Business Breakfast
This part of the blog is for those that are in business that want some wisdom principles that will help them operate better in the market place. Now I maintain that every person is in business by design or by default. We have those that are running registered entities that employ people and provide goods or services, that is a business, but there are those employed by these entities that provide the labor force to make this entity exist. This includes the cleaner, the typist, bookkeeper, manager and so on. These people often do not see themselves as business owners they think of themselves as employees.
Now I have a problem with “employees” because this word carries and attitude with it, and often that attitude is not a good one. I prefer working with ambitious entrepreneurs that will dream and produce with a desire to go higher in life this often is not seen in employees, that is why they fight to stay in a job, they fight to get more money and better benefits and they fight for the tea time and lunch break and terminal benefits. There is nothing wrong with all of this because employers can be abusive. Like Laban in the Genesis 30-31; He was an employer who employed many servants.
One day he had the opportunity to “employ his relative Jacob. While Jacob was working for Laban his wages were changed ten times (I hate that word wages) finally Jacob had a paradigm shift that made him see himself not as an employee but as a productive business man who was seeing his ability to look after livestock and make them multiply (profitable).
Do you want to be successful in life? Do you want to make a mark wherever you go? Well you are on the right page. Success is defined as the progressive realization of set goals. We all set goals in our lives based on what we know and what we believe we can achieve, how do you view yourself as a person, what is your expectation in life? Who are you? I was taught that “The world does not give you what you want but it gives you what you are” Wow that’s profound I have seen so many people walk around as if life owed them something. Don’t be a victim because we have no time for victims we are looking for people that are out to do something significant, and often employees are victims and not initiators that are doing great things.
When Jacob discovered himself his story began to change he was no longer the victim of an abusive uncle employer, but now he was a businessman negotiating a price for the services that he knew he was able to deliver well. His employer was also aware that something had happened to the man he had victimized for over 18 years, so he was not bossy or patronizing he was will to negotiate and say I am aware that I have been blessed because of you. What do you want as you salary, you determine it and I will give you. Your typing, accounting skill, admin skill even you sweeping, cleaning and tea making is a skill that you can package, brand and sell to the highest bidder. But as long as you are an employee you will stay where you are thinking that you are a victim.
The diligent hand shall be made rich says proverbs and that is so true. He goes on to say “See a man diligent in his business he will not stand before obscure men” I know people that make tea and earn R1000 for it and there are others that earn R4500 for the same job. I wonder how much the presidents tea makers earn, but to become his tea maker you have to be diligent at your trade and become the best. Employees often do not have this ambition, they want job security and that limits their life.
Any way I shared that to say to you the Lord spoke to me and said a lot of people are in business and they have never known the Laban principle. I looked up the story of Laban and discovered the following.
The Laban principle
You need Laban in your life as he gives you the exposure, networks, experience, discipline and wisdom necessary to make you a great businessperson. You are not ready to run your own entity till your presence in Laban’s business has had a significant impact on Laban’s bottom line. Laban should know that he is blessed because of you. Then and only then can you say let me build something for my family. Working for Laban is good for a season as it allows you to make mistakes on his account, you cannot afford to make certain mistakes in your own business its too expensive. Some mistakes take you down the tubes, but if you are working for Laban its ok.
Please note I am not in any way insinuating that you should abuse Laban no I am talking about genuine mistakes and miscalculations. Faithfulness in that which belongs to Laban qualifies you for your own business and when you get yours know that what you did for Laban your team of entrepreneurs will do to you. It’s a law, if you stole they will steal, if you were lazy that’s what you will get. So serve Laban well it has great rewards.
Work diligently till Laban realizes that in loosing you he is loosing his prize producer he will negotiate some kind of shareholding deal with you. This is when you know I can now run my own business entity, or maybe you should take his offer to partner with him.
While serving Laban get a strategy that you implement to cause money to flow into your life, if you cannot impact Laban’s bottom line there is no guarantee that you will succeed. Jesus said be faithful in that which is another man's and God will give you that which is your own. They tell us that 80-90% of all businesses started fail at their early stages of their lifecycle; I believe this is because most entrepreneurs never spent time learning from Laban. Always know why you are in a job, rarely is it to make a living because there are very few people making a living from their jobs.
What you acquire from Laban will help you make a living for you and your family. Read the story of Jacob when he ran from his bother and you will learn principles that will change your life. Move from being an employee to being a businessperson. That will change the way you carry yourself and maybe even the way you do your profiles on the social networks.
