Blog - From Building to Blessing

Ralph's Blog

Sharing insights from the life and work of the Agathe Center for Entrepreneurship has always been important to me. Our quarterly newsletter has been the forum for that. Each past newsletter begins with something from me that seeks to share something meaningful, reflective, and occasionally provocative. They’re all collected here.

The hope is that you’ll find a post here that speaks to you, your context, your circumstances. And that you’ll be encouraged to think more deeply, act more purposefully, and live more intentionally as you engage with the life and work that God has given you.

Thanks for engaging with these thoughts. And if you'd like to receive these posts in your inbox in the future, feel free to sign up for my mailing list at the bottom of this page.

The long conversation

Most people need some time to hear, to think, to observe, to contemplate. The long conversation offers that opportunity.

A Culture of Generosity

For for-profit businesses, figuring out where to get their revenue from is more or less straightforward, but for non-profits, non-governmental organizations, and ministries, it can be much more nuanced.

Failure to Communicate

“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” – The Captain (from the film, Cool Hand Luke – 1967)

An Essential Component

An entrepreneur can craft an outstanding business plan that lays out clearly how that vision will become a reality. They can be willing to give all their personal capacity and energy to the execution of the plan. But this will all just sit on the shelf without one essential ingredient ...

Is there a debate?

As you look to select teammates, fill open positions, or choose whom to reward with a special opportunity, the question often presents itself, “Should I more favor high competence or strong character?”

Keeping it real

Cast a vision. Dream dreams. But be sure to be working the land you’ve been given to work.

The Norm

If we are delivering on the promise that our product or service makes, if we are serving our clients well, if we are giving our clients something positive to talk about to those with similar needs, referrals should be the norm.

The Weight

On one hand it is a privilege to be called to make a difference, and it is a joy when you see good results. On the other hand, it is also a weight.

Making the move

We didn’t move far – just across the river – but we did move, and we are endeavouring to have that be good for us.‍

The right response at the right time

Going places together

Whatever the endeavor – love, business, research, training – finding a partner to share the journey is a good thing. To be together with one whom we connect with deeply and who is complementary to us takes us places we can never go alone.

Making choices

Did you ever wonder how many choices the average person makes in a day? That question came to my mind as I pondered upon the verse, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV)

Truly stunning

Entrepreneurs are typically either looking for gaps to be filled or for trends that can be leveraged. At the Agathe Center, we tend to cast our gaze a bit more toward the gaps – find a gap and seek to fill it.

Look at all the people

From an economist's point of view, favorable demographic trends are a significant factor in the ongoing health of any region’s economy. But can you have too much of a good thing?

Nothing more fulfilling

Hélène and Carolina have led the way in transitioning to online expressions of our work.

Sapere aude! Dare to be wise. The Constant Learner

To be an effective teacher, coach, or manager, one has to be willing to express, with the same level of enthusiasm and commitment, the same concepts over and over again.

Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity: The world we live in

If you have done some reading on leadership and leadership theory, you have most probably come across this acronym – VUCA – volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

The contrarian

If you want a reason not to do something, ask a few people and you’ll soon find someone who will surely give you the reason you are looking for.

Next generation: what do righteous people do?

It is not particularly fashionable these days to be too serious about too many things. With all the information we receive on a daily basis, it truly is easy enough to become overly concerned about way too many things.

Impact: Business as a calling

What led you to the career that you find yourself in? How have you measured your success?

Expertise: Becoming an expert

Listening to experts on whisky while in Scotland got us to thinking about how a person develops such a set of skills.

Commitment: Beating the odds

We believe that the support of a caring, committed, and experienced advisor does make a difference.

Are you relevant?

Can I somehow be someone who matters to someone? Am I making any difference?

Walls or Bridges?

Around 360,000 children are born each day on planet earth. One of those happily came into our extended family this past Saturday.

Make hospitality a key trait of your business

A Stranger in a Strange Place just around the Corner

"You didn't build that."

Why your achievements are never really just your own.

From Building to Blessing is a resource created in conjunction with the Agathe Center for Entrepreneurship. Learn more →

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