Personal Revelation

Occasionally, I will post more gospel centered topics and try to apply them to running a business. Some of you may ask how I will do that without sounding like a Relief Society lesson or a High Council talk. Well, all I can say is that I will try really hard to make it interesting and thought provoking. If I don't, there is always the comment section for your responses!

I was reading through the visiting teaching lesson for the month of April and I couldn't help but ponder how the topic of personal revelation applies to making business decisions. We pray for inspiration and guidance concerning our spouses, our children, our homes, church callings and even employment situations. However, when it comes to making decisions regarding where to spend our business resources or how to deal with difficult clients, we sometimes think that the powers of Heaven are not meant for these purposes. Business and spiritual shouldn't mix for some reason.

Of course, that couldn't be further from the truth. We need the guidance of the spirit through personal revelation. Starting and running your own business intertwines your time, energy, finances and personal worth with your endeavor. It is about you and that is when you need those promptings and inspirations most of all. Pray about your business. Let the Lord know about what you are thinking and how you feel about business issues you may be encountering.

There is one catch. We probably won't receive answers out of the blue, about things we know nothing about. Well, maybe some of you will, but I never do. Heavenly Father isn't going to run your business for you. That would be really nice, but it isn't going to happen! Brigham Young stated, "Instead of searching after what the Lord is going to do for us, let us inquire what we can do for ourselves” (Brigham Young Discourse, 293). We have to do the work first. And that entails a ton of research. From start-up to expansion and beyond, we have to learn all we can and then we will be in the position to make those vital decisions. And we will receive confirmation to guide us. Now I do have to say that I have received personal revelation that I should take certain actions regarding my business activities. And in the end, some of those actions turned out to be huge wastes of time and resources. In frustration, I questioned the revelation I had received, but I realized later that I had learned from those decisions and they helped me grow, even if some choices felt like I had failed. I also am able to share with others, the lessons of some of these business "failures".

Ok. So what is the point of this post? For those of you trying to decide if starting a business is the right decision for you and for your family. Or if you are facing any other difficult decison that arises from owning a business, do your homework. And then turn to the Lord and ask Him which choices you should make. He is probably the best business partner you could ever have!