EntreFaith
Amplify Your Impact Through Faith in Yourself, Others and God
Entrepreneurs are driven by vision and dreams of the future. We yearn to create, build, and make an impact. However, when trouble strikes or things don’t go as planned, it can be easy to lose sight of that vision and give in to doubt. This is where EntreFaith comes in – the faith that our future is brighter than what we can currently see or feel.
EntreFaith Starts with Belief in Yourself
EntreFaith begins with self-efficacy – the belief that you have the skills and abilities to figure things out and produce positive outcomes (Bandura, 2000). This faith in yourself is crucial for entrepreneurs, as we inevitably face unknowns and have to problem-solve on the fly. If you believe everything is “figure-out-able,” obstacles and challenges can strengthen ones faith in themselves rather than tear it down.
I experienced this firsthand when I undertook creating the in-home care industry’s first benchmarking study. I lacked math and statistics skills, not to mention the funds to hire help. But I believed I could figure it out, so I persevered until that study became the industry’s “Bible” that homecare entrepreneurs rely on to scale their businesses. My self-efficacy – my EntreFaith in myself – enabled me to step into the unknown and find solutions.
EntreFaith Also Means Letting Go
Part of strengthening your self-efficacy is pruning the people and activities holding you back from your entrepreneurial breakaway. This act of faith requires believing you can become your future, better self and letting go of the past framings placed on you by others.
After returning from a transformative two-year church mission, my brother Bryant warned me that friends would try to treat as if I I hadn’t experienced positive changed. I had pruning to do by distancing myself from relationships wanting me to stay the same. This act of EntreFaith opened up opportunities for me to become an entrepreneur five years later.
Putting Your Faith in Others
EntreFaith also means granting trust to others rather than waiting for them to “earn” it. When I was struggling to fund the rapid growth of my startup, my close friend Dale approached me out of the blue and expressed his faith in me, desiring to invest in my company, without even really knowing exactly what it was I was selling. In his own words, “I don’t invest in products, I invest in founders I believe in.” Dale was not going forward in blind faith, rather he knew he could put his faith in me, which helped me believe even more in myself. Additionally, his faith provided the miracle I had been praying for.
Dale's generosity increased my self-confidence and faith in my abilities. His faith in me grew my own faith. As leaders, we must first identify the right people, then put faith in them to rise up rather than wait for trust to be earned. Trust granted tends to beget more trust returned.
Dale passed away in April 2022 after a hard-fought battle with cancer
Faith in God Can Push Us Past Once Impossible Goals
Lastly, EntreFaith incorporates faith in God or a higher power that can make the impossible possible. This doesn’t mean sitting around waiting for miracles but rather using faith to propel action. I prayed desperately for a business investor but also talked to every possible lead until the miracle came through. With God, all things are possible, but we must demonstrate faith through working tirelessly alongside God’s grace.
My EntreFaith has enabled me to accomplish things I previously thought impossible. And this faith only grows as I give more of myself to others. When EntreFaith strengthens, you gain the courage and vision to create an unimaginable future.
Key Takeaways:
Audit your self-efficacy - do you believe you can figure things out? If not, work on strengthening this faith in yourself. I would recommend sending an email out to your 5-10 closest friends and family. Those you know, trust, and tend to appreciate who you are. Tell them you are working on a “project,” and would like them to answer one question to better understand areas you should be focused on in your business. This question comes from Strategic Coach® and their UniqueAbility exercise. I have been involved with this program for over a decade. Here is the question: “What unique characteristics best describe me? What am I good at? What do you count on me for?” The answers will help you understand the impact you’re making and will continue to make. A little boost to your self-efficacy and can create clarity about your future activities at work and at home.
Prune 1-2 activities/relationships holding you back from your future entrepreneurial self
Identify 1 person you can put faith in. Grant them trust first without requiring it to be earned.
If you choose to believe in a higher power, pray intentionally for what seems impossible while also putting action behind those prayers. Pay attention to even the little miracles that show up for you in the coming months.
Step into an unknown using your faith as fuel rather than waiting until you feel fully ready.
Co-authored by Brinley Marcum
References: Albert Bandura, “Self-Efficacy: The Foundation of Agency,” in Control of Human Behavior, Mental Processes, and Consciousness: Essays in Honor of the 60th Birthday of August Flammer, eds. Walter J. Perrig and Alexander Grob (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000), 16-31. Want to see more Entrethrive wisdom on your daily scroll? Follow our Instagram!
