God is More Than Enough

My friend, Marny Swedberg, recently sent this to me via email, and I wanted to share it with you.

God is more than enough:

• He provides more than enough.
• He owns more than enough.
• He listens more than enough.
• He comforts more than enough.
• He loves us more than enough.
• And, He gives us more than enough time to do everything He created us to do.

Believe it!

Marnie
http://www.marnie.com/

posted by Krista Dunk, www.KBWomen.com

Hello business women! I thought I would share a neworking/selling tip that my friend John Wheeler of www.BizNetCentral.com talked about recently:

When I used to oversee a sales force, I would teach them that the sales cycle had 4 steps:

1. Meet
2. Like
3. Trust
4. Do Business (get a referral or get paid)

Sending out a "Nice to Meet You," card is one great way to help speed the process of going from Meeting to Trusting.

Just another way to keep you top-of-mind in potential customers' minds, and show yourself as a considerate, friendly business person.

posted by Krista Dunk, www.KBWomen.com

Billy Graham & Albert Einstein

In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, 'We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.'

So he agreed.. After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.

Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.

The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.' ''

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.

You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this:

I not only know who I am .. I also know where I'm going."

posted by Krista Dunk, www.KBWomen.com

Powerful Prayer for You

My friend and author Inez Reilly sent this to me recently, and with her permission, I'd like to share it with you as well.

Most Gracious God, my Father - I come to You, today, giving You all the honor and glory due Your name. Sovereign ruler of all of the heavens and earth, You sit high and You look low, forever concerning Yourself with Your creation. You own the cattle on a thousand hills, and You have stored up riches and possessions for Your children to inherit, if we just believe.

I make Your name great in the earth. I will always declare Your awesome wonders to all who will listen. You intend to manifest Your blessings and favor upon Your people, Your chosen ones - the apple of Your eye - You have us engraved on the palms of both Your hands, never to leave or forsake us. Your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting, and Your grace encompasses us, like a robe. You have crowned us with Your loving kindness and encamped us round about with ministering angels, like flames of fire.

It is by Your command that the sun rises and sets - You declare when the tide rolls in and goes out. At Your word, the moon shines brilliantly upon the earth - You are magnificent! You are awesome! You are marvelous! Everything You do is for our good, and I thank You for it all.
I come to You, Elohim, on behalf of my sister. I declare that Your greatness is made manifest in her life. I decree that Your glory will surround her, like a cloud, being evident to those around her. The ministry, You have called her to, is blessed. You have fallowed out the ground, therefore as she walks she prospers and increases - You have brought increase to those she has been allowed to plant and to those she has been allowed to water. She is a fruitful garden, with leaves upturned in worship.

Bless her with longstanding endurance like the palm tree - allow her to flourish and be continually verdant, like the evergreen. Let her words be soft and filled with power and beauty, like the rose. Touch her, with your love, and cause her to bow her heart in adoration as her face shines with your grace. Cause her to allow your Spirit to search her heart, her mind and her spirit, turning over every area to you, in submission to your will for her life.

Speak to her, on her bed, at night - greet her with your Presence when she awakes, in the morning - walk with her in the cool of the evening. Woo her, Adonai! Draw her to yourself and hold her close, when she cries out to you. Be fierce in your protectiveness, causing her peace as she walks through any valley - she shall fear no evil, because you are with her - comfort her, console her, build her up in her most holy faith.

Come into her situations, circumstances and her immediate personal space, as she communes with you. Let your Spirit surround her, on all sides, infusing her with power, might, strength and security. She is NEVER alone. Speak to her heart, right now. Make clear your plans for her "right now" season. Still her heart, so she can hear your whispers of direction. Light her way, as she leads those you have called her to lead. Help her to submit to whom you have called to mentor and lead her.

She is your daughter and you are her Father - blow your wind upon her, right now, in the name of Jesus and pull her onto your lap. Allow her to lay her head upon your bosom, to quiet her spirit. Lull her into the sweet sleep that you have designed for your beloved, at night - Refresh and revive her for the day's journey, in the morning. She is healed, by the stripes of Jesus - any sickness or disease that tries to attach itself to her, is trespassing and has no right. She is free, because Jesus, your Truth, has made her free. The enemy has no power over her, her ministry, her family or her friends - his assignment is loosed from her life and bound with the shackles, from heaven.

She will walk, daily, in the Light and power of your Love. I pray this and believe it to be done, according to the power you have given to me - by the name of your Son, Jesus - it is so - AMEN!!!

Posted by Krista Dunk, prayer by Inez Reilly of www.IAMsproperty.com

Planning for Business Profitability

Here is a simple, straightforward article I found on planning for business profitability. I hope you find it useful:

Recently, ABC News Now interviewed me [see interview here] on my 5 Tips to Get Unstuck When Starting Your Own Business. One of my tips was about “working the numbers,” and I’ve received numerous requests to expand on this topic.

I meet many entrepreneurs passionate about creating businesses around their exciting ideas, which is great, but too often they forget to do a little math to ensure profitability. After all, if you’re not a hobby or a non-profit, you need to make a profit to sustain your business.
Don’t be afraid of the numbers because they can be really helpful in shaping your direction. Answering a few simple questions will help reveal the wisdom of your business idea, or uncover a flaw that you can rework to ensure success.

5 questions to ask yourself about your business idea:
1. What price can the market bear for your product or service?
2. What is your initial capacity to provide that product or service?
3. What are your costs associated with that capacity?
4. How many units of your product or hours of service can you realistically sell?
5. Do you have anything left over, profit, before taxes for paying yourself?

For fun, let’s take a business idea and run through the numbers for a month to see how it measures up. Let’s say that you love dogs, and have designed an adorable dog sweater that everyone loves and thinks you should sell.

1. Price: You think that you can sell the dog sweater for $40.
2. Capacity: You can knit one sweater a day times 20 work days in a month equaling 20 sweaters a month.
3. Costs: You know that each sweater costs you $10 in materials to make. So 20 sweaters = $200/month.
4. Sales: Assuming you will sell all the sweaters you make each month: $40 x 20 = $800
5. Profit: Subtract your costs ($200) from your sales ($800), and you have $600 in profit for a month.

This simple example shows you are profitable. But keep in mind that you will have other costs such as marketing, taxes, etc. So while this idea would not pay your mortgage yet, it’s a start. Your next steps would be considering ways to increase your profits.

First, let’s look at the income side of the equation. Ask yourself if you can increase the price. Perhaps you could focus on high-end doggie boutiques in wealthy neighborhoods or rich doggie catalogs. Another idea would be to explore how you can make more sweaters faster. Could you hire some low-cost contractors (maybe retired grandmothers looking for a little extra spending money?), or consider investing in a knitting machine to expand production?

On the flip side, look at your costs. Perhaps consider changing your business model altogether by selling the knitting pattern for your doggie sweater instead of the sweater itself. This lifts your limit on sales and you’re not held captive by your ability to crank out sweaters.

Get it? Work your numbers. By taking a little bit of time for planning and making sure that your business model is profitable, you’ll ensure that your business is a success!
© 2010 Ali International, LLC

Self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur and Inc. 500 CEO Ali Brown is devoted to creating financial freedom for women globally through the power of entrepreneurship. To learn how to create wealth and live an extraordinary life now, register for her free weekly articles at http://www.alibrown.com/.

Enjoy!
Posted by Krista Dunk
www.KBWomen.com

Marriage is a Gift

This past Sunday I was reminded of something that made my heart swell. And when I really got into the core of the inspiration, my floodgates simply burst open; Floodgates of joy, not sorrow. In fact, it was a the gift in the midst of the flood that inspired my heart, and I wanted to share it with you.

When my husband and I were married 8 years ago, our Pastor counseled us on the gift of marriage. He said that our marriage was just like the gift of our salvation. God designed our union as a precious gift only to be shared by the two of us. I remember how honored I felt at that moment, and then to have that as part of our vows, I was moved beyond words. God loved me so much, that not only did He send His Son for My sin; He sent my husband as an earthly token of His unfailing love for me too. That stirs my heart even today.

On Sunday, I was brought back to that place of gifting with a joyous reminder of God’s heart for both my husband and me - And for you! No matter where you are in your life right now, know that you have a gift in your Salvation and you can use it daily for encouragement, for support, as your pillar of strength, as the lover of your heart. That God wrapped up your gift with an exquisitely beautiful package must stir your soul too.

Remember, this gift of marriage is for everyone. Even if you are in a marriage right now and you feel that you are in a season of drought, think of what you have done to stay nourished and drought free in your walk with Jesus. Now apply those same steps to your marriage. “But Tammy, you just don’t know my husband he….” Woman, I don’t need to know your husband or your circumstances to know that God is bigger than all of it, and the gift He has for you is so sweet. He has given us the steps to walk out the gift of the marriage too. It’s up to us to take the steps and lean on Him for understanding.

Know this, when you have a desire for the gift of God, you are on a collision course for the blessing of God. Marriage is a gift, desire that gift and let the giver of the gift conduct your steps as a bride.

To know more of the promises of the gifts God has for you head to Isaiah 54: 11-14.

- by Tammy Redmon

www.KBWomen.com

www.TammyRedmon.com

How is 'someday' working for you?

Have you ever thought that you could be living a life of passion, using more of the talents God blessed you with?

Or maybe you don't fully know what those talents are because you have been too busy taking care of others.

If you have ever said, "Someday I will listen to my heart and follow it," if your amazing potential is just sitting there, waiting for 'someday,' this is for you.

Thursday (today), August 5th, at 4:30pm Pacific/7:30pm Eastern, listen in as KBWomen co-founder Tammy Redmon discusses the upcoming Living Your Vision retreat.

Simply call: 712-432-0075, code 133903# and listen in to this free, 30-min telecall.

www.KBWomen.com/lyv.htm

Business Women: Walking Through the Fear

My husband, Scott and I took our boys to Silverwood Theme Park this last week. The boys raced for the Tremors roller coaster as my husband, Scott, drug his feet towards the winding line. By the way...Tremor’s is an old wooden coaster that drops over one hundred feet at 65 mph into a pitch black underground tunnel.

Our oldest son was screaming back, “Dad. Hurry up. Let’s get on this one.”

Scott walked even slower.

I said, “What is it? Are you scared of roller coaster’s? Why the slow pace? The boys are waiting.”

Scott said, “Yes! I am scared. The boys aren’t scared because they don’t know we are going to die. I do!”

I laughed and pushed Scott towards the ever growing line. Reluctantly he went on the ride. As he hopped off the ride (still alive), he realized it wasn’t so bad. Actually, he wanted to try it again. By the end of our vacation he was in the front car of the coaster riding with his hands fully extended in the air. I believe you could see his smile from space. It was a true transformation.

As we road on Tremors, for the 4th time, I thought about the correlation between roller coasters and small business ownership. I thought about the fear in Scott’s eyes when he went on that ride and the sheer joy when he got off the last time.

Owning a business is a pretty scary ride. There are many times when fear can take over a small business owner. There are ups and downs like a roller coaster. Sometimes we may want to jump off. But faith keeps us going. We know as we drop a hundred feet straight down or go 65 mph into the pitch black, we will get through it.

It is our faith that leads us. It is our faith that guides us down the path to sheer joy; A joy we can only receive, walking through the fear.

Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. And lo, no one was there. ~Author Unknown

-by Diana Kohn

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Diana Kohn is a member of Koinonia Business Women. She is the co-founder of FLAIR. You can reach her at 206-353-1003 or visit FLAIR's site at http://www.businesswithflair.com/ .