Asking the right questions can provide invaluable insights into an entrepreneur's journey. Depending on where they are in their journey, here are some important questions to consider:

Sacrifices and Vision

1. What sacrifices have you made to get to where you are today?

• Understanding the sacrifices an entrepreneur has made helps us perceive what it took for them to reach their current position. Moreover, it offers insight into their commitment to the vision that God has given them.

2. How did you know that God wanted you to be an entrepreneur?

• This question reveals their spiritual journey and how they sensed God's calling towards entrepreneurship.

Exemplifying Christ in Business

3. In what ways do you seek to exemplify Christ in your business as you provide your service or product?

• It's crucial to understand how entrepreneurs integrate their faith into their business practices.

4. How do you exemplify Christ to your employees?

• This sheds light on their leadership style and how they influence their team's spiritual growth.

Daily Disciplines

5. What are your daily disciplines to build you up in faith?

• Knowing their daily routines and disciplines can provide practical tips for our own spiritual growth.

6. What measures do you take to ensure that money and business do not become idols ahead of God?

• This helps us understand how they maintain a proper balance and safeguard their priorities.

Balancing Work and Family Life

7. How do you balance work and family life?

• Work-life balance is a significant challenge for many entrepreneurs. Understanding their strategies can be life-changing.

Self-Reflection and Growth

8. What did you do within the first ten years of your entrepreneurial journey?

• Learning about their initial steps, mistakes, and lessons can provide a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs.

9. How have your priorities evolved over the decades?

• This provides insight into their long-term growth and how they adapted to different life stages.

Recommended Resources

10. What are the top three books you have read?

11. What podcasts would you recommend?

• Recommendations can introduce us to valuable resources that have influenced their journey.

Investment and Learning Strategies

12. How did you invest in yourself in your twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, and sixties?

• Understanding their self-investment strategies can guide our own personal development.

13. What actions did you take after learning difficult lessons?

• This sheds light on their resilience and ability to learn from setbacks.

Work Ethic and Productivity

14. What does hard work mean to you?

• Breaking down their definition of hard work can offer practical steps to enhance our own work ethic.

15. Should I be leaning on God more than testing the market?

• This question navigates the balance between divine guidance and practical market testing.

Testing and Validation

16. How would you recommend testing an idea before fully investing in it?

• Practical steps for testing and validating ideas can save time and resources.

Balancing Priorities

17. How did God guide you through tough times?

18. How have you balanced your faith, family, and entrepreneurial endeavors?

• These questions delve into the spiritual and emotional support systems that sustain an entrepreneur.

The Spiritual Aspect of Entrepreneurship

Reflecting on questions like "What did God save you from?" and "What is your favorite book of the Bible and why?" adds another dimension to understanding an entrepreneur's journey. For many, books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes provide wisdom and remind them of what truly matters.

"If God is not behind the scenes, then all things are done in vain because God has created all things." - Lance Vantine

Imagine a world where every impoverished community has the opportunity to thrive economically and spiritually. Unfortunately, aspiring Christian entrepreneurs often lack the resources and support to pursue their God-given callings. But you can change that by becoming a donor today. Your support will provide business loans, entrepreneurial training, and experienced mentors, empowering these communities to build sustainable, Christ-centered businesses that uplift lives and spread the gospel.

To wrap it up, asking the right questions is paramount for understanding and growing in our entrepreneurial journey. By gaining insights from successful entrepreneurs, we can learn valuable lessons and align our business practices with our faith. Remember, God should always be at the forefront of our endeavors. As we put Him in His rightful place, we can trust that He will lead us toward success and greater impact.

International Business as Mission Podcast is a space where we explore how to build businesses rooted in biblical principles that create global impact. We're not just here to talk; we're taking action to spread entrepreneurship to poverty-stricken communities around the world. Join us in this mission by becoming a donor and helping us empower people to build sustainable livelihoods and break the cycle of poverty.

"When God is at the forefront, truly God will begin to move in mighty, magnificent, miraculous ways." - Lance Vantine

Together, we can create a world of flourishing through the transformative power of business as a mission.

Become an IBAM Impact Partner here: https://www.ibam.org/impact-members