V.blog

A Light on a Hill - Shepherds of Love Ministries

2008-08-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

"Lord, You know that I love you." Jesus said. "Take care of my sheep." John 21:16 (NLV)

This weekend I sat in the atrium of my church and donated one-hour to assist Shepherds of Love Ministries receive donations for their efforts to help people and families in need of financial assistance. As I sat there waiting for the first person to walk up and give, I looked at three trees that were setup in front of me. Each tree had cards posted on them with a person’s need. The card described the position the person or family was in, the bills that needed to be paid, and the amount for each bill. There were sadly hundreds. Yet, one card and one moment described the entire ministry for me. The card simply read, “Single-mother recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer having problems paying utilities and medical bills”, it was terrible thinking of the how desperate and hopeless this one person must feel. Here she was fighting cancer, raising children, and trying to make ends meet. $240 would allow her to get through the month. $240 would allow her to focus on the other giants she needed to face in her life. The most amazing part about the story is that the call for help was filled by another man that was facing his third round of chemo in the next few days. He had me read the card to him because his vision was not all that good, he paused and looked at me and said, “I think that is the one I need to take.” So he did and paid for the need on the spot. It was an act of love from one fellow cancer patient to another and another cry for help that had been met by the power of love. I believe this is what Terresa Rountree wanted when she founded Shepherds of Love Ministries. To provide a light of love + hope not just for the people needing assistance, but for those that are giving as well.Terresa and her organization field hundreds of calls a week. These are people like you and me that for one reason or another have fallen through the cracks and circumstances have found them in desperate situations. With the rising cost of food, medicine, and fuel I can only believe the need for Shepherds of Love Ministries will only be that more important for the Oklahoma City Community. They truly are a light on a hill, shining as a beacon of hope for many.

Build a Business, Not a Job

2008-08-06T04:43:00.000-07:00

One thing as an entrepreneur you should be midful of as you are working to make your business grow, is to always be mindful to distinguish the actions that help you build a business not create a new job. There is a big difference. Building a business means your actions and initiatives are always going toward building an organization that can exist without you in the end. Making a Job is just the opposite. It is building a series of tasks and responsibilities that will not be complete without your input or oversight. The problem with creating a new job, is that most people grow to loath their jobs. In fact a recent study by Careerbuilder.com reports that 4 out of 5 workers do not consider their jobs their dream job or do not like their job. 4 out 5!

Here is how to make sure you are staying on track on building a business:

Develop processes for the business to operate: Don’t just do the work, document it and simplify the steps so that you can hand it to someone else in the future to support.

Learn to Delegate: This is tough for any entrepreneur. We always believe we care more and will do it better. That is find when it is just you, but when your business is growing you just cannot do everything. Here a tip delegate the routine tasks like the research and data analysis tasks. Also, look to delegate the things you are not an expert on. Such as web design, accounting and marketing. If you can get to this phase you are well on your way to building a business.

Plan for growth: Entrepreneurs get so wrapped up about the details that sometimes lose the big picture. So when growth happens, the company is not prepared. Always keep in mind the tools, resources and processes that will be needed to allow your business to grow. Does everyone need a Blackberry device at first? Probably not, but you may find in the future that it may be the best way to communicate. So plan for that day.

Implement a Strong Board of Directors: Sometimes board of directors are made up of a persons running buddies and there is nothing wrong with that to a point. As long as those running buddies can add some value to the direction of your business. You need a diverse group that have been apart of companies at your stage and also in all the stages in-between. Their insight and direction can prove to be invaluable.

Ask the Question: At the end of the day ask the question, If I was on a trip and lost my cell phone for (5) days will my business still be able to operate without me? If the answer is ‘No’ you have some work to do.

Things you can do on you (5) days away from your business:

- Take a (5) day CEO training seminar
- Lead a church mission
- Take the family on a vacation
- Go on a date with your husband or wife
- Read a leadership development book

A Lesson in Leadership - Fitness Together Yukon

2008-08-06T04:35:00.001-07:00

"You’ve got to love your people more than your position."

John C. Maxwell

When you talk to Seth Humphrey, owner of Fitness Together Yukon, you learn very quickly what his passion is. He will tell you that it is fitness, something he has pursued as part of his life since his youth, but after talking to him you will learn that he has a passion to serve his clients and lead. Seth has been with the Fitness Together organization since 2004. He began as a manager where he truly had a passion to be the best. From training, scheduling and running the business as a manager he was driven to prove that he could be the “go to guy” for the team. In 2006 Seth was approached to become the owner of Fitness Together Yukon. Over the last two years he has been able to combine his love of fitness with his career. I asked Seth what was the one thing that changed for him once he became the ‘Owner’ after being the manager. He said the one thing that has really changed over the 24 months is that he no longer looks to be thought of as the “go to guy” anymore. He now looks to his team of trainers and staff to do what they do best. He wants to be able to give them the opportunity to prove themselves and reach for their goals as he did when he was in their position. Seth is wise beyond his 28 years. He has learned what many a business owner and entrepreneur find hard to learn. He has learned how to create a business not a job. He is a true leader. One that has found strength and joy in building up his team to be the best they can be.

Cheerful Giving

2008-08-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

The Sister Study Breast Cancer Research

In 1990 my world changed, my mother had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Five years later, on Dec-1995 she passed away due to luekimia that developed through her many treatments. Since 1990 I have often wondered what caused her illness. Was it stress, our home, the home where she grew up, our genetic makeup? This is the question that the Sister Study, lead by Dr. Dale Sandler, PHD, is attempting to answer.

The Sister Study is conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the National Institutes of Health. 50,000 women, ages 35-74, from all walks of life, will join this landmark effort to find causes of breast cancer.

The thought behind the study is that Sisters share many things - early experiences, environments, and genes. The organization concludes that studying women whose sisters had breast cancer is a great way to learn why some women get the disease, while others do not. Breast cancer is the main diseases they will study, they will also use this research to understand causes of heart disease, osteoperosis, and other forms of cancer in women.

They need women from every state and every walk of life. From all backgrounds, occupations, races, and ethnicity so that the result will benefit all women.

They currently working on a similar study called 2Sister Study. Where they will be tracking 1,600 younger diagnosed breast cancer warriors to see what may have caused their illness. This research has not launched yet, but it should be interesting compared to what they may learn from this original Sister Study.

If you are a woman that has had a sister diagnosed with Breast Cancer please sign up. This research will go a long way towards the health of many women.

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2Cor9:7

We're Back!!

2008-07-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

We are excited here at V.blog! We took some time to re-tool and take our blog in a new direction. V.blog will focus on the small business and non-profit owner because we know that behind every store front, logo, or advertisement there is a story. Your businesses and organizations are your ideas, your dreams, and your desires come to life. We love that about you. We know that when the light goes out at the office, the light never turns out in your hearts and minds. It is our mission here at V.blog to celebrate that passion. We hope you will find our posts insightful, informative, + inspirational.