Born in Bethlehem, the first announcement of Jesus’ birth was to the shepherds while tending sheep. When the shepherds saw baby Jesus, and what the angels had said proved to be true, they couldn’t keep the news to themselves. The shepherds became ambassadors for baby Jesus. These shepherds had influence in their community and used it to spread the important […]

Christmas Eve is a day when the spirit of generosity pervades many organizations, leading bosses to give gifts, food and/or bonuses to their staff. Everyone loves to receive gifts and be on the receiving end of generosity, but sometimes it leaves confusion and unrealistic expectations in its wake. Christmas is so close to year end that sometimes employees view any […]

A friend shared with me that under previous administrations his industry was weighed down with lots of rules and regulations. But under President Trump, many regulations were eliminated, leading to robust business growth. He fears the pendulum is likely to swing back again to burdensome regulations. Bear with me. Businesses are often rules-oriented, but, they can be more values-based. Many […]

Fletcher’s friend was not accomplishing the job responsibilities he was hired to complete. Fletcher was considering firing his friend, but they went to the same church, making the situation even more complicated. I asked Fletcher, “If you fired this man today, would he be blindsided?” When Fletcher answered, “Yes,” it became obvious that Fletcher had some more work to do. […]

Along with the Covid pandemic and the many other challenges we have endured in 2020, we also were given some opportunities. One of those opportunities for generous people came in the form of the CARES Act. To help nonprofits, Congress chose to provide some one-time tax benefits for those who choose to be generous in 2020. For instance, in 2020 […]

Pastor and author, Tim Keller, defines work as “rearranging the raw material of God’s creation in such a way that it helps the world in general, and people in particular, thrive and flourish.” God provides us examples of what work looks like. He used the most raw materials around to create something from nothing. God created. God was the original, the ultimate entrepreneur. Genesis […]

Recently, I felt God encouraging me to take on a new work project. I feel underqualified and do not have the experience necessary for this project to succeed. In my flesh, I want to pass on this new project to avoid the possibility of failure. Encouragement came recently, however, through reading Henry and Richard Blackaby’s Experiencing God devotional. They wrote, […]

We had a dinner meeting scheduled in Saint Louis County with some out-of-town guests. My wife, Kathy, called a restaurant to inquire about making a reservation. The young hostess told Kathy that the County had just ordered all restaurants to close dine-in service. But, they had decided to “stick it to the man” and to remain open. I understand fighting […]

Recently, Unconventional Business Network received a significant donation from a person I did not recognize with a note that read, “Thanks for your support and wisdom during my business transition.” God has blessed me with a good memory, yet this counseling situation had been forgotten. It caused me to consider the far-reaching impact a simple conversation can have that we […]

As I pulled-up to the store to return a laptop, I witnessed a line nearly a block long. I started to drive away, but then decided to ask the lady at the door if I could simply return a product. She informed me that I was free to bypass the line. I’m typically a rule-oriented person, but my wife, Kathy, […]