IT STARTED WITH THE CHRISTIAN BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Initiate Media acquired the Christian Business Directory from Hillsong Church.
This was our first foray into the Christian business marketplace, connecting with Christian businesses and creating print directories.
As print directories moved online eons ago, so have we. We are just as committed to helping Christian businesses succeed, but in the digital world.
We now offer businesses a low-cost listing to help get more business from the Christian marketplace.
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MY CHRISTIAN DAILY JOBS
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HERE TO HELP YOU IN BUSINESS
Initiate Small Business has one focus, and that is to help Christian business owners succeed in business. By bringing together a range of services we can work with you to help you – and all under one roof. While media is at the heart of what we do, the majority of work is agency-based. Over the years our clients have requested our creative Help, and now more than 80% of our output is in creating websites, apps, branding, PR, and so on. We’re totally committed to partnering with Christian-owned businesses to help them succeed beyond their wildest dreams. Service and integrity is at our core. 
ARTICLES
Turn Your Thinking Around (and get better results)
“Why do I stand upon my desk? I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way” This is a powerful tool. Artists and authors down through the ages have known the value of ‘seeing with fresh eyes’. Looking at familiar subject matter from a different standpoint – like flipping an image over, upside down or in reverse; reducing it to black & white or cropping sections. In business this principle can be a lot of fun, let’s explore thinking in reverse: REVERSE THINKING Ask the opposite question: For example, as a small business owner trying to drive more customers to your business, don’t ask the obvious, ask “How do I drive customers AWAY from my business?” “How do I make LESS money from each transaction?” Make it a group exercise: Get your team or select customers involved, have some fun. Ideas such as reducing shop signage, limiting parking, being rude to customers, untidiness, poor stock levels etc. There will even be more pointed specific examples. Then flip them back: The ideas unleashed might surprise you as it overcomes a lot of mental blocks. CREATE REVERSE THINKING OPPORTUNITIES Zig when others Zag: Malcom Muggeridge once said “Only dead fish swim with the current”. Anita Roddich, who started the ‘Body Shop’ empire based on recycling & materials free from animal testing, said “I looked at what everyone in the cosmetics industry was doing, and went in the opposite direction!” Challenge long-held assumptions: For example Henry Ford revolutionised car production by challenging the assumption that workers needed to move from car to car and developed the moving production line still in use today. Many companies have found that reversing or changing the traditional order of doing things can eliminate unneccessary work, so ask the question in your business. SUMMARY Phrase the objective in reverse. Brainstorm solutions to this and then reverse those solutions. Question the normal order you do things. What assumptions are you making about the order, or the methods being used? Peter Irvine www.peterirvine.com Peter is Co-Founder of Gloria Jean’s Coffees, author of ‘Win In Business’ and ‘Building your Business, your People, your Life’ and keynote speaker. The post Turn Your Thinking Around (and get better results) appeared first on My Christian Daily - Business.
Read MoreHave we lost the ability to just… think?
Have you heard this little saying at any time: ‘I saw a guy today at Starbucks. He had no smartphone, tablet or laptop. He just sat there drinking his coffee. Like a psychopath.’ I laughed when I first read it. And then just today I saw it happen first hand. In fact it was a little off-putting. I had some agreements that I wanted to read through in quiet, so I did the school run, dropped the kids off to school, and headed to one of my favorite cafes for a coffee. As I sat there with my head down, not gazing at anyone, I lifted my head at one point and noticed that everyone was doing the same. Everyone was either on a laptop, a tablet, or the takeaway crew were on their smartphones. No-one was just sitting there contemplating. And them I saw this one psychopath. She was literally just sitting there waiting for her coffee. She was just staring into space.. As I saw her, I immediately thought about how smartphones in particular are ruining peoples’ ability to just… think. Thinking, contemplating, dreaming are some of the most important things we will ever do. Yet in this digital age, especially with the distraction of social media, I often wonder if people give their minds any time to actually just wander. To think thoughts, dream dreams, instead of watching everyone else’s highlights on social media. We have just come off the back of all the New Year’s resolutions that are made, but truth be told, if this year is going to look different to last year, then we need to do something different. We need to stop and think. Let our minds wander and wonder. That’s where the new ideas are. The bible says in Acts 2:17 ‘your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’ But this can only occur when we give our minds the space to just think. There is nothing wrong with working flat out at a café. I do it all the time. But the point is, do you allow any time in your day and week to walk, write, sit and just think about your life, your dreams and desires, and what you potentially need to do differently to bring them to pass? Matt Danswan is the CEO of Initiate Media. He also blogs at www.mattdanswan.com. The post Have we lost the ability to just… think? appeared first on My Christian Daily - Business.
Read More‘I wish I had’, or ‘I’m glad I did’: Which will it be?
Over the Christmas break I have been reading Zig Ziglar’s amazing book, Over The Top. It’s not my copy, but is in the house where we are staying for our ten day break. One of Zig’s key statements is related to how you want to live your life. Will it be ‘I wish I had’, or ‘I’m glad I did’? I always find the end of the year an interesting time. It’s a time where we all stop and take a breath before doing it all again, but it is also the time to reflect on the year gone by. While I am always trying to get a break at Christmas, I also find my mind running with the things I want to achieve. I find it a great time to take a pad and pen to a coffee shop and write out my goals for the year to come. But as I think back on the year I have had, and my life to date, I always find it motivating to look forward, knowing how much more I want to achieve. But what about you? Do you feel the same? Are you setting a new list of goals for 2017, or are you too down on yourself for past failures that you’re not game to dream again? All of us have things that have not worked for us. We have all stepped out and taken a hit. But this is where courage and faith in God comes into play. God birthed us all with talents and skills, and this was not an accident. He has a plan for your life, and He wants to use the skills that you have. You don’t want to get to the end of your life and ‘wish you had’ done something. By then it is too late. In 2017, let’s dream again and set a fresh vision for our lives, for our family, our children. You may be down, but you’re not out. And you have the God of all heaven and earth on your side. Let’s make sure we live ‘I’m glad I did’ lives, inspiring those around us to achieve what they were put on this earth to. Matt Danswan is the CEO of Initiate Media. He also blogs at www.mattdanswan.com. The post ‘I wish I had’, or ‘I’m glad I did’: Which will it be? appeared first on My Christian Daily - Business.
Read MoreWhy you should ditch your home-office for a shared space
Having temporarily moved to Melbourne, I have been in the unusual situation of working out of my bedroom. As a long-time exponent of working from home, I was surprised to find this situation very challenging. With several project dead-lines looming, there was little opportunity to get out and about. With this in mind, I decided to try out a few of the co-working spaces across Melbourne. Initially sceptical if any real work could be achieved in these spaces, I have been surprised to discover just how great co-working can be. So what is co-working? Essentially a co-working space is a flexible work environment shared by people running independent businesses or projects. Often a large open area, the spaces are typically occupied by consultants, contractors, freelancers and startups. Most offer hot-desk options, from 1 to 5 days per week, as well as fixed desk locations, where you can setup permanently. Access agreements are typically monthly or quarterly, with almost all spaces offering a 1-day free trial. All spaces offer high speed Internet, kitchen and coffee facilities, meeting rooms and 24×7 access. Common extras often include high quality printing, ergonomic chairs, phone answering services, mailboxes, storage, support groups and mentoring. Some of the larger spaces have regular community events and classes for yoga and meditation, guest speakers, accountability groups, lunches, evening drinks and networking events. Combating Isolation One of the major complaints of long-term at home workers is social isolation and loneliness. So crucially, co-working spaces provide a sense of community, and opportunities to make new contacts and friends. Even if you are not often speaking with those working around you, the spaces tend to have a background hum of comforting energy. A hive of activity Being surrounded by people excited to be working on their business or startup venture is contagious. According to a Deskmag (2010) study on co-working, 85% of respondents said they were more motivated since moving into a co-working space. I have personally found it impossible not to be focused in this type of environment. You also are unlikely to be running to the fridge or TV every 5 minutes for a distraction break. Work-life Balance Sure, you can’t just roll out of bed and get to work. However I submit that working in your pyjamas is only fun for so long, especially when clients drop past unexpectedly. Creating physical separation between home and work is a better approach over the longer term. Getting up and ready, heading outside for some sunshine and off to work, is of great benefit to your physical and mental well-being. Instant collaboration Unless you are out participating, you are not going to expand your business network. On my first tour of a co-working space, I met a programmer working on building a mobile phone app. This common interest resulted in lunch and instant collaboration on a project. There is no doubt when coworking, you are going to meet like-minded people on similar journeys, ready to share their experience and connect you into their network. Can I use my phone? Often my phone runs off the hook, so my first question was, can I use my phone and will I have to whisper? It turns out that most co-working spaces are noisy. People are constantly taking calls, some quieter than others. As a result many work with head-phones on. With that said, depending on your style of work, it is important to find a co-working space that suits you. If you need total silence to get work done, co-working might not be for you. Use Public Transport Choose a co-working space you can get to easily on public transport. Most are near the city, so driving in and finding parking during peak-hour is not going to inspire you to leave the comfort of your home-office. Coworking needs to be easy, otherwise you won’t make the effort to get there each day. Choose a space that suits your working style Some coworking environments are much louder and busier than others. Is a broken brick basement more your style, or the top of skyscraper with stunning views and light? Do you prefer a casual creative space, or do you need a corporate office style to impress your clients? Take the time to check out the different spaces to find one that suits. — So my fellow entrepreneurs, if your work day never seems to end, and you are constantly distracted by family, fridge or facebook, get yourself down to a co-working space for a tour ASAP! By Nick Jerrat, Founder of Publish My Web The post Why you should ditch your home-office for a shared space appeared first on My Christian Daily - Business.
Read MoreThe wisdom that only comes with age
We live in a world that is obsessed with being younger. 50 is the new sixty (or is it 40?), forty year-olds say 40 is the new thirty, and on it goes. Everyone wants to look and simply be… younger. We pick up an older guy in our church most Sunday mornings. Carel is his name, and as his heart is playing up, we swing by and collect him for he finds it difficult to drive now. Carel is 87 and a wonderful man. I think my family have sort of become part of his. We also sit with him in church to ensure he is not on his own. As we were driving to church recently, I said to him, “Carel, did you know you look a lot like Rupert Murdoch?” With only three years apart in age, they have more in common than we think. His reply, which I was not expecting, was, “Oh, Rupert Murdoch has got a lot more worries than I do.” It was a fairly simple comment, but it really pointed to the wisdom that comes with age. Most people if faced with the same comparison would say, “Oh, if only I had as much money as he does,” or, “He is much richer than I am.” But in Carel’s wisdom, he was quick to understand that with wealth comes major responsibility. In fact often wealth comes with many problems and headaches. Most wealthy people have very stressful jobs, or they are leaders in their company, where they are responsible for the financial lives of many others. And while they may have money, they also have a lot of other issues that accompany them. For example, did you know that Rupert Murdoch’s company is responsible for a global staff of just under 50,000 people? If they are each paid $1000 per week, his weekly wage bill would be $50 million. Aside from the wage bill, imagine the tax implications. And you think you’ve got money issues! The Bible says that wisdom comes with age, and to me, that is one of the real beauties of getting older. We might not look like we used to, but we certainly know our way around life a bit better. I enjoy the company of older people, as I know they have traveled paths that younger people do not give them credit for. In a world that worships youth, we forget that wisdom comes with age. In Proverbs 16:31 it says that “gray hair is a crown of glory…”, while Job 12:12 says “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.” So your hair might be lightening – or falling out – but rest assured that youth is not everything. Matt Danswan is the CEO of Initiate Media. He also blogs at www.mattdanswan.com. The post The wisdom that only comes with age appeared first on My Christian Daily - Business.
Read MoreDreaming a big dream Nike-style
Recently I completed Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog, the autobiography of the founder of Nike. It was completely different to most CEO biographies you’ll read, and most of it because of his raw honesty. Most books on CEOs hide the true pain of starting – and being – in business. Not too many people will tell the whole story of just how rough it had been, the price they have paid, and the sacrifices they have had to make. But not Phil Knight. He is open on how he had to plead with bankers to keep getting credit to bring in more stock. How his business was effectively on life support for many years. And how he had to learn to live with high levels of debt to see his dream through. For me, it was refreshing to not read another book showing the 5 simple ways to be an overnight success, or how a CEO so easily pulled an incredible team together to make it all work. Phil Knight bolted together a bunch of misfits who had one key ingredient: passion. The truth is that doing something really worthwhile is seriously hard work. But how satisfying it is to dream a big dream, and then pull it off. And at the end of the book, with all of the pain he had been through, he said he’d love to be able to do it all over again. Seriously, he’d go through all that again? Yes, simply because he dared to dream a big dream, and he was able to achieve it. As I wrote in a recent blog post, will your life be one of ‘I wish I had, or I’m glad I did?’ we all get that chance to be ultra-safe and have nothing go wrong. Or we can roll the dice and give it a shot. Your dream doesn’t have to be a sink or swim one like Phil Knight’s. Simply doing something different this year might just unlock something new in your world. Matt Danswan is the CEO of Initiate Media. He also blogs at www.mattdanswan.com. The post Dreaming a big dream Nike-style appeared first on My Christian Daily - Business.
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