12 Signs That You've Got What it Takes to Launch Your Own Business

Are you a pastor who’s been wondering how you can create more income, to supplement, or even replace your current ministry salary? But you’re not really sure if starting your own business is right for you?

Well, you’re in luck…or maybe you were predestined…because today I’m going to share 12 signs that you’ve got what it takes to launch your own business.

Hello my friend! Welcome to the More Than a Pastor Show. I’m your host, Rich Avery. This is the show where we help pastors leverage your ministry know-how into sustainable income outside of the church, through an online platform, or off-line business or side hustle that’s right for you. So you can serve God and provide for your family, no matter what.

Links for Today's Show

• Join our private Facebook community: https://www.morethanapastor.com/facebook
• Get the Free PDF Mentioned on the Show: How to Know if Starting a Business is Right for You
• Read My Last Post: 10 Ways to Make $500 by Renting Out Stuff You Already Own  

Today, with so many churches struggling to survive financially, doesn’t it make sense for pastors to develop other sources of income if you can, and not depend solely upon the church for your income? To have something on the side that you can scale into full-time income if you need to?

Launching your own online message-based platform, a service-based business, or even a brick-and-mortar store, can be a fulfilling adventure that creates financial security for your family. And while it’s never been easier to launch your own business, being your own boss definitely isn’t for everyone.

So what if you’re not sure if starting a business is right for you? If that’s you, then you’re going to love today’s episode.

Because I’m going to share 12 signs that you’ve got what it takes to launch your own business. These are 12 traits of successful entrepreneurs that you can use to assess yourself to see how ready you are to launch your own business.

Here are 12 Signs That You've Got What it Takes to Launch Your Own Business

1. You Have a Growth Mindset

The fact that you’re here tells me that you have, or want to develop, a growth (or abundance) mindset. Our mindset informs the way in which we see ourselves, see the world, and make decisions.

Those who adopt a growth mindset believe that God invites us to dream, take risks, learn new things, grow our impact, and live to our full potential.

People with a fixed (or scarcity) mindset believe that the way things are is probably the way things will always be, and there’s little we can do to change things if we’re unsatisfied. So they remain feeling stuck, broke, and unfulfilled.

But a growth mindset is vital if you want to take risks, try new things, and do what hasn’t been done before.

2. You've Always Dreamed of Entrepreneurship

If you’ve always wondered if starting a business was right for you, or you’ve dreamed of being your own boss someday, maybe now’s the time to take action on that and turn someday into today.

You don’t need to go all-in and invest a ton of money…just do what I like to call a “low-cost probe” and begin to explore possible next steps. Otherwise, you’ll live the rest of your life continuing to wonder “What if…”

If you’re not sure what you best next step is, consider signing up for one of my free “More with Rich” coaching sessions. Where we can help you find the clarity and confidence you need to move forward.

3. Thinking Up Solutions to Problems You're Passionate About, or for New Ideas or Products, Comes Natural to You

At the most basic level, successful businesses - and business owners - solve real problems that people have. So the problem solving skills you’ve developed in ministry will be extremely valuable in any business endeavor.

And if you love dreaming up new ideas, or finding ways to improve on existing products - making them better, smarter, or faster, for example - you’re well on your way to business and financial success.

The key is to focus that energy. Don’t think up 10 ideas that pull you in 10 different directions. Find 10 ideas that move you forward in the the same direction.

4. You Know You Have More to Give

No one job - even being a pastor…as great as that can be - fully taps into all the skills, talents, and experiences we have, or the dreams and passions we may want to pursue.

So if you’ve felt like you have more to give - that there’s more people to serve or problems to solve or passions to pursue, outside of your current ministry world, starting a business could be a great way to help you enjoy more freedom and fulfillment in your life and work.

And it can even help you be more creative, focused, and effective in your current ministry context.

5. You Have a Message to Share

Each of us has unique stories to tell, lessons to teach, and a message to share, from past struggles, pains, and failures we’ve experienced.

As pastors, we know that God loves to take our mess and turn it into a message, our trials into a testimony, our problems into praise, our struggles into success, and our disappointments into destiny.

The problem is we often let self-doubt keep us from believing we have something that others need, and taking action in sharing the message God has given us.

I’m here to tell you that your message matters! And to encourage you that it’s entirely possible for you to launch your message into a platform that not only serves others, but is a financial blessing for you as well.

6. You Desire Greater Time and Financial Freedom

Being able to set your own hours, and enjoy unlimited earning potential, are among the top reasons why people want to start their own business.

These goals are definitely possible to achieve long-term, but getting started in business may require some kind of up-front financial investment, and a lot of hard work.

The good news is that many businesses can be started for no or low-cost. And some allow you to make money even while you sleep!

And if you’re currently pastoring a church, you may need to help your church change its paradigm for how it engages pastors and empowers volunteers to use their gifts and talents to do the work of the ministry.

Thankfully, the financial, political, and social disruptions many churches are facing today are leading us to adapt to new ways of doing ministry.

I believe the church of the 21st century will look a lot more like the church of the 1st century than the 20th century, with more pastors working co-vocationally in the church and in the marketplace.

7. You Understand the Risk of Failure and Success

Starting a business involves risk at some level. Many people prefer the “security” of their current job vs. the risk of starting a business.

But I think they have it backward.

Because how can you feel secure if you have only one customer - your boss? When the boss no longer requires your services, your job and income are done.

But when you own your own business, you have dozens or hundreds of customers. And when one of them no longer requires your services, that’s no problem because you have plenty of other customers to pick up the slack!

The fear of failure holds many people back from trying something new, stretching themselves, and taking a risk.

So, what if your business idea doesn’t succeed in the way that you had planned? Is it a failure? I don’t think so. How can it be a failure if you’ve learned some valuable lessons that you can take and apply to your life and future endeavors?

Don’t let the fear of failure paralyze you. Whatever happens, just chalk it up to education - you’re learning what works, what doesn’t work, and how to do things better the next time.

Something else that holds us back, often unconsciously, is the risk of success. Author Gay Hendricks talks about it in his book called The Big Leap. He says that every person subconsciously has an “upper limit” of the amount of success, wealth, or happiness that we are worthy of achieving.

So when we get close to hitting that limit, or if we momentarily go over it, we subconsciously knock ourselves down and self-sabotage what we’re doing, to keep us from achieving the success we are actually capable of.

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it. But I’ve seen it work in my own life. Maybe you have too.

8. You Love to Serve Others

The desire to serve others is at the heart of any successful business. Your heart for serving God and others in your church is the same type of heart needed to succeed in business.

I’ve always appreciated this quote from Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

I think this is one of the biggest reasons why pastors can succeed in business - because we have the heart of a servant.

But one of the biggest hurdles pastors need to overcome is how to charge for our services. Because we’ve been used to serving others for free, drawing a salary from the church. But to have a profitable business, we need to have profits, and that comes from charging a fair price for our services.

9. You've Been Creative and Entrepreneurial in Ministry

Do you have a track record of being creative, innovative and entrepreneurial in your church ministry?

Perfect! Because those skills and experiences should naturally carry over and serve you well as you launch and grow your new business. Not just in areas of product or service creation. But also in sales, marketing, and customer service.

Let’s face it, most churches operate within a constraint of limited people and financial resources. And most pastors have had to learn how to manage budgets, reduce costs, get creative in how to do more with less.

These same skills of creativity, adaptability, and innovation are assets that will serve you well in any business endeavor.

10. You're Good at Managing People

To succeed in business, like ministry, you need to be good at managing people. Even if you want to be a solopreneur with no employees, don’t think you won’t have to work with people.

Because you’ll always be engaging with prospective and current customers. And chances are good that you’ll have suppliers and occasional contractors to work with as well.

And if you DO want to grow your business, you’ll probably need to form some kind of team. Even if you don’t have traditional employees, you will likely use virtual assistants and freelancers.

So plan on bringing your people management skills to work in your business. Focus on the most important things that you need to do, and delegate the rest to others who can help.

11. You're a Self-Starter and Willing to Work Hard

I’m not sure if you know this…but when you are your own boss, you’re your own boss.

So you need to be able to manage yourself well, work hard, and focus your energy on the right actions that will bring the success you desire. Many pastors have learned this skill, especially those serving in solo roles. So chances are good that this will be a strength for you.

But it’s not just about working hard. But working at the right things that will move you toward the success you want to achieve. It helps to set clear goals for your ministry, your family life, and your business, and commit from the start to winning in all three areas.

12. You Have the Right Support Network

Entrepreneurship, like ministry, can be a lonely journey. But it doesn’t have to be that way for you!

Many businesses fail when owners feel like no one understands the unique struggles or challenges they face, and they don’t have anyone they trust who can guide them through the next best steps to take.

Having the right mentor, and surrounding yourself with the right community, makes all the difference!

That’s why I launched the More Than A Pastor show, and have made it my mission to help 1000 pastors create sustainable income outside the church, through their own passion-based profitable business, in the next five years.

And guess what, I’d love for you to be one of them!

If you haven’t joined my private More Than a Pastor community on Facebook yet, why not do it today? It’s absolutely free. And each week I provide content that’s only available to the members of the group. It’s a safe place to ask questions, get feedback on your business ideas, and find the encouragement and support you need on your journey to creating income outside of the church. Join today over at morethanapastor.com/Facebook.