Doing Your Part to Influence Destiny

CHANCE, LUCK AND TRUTH
  
Sometimes we all need to be reminded to stop lying to ourselves. There often are some fundamental principles that just can’t be ignored.
 
If you have a business idea that you want to pursue, and/or get funding for, then today’s message is for you!
  
Make Your Own Luck
During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.
 
On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose.
 
Destiny will now reveal itself.
 
He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.
 
After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, No one can change destiny.  Quite right, the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.
 
You Can’t Fool Most Investors - Stop Fooling Yourself
Have you or anyone you know ever had a great idea for a new business — if only they could get some funding!  After spending some time studying business investors, and the methods to their madness, I have discovered that virtually all of them are simply looking for the right answer to four issues.  Here they are, in order of importance.

Problem/Solution
Every great business idea comes down to a solution to a problem.  The value of a good product idea is directly proportionate to the size of the problem it solves.  When you can communicate the severity of the problem to investors, and they agree with you that it is a significant problem, then you’ve got an interesting business idea.  

When you can communicate that same problem and back up it up with a solution that consumers respond to with grabbing their checkbook - then you’ve actually got a business!

Sales and Marketing Strategy
Good for you if you have the problem/solution issue handled.  However, it means nothing if you don’t know how to bring a paying customer in the door.  A powerful sales and marketing plan can be even more critical to your business than your initial revenue model.  Without any customers you’ll never have to worry about your revenue model.

Revenue Model
Your revenue model should be simple - someone is willing to buy, and pay for what it is you are offering.  There has to be a sustainable and readily identifiable revenue model — which by the way has to have at the end of the day - profit.  What a novel concept.  The marketplace generally will ensure that a company without profit will not survive for long.

Your Product
Last and generally least, is the Product Plan itself.  That’s because if the product doesn’t solve a customer’s problem, that the customer is willing to pay for, and you can make a profit on, then it just doesn’t matter what the product is.  

When you’ve got answers to all four of the above issues/questions, then congratulations, you are ready to launch and build a business.

DAILY PRAYER  
Father, help us to understand what truth is, what the source of the only truth is, how to accept it, and how to be guided by it in all that we do.  Thank you for the power, simplicity, and life changing quality of Your truth.  Help us to apply that truth in our business, our personal life, and in all that we think, speak and do!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Got a great business idea - be ruthless in evaluating the quality of your problem/solution, sales/marketing strategy, revenue/profit model, and your product  plan.  You will save yourself much time, money and aggravation.  Trust one that has learned the hard way!
 
Grace and peace multiplied to you.