My Greatest Failures As A Christian Entrepreneur
Ever walk the tightrope of entrepreneurial success and find yourself teetering more towards failure? Ever question if “bigger is better” and the hustle culture is taking a toll on your mental health and overall wellness? I’ve been there. In the face of failures, I’ve found invaluable lessons that have transformed not only my business, but also my life. I’ll be sharing my experiences on how I shifted my mindset from doing more to doing better—strategizing, simplifying, becoming profitable, and genuinely connecting with my audience. These are lessons learned in the trenches, and I believe they can help you navigate your entrepreneurial journey with a bit more grace and a lot less stress. Enjoy!
As a Christian entrepreneur navigating our faith alongside our businesses, I’ve experienced our share of triumphs and failures. Through this journey, I’ve gleaned invaluable lessons that have not only transformed our businesses but also our lives.
One significant challenge I’ve encountered is the constant pressure to do more. The hustle culture can often lead us to believe that success equates to overworking. However, I’ve learned that this approach can often lead to burnout and affect our mental health. Instead, I’ve discovered that the key to success lies in doing better, not more. This entails being strategic, simplifying our processes, and genuinely connecting with our audience.
A common misconception in entrepreneurship is that a larger audience equates to more money. I’ve experienced the pitfalls of this belief, from prioritizing audience growth to underpricing my services and ignoring the value of my time. These were costly lessons, but they were essential in reshaping my approach to business.
To tackle these misconceptions head-on, I found Shanna Skidmore’s Blueprint Model incredibly useful. It guided me in understanding profitability and the importance of valuing my time and energy as costs in my businesses. This mindset shift allowed me to develop more strategic and profitable pricing structures for my products and services.
Another struggle I’ve grappled with is the fear of judgment and the crippling effects of false humility. These fears often held me back from making necessary decisions in my businesses. However, we’ve learned that my commitment should be to please God, not people. Hasn’t failed me yet.
When I made the decision to start charging for the Beloved Women app, I faced criticism and negative feedback. However, I knew that this decision was in alignment with God’s plan for us. This experience reinforced my belief in trusting God’s plan, even when it means making difficult decisions that might upset others.
In the world of Christian entrepreneurship, it’s vital to remember that pleasing everyone is not the end goal. Instead, the focus should be on obeying God and fulfilling His calling for our lives and businesses. Despite the fear and hesitation, staying in alignment with God brings peace and clarity that outweighs any negative feedback or judgment.
As Christian entrepreneurs, we’re constantly learning and growing from our experiences. Each failure and triumph shapes our journey and provides valuable lessons that can help us flourish in life, business, and ministry.
My hope is that sharing these insights will inspire other Christian entrepreneurs to navigate their entrepreneurial journey with grace and less stress. After all, our ultimate goal should be to shine our light, serve the world, and give God all the glory.