Permission: There are No Rules in Doing Business God’s Way!

Hey Friend!

Have you lost your joy? Does business feel overwhelming, exhausting, and just hard? If this is you, you are not alone. I found myself there recently too. As I pushed forward to higher goals and better strategies, I felt so stifled. The thing I loved had become hard. That’s when God stepped in and reminded me there are no rules when doing business God’s way. Join me in this blog as I share this powerful lesson and reminder God shared with me.

Escape the Box and Find Freedom by Doing Business God’s Way.

Sometimes things are hard

As you probably know, I’ve been chasing 1,000,000 podcast downloads since I began my show four years ago. But after the rebranding from The Mompreneur Mastermind Show to The Stefanie Gass Show, I ended up in a podcasting rut. I’d lost a lot of listeners when I shifted from network marketing and social media strategies to talking to faith-led entrepreneurs doing business God’s way. 

Moving from the world’s way of business to God’s way of doing business was extremely polarising, and it had a massive impact on my business. I lost many listeners, downloads, and followers, going back to about half of where I was.

This was a tough season for me, and it brought a lot of doubt. Should I quit? Am I doing this right? Obviously, I never gave up, I’m still here, and I’ve since recouped my metrics and had my highest download month ever in August! 

But, I shook my mindset. When you are told it should work a certain way, and it doesn’t, you wonder why and question everything about how you are doing it.

Doing business God’s way is meant to be freeing; don’t let the “perfect strategy” put you in a box.

In my attempt to overcome all of this, I started researching the best strategy for me. I read books, talked to many people, and brainstormed with my mastermind group. We developed all this strategy around podcast length, titles, content, and other ways to grow. All the things that should work. 

I put all this strategy and stuff in a box and said this is where I live now; I can’t do anything outside of this box. This is how I’ll get where I need to go. But, somewhere along the line, I lost the freedom, joy, and creativity in the podcasting journey. 

There are no rules in podcasting

I felt convicted to start releasing different faith episodes, but they didn’t fit within my strategy box, so I was stuck on what to do! In that debate, my Blog Manager reminded me of one of my own sayings, “There are no rules in podcasting.” When she said that, peace just washed over me. 

I had been so bound up in staying in my box I’d lost the joy in the process. I’d also lost some of the Holy Spirit’s guidance as I became super strategic. Not that strategy is bad, it’s super important, but you don’t want to over-strategize and force yourself into what someone else says you should be doing. 

I was done forcing myself into a box of everything that works for everyone else. I just want to be free to show up, pour out my heart, and be a voice for God in this world. To talk about business and talk about faith. I want to be free to be me. Say what’s on my heart, then bless it and release it. 

Being free doesn’t mean I’m going to macro-niche out and lose all my traction. All the strategies and niching are important, just be careful you aren’t letting others tell you what you have to be doing instead of listening to God. 

That also goes for me. My word isn’t gospel. You have to discern with God any advice you get. You also have to look at what you are enjoying. If you aren’t enjoying it, it’s time to re-evaluate and see what box you might be putting yourself in. Get out of the box. This is your permission slip to be a rule breaker.

The battle between strategy, metrics, and following your calling when doing business God’s way

Imagine a room where you stand up in front of many people and speak truth and life into them. Can you imagine the magnitude? Can you imagine the impact if only one person’s heart is shifted because of you? If one person goes and impacts the world because of what you taught them? 

You matter. The content on your podcast matters. Who cares if it doesn’t get a certain number of downloads?! Who cares if it doesn’t even make you money?! Because it’s not about us in the end. It’s about Him. It’s all about the purpose and anointing we have over our lives to show up to give, help and bless people. Does the rest of it really even matter?

There is so much freedom when you realize this. 

It doesn’t matter if you are going for one million, ten million, or your first hundred downloads; you will come up against all of this. It’s this battle between strategy, growth, optimization, and end goals (all of which are super valuable) while not losing yourself. Don’t lose yourself in all of the data, goals, and strategies.

Don’t overlook what’s on your heart and what God is speaking to you about showing up, helping people, and letting Him take care of the rest. 

My biggest takeaway from this was Psalms 23:1. God is my shepherd; I have everything I need. Am I really letting God be my shepherd in my business? Or am I trying to force a particular outcome, date, or sales number? 

Giving up control to God

It is important to have goals, there’s power in knowing your numbers, but it’s about giving up the control. Relinquish control to God and let Him guide how you get there. God can do infinitely more with my showing up and speaking what Holy Spirit says to me than my 500 strategically written episodes. 

Surrender the how, the overwhelm, having to be a certain way. Rest in knowing that if God is my shepherd, He will lead me and show me. God’s got provision, favor, and glory; He can reach the nations in one breath. Who am I to try and force an outcome by living in a box which has stifled my joy? 

Letting God lead you

If this is you today and you feel stifled, frustrated, and overwhelmed having to make this work. Or that you have to use a certain tool like Instagram or even podcasting. Think about where the joy is for you. Where are the places, content, and copy that just lights you up and brings so much purpose to your heart? That you could talk about forever and ever and know that Holy Spirit is present when you talk about that. I want you to lean into that just a little bit more. Let go of the reins, sit back in that saddle and enjoy the ride. 

Because if God is leading you (which He is, it’s decreed and declared in scripture), He’s got the way, and He wants us to enjoy it because we are His daughters. 

I know God is telling me right now, “Just have fun with this. Open your heart to the ideas that I give you. Stop being so overwhelmed with making this right or perfect and start showing up for the one. Start speaking to the one again. Start there and see what I can do. Watch me show up for you.” 

It’s time to stop putting yourself in a box; this is your permission slip to be a rule breaker and to recognize that there is no right way of doing business God’s way; there is only His way. Embrace who He’s calling you to be and how He’s calling you to do it.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

P.S. Also, listen to podcast episode 501 for the full training on Feeling Stifled? Stop Putting Yourself in a Box. Permission Slip: There are No Rules in Doing Business God’s Way!

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Has God called you to business? Have you thought about podcasting as a way to expand your voice for His glory?

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