Work Life Balance: Learn to say, No!

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Shawn Weekly

I’ve met many christians in the marketplace, that have a desire to serve, that’s hard to shut off. I must admit I was one of those guys, who thought my selfless efforts for others was a huge part of my calling. I still believe it is to a certain extent, however I had to learn to season my enthusiasm with wisdom.  My old approach to balancing my time spent serving others, building a career, building business, spending quality family time, and allowing God to nurture me spiritually, fell in that very order.  It took a few lumps on the head … Continue Reading

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Build Better Business Relationships

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Shawn Weekly
Warren Buffet and Bill Gates

Warren Buffet and Bill Gates

I am persuaded that every believer should have healthy mentor relationships in order to maximize there full potential.   I have heard the Paul, Timothy and Barnabas model of mentorship taught on several occasions, and today I would like to set our focus on this model in the context of the marketplace.  In business, placing yourself in the correct mentor relationship can make quite a difference.

So where do we start?
Pray and seek guidance about finding a Paul type mentor in the marketplace.   Paul was a   discipler of young Timothy.  When seeking a Paul, age is not the … Continue Reading

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Faith = Patience + Preparation … Have you done the Math?!?!

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Eli Brown

Recently, my wife and I shared the miracle of bringing our first born child into the world.  The experience of pregnancy was waaaay more work for my wife than me, but it still left a lasting impact on my life and my perspective on faith.  As soon-to-be parents, we had an overwhelming excitement for the little girl on the way.  We painted her room, bought clothes, and filled our home with all of the necessary tools for taking care of an infant.  We prepared!.. and when we felt we had done all we could to prepare, we waited… and waited… and waited… … Continue Reading

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Scrap that Idea!…When to Greenlight your next Project

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Eli Brown

What are the questions you ask yourself before starting a new business idea? This post will detail three basic questions you should consider before giving the greenlight to your next project. Continue reading →

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$ocial Networking your way to Venture Capital

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Eli Brown

Social networking has revolutionized the way we market our business and connect with clients.  Using LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook has allowed businesses to acquire a tremendous amount of social capital that they may not have otherwise acquired.  Now social networking is moving beyond social capital to the generation of financial capital.  These avenues are called Peer to Peer lending sites, or social lending networks.

Web sites like www.Prosper.com, www.Zopa.com and www.LendingClub.com allow borrowers to connect with numerous potential lenders directly, and eliminate the “middle man”.  In 2005, there were $118 million of outstanding peer-to-peer loans. In 2006, there were $269 … Continue Reading

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Ministering to Difficult Customers

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Shawn Weekly

A few weeks ago, despite my best efforts to weed and feed and keep it perfectly manicured, my lawn was a bit out of control. I was certain the HOA would send me a letter. So off I go to rectify the situation in the front of my house. After about 45 minutes into my labor, I find a business card tucked away on the side of the house, in the high grass/weeds. I am almost certain that it wasn’t placed there deliberately, but perhaps it was blown by the wind until it could travel no further.

As I read … Continue Reading

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Are you Waiting for Superman?

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Eli Brown

The summer movie season is upon us, and with that has come a summer packed with superhero blockbusters.  I thoroughly enjoy watching these extraordinary beings rescue the lost and save the planet from eminent destruction!  Who knew there were so many criminal masterminds out there with diabolical schemes capable of stopping mankind from continuing in our typical and mundane daily existence?!?!

With the excitement of watching these movies, I always wonder what it may be like to finish paperwork faster than a speeding bullet, or simply fly over the rush hour traffic to my office each morning.  As much as … Continue Reading

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A Dream Deferred…

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Eli Brown

A Dream Deferred – Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

There have been times in my life when I have wanted to give up on my pursuit of Gods plans for my life.  My goals cast to the side, dreams deferred, and ambitions reserved for later.  Whether it is God’s plan for my … Continue Reading

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Building Strategic Partnerships

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Shawn Weekly

Creating a strategic alliance through joint ventures or partnerships, can be a rewarding undertaking. Alliances can be formed for various reasons including, breaking into new markets, reducing costs, enhancing product offerings & services, access to technology or manufacturing processes, diversity, and increased capital. The preceding list is in no way exhaustive, but I hope it outlines just a few reasons to consider entering a Business to Business relationship. As a christian business owner there are also spiritual implication associated with creating a strategic alliance, that have far reaching ramifications. Today I want to share a few tips to navigating the … Continue Reading

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Building an effective Social Networking Strategy?..Get HootSuite

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Eli Brown

Okay, so you have a Twitter account, a Facebook account, and a LinkedIn profile. You are considering Foursquare, you dabble with Google Buzz, you still check your MySpace account every few months, and you just activated your Ping account. That is not an internet addiction, it’s actually pretty normal these days. There are, of course, numerous benefits to the increased number of communications channels, but with this gain, there is also a decrease in the amount of time saved for other equally, if not more, important pursuits. Honestly, who has the time to login to multiple website, remember numerous passwords … Continue Reading

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