You may be wondering what the advantages of owning a business would be. You may be thinking, "I already have a great job, my family is happy, & I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at. Adding a business into the mix could just ruin it all. Is it worth the risk?"
Let me make this point very clear...there are so many good reasons to start a business! There may be even more good reasons than you're aware of, all of which have little to do with money. The purpose of starting a business shouldn't be just to make more money. If you see business as primarily serving this purpose, then you are cheating yourself out of so much more than just money, & are honestly cheapening what business can be.
I grew up in a family business. My dad owns a very successful construction company. At an early age, I became very familiar with the work-site, & I became even more familiar with the concept of owning a business. My dad, although at times, was very busy running his company; he was always sure to be dragging my sister & I along to the job. At the time, I maybe didn't enjoy it entirely, but looking back, I can clearly see the great effect it had on me. Not only did it teach me about construction, but it also gave me the opportunity to see my dad in action.
I believe that witnessing my father lead a team of people, overcome work-related obstacles & problem solve on the job was essential to my development as a hard working man. I realize that problem solving, leading, and overcoming obstacles are all a part of daily life whether you're single, married, or have a family. However, I feel as if we would be doing our children a great disservice by not letting them see us at work.
Think about it...we spend, on average, 8 hours/day at a place other than our homes and without our families. For some of you, that might be a great "break", for me it's like torture! I want my kids, my wife, and my friends to witness my work ethic and more than that I want to come together with them to accomplish things- even things that make us money. I think that builds true character.
I think back to a time far before I was born...when most people were farmers. Just think how close these families had to be. They woke together, worked together, ate lunch together, sweated, cried, laughed, & played together. Have you seen a family like this? I have only seen a rare few, but I wish there were far more! Can we have families like this? I believe we can.
I believe that in any community, family values are strengthened when people gather around for one common purpose. Does your family have a common goal, do they have to stride together on any project, organization, activity, ministry, or business?
Think back to the times you felt closest to the people around you. I bet most of those times were when you all had one mission in mind & went after it, together.
We CAN have a life like this! We CAN unite families. We CAN even change the way we educate our children. Seriously, apprentice-style learning has been the most effective way of learning for me, as I'm sure many others can say the same. Family-owned & operated businesses have the ability to offer this great platform for learning!
Is business essential for the health of our communities? I believe it is. Let's take it a step further...if business is essential for communities, & communities are made up of families, then wouldn't it be safe to say that business is an essential part of the health of our families?
Not only is it a great opportunity for our families, but it also encourages one family to lean on another. One family might have a soap making business and another might have a vegetable garden. Both families need one another. This creates a healthy dependency, & ultimately helps foster great relationships within your community. After all, strong communities are not developed by implementing more laws & systems, but instead, by creating healthy relationships.
Joel Widman
Owner
Anderson The Fish