A few days ago I was cooking bacon on top of the stove in spite of the fact that I would rather bake it in the oven or place it in the microwave. The bacon slices come out much better. As I was dodging the grease bullets, it came to me how similar knowing when to turn over the bacon and knowing when to pivot in your coaching business had a connection. I know! It’s not everyday that a piece of bacon sizzling in a pan can become a metaphor for your business decisions. But as they say, inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places and situations. Today, we will be frying up some food for thought on when it’s time to pivot in your coaching business.
Cooking bacon on a stove, for those who are unfamiliar, is an art of precision and timing. Turn the bacon too soon, it’s undercooked. Turn it too late, and it’s burnt. Pivoting in business, just like cooking bacon, requires a fine balance. Pivot too soon, you might miss out on potential success from your current strategies. Pivot too late, you risk your business going up in flames. So, when exactly is it the right time to pivot in your coaching business?
Just as the perfect piece of bacon requires a careful eye to know the exact moment to flip, knowing when to pivot in your business can be a discerning journey. Turning the bacon too soon can leave it underdone, while waiting too long can result in it being burnt. Similarly, pivoting too early in your business can lead to missed opportunities, while pivoting too late can lead to catastrophic failure. So, how do we know when God is guiding us to make that change in our business?
1. Heeding the Changing Tides
The first sign God might be nudging you to pivot is when the market’s response to your product or service starts to wane. This could be due to shifts in consumer behavior or the emergence of a more competitive contender. Falling sales or a sudden lack of customer interest could be a signal from God that it’s time to reorient your business strategies.
2. Listening to your Heart
Many Christian entrepreneurs embark on their journey fueled by passion and the belief they are following God’s will for their lives. However, if you feel your passion dwindling or your business pursuits aren’t aligning with your values and spiritual journey, it might be God guiding you towards a new path.
3. Being Watchful for Growth Opportunities
Like the bacon sizzling on the stove, there may be clear signs from God for a change in direction. This could be in the form of an untapped market, a technological advancement, or a unique proposition aligning with your Christian values and business objectives.
4. Examining Your Business Health
If despite all your efforts, your business is merely surviving rather than thriving, this could be God’s way of telling you that your current strategy isn’t working. A pivot, guided by God, could breathe new life into your business and lead to growth and prosperity.
5. Turning to the Data
Just as we seek God’s word for guidance, data in business serves as a critical compass. Consistent poor metrics, customer feedback, or market research can all be signs God might be prompting you to pivot.
Navigating the world of business as a Christian coach involves not just wisdom but faith and patience. Pivoting isn’t easy, but it is often necessary to fulfill God’s plan for us. Remember, just as cooking that perfect piece of bacon requires balance, so too does the decision to pivot your business. Not too soon, not too late, but right on time, in accordance with God’s plan for us.
So, whenever you feel uncertain about the direction of your business, remember the bacon metaphor. Draw strength from it. Understand that changing paths doesn’t signify failure, but adaptation and growth. Lean on God for guidance. Trust His plan, maintain your spiritual apron to protect you from the hot splatters of change, and embrace the pivot. After all, it is through change that we grow closer to fulfilling God’s purpose for us.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you sense a change in your passion for your current business? Reflect on whether this could be a sign that God is leading you in a new direction. Meditate on Proverbs 16:9.
2. Is there a specific opportunity or challenge that has presented itself? Could this be a window for growth that God is opening for you? Meditate on James 1:2-4
3. What do the metrics of your business tell you? Could they be revealing a need to change direction and pivot? Meditate on Luke 14:28-30
Prayer
Dear Lord, I come before You today seeking guidance and wisdom in my business endeavors. As I strive to steward the resources and opportunities you’ve blessed me with, I ask for discernment to recognize when it’s time to pivot and change direction. Give me the strength, Lord, to embrace change, and to trust that you are leading me on the path that best aligns with Your purpose for my life.
Help me to remember the lessons learned from cooking bacon, that I might approach my businesses with patience, care, and attentiveness. Allow me to lean on Your understanding, not just my own. Guide my heart and mind as I make decisions and plans, knowing that ultimately, it is You who directs my steps.
I pray for courage, resilience, and an open heart to discern the signs of change. May I be like the diligent entrepreneur, watching the business carefully and knowing when it’s time to make changes. And most of all, Lord, we ask for faith to follow wherever You lead.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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