Start Your Business Right

Big Picture Question #1 [Start Your Business the Right Way]

Trusted Teaching [Words Matter]

Right Things First

Starting your business off on the right foot moves you closer to startup success. There is a right way to step into the boat of innovation, and another that will leave you doing the hop as you pivot your efforts all over the place. “Failing fast” sounds cool until it happens. Doing the right things first when you start your business, gets you to the fish faster, even when it doesn’t look that way. 

Trustworthy Process

Any fisherman using the boat of innovation to get to the fish fast knows that you need a trustworthy process to ensure you don’t forget stuff. Otherwise, annoying little surprises like finding out that you forget to pack your cooler when you’re halfway across the lake just seem to happen.

I remember ‘reeling em up’ and zipping across the lake from spot to spot trying to frantically find the best fish as a young teenager only to realize that I’d lost my anchor by dragging it on the bottom of the lake. I forgot to pull it up. Stupid, yes and that’s why professionals have a process. But, can we really trust an innovation process?

Fish Need Finders

If your innovation process starts with finding customer needs first, you’re launching the right way. I’m assuming that we are serious anglers willing to invest time and resources to find valuable customer needs before trying to catch fish. Even before stepping into the boat of innovation, consider pulling up a chair in the cabin of contemplation as you look out over the lake. Otherwise, how can you decide on the best innovation strategy with so many variables. There are many different types of bait. Will they hit on worms, leeches, lures? What about different weather conditions, different seasons etc.? So many needs!

Make Time to Ask the Hard Questions When You Start Your Business

Some would say, you just gotta get out there and see what’s bitting. While that can work in fishing to some extent, are you willing to bet your time and money on what you think or feel when you start your business? Or is it worth working an innovation process that will show you what your customers know so you can grow your business around their needs? A great boss once reminded me, “Don’t think … know.” That meant asking the hard questions.

When I was a boy, I remember hitting the lake for spring fishing with the largest lure I could find in the bottom of the tackle box. This red and white lure radiated business with intimidating hooks on it. I headed for deep waters because that’s where the big kahuna are.

But apparently if big fish are spawning in the spring, they aggressively protect their eggs in fish beds found in shallow waters. That would have been nice to know before wasting time, gas and energy in the depths. I could have taken a fly fishing rod and walked into the shallows looking for fish beds. So I made a mental note. Seasons matter … location matters … bait matters … all of these needs matter.

How Customers Define Progress

If the number of needs for catching fish is a lot, how much more for persuading human beings that your product or service will help them get their job done better or more cheaply?

People hire products and services to get a job done. They’re looking to make progress in their life. And they may be using a few different solutions to do it. So deciding how to think about innovation at the beginning, even before you get into the boat, is fish critical. Some entrepreneurs make important innovation decisions by gut feel, advice, customer surveys or something else entirely.

But, just as different fish need different things to bite, different segments of customers have different needs as well. One customer segment may have over 100 needs. Finding as many of those needs before hitting the market waters with your product or service increases your chance of success.

Some Words Are Like Slippery Fish

Fishermen know that slippery fish splashing in the water next to the boat are hard to land if you don’t know what’s needed. Just ask them about the one that got away and they may say I needed [my net, stronger line, my new rod, etc.] Okay, so how do we capture customer needs before attempting to land a fish?

Avoid Slippery Words when Starting Your Business

Certain words are slippery when it comes to innovation. Words like “interactive, secure, user friendly, valuable, better, faster, stronger etc.” They are all like slippery fish because people describe them differently.

Everyone’s excited as they splash and jump all around the boat of innovation, but no one knows their precise meaning. They’re hard to catch because you don’t know what’s needed to haul them in.

What does it mean when a potential customer says your product or service wasn’t interactive enough. It could mean MANY things, because these words are slippery. Everyone describes them differently.

When asked about the big slippery that got away, one fisherman might say
“It was definitely a muskie.”
The other counters:
“No, it was a Northern Pike.”

Doing Things Right Multiplies Your Investment of Time and Money in the Future

When you’re sitting in the boat of innovation looking to start your business and your grandson asks you “What’s for dinner, papa?” you won’t have to think about the future filet that got away because you will have a trustworthy innovation process. And that brings “value” er … I mean, that positions you to create marketing campaigns that return your time and money many times over because your unique value proposition highlights the customers unmet needs.

Start Your Business with the Main Job Your Customer is Trying to Do

So this is why we need to craft precise words for a main job that the “doer” is trying to get done. Here’s an example of a main job.

We’re considering this as one of a few main jobs for F.I.T. Future Startup. But we’d need to learn if it would be valuable to the folks we serve first. You should do the same as you start your business.

Can You Clearly Communicate What You’re Trying to Do as You Start Your Business?

When you start your business with a trustworthy innovation process, your words should communicate exactly what you are trying to do and nothing more. That isn’t about products, but the focus is on problems to solve.

Clear the Decks to Start Your Business Right!

The reality of leveraging a trustworthy innovation process as you start your business is that you cut away all the fish guts and belly meat. You’re removing all the inefficiencies in the process using precise words so you can innovate around what the customer deems important and not satisfied.

Once you clear the decks, you’re left with critical words “fresh filets” of customer needs. Beer battered fish fry needs fresh filets to satisfy hungry people. People are hungry for your product/service to meet their needs, if it saves them money or helps them do their job significantly (~20%) better than before. That is the best way to start your business.

Moving Story: [Answering Life’s Questions When They Call] 

You’ll recall that each F.I.T. Future episode has three parts:

1. Big Picture Question [How Can I Start Things Right?]
2. Trusted Teaching [Start Your Business Right–Words Matter]
3. Moving Story [Answering Life’s Questions When They Call]

We’re calling this last part of this F.I.T. Future extended content “Moving Story.” However, not in the sense of storytelling mastery, although Nathan Baugh of Storytelling: Zero to One is well worth listening to.

We’re Moving Towards Growth as You Start Your Business

A moving story must convey a picture of what you’ll be able to do after learning something. There has to be opportunity for application because that’s how we grow in business and in life. Specific words in a trustworthy innovation process make or break your rod/net (product/service) when trying to find and catch fish. Words matter in innovation and life. We can help you find the right ones with a Pathway.

Fishing for Answers

“Stay close to shore … keep an eye on the weather.”
Papa’s assuring voice boomed over the lake as he called out from shore. Besides his words, the only other source of authority and power that could immediately grab the attention of an overconfident teenager fishing in bad weather was the flash and boom of lightning and thunder in the sky while floating in a metal boat.

It makes you think about life’s bigger questions a bit more. Questions like: Was I following what was right? How do you choose the right path to follow anyway?

Calling of Levi

Mark 2:13-17 reads:
He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me. ”And he rose and followed him. 

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Many times, in business and life we wonder and question if we are following the right way, especially when starting something new. Levi, also named Matthew, would soon be called to follow Jesus, but everything was new. This text reassures us that:

Because Jesus has ultimate authority and power to call sinners to himself, we must respond to Jesus’ authority and power that

• calls us
• teaches us
• assures us. 

Many are Called

Let’s explore how Jesus’ authority and power calls us. Jesus calls us to himself with clarity, but not for ourselves alone. Jesus had returned to Capernaum, his home base of ministry, by the sea.

2 Word–City Wide Movement

Imagine creating a city wide movement with just two words. Those words would need to be crystal clear. Jesus tossed out two words to a tax collector in Capernaum as he was passing by: 

The clarity of Jesus’ words mattered more than money and others’ opinions. Jesus received an immediate response to his clarion call.

“And he rose and followed him.”

This clear calling moved Levi/Matthew to immediately follow Jesus. When we say follow, we mean that Matthew responded to Jesus’ calling in genuine repentance and obedience. Jesus had changed his life. A life that would produce much fruit.

But this calling was much bigger than just Matthew. Many tax collectors and sinners were following this man who clearly changed Matthew’s life with just two words. Jesus’ call for us to follow him is clear, but it’s not just for us.

A Crowded Homecoming

Many people were gathering inside a home to hear Jesus preach. So many in fact that there was no more room and people were overflowing outside the door hoping to see Jesus. There was no clear way inside. Some people were on top of the roof clearing a way to lower a paralytic man through the roof of the house to see Jesus. In just five words, Jesus clearly forgave the paralytic man of his sins in front of many.

But, he didn’t stop there. He took it a step further and clearly healed the paralyzed man igniting a powder keg of praise among the crowds gathered around him. They were “amazed” and “glorified God” saying, “We never saw anything like this!” 

Is Christ’s Call Still Amazing?

If we are not still amazed at Jesus’ clarion call to sinners like us, it’s not that his calling has changed. It hasn’t become any less clear. It’s that our faith in what Jesus has already done may need recharging. Life has a way of depleting us. But just as Jesus saw the faith of the people bringing the paralytic to him, he sees our faith as well. 

He doesn’t snuff us out as worthless ash when our faith is smoldering. He strengthens our faith.  Even when the rooms in our spiritual house feel haunted by future fears and chained by anxieties that try to rattle our trust in him as we start new ventures, he strengthens our faith. 

The paralytic could have easily feared saying “This matt is my coffin—there’s no hope for me. Why are you carrying me?” Or consider Matthew the tax collector, what if he was anxious about losing out on his ill gotten riches as Jesus was passing by?

Seeking Sinners

We see this in both stories [sinners and tax collectors alike] because their response in faith was immediate. Jesus makes room for those who see their immediate need for him. And his authority and power make that possible.

The question is do we see our immediate need for him to strengthen our faith? What about when we question the right way of doing things in our startups? Perhaps it’s time to pray for his power to strengthen our faith.

How Do We Increase Our Faith? His Word Teaches Us

We know that faith comes from hearing the good news about Christ. Therefore, we can respond to Jesus’ authority and power that instructs us. His words teach us.

Teaching the Teachers

Jesus was teaching more than notorious sinners and tax collectors who responded quickly to him in Mark 2, he was also teaching the scribes of the Pharisees. They consistently questioned Jesus’ disciples and in verse 16 asked, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Why would someone claiming to be God eat with such people? 

Jesus’ teaching took hold of the tax collectors and notorious sinners’ hearts. They saw their need through his teaching.  As sinful people, they learned their need for Jesus through the words that he taught them. We can’t say the same for all of the scribes.

Questions of the Heart

Earlier in Mark chapter 2, the scribes had just witnessed an authoritative pronouncement of forgiveness of sin and began questioning in their hearts who this blasphemous man was. Why was he saying such things? Especially to obvious sinners. Jesus read the scribes’ hearts and had a question for them. Which is easier? To tell someone that their sins are forgiven or to heal them from paralysis? He never heard an answer. And then he healed the man.

Contents of the Heart

The [self righteous] questions from the scribes revealed the contents of their hearts. Their self righteousness crowded out what God wanted to teach them.

These questions take up space in our hearts, consume our thoughts and eventually come out of our mouths. Our hearts and lives are limited. Our own words can take up the space where God desires to teach us through his word. This chokes out the fruit he desires for our lives.

Different Folks

For example, like the scribes it is easier to question Jesus’ motives about how he works in the lives of others when we can’t relate to them. 

Think about people we don’t understand. Those who have had different experiences than we have. Or those we don’t agree with at all. Both can be difficult to relate to. Do we have room in our hearts for people who are different from us?

Our default is sameness.

It’s safe and we understand it.

So when Jesus’ words answer questions we don’t want to ask publically, we must turn in repentance towards his teaching, leaning in to listen and understand with open hearts, praying that he would make room for what he wants to teach us.

Assuring Authority

His teaching assures us of Jesus’ devotion to us. Like the paralytic, he reminds us:

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”  The title Son of Man he uses here denotes ultimate authority but also assuring humility.

Jesus wanted everyone there to know or see his authority through his power. Many rejoiced in his authority and power to forgive the paralytic of his sins and heal his body.

Rejecting Ultimate Authority and Power

Not only does Jesus have the authority to forgive sins, he has the power to prove it. Jesus displayed authority and power through his ministry: teaching with power, healing with power and reassuring sinners with authoritative words of forgiveness. For all of that, the Son of Man was rejected by the religious elite. The Son of Man highlighted his humanity, yet without sin. The Son of Man dined and died with sinners … for sinners. There is nothing more assuring than that.

Dying with Sinners

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him,saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:39-41

Ultimate Authority and Power

Jesus has ultimate authority and power to call sinners to himself. But we must respond to his authority and power that calls, teaches and reassures us so that we can follow him, especially when things are new.

Called to [Relearn] Christ

Dale Partridge grew up in a family that resembled the iconic TV show the Wonder Years, until a sinful spouse broke it apart. Dale started to slide away from what was right and hang with notorious sinners. Losing friends at an early age to suicide, drunk driving and drug overdoses he found himself speaking at their funerals. Dale was left with new unanswered questions about life and God.

Sevenly

From a young age, he co-founded a thriving company called Sevenly in 2011. His company raised millions for charity, complete with plenty of Christian stickers. He went on to write a popular book. But he admits that his story was that of a young man following goodness, instead of responding to Jesus calling to follow him.

In reality, his marriage was a mess, his relationships were shallow, and he couldn’t break free from lust. These were all symptoms that his response to follow goodness and church didn’t have the authority and power to save a sinner like him. Only Jesus calling, teaching and reassurance could do that.  He had promised God that he would start attending church, if God would help him get through a bout of insomnia.

Saving Faith

He responded to the call to church but wasn’t following Jesus. Dale had “come to Jesus” to address a need, but it wasn’t in immediate repentance seeking salvation through faith.
R.C. Sproul taught him that saving faith means genuine repentance, obedience, and fruitfulness. He was taught about a faith that changes what you want to do.

Finally Following

Finally after hearing the true gospel at a small local bible study, he was deeply convicted. He wanted to follow Jesus. His response reflected Jesus’ ultimate authority and power to call sinners to himself.  Jesus’ words taught him his need to follow Jesus’ authoritative and powerful calling.  Dale was reassured of Jesus’ devotion to call sinners to himself. Dale has gone on to establish a digital missions ministry aimed at strengthening biblical and theological literacy in the church called Relearn.

Those two words spoken from Jesus mattered more than money and others opinions. Those words moved him. Matthew got up and followed Jesus. But not only Matthew, it was a movement of tax collectors and sinners stirred by this man who changed Matthew’s life with two words. This drew the attention of the Pharisees. So much so that they questioned Jesus’ motive behind his words.

F.I.T. Future Wants to Teach Towards the Test, but We Can’t Take It For You

According to Robert F. Mater who wrote the timeless classic “Preparing instructional objectives” in 1961, a learning objective is realized when the learner is able to do something new after learning something. It must be measurable and observable. But, this is a test you have to take because your performance is tied to your goals as you start your business. However, hopefully you’ve seen that:

Start Your Business the Right Way By Doing the Right Things First with a Pathway

In hopes of equipping you to haul in loads of fish hungry for your future product/service we are beta testing our F.I.T. Future Pathway. Start your business by positioning your words precisely as part of a trustworthy innovation process that focuses on your customer’s needs. Start your business the right way, with the right words. You can learn more about a Pathway here.