Confessions of a Home-Based Entrepreneur

Sometimes I don’t like it, this work-from-home business.

Sometimes the “good ole days” seem so much better –

• When direct deposits magically appeared in my bank account
• When witty, creative colleagues worked and laughed with me in person
• When I carried a briefcase and wore high heels

I reminisce from time to time because, for the most part, I really enjoyed my various careers!

I wasn’t a victim of downsizing.  I wasn’t “let go.” I left my last position so I could be more available to my 16-year-old twin daughters and because I felt called to begin a new life chapter as a home-based, faith-based, service-providing entrepreneur.

But I didn’t know what that meant exactly.

I didn’t realize I’d have to

• Dig down deep to discover my true passion and purpose
• Dig down even deeper to discern a profitable niche
• Become my own CEO, IT geek, and QuickBooks® expert
• Do most of my own PR
• Master my mindset

I remember, even as a mother of toddler twins, wondering what people were talking about when they’d say, “Motherhood. The hardest job you’ll ever love.” I never understood that comment as I’ve been blessed with children who’ve been a breeze to raise. Motherhood for me has been a natural extension of who I am at my core.

Not so entrepreneurship.

In many ways, being a work-from-home entrepreneur goes against all of my inborn tendencies. Now that my daughters and stepchildren are grown, the bulk of my day-to-day, face-to-face interaction is with my three faithful canines, God bless ‘em.

No more team meetings. No more brainstorming over coffee. No more birthday cakes or breakfast bagels or retirement celebrations. No more grabbing a quick lunch with colleagues.

If you have introverted tendencies, you might be thinking, “Sounds good to me.” If you’re an extrovert, however, you know exactly what I’m talkin’ about.

Being a home-based entrepreneur can be lonely!

So how do we manage? Better question. How do we excel?

This is what I’ve learned over the past four years. Whether introverts or extroverts, we must:

•  Get crystal clear on our calling/mission/purpose including whom we want to serve and how we want to serve them.

• Decide that we will persevere and succeed.

• Find mentors who will help guide us through the jungle—people we trust who are ahead of us on their own entrepreneurial journey.

• Surround ourselves with a community of upbeat people—a team—who will support and offer us critical feedback.

• Get out from behind our computers and connect socially with others in person.

• Choose or create a system to deliver our goods and services.

• Make sure we fill our minds and hearts with inspiration by reading and listening to our favorite authors, speakers, teachers, and music on a daily basis.

• Get together often with creative, like-minded business owners for support, encouragement, and brainstorming.

• Attend a few “live events” a year to reinforce our learning and ignite or reignite our passion.

• Affirm each and every day that, by being faithful to our calling, we’re blessing the people we’re meant to bless with our unique gifts, strengths, message, and talents.

If I could offer only one key point for each year I’ve been in business, I’d tell emerging entrepreneurs:

1)   Know your purpose (for life and business).

2)   Work with a coach/mentor whom you trust.

3)   Become part of a team.

4)   Stay connected to divine guidance for strength and inspiration.

Home-Based Entrepreneurship. The hardest job you’ll ever LOVE!

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A Sin To Be Poor?

It’s a sin to be rich, right?

Perhaps. But not always.

If we place money and displays of wealth above our relationships with God and our fellow man, then whether our incomes are high or not-so-high, we’re out of sync with the person we’re designed to be. Worse –

We’re in violation of divine law.  We. Have. Sinned.

So must we sell all of our possessions and earn just enough to get by? For centuries vows of poverty have been taken as a means of growing closer to God. But intentional poverty is not the path for everyone who seeks a closer connection with their Creator. For many of us, our relationships with God and others are strengthened as we earn income commensurate with our labor and capabilities.

The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, permeated his sermons with the message, “Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can.”

What if we don’t? What if we let our “money story,” whatever that might be, limit our income? Is that a sin?

What if our “money story,” chock full of limiting beliefs, is preventing us from blessing the people we’re meant to bless? What if it’s keeping us from delighting in the Lord and being grateful for each and every day? What if it’s causing us to blame God for what we don’t have but others do?

I’ve interviewed over one hundred guests on my radio show; I’ve coached and mentored even more clients. The topic of abundance and prosperity invariably comes up in our conversations. Money. Is it a blessing or a curse?

It seems that many women – women of faith in particular – have a hard time converting from employee to entrepreneur. Why? In large part because going out on our own as business owners means going from receiving a paycheck or direct deposit to actively seeking/attracting clients and customers. It means determining and asking for what our services and/or products are worth. It means deciding beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s “OK” to make money!

Let’s stop thinking that earning money or becoming rich is some sort of a sin—some evil to be avoided. Instead, let’s proclaim that earning money—“all we can”—gives us the freedom to enjoy God’s creation to the fullest.

Let’s proclaim that having a healthy, happy relationship with money can strengthen our relationship with God and others as we experience the joy of receiving and sharing God’s blessings.

Let’s put away our old “money story” and embrace a new, empowering one.

Let’s ask ourselves with gut-level candor . . .

Is it a sin to be poor?

 

 

 

Getting Grounded in the Midst of Chaos

Oh, the unnerving feeling of losing control. Don’t cha just hate it?

I’ve interviewed scores of women on my internet radio show Heart & Soul for Women of Faith who’ve shared that “losing it” is one of their biggest fears and most daunting obstacles.

Why does not being able to control our circumstances, surroundings, or responses of others  cause us to fall apart at the seams and resort to all manner of unhealthy activities?

Eating not two but three pints of Cherry Garcia comes to mind as does the pervasive, soul-sapping “un-activity,” procrastination. Sometimes we choose to stick our head in the sand and hope the situation will blow over.

And sometimes lack of control over one or two circumstances will lead to a feeling of lack of control over everything. In a flash our whole world, in our mind’s eye anyway, turns upside down into one big ole chaotic mess.

I asked a friend and colleague of mine, Life Coach Joann Lim, why she thought lack of control is such a bugaboo for many women and why it can lead to an overall feeling of utter chaos. Joann said CHAOS = CHANGE. We often feel like our lives are out of control and chaotic when our status quo is disrupted, that is, when change of any kind takes place.

A few short weeks ago a team of movers swarmed into our house to box up our belongings and transport them from Lovely Lynchburg, Virginia, to Beautiful Bel Air, Maryland. Sure enough, change was occurring right in front of me. I felt control-less in the midst of chaos despite the team’s orderly manner and noteworthy professionalism. Breathe, Jory, breathe!

But check this out. Joann showed me that the letters for C A N are in the word CHANGE whereas the letters for C A N N O T are not!

Hmmm. True that. So how ’bout if we focus on what we CAN do when life seems to overwhelm us?

Let’s start with the four chief categories that comprise life as we know it – Physical, Psychological, Emotional, and Spiritual. And let’s put several options under each category that will help us stay grounded in the midst of chaos/change.

[I polled my colleagues, clients, Facebook friends, and captive audience at a recent Women's Expo in Baltimore, Maryland to come up with the following list.]

Proven Suggestions for Staying Grounded in the Midst of Chaos

Physical

• Take a nature walk and truly appreciate your surroundings
• Eat well
  • If you’ve downed too much ice cream, go eat something healthy to get back on track
• Drink plenty of water
• Choose to smile despite what’s going on around you
• Take a bubble bath
• Drink warm tea
• Arrange fresh flowers
• Take a yoga class (or Zumba or Nia or belly dancing … whatever you enjoy)
• Reach out to your spouse for intimacy
• Breathe!!

Psychological

• Meditate or contemplate on all that’s good in your life
• Think of three small things you can do that will make you feel as if you’re back in control and/or making progress.
  • Prioritize your “to do” list
  • Focus on one task at a time
• Remember why you’re doing what you’re doing to help cut down on overwhelm
  • If the task at hand doesn’t fit into the big picture, don’t do it
• If necessary, give yourself a set amount of time to fret and stew
  • Set a timer – when your time is up, move on
• Be at peace with asking for help
  • Ask for help
• Take care of yourself
  • Remember the oxygen mask rule – you need to put yours onfirst
• Establish routines and stick to them
• Ask yourself: “In five years, will this really matter?”
• Celebrate your victories!!!! (a.k.a. “Do the Happy Dance!” wherever and whenever you can)

Emotional

• Talk your concerns over with friends and family
  • Don’t complain as this will merely reinforce your feelings of chaos and overwhelm
• Seek counsel from trusted advisors and mentors
  • Maintain a positive, grateful attitude (in all things, give thanks)
• Enjoy your pets and/or whatever else brings you a sense of joy
• Ask yourself, “What will bring my heart peace right now?”
  • Follow your intuition

Spiritual

• Pray about everything
• Be of service to others
• Visualize C A L M – what does that look like for you?
• Visualize and affirm a positive result
• Read soul–nurturing books, articles, and magazines
• Refresh your soul with music or anything else that feeds your spirit
• Ask yourself, “How can I handle this situation in a way that has eternal significance?”

What I find particularly useful for me is to weigh everything against my God-given purpose, which is akin to asking the eternal significance question above.

As put forth by author and theologian Gordon T. Smith in his book Courage & Calling, we can think of purpose or calling as having three dimensions. (1) What is our general purpose or calling as children of God? (2) What is our specific purpose or calling that allows us to use our unique gifting to touch the lives of others? (3) And what are our primary tasks and responsibilities put before us right now?

As I’ve helped women discern their life purpose, I’ve discovered that many think they have to wait till a certain stage of their life is over before they can “find, follow, and fulfill” their divine calling. “When I graduate from college . . . when I finish grad school . . . when my babies go off to college . . . when I finish paying for grad school . . . when my parents don’t need me anymore.” We tend to think we can’t live out our purpose until [fill in the blank].

We’d be waiting forever if the planets had to align just right for us to live with purpose, passion . . . and joy.

If you’re home with young children, if you’re taking care of elderly parents, if you’re nurturing a husband back to health, if you’re faithfully fulfilling your God-given tasks and responsibilities, then know you are in the heart of your purpose. Add meditating on that comforting thought to the suggestions above. It will serve as your soul-soothing plumb line in the midst of what appears to be pure chaos.

Even if we’re in a fairly calm stage of life right now, change is waiting for us right around the corner. Let’s equip ourselves with a plan and strategy now so we can be prepared for whatever may come our way.

Lynchburg, Fare Thee Well!

“Lynchburg?”

I well remember my reaction back in 1993 when my then-husband Phil Beeson told me he’d accepted a legal position with Ericsson Telecommunications and that we’d be moving our family from Northern to Central Virginia.

Back in 1993, all I knew about Lynchburg was that it was the home of the Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell as well as a handful of small private colleges.

Back in 1993, I never dreamed I’d spend nearly two decades in this charming city so majestically encased by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Back in 1993, I never imagined I’d help “Doc” (Jerry) fulfill his long-time dream by becoming a founding faculty member of Liberty University School of Law.

All I knew in 1993 was that Lynchburg would be a drastic contrast from the hustle and bustle of Fairfax County.

And it was. And it is. And now I’m leaving.

I’m leaving this fair city a different person from the one who arrived with 18-month-old twins and a “rising kindergartener.”

I’m leaving it with precious memories and soul-enriching experiences deeply embedded in my heart.

Thank you, Lynchburg Community, for gently guiding my family through the good times as well as the hard.

When Phil and I struggled through the pain of divorce, you comforted us. When each of us remarried, you rejoiced with us.

Through both your public and private school systems, you helped our daughters (Rebecca, Jana, and Brett Beeson) grow into amazing young women who are making lasting, meaningful contributions in bilingual education, theatre, and Semitic languages.

Through the News & Advance personal ads, you brought me my true love (Dave Fisher) and blessed me with four incredible stepchildren (Katherine, Amanda, Elizabeth, and Benjamin) who are making lasting, meaningful contributions in science, music, and Slavic languages.

You gave me ample career opportunities to serve others – the Child Abuse Prevention Center, the Virginia Legal Aid Society, the Office of the Public Defender, and Liberty University School of Law.

You blessed me with several Spirit-filled congregations – Rivermont and First Presbyterian, St. John’s and St. Paul’s Episcopal, and Court Street and Peakland United Methodist.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can’t think of a better place to raise a family and enrich one’s soul.

Had my husband Dave not been offered a position at Johns Hopkins Hospital, we’d be here (God willing) for decades more. But on February 4^th, the Fisher Caravan is pulling out to set up a new home in Bel Air, Maryland.

Lynchburg, we will miss you dearly.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

With Gratitude, Fond Memories, and Joy,

 

P.S. Images of Lynchburg in the collage are courtesy of TripAdvisor.com.

Know What You Believe!

As we transition from Thanksgiving to Advent, my goal is to maintain my sense of gratitude. Being clear about what we believe and, specifically, what we’re grateful for is a critical first step to leading lives of success, satisfaction, and significance. I’ll go first . . .

This I Know To Be True and For This I Am Truly Grateful

• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Jesus was with God and Jesus is God. Through Him all things were made.
• God made man—God made us—in His image.
• God is just. God is merciful.  God is omnipotent.
• God    is    love.
• As an image-bearing child of the King, I am brilliant, loving, compassionate, just, creative, and more powerful than I can even imagine.
• Jesus is my Messiah, my Savior, my Lord. He is my Father’s one and only Son, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
• He was crucified, died, and was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead.
•  He ascended into heaven and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
•  In Jesus is forgiveness. In Jesus is life. In Jesus is life everlasting. Hallelujah!

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•  God’s desire is for us to live lives of love, joy, peace, prosperity, and purpose.
•  To experience true joy, we must
  • give thanks in all circumstances;
  • love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind;
  • love our neighbor as our self;
  • S E R V E others with a glad and cheerful spirit;
  • grow beyond our self-imposed limitations;
  • not be afraid to excel.
• We are here on earth to find, follow, and fulfill our divine calling.
• Many of us need to remind ourselves daily:  It’s OK to Shine!!!!!

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As we transition from Thanksgiving to Advent, I am exceedingly grateful for my faith, calling, family, health, friends, country, home, business, community, colleagues, mentors, clients, pets, and life. Your turn. What are your core beliefs and for what are you most grateful?

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