“Resources,” Starting and Growing My Business (2014)
“Resources,” Starting and Growing My Business
Resources
Don’t Kill the Chickens: Part I
Choose roles and act out the following.
SETTING: Maria has several chickens and is able to provide for her family by selling eggs to local stores and restaurants. Mateo, Maria’s brother, comes to visit.
MATEO: Maria!
MARIA: Hi, Mateo. How are you?
MATEO: Things are good. Wow! Look at all those eggs. Your business is doing well!
MARIA: Yes, and I’m grateful. I have been using the things I learned in my self-employment group. I’ve been keeping all my commitments and it’s working! The Lord is really blessing us. All of the hard work is paying off.
MATEO: That’s wonderful. Maybe I should join a group too. Anyway, I’ve got some good news, too! I found an apartment for my family! We can finally have running water—and a window! Except I don’t have quite enough money right now. I need 1000 to move in. I don’t want to lose this place, Maria. It’s perfect for us. Will you help me?
MARIA: Mateo, I want to help you, and I could maybe give you the 1000, but I’d have to sell my chickens.
Back to page 66
Don’t Kill the Chickens: Part II
Take turns reading the following paragraphs.
Imagine that you work at a hotel. Could you take money from the hotel anytime you want? Could your brother take money whenever he needs it? They’d probably put him in jail!
Now think about your business. Your business needs to grow and prosper so you can keep the commandment to be self-reliant. Your business is a tool the Lord can use to bless you. If it is successful, you will be able to bless many others. So, how do you protect your business to help it succeed? Should you take money from your business anytime for personal needs? Should your brother or neighbor?
Here is the key: you and your business are different! There must be separate places to keep business money and personal money. You could use separate boxes or separate bank accounts. You also need to keep separate records for business money and personal money: separate places and separate records.
But then, how do you get money out of your business for your family?
Well, how would this happen if you worked for someone else? That person or business would pay you a wage, right? Or if you were a salesperson, the business might pay you a commission. Your wage or commission would be your income—and you would pay tithing on this income. Then you could spend the rest for your personal needs, like food or clothing—or even to help your brother.
As business owner, you should pay yourself a wage—a certain amount of money every week, for example. If there is not enough cash in your business to pay a regular wage, you could still pay yourself a commission—a percentage of sales. Either way, the wage or commission becomes your personal income. You pay tithing on this income. And then you can use the rest for food, rent, medicine, and savings.
This simple step—separating your business and personal money—will protect both you and your business. Your business can grow and succeed. And you will know what money from your personal account you can use and share.
Back to page 67
Don’t Kill the Chickens: Part III
Choose roles and act out the following.
MARIA: Mateo, if I sell all my chickens, you know what that would do to my business, don’t you? I wouldn’t have any eggs to sell. And then my business would go under. And then how would I feed my family? I’m sorry. I hope you can understand that I can’t just take money from the business whenever I need it. I only pay myself a regular wage. The rest of the money is for keeping the business going and helping it grow, so we can become self-reliant. We are becoming self-reliant so we can bless others.
MATEO: I understand.
MARIA: However, I do have 200 from my personal savings that I can give you, if that would help.
MATEO: Actually, that would help a lot. Thank you, Maria.
MARIA: You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help a little.
Back to page 67
Your Water Business: Answer Key
Back to page 70