Entrepreneurship - OCHEC - Part 1

The second workshop we attended at OCHEC was led by two men, both homeschooling fathers, both with home-based businesses.  

Jake Zwart spoke first, and he told about growing up on a farm, helping his dad rebuild a barn.  The lessons learned working alongside his dad were invaluable.

Jake defined an entrepreneur as someone with a driving interest in starting a new venture - he'll find a way to do it.  An entrepreneur would not be a good manager of a large business.  He's a self-starter, and would do better running a small business, or his own family-based business.

Biblical Background

God gave Adam dominion over the earth - plants and animals.  In Deuteronomy it was clear that marriages were important - a newly married man was exempt from service in the army for an entire year after the wedding, in order for him to get to know his wife.  Jesus chose a small group of men to disciple, and worked alongside them, demonstrating how to minister by doing ministry.

The most important lesson a child can learn from his parents in a home-based business is character.  Other skills such as answering the phone professionally, learning about cash flow, marketing, writing proposals, figuring costs, evaluating (are we too busy?  too slow?), managing others, doing accounting are learned while working alongside mom and dad.

Jake shared how the Lord led him from working in a large corporation to running his own Engineering business in the Vibration Field.  His children naturally began helping, by answering the phone, loading the van, and so on.

A supportive wife and family is essential for a man to leave a secure job and begin working in his own business.  

• Know how to serve
• Don't be addicted to debt
• Choose a product/skill/expertise to sell
• Find a market to sell to
• Keep a good contact manager
• Write proposals 
• Write a business plan
• Make sure the work is done on time, and done well.
• Keep track of finances
• Know the tax laws
• Keep careful records
• Know how to income-split

Jake explained that a subordinate completes a task.  If he is a good subordinate, he asks for the next task.  A better worker looks around and suggests a task.  But an entrepreneur will see it, do it, and inform you when it's done.  That's the kind of character we want to develop in our children!

Challenge:  Jake said that in order to have continuous learning in your field, you need to bite off a little bit more than you can chew.  Stretch yourself.  Go to conferences in your field.  Take seminars.  Study!  Have lots of children, so they can pitch in and help.

Would he do it again?  Absolutely!