My family consisted of people who worked for themselves, owning their own businesses. I always knew I wanted to do the same thing. My overall plan was to develop a skill or craft that would allow me to be creative, set my own schedule, and be financially successful enough that I didn’t have to spend a lot of time worrying about money for immediate needs.
I opened my business Mathis Photo in 1973 and within a couple years my wife and I were able to buy a house, two new cars. Enjoyed traveling and started saving for retirement. Those were my goals, and we were accomplishing them. My wife and I worked from home. Made a conscious decision to continue doing what we were already doing as much as we could without expanding or taking on more work than we could do ourselves. We later moved into a small commercial space, but even then, working together was ideal.
If we hired employees, added more services or additional locations, I would have to become a manager, giving up a job I love. Most business owners don’t seem to share these goals, believing that business expansion is always the best option. Consequently, many are stressed out trying to make money, the quality of work suffers, and it is not uncommon for their business to fail.
Unfortunately, it is often thought that the measure of a successful business is total sales, the number of employees, the number of new offices added, or the size of the warehouse for goods. The work we enjoy, the simple provision for ourselves and our families, seems to take a back seat.
A small family business that has been successful for many years is rarely appreciated. The so-called “Mom and Dad’s Store” usually has a negative connotation, although one person, spouses or a few relatives running a business together is almost always the most sustainable example for producing excellent goods and services for many years.
When my wife and I also ran a coffee shop for several years, it was necessary to hire staff to do the job. However, we determined that the best model for us to realize our hopes for this coffee shop was to keep it alone. After that wonderful experience, I have been working alone again for the past 15 years and I love what I do.
The Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes makes this observation: “And if God has given any man riches and possessions, and has given him power to use them, and to take his share, and to enjoy his labor, it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:18). There is no shame in this.
I share my experience not to disparage anyone seeking to work with a growing business or advance their career. However, anyone planning to start a business would be wise to carefully consider how they want to approach its growth and know what the ultimate goals are for the company. What does the plan consist of? Make as much money as possible, provide jobs for as many people as possible, or sell the business to a large conglomerate? Or someone might want to have a good life with as little stress and worry as possible?
The words of Ephesians 6:7-8 serve as a good guide to how we are to work, no matter the size of our enterprise: “…serving with diligence as unto the Lord, and not as unto men, knowing that everyone will receive from the Lord according to the measure of the good he has done, whether slave or free.”
© 2023. Jim Mathis is a writer, photographer, and small business owner in Overland Park, Kansas. His latest book is The Camel and the Needle: A Christian’s Look at Wealth and Money. Previously, he was a coffee shop manager and executive director of CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Questions for reflection/discussion
- Do you run a small business or have you ever aspired to do so? If so, what are your overall goals or what do you think they will be?
- What do you think are the pros and cons of owning a small business compared to working or taking a leadership role in a large company?
- Why do you think so many people perceive success in business primarily in terms of numbers: ever-increasing sales, number of employees, entering new areas and increasing market share? Do you think that failure to achieve these goals represents failure? Why yes or why no?
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 speaks of “finding satisfaction in hard work”. How do you feel about someone who thinks success is simply enjoying the work he or she does? What do you think God’s role is in this?
NOTE. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 10:4-5, 12:11, 24, 16:26, 22:29; 1 Corinthians 3:9; Colossians 3:17, 23-24