Category: Uncategorized

All we need is a return to our purpose.

Sometimes, God has an uncanny way of sending us signals. A few weeks ago, sitting in a church service, the preacher's words resonated deeply with me.

He spoke of returning to the very space where one had left their path, a spot where detours and distractions had taken them astray. And intriguingly, he mentioned a time frame: five years.

At first, it seemed like just a sermon, a generalization perhaps. But then, as if the universe was conspiring to confirm the message, my social networks began to flood with memories.

Memories from exactly five years ago. Memories of the blog posts I began, the YouTube channels I started, and all the content I was pouring my heart into back then.

It's fascinating how time has a way of bringing things full circle. The very place where I felt I had diverged from my purpose has now become the spot where I find my return.

Today, as I reflect on those memories and the journey I've had over these years, I'm filled with a sense of gratitude. Not just for the lessons learned, but for the clear reminder that our paths, no matter how winding, always lead us back to where we need to be.

Today feels like a new beginning. A rekindling of old passions and dreams, a renewed sense of purpose. To everyone who's ever felt lost or diverted from their true calling, know this: it's never too late to find your way back.

God, in his own mysterious ways, will always guide you home.

Here's to embracing the journey, celebrating the comebacks, and looking forward to what the next chapter brings. 💛 #BackToPurpose #FiveYearsInTheMaking

As an entrepreneur, maximizing profitability is the cornerstone of achieving long-term success. However, many businesses fall into the trap of prioritizing revenue growth at the expense of their bottom line.

Enter Profit First, a transformative concept developed by Mike Michalowicz, is aimed at reshaping the way entrepreneurs manage their finances. In this article, we'll delve into the concept of Profit First and explore why every entrepreneur should adopt it in their business.

Understanding Profit First: A Paradigm Shift in Financial Management:

The traditional formula of sales - expenses = profit places profit as an afterthought. Profit First, on the other hand, flips this equation on its head, emphasizing profit as a primary consideration in financial decision-making.

By adopting this mindset, entrepreneurs allocate a predetermined percentage of their income to profit before any expenses are taken into account. This method encourages conscious spending, drives efficiency, and fosters sustainable growth.

Benefits of Implementing Profit First:

Enhanced Profitability:

Profit First compels entrepreneurs to prioritize profit, leading to a direct improvement in the bottom line. By setting aside profit first, businesses can ensure healthy margins and a stable financial foundation, even during challenging times.

Clear Financial Visibility:

Profit First employs a series of bank accounts designated for specific purposes, such as profit, owner's pay, taxes, and operating expenses.

This compartmentalization provides a clear and accurate snapshot of the financial health of the business.

In addition, entrepreneurs gain real-time insights into their cash flow, enabling them to make informed decisions and take proactive measures.

Aligned Financial Habits:

Profit First nurtures responsible financial habits among entrepreneurs and their teams. By instilling a profit-centric mindset, it encourages prudent spending, expense reduction, and resource optimization.

This alignment ensures that every financial decision made supports the long-term profitability and sustainability of the business.

Action Steps to Implement Profit First:

Assess Your Current Financial Situation:

Begin by analyzing your business's financial health. Evaluate your revenue streams, expenses, and cash flow patterns.

Understanding your current financial reality will help you determine the appropriate profit allocations and establish realistic goals.

Establish Profit Allocation Percentages:

Based on your analysis, you will determine the percentage of revenue allocated to profit, owner's pay, taxes, and operating expenses.

Use these percentages as a guide to create separate bank accounts for each category, ensuring appropriate allocation and utilization of funds.

Regularly Monitor and Adjust:

Regularly review your financial performance and make necessary adjustments to your allocations. Reassess your profit goals, evaluate your expenses, and refine your financial strategy as your business evolves.

By consistently monitoring and adjusting your profit allocations, you'll maintain financial stability and foster a profit-focused culture.

Profit First introduces a revolutionary approach to financial management, empowering entrepreneurs to prioritize profitability, make informed decisions, and achieve sustainable success.

By adopting Profit First, you'll gain clarity, align your financial habits, and drive your business toward increased profitability.

Embrace the Profit First mindset, take proactive action, and watch as your business flourishes on the foundation of profitability.

Seven Goal Setting Mistakes You Should Avoid

As in life, there are some mistakes you should avoid. If over drinking is sometimes an issue for you, then happy hour on Fridays with the gang, would not be for you.

Goal setting is no different. Have your alert function on high when you start out on your goal setting journey. Here are seven common mistakes you can avoid right now.

1. You are extremely excited about setting goals. In this state, avoid setting too many goals. This can lead to overwhelm and it is easy to lose focus. Remember you have other obligations in your life and staying energized and focused on one thing at time works best.
2. Make sure the goals you are setting are, “YOUR,” goals. You need to be totally aligned with your goals and the influence of other people will dilute the motivation you have to complete your goals. It is okay to listen to friends and family in terms of their ideas to maintain harmony. You listen and then internally dismiss what they think you should do. After you write your goals, if they begin to complain, just thank them and say that you gave their ideas great consideration but feel you have set the right path for you.
3. Time has a way of slipping past you. You need to really think on your goal completion time and factor in all the things that may steal some of your time.  Work hard on proper scheduling and get it down on paper.
4. So called failure is a character builder. It is how you react to not completing a goal that defines you. Understand that it is possible you may not complete a goal.  This is the time to reflect and see what you can learn from that event. Ask yourself questions. Was this the right goal for me? What roadblocks did I hit and how can I avoid them the next time?
5. One way to avoid failure to complete a goal, is to make sure the goal is realistic for you. You may have gotten over excited about a big goal and not realized that you were missing a vital skill. This is one reason why you need to ask many questions before setting these big goals. For example, you had a goal of meeting a new life partner and took the steps to attract one. It turned out to be a failure because you did not fully analyze what happened in your last relationship. On reflection, you find out that when talking to a partner, you are not really there. You don’t engage the other person with questions that build rapport. Once that comes to light, you know it is time to work on your communication skills before heading out into the dating world again.
   
6. Narrowing your focus too much can be a costly mistake. An example would be you have a goal of getting a promotion to assistant manager within the next three months. You identified what was lacking in the last assistant manager who was asked to leave the company and now you are honed in doing everything necessary to stand out in the crowded pool of candidates. You are putting in the 14 hour days and doing all the right things. After two weeks of being a shining star, you start making mistakes. The issue was you forgot about putting some of that focus into your health goals and your healthy eating habits slipped. After a hard 14 hour day, you accepted an invite to go for a night cap with work friends, instead of heading home and getting in a bit of meditation before sleeping. Your goals have to work hand in hand for you to be successful.
7. You need to review your progress. Failure to do so, will result in your goals not working for you. In example number 6, that was evident. Instead of doing a quick review at the end of each day, you just put a lot of effort into one area. Reflection would have told you, the way to be at work early in the morning full of energy and focus, would be self-care. In self-care, a snack of veggies and some light yoga or meditation before sleeping would set up your next day perfectly. Review your progress daily and weekly to make necessary adjustments and stay on track.