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Showing posts from January, 2011

The Three Page Business as Mission Start-up Plan

I have a confession to make. I don’t like formal business plans. In certain entrepreneurial academic circles, this is heresy. But over the years, I’ve seen the development of business plans as a major impediment to actually starting businesses. The people who are most entrepreneurial by nature are the most likely to freeze up when faced with the daunting task of formulating a business plan. And most of the successful entrepreneurs I know never had a business plan on paper when they started. They merely had an idea in their head and a personality wired for action. It’s my belief that too much start-up planning saps the potential energy from someone with an entrepreneurial nature. This is especially true for individuals starting faith ventures to employ individuals rebuilding lives from homelessness, addiction or prison. Faith venture initiators are even more likely to bog down with the added dimension of the double bottom line where they are seeking both business profits as well as

The 25K Ideas for Impact Challenge

If you are an idea person and you are passionate about creating opportunity for ex-offenders, you could win $25,000. Some friends of mine with a passion for employing individuals rebuilding lives from prison in the New York City area are hosting a unique contest with the potential to impact thousands of ex-offenders in the future. And you don't need to write a business plan. All you have to do is fill out an online idea submission form describing your idea, the problem it solves, the customers, and the competition. But you need to hurry. The deadline is February 15, 2010. More details are available at www.ideasforimpact.com .

Belay Enterprises: Incubating Business as Mission for Individuals Rebuilding Lives

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Belay Enterprises was started by Mile High Ministries in 1994 by a group of businessmen and urban pastors with a heart towards business as ministry. The faith venture organized itself around the mission of partnering with the local church to create businesses that employ and job train individuals rebuilding lives from addiction, prison and homelessness. Out of this vision, Belay launched in 1995 its first faith venture Bud’s Warehouse , a home-improvement thrift store selling recycled building materials to support a career and life-skills training program. During the past 16 years, Bud’s Warehouse has been a favorite destination for bargain hunters, receiving frequent media coverage for both its products and its mission. Because of the tremendous community support, Belay Enterprises has been able to incubate several additional Faith Venture projects. In 2002, Belay expanded on the thrift store concept by opening Baby Bud’s , a maternity, baby and toddler products thrift store

Jason's Story

Bud’s Warehouse has been providing employment and career development training for individuals seeking employment while rebuilding lives from homelessness, poverty, addiction or prison for over 16 years. We are in the sixth month of an exciting relationship with local transitional housing provider Providence Network . As part of an innovative grant funded by Mile High United Way, individuals get a supportive transitional home program as well as employment and job training through a comprehensive partnership. I'm excited to share Jason's story as one of the first graduates of this innovative program. Bud's Warehouse - Jason from Andy Magel on Vimeo .