Be An EntrepreneurCampione

Sean assembled the things he’d need for a hot cocoa stand: an insulated pitcher, cocoa mix, paper cups. He put everything in his red wagon and stenciled in black letters: “Sean’s Mobile Hot Cocoa.” That night at soccer, Sean got to work. He dragged his wagon down the sidelines, pouring cocoa and collecting money. The parents appreciated the hot drink and happily paid 50 cents per cup. At the end of the night, Sean had sold 30 cups of hot cocoa. “I got 15 dollars tonight!” Sean told his stepdad. “The cocoa and the cups cost me six dollars, so that means I made nine dollars profit.” “Way to go! What’s next for Sean’s Mobile Hot Cocoa?” “Well, at this rate, it will still take me weeks to save up for that soccer jersey. Plus there are thirsty parents all over town.” “Could you do something to expand?” Sean’s stepdad asked. “That’s it! I’ll hire some neighborhood kids to work for me! They’ll have fun, and we’ll all make more money!” A good entrepreneurial idea benefits both you and the people around you. If you can meet a need in your city and people will pay for it, the next step is to hire others. Jeremiah 29:4-7 tells God’s people to work for the prosperity of the city they’re in. Starting a new business, meeting people’s needs, and creating jobs is a great way to prosper your city. Hiring workers is good for entrepreneurs because they can make more money from an expanded business. It’s good for the workers because people flourish when they have productive work and make their own money. And if the product or service meets a genuine need, the whole city benefits. Of course, not all new businesses succeed. Sometimes not enough people want the product, and it doesn’t bring in enough money to buy supplies, pay workers and make a profit. But some new businesses do succeed, and creating jobs is an important goal for entrepreneurs because city-wide prosperity is God’s goal. Try this: Ask some friends to help you work on something that needs doing in your city. If you can turn it into a business that makes money, even better! Prayer: God, bless me with success so I can bless the people around me. I pray for the prosperity of my city. Amen. More: [ Questions to ask to hire ethical people. ](http://ethix.org/2004/06/01/right-questions-key-to-hiring-for-ethics)