Entrepreneur TNT

Arch Bonnema – Christian Entrepreneur and Philanthropist. —By Julie Lyons Arch Bonnema’s mission couldn’t be plainer. It encircles the towering ceiling of his McKinney home, inscribed in gold letters: -Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress– Though Bonnema, 56, has launched several successful businesses and played an important role in the early success of the film The Passion of the Christ-he purchased all of the seats in Plano’s Cinemark Tinseltown 20 for opening day, and gave away the 6,000 tickets-orphan homes are the focus of his time and money today. Since 1991, he and his wife, Sherry, have tithed a minimum of 50 percent of their finances and work hours to missions, including their own ministry, My House. They’ve partnered with longstanding local ministries in Uganda, Kenya, India, and Ethiopia to build orphan homes centered around churches and to staff them with widows, explicitly following the words of James 1:27 etched inside his home. The decision to give on such a scale came 17 years ago after he and his wife attended a missions conference. They were driving home from Georgia on Bonnema’s motorcycle, communicating by helmet-mounted radios. -We’d been silent for quite a while,- Arch says, -and I said, -You know, honey, I have to admit I’ve been kinda feeling lately that we ought to increase our commitment from 35 to 50 percent.’ -I hardly got done saying that, and she says, -God’s been telling me that for months. I was just waiting for you to confirm it with me.’- Bonnema’s response echoes what many Christians have believed in recent years-only to find their fortunes shrink drastically during the recession. -The whole time you’re thinking, -Wow-God is gonna really bless us now.’ But it doesn’t always work that way. If you give, God doesn’t always give back right away. That’s what the prosperity message got wrong. -There were times when my wife and I gave significantly and went through the biggest hardships, but we kept on giving. We still survived. It might have been a year or two later, but God gave us a tremendous blessing.- In Arch’s and Sherry’s case, their decision to tithe lavishly was followed by the loss of their savings and other assets-just about everything but their home. They even sold their last car, a two-year-old Cadillac, so they could keep the pledges they’d made to ministries. -We gave everything we had, including cashing in our retirement, to make sure that our promises to missions were fulfilled,- Arch says. -It’s not that my business dropped off, but I spent less time doing it, and my income dropped-while my giving increased, percentage-wise. No problem, we thought. We’ll just sell this. We don’t need that anyway. It’s more important we fulfill our commitment to God. -It wasn’t until we had given away pretty much everything we had over a span of six years when, all of a sudden, everything just reversed faster. God started building my businesses faster than I ever could have imagined. Within two years I had more money than I ever had in my whole life.- Today, Arch has set aside Joshua Financial, the trust company from which he prospered for many years-changing tax laws eliminated much of the business–to invest in enterprises such as the buying and re-selling of electricity and hydrogen technology. Bonnema has also launched expeditions to search for Noah’s Ark and the Ark of the Covenant. (Both of those ventures are documented on his Web site, www.cometomyhouse.org.) Arch joins in business with -kindred spirits,- Christian entrepreneurs with a passion for missions and ministry. -You want to have people surrounding you who are like-minded,- he says. -There’s an old saying, -It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.’ But I think there is a more correct saying: It’s who knows you. What is your reputation? If you develop a good track record, they come find you.- Bonnema applies the same principle to building orphan homes. He works only with ministries that have worked with orphans for years on their own, -doing a really good job.- My House builds new and better facilities so the ministries can expand their work. The goal, he says, is that the orphan home is independent of outside aid within three or four years. -Once we build it,- he says, -we give it to them.- Right now, My House sponsors four orphan homes in India, two in Ethiopia, one in Kenya, and one in Uganda, all in rural areas. Four other orphan homes are under construction; the Bonnemas hope to build 10 in 2010. Over the years, My House has encountered its share of scammers–just people who want money,- Bonnema says. -It’s just as bad in the U.S. as it is over there.- Bonnema has developed a motto–We inspect what we expect.- My House personnel are on the ground talking to people before the organization builds, checking out the credentials of local ministries and talking to pastors, mayors, and community leaders. -We make sure they have a good reputation for taking care of kids,- he says. Bonnema’s passion for orphans has unlikely roots in the Minnesota farming community of Prinsburg, population 450, where he grew up. His grandfather, a farmer for many years and later -a very successful businessman,- entertained a constant stream of visitors from overseas-missionaries and pastors, to whom he gave much of his money. -He felt the best gift he had was he knew how to do good business. He knew about the world, because everybody came to visit him. He was very generous. They were expecting to see some big tycoon, but he had a very modest house. He lived in a very small town. He just gave away an enormous amount.- Faith pervaded the Bonnema family, which prayed and read Scripture at every meal, three times a day, and attended the Christian Reformed church together. -I grew up in a family where all my relatives were strong, committed Christians,- says Bonnema, now a member of Prestonwood Baptist Church. -When I reached an age of understanding, at 7 or 8, I committed my life to Christ.- At 19, Bonnema walked around the world with a backpack and sleeping bag, traversing remote and war-torn countries, including Vietnam. He visited Israel in 1973, right after it went to war with Egypt. In Bombay, India, he got so sick he prayed to die. In Hong Kong he started a Youth for Christ chapter that still exists today. Throughout his journey, he learned to -rely on God- in everything. -James chapter 1 says if your life is full of difficulties and temptations, be happy,- Bonnema says. -I remember reading that when I was 16, thinking, boy, did they ever mistranslate this. How can you be happy when life is full of difficulties and temptations? Because you learn to trust God. That’s when you really build your faith.- Crossing the world with little money or status allowed him to see reality in the countries he visited, where no one was trying to impress him. He avoided the big cities and wandered through rural areas, -where you really see the people.- He witnessed poverty and oppression, degradation and violence. As well as people with few possessions who took inexplicable joy in their love for God. -That’s where my heart was first touched by the orphans and widows,- he says. -I saw a different world than the one I lived in. It did two things: It tremendously increased my passion for ministry. I saw how easy it is to change lives, compared to the U.S. When you see how easy it is to make a difference, it makes you want to do more. -And it really opened my eyes so that I’m a good steward. It’s not about just writing a check. It’s like the parable of the good seeds. It’s giving to the right place at the right time.- Over the years, Bonnema has visited 93 countries, all but one with his wife. That one country was Iran, where he believes his team found the petrified remains of Noah’s Ark in 2006. He’s also witnessed first-hand the world’s problem with orphans; according to the World Health Organization, the number of orphans has doubled in the last five years, and only one-tenth of one percent are ever adopted. Yet more than 90 percent of the money spent on orphans is directed to the adoption process. A Kenyan bishop who visited him recently represented the alternative that My House seeks: He described how he could build an orphan home housing a dozen children as well as a widow to take care of them for as little as $20,000. The facility would include separate rooms for boys and girls as well as a kitchen and bathroom. -What’s interesting is for centuries, that’s what the church did. We took care of orphans and widows,- Bonnema says. -Now, we let the government do it.- E-mail Julie Lyons at .

You should be a Christian entrepreneur. Did you ever wonder why some Christian is poor and some rich? We also see non-Christian rich and poor. Why is that? I conclude that religion obviously does not determine your wealth status. Then what determines your poor or rich condition?

I believe each person largely contributes to his or her condition. You can elect to be stay the way you are, stay in the same job. Or you can elect to get out of where you are and work towards becoming better with your wealth and riches, regardless of whether you are a Christian or not.

I take it that you are a Christian if you are reading this blog. I demand that you study the book of proverbs and take notes about poor and rich. Take note that laziness is what determines your condition. To be a Christian entrepreneur takes effort and time.

Many are lazy in sticking to a job because doing business is difficult and may demand more effort, time, and money. Therefore, they give up and try other gimmicks like giving to TV prosperity teachers. They demand that you give to them in order to prosper. Their teaching is not sound. It encourages laziness and lack of initiative on your part. Giving to ministries and churches does not guarantee any income if you are lazy.

Do not get me wrong, I do encourage people to give to God. You should never give as a means to get wealthy. Give to God as a token of your thankfulness and helping the poor. You are steward of your money so be generous to the needy. As a Christian entrepreneur, you can help so many.

In order to fulfill the biblical mandate to be fruitful and multiply, we have to be more than an employee. We should strive to start a business as part time to start with. Do not waste your time going to church all days of the week. Sunday is good enough. Other days work hard and achieve for you wealth and riches.

The reason you should become a Christian entrepreneur is not just for wealth. It is what God has promised to us. The Lord God gives you the power to get wealth. You have to get it. God wants you to be a blessing to others. You have to help with your riches others in need.

God blesses you through your efforts and you flow that blessing to others in need. Remember you cannot be a blessing to others if you are poor. You will always be begging from others and be in debt all the days of your life. That is not Gods will for you. Become a Christian entrepreneur and be a blessing.

How big is the luck factor when it comes to the amount of success you experience in your life? Many of us attribute any success in business or in other aspects of our lives to some ‘mythical’ luck factor. When you think about that what we are really doing is de-emphasizing our own involvement in any personal achievements we may have accomplished. I do not know about you, but I for one do not want to think I have little control over my own fate. I believe that each one of us is capable of achieving great success in our lives if only we apply ourselves. In fact this luck that we often attribute success to is something we can develop for use in our own personal pursuits.

Here are 3 ways in which we can increase our own luck factor to help us achieve any personal or professional goals we may have.

Concentration

Achieving success in business or otherwise starts with first identifying what it is you want. By determining your goals you are now better able to prepare yourself to pursue them. Preparation is half the battle and although it may seem like just dumb luck when you see people succeed what you did not witness was the preparation involved.

With a greater focus on what it is you are striving for also comes the ability to recognize any opportunities that can help you achieve these goals when you see them.

Repetition

As the saying goes ‘practice makes perfect’ and this is so true in every aspect of our lives. Outstanding athletes get that way through many long hours of practice as do successful business people. In order to excel at anything it is almost always necessary to commit yourself fully towards learning and mastering any and all of the skills involved.

Persistence

The only thing true about becoming an ‘overnight success’ is that it takes commitment and perseverance over a period of time to achieve! There will be setbacks of that you can be sure but it is your willingness to work through the difficult and frustrating times that will ultimately set you on the path to great success.

Do not ever give up if you believe in what you are doing!

When we reference the luck factor that is involved in the success of ourselves or others it is important to understand this good fortune is something we can create. This realization helps people become aware how much control they have over their own fate. Whether it is success in business or in some other aspect of our lives we play the starring role in the creation of the luck involved in any personal achievements. You see luck is not something that happens just by chance but instead it is a coordination of circumstances which we can create and bring together. The 3 ways we spoke of above are efforts we ourselves can consciously put forth in order to create the luck we need to achieve the great success we seek.

If you dream of seeing your dream business ideas being changed to reality then you need to invest your time and energy in an entrepreneur workshop. In an entrepreneur workshop you will be given aid to implement your business strategies. Opportunities will be created for you to start your online business.

This workshop is like an incubation cell where budding or future entrepreneurs are nourished and guided for a certain period of time till they get the confidence to perform and get started smoothly with their ideas.

In their classrooms day/night dome camera observes you day and night and like a responsible reconnoiter they take note of your requirements. There would be many like you in this cell so naturally everyones requirements can not be same. Each has to be given special attention, as these workshops deeply believe in your caliber and your most cherished dreams.

Here you will find out the keys to become a successful entrepreneur. You need to have some specific goals regarding money and finance. For this you definitely need special skills and should be aware about the application of business tools. There is a significant gap between your current status and the position where you want to see yourself after some time as a successful business entrepreneur.

This workshop actually aims at bridging those gaps for you. You will receive step by step guidance in all the business aspects during this period. They will make you capable so that you can sit facing your computer and start implementing your plans without any difficulty.

The business of an entrepreneur workshop runs by making your business turn into reality. You might type anything on the net browser, and receive tremendous comments about how to make money in various fields of business, be it online business, business of imports and exports while sitting at home and many more. But it is difficult to get a guide where people will instruct you to properly to develop your own business successfully.

Actually, the relevant question is why any one should else be interested in your dreams? But these workshops are quite different, they will give you case studies, take you for visits and field work from where you will get an idea about how to get started with your own business plans. With these experiences you will naturally grow a business acumen, which is quite general and on the other hand quite worth implementing in your unique plans.

You need to save yourself from the fake institutions which can drain your money and at the same time not offer you with any thing significant. It is easy to fall victim to such e-business scams. So find out properly before you go for such an opportunity.

The food and beverage industry is gaining tremendous pace in the last few years. The health food and beverage market is projected to grow at a growth rate of about 35 per cent per annum as per a recent study conducted by the Tata Research Management Group. This growth can be attributed to the new and unique business opportunities coming up in the F&B industry. Frozen yogurt, is one of such international business concept witnessing extensive popularity in India.

Frozen yogurt is available in different flavours and offers rich experience to consumers with its delicious and mouth-watering assortment. In India, people in general consume yogurts for climatic as well as health related benefits but with hectic life style only a few can enjoy its home-made taste. Moreover with Indians getting more brand conscious, people are consuming readymade yogurt from a branded outlet. As informed by G.S. Bhalla, MD Cocoberry, When we started off there was no other yogurt outlet chain in market. The success that we have achieved has happened due to our proud franchisees. Let us have a look at few other factors which have given a boost to this unusual business concept pan India.

Boosting factors for yogurt business

Buying a flavoured yogurt franchise is comparatively a recent development in the Indian markets. However, this unique business opportunity assures success if operated efficiently. Presently, with more and more people becoming health conscious, it is considered the best food item to offer taste as well maintain health. Secondly, increased disposable income and peoples preference of eating out can also guarantee its success. Busy schedules and women working outside, leaves less time to make yogurt at home. On the other hand, with the concept of frozen yogurt pepping up consumers preferences, people are changing to tastier and healthier options of yoghurt. Another factor added to yogurt franchising is the comfort that it offers to women entrepreneurs. Women who are fond of cooking or preparing special food items can take a frozen yogurt franchise and turn their hobby to a successful business.

However, aspirants who are still undecided about taking a franchise or starting their own business of this unique opportunity need to understand first why franchising is always a better option.

Franchising of yogurt business

Though yoghurt franchise business is quite popular internationally, but is in emerging stage in India. At present, there are only two franchise brands in India, but that the concept is catching up fast among other franchise brands.

Niche segment benefits:

Aspiring entrepreneurs can cash-in many benefits of this unique business opportunity. This is due to the few franchise players in the segment who are still in the expansion mode. These players would give individual attention to the debutants as they are keen on expanding their business venture. Therefore, aspirants can get a lot of assistance from the parent company.

Low investment

The second reason for its popularity is its low cost investment as compared to other F&B outlets. As informed by Bhalla, Cocoberry Franchise Partner System starts at a low investment model depending on location and size. Low investment and higher repeat sales ensure a healthy return on investment (ROI) for franchisees.

Increased acceptance

However, brands like Cocoberry has proved its success by opening 16 operational stores, out of which 11 are franchisee owned. Kiwi Kiss, a Canadian frozen yogurt chain, better known for its juice and smoothie brand Jus Booster Juice has plans to bring their yogurt brand in India soon. This development shows the rising popularity of the unique concept in India.

Cautions while running a yogurt franchise

Every business demands lot of care and cautions. Yogurt franchise is no such exception from other successful businesses. A few precautions are given below:

Maintaining health and safety issues:
FMCG food item so it can perish in a short time.
Adhere to franchise rules in maintaining standards

To conclude, it can be said that running a yoghurt franchise is quite easy and simple. Aspiring entrepreneurs are sure to get lucrative benefits by taking its franchise now as this concept is gaining huge acceptance across the nation.