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What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve

Applebees offered me a job

One Sunday after church we went to a local Applebees with about 30 people.  We waited about half an hour for another large group to finish eating and leave so we could take their place.  Once they finished and left , the manager came over and told us it would take the servers about 15 more minutes to clear off the tables in front of us to prepare them to seat us.  I was incredulous.  Seriously?  Fifteen minutes to clear off some tables? What were they smoking?

I was a server.  I know what it takes to do it.  And 15 minutes is waaaaay too much for servers who are on their game whether you have a bus boy or not.

I didn't complain.  But I also didn't ask.  I just acted.

You know, a little less talk and a lot more action!  (Someone should write a song about that...)  I knew I was overstepping my bounds, but figured that forgiveness was better than permission.  While they putzed around, I proceeded to clear the tables myself.  Grabbing a large round tray from one of the stations nearby I started clearing and stacking and even carried the tray into the kitchen.

Brazen?  Yes but I was just so over it, hungry, standing there with 29 other people and being told it was going to take 15 minutes to clear a table.  As I was finished wiping down the tables with a wet bar mop found nearby, the manager came over and said, "Ummm..wow...  M'am, do you need a job?  Because, we could really use someone like you..."   [Insert giggles of church folks who were with us.]

We were seated at the tables in five minutes.

Larry stood there not knowing whether to be mortified or proud.  In answer to the manager's inquiry about hiring me I said, "No, I have a job, but thanks so much for asking."


Here's a job coaching tip for you today -- if you know how to get things done correctly, consistently and in a timely fashion, there will be jobs that will come to you.  It may not be the ultimate dream job you're looking for but plenty of "jobs on the way to where you're going" will present themselves if you just give 100% to whatever is in front of you at the time.

If you need a job try giving yourself one for free, or getting one for free and see if it might lead to a paying job offer.  Think this is crazy?  A lot professionals are advising people to work for free just to show what you're capable of.  You might be surprised at what happens.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love it!!!
Terri von Wood said…
I wish I had been there--I would have loved to have seen that. I am an ENFJ and that's something I would do (to the chagrin of my children! :) Are you sure you're introverted (INFJ)? :)

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