The Disruptors Blog by Paul Wilson Jr. - PAULWILSONJR.COM

The Disruptors Episode 11: God Ideas and Witty Inventions

2/13/2018

Our topic for this episode is “God Ideas & Witty Inventions.” In honor of Black History Month, our Bible study included how God used the ingenious Dr. George Washington Carver to change the agricultural economy of Georgia and the Southeastern United States. We discuss how his story is reminiscent of another scientific miracle that occurred in the Bible. Enjoy and share!

You can watch it here or listen to the audio of The Disruptors Podcast in my mobile app. I also encourage you to join us for our next live broadcast next Monday at 8:30 PM est.

RELATED ARTICLE: George Washington Carver - Divinely Inspired Entrepreneurial Thinker

4 Ways Pressure Can Propel Your Progress

2/15/2017

When starting or running a business, you must realize that pressure is inevitable. So whether the pressure is financial, relational, social, political, or any other, it usually causes one of two reactions. It can cause you to either wilt under it or it can push you forward to your next level. Fortunately, you can choose how you will respond to it.

In the full-length version of this coaching video I share four ways that pressure can propel your progress. You can get exclusive access to this video (and many others) on my free mobile app, Inc My Dream. Download it right now for Apple or Android at www.incmydream.com.

WATCH ON MOBILE APP

6 Issues That Prevent Missional Entrepreneurs From Having A Major Social Impact

2/9/2017

The state of entrepreneurship is at a very exciting stage in history in terms of having significant impact around the world. More people than ever are pursuing social enterprises or business as mission ventures as a way to fulfill their desire to transform communities, change lives, and leave a positive multi-generational legacy, among many other admirable reasons.

The problem, though, is when people of great compassion lack some non-negotiable essentials to run a profitable business that has a major social impact. Compassion is necessary to run a mission driven business, but it can't make up for lack of a business plan, ineffective business practices, or flawed execution.

So let's take a look at six issues that prevent mission driven businesses from having a major social impact in local communities:

Lack of Competencies. Every profitable business - no matter the type - must master certain business practices that are non-negotiable, such as marketing, sales, customer service, financial management, and more. If your business isn't competent in these areas then it won't be around for very long, which means you can't help anybody.
Lack of a Compelling Product or Service. Sometimes social entrepreneurs forget that the number one aspect of the business has to be offering something that people want to buy. People are not buying your product because you're connected to social cause, they're buying your product because it solves a problem for them. The social cause is just icing on the cake not the cake itself. So if you decide to go the route of having a mission driven business make sure your business deals with solving real problems and producing real solutions that people want to pay you market value for.
Lack of a Core Business Model. Without a proven business model, which means that you have a business operation that can consistently turn your product/service into revenues. For example, many entrepreneurs come up with great ideas, but they haven't identified the right target audience, or they don't have an efficient, convenient, and inexpensive model to deliver it to their customers. Your business model must be working before you can have the real long-term impact you're capable of.
Lack of a Concentrated Effort in One Direction. Another way to say this is a lack of focus. It can be very easy for mission driven entrepreneur to get caught up in caring for the needs of the community and not lock in on what is necessary to build a sustainable enterprise. And sometimes the needs in the community are so great and so diverse that the attention of the business owner is now spread out and the lack of focus causes them to not be effective at anything or very few things. Every successful business requires a business owner who can lock in and perform necessary business functions and activities at a high level over a sustained period of time. Without a sustained and concentrated effort, the business may be busy but it won't be productive or profitable.
Lack of Consistency. Mission driven entrepreneurship is a marathon not a sprint. One of the critical things about having a comprehensive core business model is sticking to the execution of the model overtime, and not changing that model on a whim or at every point of adversity. Consistency over time with your business model and serving the community are required for you to have sustained impact. It's better to do one thing well for a long time than trying many things with good intentions and flailing all over the place.
Lack of a Connection to the Community. It's one thing to want to do something "for" a community of people, but it's a totally different thing to do something "with" a community of people. Again, compassion is a wonderful thing but not if it comes off as paternalistic. And just because you generate lot of profits and then donate a lot of money to a community doesn't mean you are having a deep social impact. So get into the habit of developing strong ties to the community of people you desire to serve through your business. The relationships will prove themselves more valuable than money over time.

If I'm honest it takes a while to master all of these areas. And some of these old habits have a tendency to try to creep back into my daily routines. But I realize as I continually get better in these areas I see our business improving and our impact increasing.

Did you identify any of these areas where you can make some improvements? If yes, I would love to assist you where you need some help. Check out my online business course, 7 Week Startup, which will help you launch a new mission driven business or restart your current one in 60 days or less. We will cover all the issues identified above to ensure you are equipped to run a profitable business and deeply impact the community God called you to reach.

Don't let any of these issues slow you down or stop you from fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny. I'll see you in class!

*PRE-ORDER NEW BOOK: When Kings Dream

You're Fired! 3 Types of People to Keep Off Your Business Dream Team

1/5/2017

"You're fired!" has long been an unwelcome phrase in the workplace way before our current President-elect Donald Trump made it even more infamous on his previous TV show, The Apprentice. And I'm sure for anyone who has ever had that directed at them, it was not a pleasant experience.

Nevertheless, this is a statement or a concept that you need to be able to practice as a relates to the vision, dream, or business that God has given you. The truth is there are some people that have gotten closer to your vision than they should be. Sometimes you must make some hard decisions when you determine that some people should not continue the journey with you to your destiny.

Too much is at stake for you to be messing around with the wrong people or for the wrong people to be messing around with you!

I created a coaching video that describes three types of people that you need to fire from your Dream Team. In order to watch the video all you have to do is download my free mobile app and go to the Coaching Videos section. You also be able to watch all the other coaching videos that are inside the app.

After you download the app and open it you'll see that we have some great free resources and a 50% OFF deal that you don't want to miss out on!

So download the app, watch this video, and I look forward to your feedback. Enjoy!

If You Don't Jump You Can't Soar!

8/5/2016

Listen to these inspiring words from Steve Harvey as he encourages his guest how important it is to take a leap of faith into her dream business.

For those of you who are contemplating whether to make the jump into entrepreneurship, I want to encourage you that this leap of faith shouldn't be taken lightly or without preparation. I have a free e-course that can help you decide when and how you should make the jump from employee to entrepreneur. Just click the link below to find out more...

8 Systems Every Small Business Needs to Grow Exponentially

7/21/2016

Over my 15 years of coaching small business, I have observed certain consistent themes. One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is the issue of capacity. It's hard to grow when you don't have the financial or human resources. One of the keys to growth is developing systems that will allow you to build capacity that will position you for profitable growth and sustainability.

That's why I'm excited to share some best practices that will help your business grow. Please join me for a FREE webinar Monday, July 25th at 7 PM where I will share with you:

What are business systems
Why businesses need systems
8 business systems every small business needs

To register go to: https://app.webinarjam.net/register/28546/9fa7f05659

See you there!

Study Reveals the Surprising Impact of Job Referrals on Promotions for African-Americans

4/14/2016

Any career coach will tell you that networking is not just about who you know, but it's just as important about who knows you. A soon-to-be published study by Adina Sterling, an assistant professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, and Jennifer Merluzzi, of Tulane, analyzed hiring and employment data of a large, private company over the course of 11 years. Their findings reveal that referrals were responsible for more promotions among African-American employees. According to their research:

Knowing somebody in a company prior to joining — someone coming through, for instance, a referral — helps people develop more robust networks inside firms... Those hired through a referral were more likely to stick with the employer longer. Likewise, those with friends in a company tended to do less shopping around for a better offer because it could reflect badly on the friend already working there.

The more things change, the more things stay the same. It remains true that the further you plan to go in your career, the more you will need referrals and recommendations from influential leaders. Keep those networking skills sharp!

Click here to read the full article at fastcompany.com.

How have referrals helped you progress in your career? Please leave your comments below...

3 Reasons Why Your Vision Board Could Be a Waste of Time

1/3/2015

It's "that" time again. What is "that" time you ask? At the beginning of the year it is very common to see many coaches and trainers offering vision boarding workshops and seminars as a way to help people visualize their dreams and goals for the year. Vision boarding can be a very powerful tool if utilized as part of an overall process of transformation, but it definitely is not as a silver bullet for success. Just because you create a vision board doesn't mean you will accomplish that vision - even if you look at it every day all day.

Your vision boarding exercise will be a frustrating waste of time for the following three reasons:

No written plan with specific goals and deadlines. A vision without a written plan is a fantasy. Without clarified vision, measurable goals, specific tasks, and trackable timelines, your vision board will become a nightmare of dissatisfaction and unfulfilled potential. This is a key reason why most people's New Year resolutions are in shambles before the end of January.
No structured system of accountability. Without a written process and people to help you stay the course, your vision will be like a balloon that floats high in the sky and then pops. Your vision board will be full of nice pictures, but your life will lack the reality of what you envisioned. Ideally after you have complete your vision board you should connect with another person or group of people who are all committed to helping one another stay focused on utilizing a written plan to implement the vision. This is also critical because according to Habukkuk 2:2-3, a written vision and plan will attract people and resources, and allow you to delegate tasks to those who are most qualified to assist you with accomplishing your vision.
Does not align with God's vision for your life. I save the most critical reason for last. Proverbs 16:2 teaches us, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." And Ephesians 2:10 states, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." You can spend a lot of time creating a vision board - and you may even accomplish many of those things - but if God is not the source and the center of what you're doing you could in essence "gain the world and lose your soul." This doesn't mean you're pursuing bad things. However, it could mean that you are pursing things that weren't God-ordained for you and cause you to waste precious time.

I'm definitely a proponent of vision boards, but I'm not of a fan of getting people hyped up and started on something and then not equipping them with the tools they need to finish the process. If you don't have a God-directed plan, structured process, and committed team of people your implementation will be lacking and your vision will fail to come to pass.

If you're interested in taking the next step from vision boarding to Dream Mapping please contact me today at [email protected] or (678) 310-3017.

What are your thoughts? Leave your comments below...

7 Biblical Strategies to Monetize Your Imagination

12/2/2014

Special Teleconference Recording

Everything that we experience in life is the manifestation of an idea. The universe, earth, and mankind were all once ideas in God's imagination before they came into being. In fact in Genesis 1:1-3, God gives us His formula for bringing ideas into reality, and it starts with your imagination. Why? Because how you utilize your imagination is central to manifesting the resources need to accomplish God's vision in the earth.

Your God-given imagination is more powerful than you realize. And when it's under the control of the mind of Christ and the tutorship of the Holy Spirit your possibilities are endless, including how you create income streams for your business and household. After all, He gave us the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), the knowledge of witty inventions (Proverbs 8:12), and He said He would lead us in the way that is profitable (Isaiah 48:17). Even your faith is connected to your imagination based on Hebrews 11:1.

Recently I recorded a teleseminar entitled, 7 Biblical Strategies to Monetize Your Imagination. The focus of this training session was to help you understand how to unlock the incredible gift He gave you to accomplish the strategies and plans that He has for you.

This MP3 is available for only $4.90 if you include the 30% discount (more than likely less than you'll pay for lunch today :)

Don't sit on your potential any longer. It's time to unleash what God gave you!

I look forward to your feedback. Please leave your comments below...

#CyberMonday Special: 30% Off All resources for Christian Entrepreneurs

12/1/2014

Leaders are learners, which is why at Kingdom Business University we're committed to developing and delivering powerful learning experiences that help Christian entrepreneurs to grow spiritually and financially. That's why we're offering this #CyberMonday special to you as a great incentive to put some powerful resources in your business toolkit.

Everything in the KBU Online Store is 30% off with a special discount code.

We are committed to helping transform urban communities through faith-based small business startup and job creation initiatives. As such, 20% of the proceeds from your purchases will go to support our community development partner, Kinsman, Inc.

To take advantage of this discount just logon to store.kbuonline.com and use discount code: SBS30 at checkout to take advantage of your special deal.

Please partner with us where you can do well by doing some good. And let's keep growing together!