Dr. Nathan Culver

There comes the point in the life cycle of everything that there seems to be stillness. It is as if nothing is moving, and there is little productivity. It is essential for every person to wisely discern when you are in a season or moment of stillness. In my 17 years of business and almost 25 years of ministerial leadership, I have often missed moments of silence and therefore forfeited opportunities to receive new strategy, insight, and direction for what is to come in the life cycle of both my ministry and business. It is as essential to take a moment of stillness as it is to discern when God has authored a moment of silence in your life. I can recall a long season of productivity in my business that put me in a very comfortable financial place but left me depleted emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. There were times I felt a nudge from God to slow down and take a moment and ignored those moments. Eventually, the moments that I ignored for stillness created a season of almost four years of stillness. The higher your level of influence, the more times of stillness you need to take so that you remain effective in the lives of those who look to you. In my season of stillness, I’ve learned to evaluate and correct areas of my life that have gone unaddressed due to my season of productivity. Productivity and prosperity can deceive one into thinking they are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually growing. I’ve discovered that those things can’t be the measuring stick for where I am and who I am. I encourage you that as you conclude, this year, take time to be still and re-evaluate where you are and where you’re going. Follow me on Instagram or Facebook: @drnathanculver Website: www.nathanculver.com

There comes the point in the life cycle of everything that there seems to be stillness. It is as if nothing is moving, and there is little productivity. It is essential for every person to wisely discern when you are in a season or moment of stillness. In my 17 years of business and almost 25 years of ministerial leadership, I have often missed moments of silence and therefore forfeited opportunities to receive new strategy, insight, and direction for what is to come in the life cycle of both my ministry and business. It is as essential to take a moment of stillness as it is to discern when God has authored a moment of silence in your life. I can recall a long season of productivity in my business that put me in a very comfortable financial place but left me depleted emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. There were times I felt a nudge from God to slow down and take a moment and ignored those moments. Eventually, the moments that I ignored for stillness created a season of almost four years of stillness. The higher your level of influence, the more times of stillness you need to take so that you remain effective in the lives of those who look to you. In my season of stillness, I’ve learned to evaluate and correct areas of my life that have gone unaddressed due to my season of productivity. Productivity and prosperity can deceive one into thinking they are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually growing. I’ve discovered that those things can’t be the measuring stick for where I am and who I am. I encourage you that as you conclude, this year, take time to be still and re-evaluate where you are and where you’re going. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook: @drnathanculver Website: www.nathanculver.com

The dream of starting a business is something that no entrepreneur should decide to do without thorough preparation. I have learned that if you are not ready, the cost of getting prepared while running that business is astronomical in price and overwhelming emotionally. One of the major frustrations for new and emerging entrepreneurs is that they are often unaware of the responsibility and strategic thinking necessary to manage all aspects of their enterprise. The ability to manage fiscally is a complicated task for entrepreneurs at all levels. There are some fundamental principles that I believe are important to be aware of that can help guide entrepreneurs in their efforts to be fiscally responsible. CUT BACK Most new entrepreneurs go into business with unrealistic expectations. It is crucial to adjust personal spending habits that are within your control. Starting a business is an investment that will require all aspects of your life to be changed. Until your business generates a positive profit margin consistently, you will need to learn how to live below your means. Honestly, it is a wise practice to live below your means as a lifestyle practice. One of the issues I’ve discovered is that most people utilize the same financial management practices with their business that they do with their finances. Let’s start thinking about the future and become more responsible with how we manage our resources and if being accountable is a strategy that you need to use then get help so that you can accomplish your goals. NO LONG TERM COMMITMENTS Be careful of long term commitments in the early stages of business. It is standard for a company to have a 3-year history to base your plans. It’s not wise to enter long term contracts or commitments that will keep you locked. One of the reasons this can be a challenge is because as the proprietor you will have to maintain paying that bill personally if your business gets in financial trouble. It is common today to be in a situation where a personal guarantor is needed, especially with bank loans and lines of credit. I understand that some businesses will need to acquire a bank loan, line of credit, or a commercial lease because of the kind of business. However, I caution you to know the terms of the contract, loan or line of credit and make sure you have a contingency plan in place to cover these liabilities if your business hasn’t produced what is needed to take care of these obligations. BECOME A STUDENT Every entrepreneur should have legal and accounting support for their business. Besides, as an entrepreneur, you should remain teachable and continually seek resources that can help you be knowledgeable in the area of financial management. Having an understanding of investments and money management is essential. My advice to entrepreneurs is that they should be involved in the management of the financial affairs for their company. You should have a working knowledge of what’s happening and an idea of where you’re going with regards to your business finances. Fiscally responsible entrepreneurs will be successful in their ventures because they understand that the success of their venture rises and falls on the decisions they make in managing well. For more info please follow at Instagram and Facebook @drnathanculver Website: www.nathanculver.com

The dream of starting a business is something that no entrepreneur should decide to do without thorough preparation. I have learned that if you are not ready, the cost of getting prepared while running that business is astronomical in price and overwhelming emotionally. One of the major frustrations for new and emerging entrepreneurs is that they are often unaware of the responsibility and strategic thinking necessary to manage all aspects of their enterprise. The ability to manage fiscally is a complicated task for entrepreneurs at all levels. There are some fundamental principles that I believe are important to be aware of that can help guide entrepreneurs in their efforts to be fiscally responsible. CUT BACK Most new entrepreneurs go into business with unrealistic expectations. It is crucial to adjust personal spending habits that are within your control. Starting a business is an investment that will require all aspects of your life to be changed. Until your business generates a positive profit margin consistently, you will need to learn how to live below your means. Honestly, it is a wise practice to live below your means as a lifestyle practice. One of the issues I’ve discovered is that most people utilize the same financial management practices with their business that they do with their finances. Let’s start thinking about the future and become more responsible with how we manage our resources and if being accountable is a strategy that you need to use then get help so that you can accomplish your goals. NO LONG TERM COMMITMENTS Be careful of long term commitments in the early stages of business. It is standard for a company to have a 3-year history to base your plans. It’s not wise to enter long term contracts or commitments that will keep you locked. One of the reasons this can be a challenge is because as the proprietor you will have to maintain paying that bill personally if your business gets in financial trouble. It is common today to be in a situation where a personal guarantor is needed, especially with bank loans and lines of credit. I understand that some businesses will need to acquire a bank loan, line of credit, or a commercial lease because of the kind of business. However, I caution you to know the terms of the contract, loan or line of credit and make sure you have a contingency plan in place to cover these liabilities if your business hasn’t produced what is needed to take care of these obligations. BECOME A STUDENT Every entrepreneur should have legal and accounting support for their business. Besides, as an entrepreneur, you should remain teachable and continually seek resources that can help you be knowledgeable in the area of financial management. Having an understanding of investments and money management is essential. My advice to entrepreneurs is that they should be involved in the management of the financial affairs for their company. You should have a working knowledge of what’s happening and an idea of where you’re going with regards to your business finances. Fiscally responsible entrepreneurs will be successful in their ventures because they understand that the success of their venture rises and falls on the decisions they make in managing well. For more information please follow me on Instagram or Facebook @drnathanculver Website: www.nathanculver.com

I’ve been involved with various Christian faith communities and churches for over 20 years. In my years of interacting with multiple churches I have often been turned off by the preaching and content of the sermons articulated by many of the ministers I have encountered. During a recent conversation with an entrepreneur and colleague, it was stated that in his experience with the Christian church and their worship services he often left the services feeling as though he received nothing that helped him in the development of his spiritual life. What many pastors don’t realize is that entrepreneurs are fully engaged in the development of their business and reach spaces in that development where they believe divine intervention and counsel is needed. The challenge many face in this space is the ability to connect with a pastor or spiritual leader who can give them sound biblical counsel with an understanding of what they’re up against as an entrepreneur. As an experienced entrepreneur and pastor of over 15 years in both areas, I know all too well the challenges facing an entrepreneur. I know that I reached times in my business where spiritual support and counsel was vital to my growing to the next level. When I faced difficult times as an entrepreneur, I felt as though I needed to draw on my spiritual support system (the church) for what I needed to have clarity and insight. I often left the worship services I attended hugely disappointed and discouraged. There were times where I would make appointments with my pastor in search of godly wisdom and left more discouraged afterward. Hearing the experiences of many entrepreneurs and professionals over the years guided me in the development of my approach to providing spiritual support to these influencers. In this blog, I want to share a few of the top reasons why executives aren’t drawn to the church: Lack of Intellectual Engagement Professional individuals are primarily thinkers and appreciate intellectually engaging topics and teachings. I have talked with many who discouraged from attending a worship service because based on the sermon they have determined that the God we speak of is more interested in highly emotional followers who check their intellect at the door. In many of my conversations with these individuals, I am left to help them see the value God places on our intelligence and the development of it, as well as, how it can be offered as an act of worship. We need to expand our teaching and understanding of the value God places in His word on our intellect. Long Worship Services In conversing with many professionals, they share their frustration with extended hours in a worship experience. Certain denominations and circles place a high emphasis on services that go on for hours. Long hours in worship services has been a point of concern for many professionals simply because some don’t place a high value on their spiritual development. There are others who do put a high value on their spiritual life but don’t feel engaged enough to be in a church service for extended hours. Pastors, have to understand that if they believe God has called them to reach people in the marketplace, then they will have to learn how to tailor their service to meet the needs of this demographic. As a Pastor, I am convinced that my calling is to minister to professionals, so I have structured our worship experience to give them what they need in a 60-90min complete worship experience. Irrelevant Sermons The duality of my calling has afforded me the opportunity to be among both professionals and preachers. Many professionals that I’ve conversed with feel isolated and disconnected from the Christian faith community just by the subculture language we have created. The language barrier is an issue that has discouraged many professionals from working to connect. There are times when our sermons are too long, as well as, filled with language that professionals don’t understand nor do they relate to. Jesus provides us with clear examples throughout his life and ministry of how to connect with people no matter what their profession may be. Jesus constantly found common ground with his listener by using examples, terminology, and illustrations that fit the persons’ everyday life and he did that by speaking in parables. It is essential that pastors work to develop sermons, social media posts, and media content that adds value and insight to their audience. When pastors decide that sensationalism is more important than substance they often lose the professional. The engagement of entrepreneurs, executives, intrapreneurs, and professionals can be accomplished when we eliminate the mysticism surrounding the Christian faith and its teachings. I believe we scare this group off by the way we speak and interact with them. Besides, there must be an intentional attempt to build relationships and develop a culture where the professional can receive and be challenged spiritually just like nonprofessionals. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn @drnathanculver Website: www.nathanculver.com

When we understand that in the workplace we are on a mission for Jesus and to influence people for the kingdom of God then, as a Christian that should shift our perspective as to how we do what we do. In my experience in the corporate environment, I have found that many Christians including myself have been guilty of performing in a way that helps us to maintain a paycheck. Often our mediocre performance in our work duties and functions does not aid in the effectiveness of our ministry or mission in the corporate environment. I believe much of the problem lies in the fact that we don’t view our vocation or occupation as a mission or assignment from God. All too often Christians go into the workplace with a mentality of getting paid, and yes we need to work to maintain a living and provide for ourselves and family. However, it is also vital that we work in such a way that nonbelievers see our efficiency and excellence. In everything that we do we are called to be excellent and ultimately dominate whatever field of work, industry, or occupation. When God spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden concerning his mission, he said to him the following, “…Be fruitful, and multiple, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have DOMINION…”(Gen. 1:28) 
It is our responsibility as a kingdom representative or ambassador to represent the kingdom of God well in everything that we do. In other words, we should make sure to master our job or profession in such a way that all others pay attention to how well we perform. Dominance is about mastery to gain influence and be respected as a true professional in our field or industry. Those who are non-Christian understand the importance of dominance and mastery. It is the reason most of them go to continuing education sessions and additional training to perfect their craft or skill set in such a way that they become the guru or expert in that field. Mediocrity should never be an option for us when we understand that we are on assignment for the Kingdom of God. We should be industry leaders who have our hand on the pulse of what is cutting edge in our industry. It is time out for us just going into the workforce to make money and living paycheck to paycheck. The time for us to dominate and become the person that sets trends and changes the way things happen in our industry should be the norm. Our call is to enter a godless society with a God like strategy and execution that positions us to be the leaders we were created to be. There is a place of dominance that you must get to but it starts with mastering our field and becoming the go-to person in our industry, department, or team. The reality is that dominance begins mentally and manifests in every area of our life. It is time that we start to think in new realms and levels that will allow us to dominate. An excerpt from my book, “OCCUPY: Finding Your Place of Influence in the World” For more info go to www.nathanculver.com To CONNECT with Dr. Culver text IMPRINT to 345345

Influence is a subject that’s trending in today’s culture especially since we’re in the age of social media. Social significance and influence are taking on a whole new meaning today. However, no matter how much we evolve concerning social interaction some necessary components are still essential to the way we build influence. Let’s take a look at the three things every influencer needs today: 1. VISION Your vision is the blueprint for your life, and everything that will come through you should be in alignment with your vision. Anyone who is serious about developing their influence must have a vision. What you see when the idea manifests is your vision. There is a difference between a dream and a vision. Dreams are lovely, but vision gives your dreams eyes. When your dream connects with vision, it now has direction. Influence is non-existent without vision. Show me an individual with power and I will show you a person with vision. 2. STRATEGY I have met incredible influencers with ideas that are out of this world. There is one challenge with most influencers, and that is the development of an effective strategy. The process of going from idea to implementation requires one thing, and that is a strategy. Strategy development is necessary if our visions and dreams will become a reality. In my time of building businesses, I have found that my strategic planning has been a great resource. Strategic planning starts with the end in mind and then a set of steps to get you to that end. Strategic planning should be done with a team of strategists and critical thinkers. Your strategic plan should include dates, timelines, and tasks. Entrepreneurs, organizational leaders, and influencers will need a strategic plan if they desire to see any of their ideas manifest. 3. RELATIONSHIPS The power of where you’re going next is based upon the relationships you build today. The quality of your relationship both personally and professionally determines the quality of your life and business. During my 5th year in business, I discovered that I was not able to maximize my reach because I didn’t have people on my team that could help me. This discovery forced me to build new relationships with those who were smarter, more innovative, and even more influential than I. You can’t create a prominent business, organization, or movement without a team. Start looking to build new relationships that feed you and motivate you to go further than you ever dreamed of going. To learn more about Dr. Nathan Culver please go to www.nathanculver.com and www.culverenterprisesinc.com To CONNECT with Dr. Culver text IMPRINT to 345345

I’ve been involved with various Christian faith communities and churches for over 20 years. In my years of interacting with multiple churches I have often been turned off by the preaching and content of the sermons articulated by many of the ministers I have encountered. During a recent conversation with an entrepreneur and colleague, it was stated that in his experience with the Christian church and their worship services he often left the services feeling as though he received nothing that helped him in the development of his spiritual life. What many pastors don’t realize is that entrepreneurs are fully engaged in the development of their business and reach spaces in that development where they believe divine intervention and counsel is needed. The challenge many face in this space is the ability to connect with a pastor or spiritual leader who can give them sound biblical counsel with an understanding of what they’re up against as an entrepreneur. As an experienced entrepreneur and pastor of over 15 years in both areas, I know all too well the challenges facing an entrepreneur. I know that I reached times in my business where spiritual support and counsel was vital to my growing to the next level. When I faced difficult times as an entrepreneur, I felt as though I needed to draw on my spiritual support system (the church) for what I needed to have clarity and insight. I often left the worship services I attended hugely disappointed and discouraged. There were times where I would make appointments with my pastor in search of godly wisdom and left more discouraged afterward. Hearing the experiences of many entrepreneurs and professionals over the years guided me in the development of my approach to providing spiritual support to these influencers. In this blog, I want to share a few of the top reasons why executives aren’t drawn to the church: Lack of Intellectual Engagement Professional individuals are primarily thinkers and appreciate intellectually engaging topics and teachings. I have talked with many who discouraged from attending a worship service because based on the sermon they have determined that the God we speak of is more interested in highly emotional followers who check their intellect at the door. In many of my conversations with these individuals, I am left to help them see the value God places on our intelligence and the development of it, as well as, how it can be offered as an act of worship. We need to expand our teaching and understanding of the value God places in His word on our intellect. Long Worship Services In conversing with many professionals, they share their frustration with extended hours in a worship experience. Certain denominations and circles place a high emphasis on services that go on for hours. Long hours in worship services has been a point of concern for many professionals simply because some don’t place a high value on their spiritual development. There are others who do put a high value on their spiritual life but don’t feel engaged enough to be in a church service for extended hours. Pastors, have to understand that if they believe God has called them to reach people in the marketplace, then they will have to learn how to tailor their service to meet the needs of this demographic. As a Pastor, I am convinced that my calling is to minister to professionals, so I have structured our worship experience to give them what they need in a 60-90min complete worship experience. Irrelevant Sermons The duality of my calling has afforded me the opportunity to be among both professionals and preachers. Many professionals that I’ve conversed with feel isolated and disconnected from the Christian faith community just by the subculture language we have created. The language barrier is an issue that has discouraged many professionals from working to connect. There are times when our sermons are too long, as well as, filled with language that professionals don’t understand nor do they relate to. Jesus provides us with clear examples throughout his life and ministry of how to connect with people no matter what their profession may be. Jesus constantly found common ground with his listener by using examples, terminology, and illustrations that fit the persons’ everyday life and he did that by speaking in parables. It is essential that pastors work to develop sermons, social media posts, and media content that adds value and insight to their audience. When pastors decide that sensationalism is more important than substance they often lose the professional. The engagement of entrepreneurs, executives, intrapreneurs, and professionals can be accomplished when we eliminate the mysticism surrounding the Christian faith and its teachings. I believe we scare this group off by the way we speak and interact with them. Besides, there must be an intentional attempt to build relationships and develop a culture where the professional can receive and be challenged spiritually just like nonprofessionals. If you have more questions, then please email Dr. Nathan at info@nathanculver.com or visit my website at www.nathanculver.com

The launching of a new business presents exciting possibilities for an entrepreneur. The idea of being able to control your time and unrestricted earning potential are the times that entrepreneurs dream of and is often the inspiration behind their venture. While those are all reasons why some of us desire and aspire to starting a business it shouldn’t be the motivating factor alone. In a future blog I will address the reasons why an entrepreneur should go into business. However, in this blog I want to provide some valuable insight and pitfalls to avoid for those who are new entrepreneurs. Operating without a financial plan Starting a new business is like having a baby and today we know that having a child is expensive. I have met so many entrepreneurs who’ve had to put their business on pause or close it because they didn’t factor the cost of potentially funding that business for 6 months to 1 year without generating any revenue from their business activity. Every entrepreneur should be financially prepared to fund their business for a certain amount of time before seeing any revenue. A lack of understanding re-investing When I launched my business in 2001 I was so excited when I received my first client payment. I can recall taking the payment and foolishly spending it on things that I needed personally. After some time of developing this practice I realized I was spending the money I needed to re-invest in the development of my business on personal needs leaving my business in a vulnerable position financially. Learn to re-invest in the development of the business when you are in the initial stages of generating revenue. Undervaluing their product or service One of the struggles early on for me in business was knowing how to appropriately price my services. I realized that I created a fee structure that was based on what clients thought I should charge and not my research of what was common in my industry. It is important to do research and find out what others in your industry are charging, but also determine what your time is worth for this service. When it comes to products it’s important to an analysis of what your costs are to develop that product in order to determine what your pricing should be. If you have any further questions please connect with me at info@nathanculver.com or visit my website at www.nathanculver.com