willing to learn by doing.
Work smart and work hard.
Be honest about my strengths and weaknesses.
Have faith in my ability to succeed.
Focus on an appropriate market niche.

Things to Do

Write in your journal about where you would like to be a year from now and what you would like to be doing.

Take a business class from your local community college or resource center.

Learn about basic bookkeeping and recordkeeping..

Go to a job fair and/or a business convention and learn more about the business.career you are interested in.

Apprentice yourself to someone who has experience in the field you want to enter into. ex: publishing or writing field bookstore business

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genuis, magic and power in it." Goethe


If you are seeking to one day be a full-time writer, publisher, publicist, agent or editor, you can make it happen. There are plenty of websites and experienced writers that can assist you along those lines. Keep plugging at it. Do your research! If you want to go into business for youself for another kind of field, make it happen!

All of the above suggestions will work if you are seeking to be in business for yourself as a writer. It takes FAITH that you can do it, STRENGTHENED DETERMINATION, WILLPOWER and ENDURANCE to know that you can do it along with a WILLINGNESS to overcome any and all obstacles. The money will eventually visualize itself especially if you already have the PASSION and you do it without price. You may have to remain in your present day or night job until it happens in order to reach some of the goals that you need to make. Then again, you may not have a full-time gig and have to find another way to gain funds to pursue your dreams. In any event, do not give up! Something is coming your way.

****special note: just to show you that your full-time job is not always stable****" here in new jersey, the governor ordered an immediate SHUTDOWN of all state services. this includes the lottery, horse races, motor vehicles, labor, health department, all state offices with the exception of the STATE POLICE and a few other necessary personnel WITHOUT PAY. Today these folx are home WITHOUT pay. They will not even get pay for the holiday tomorrow. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who work for the state of nj. oh they have benefits, holidays, pension, vacation, etc and yet their governor could not sign the contract by 12:00am July 1. He was the one they recently elected in. "Oh, Governor Corzine, that's our man." Now they are mad at "OUR MAN." the folx are not even sure when they will be going back to work. this will be causing problems with "our jobs." this is why i don't put my trust in man fully; my confidence is placed in my heavenly Father and what He can provide for me first. then i will see what provisions He allows man to have for me. i don't get all bent out of shape when i see various events happen like this because i know that God is in control and He will work things out. sure, (i will not like it, i need to pay my bills) however, i will have food and shelter everyday and that is a promise. i will rely on God the complete day (today) as i work on my book, meditating and being prayerful as i go along and that includes praying for those without their jobs at this moment.

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