Gospel Entrepreneurship

One area of my life that hasn't yet surfaced on this blog is entrepreneurship. Right now I'm involved in several new ventures that are at various stages in the process.

One of those ventures is a coffeehouse in a transitional neighborhood. I have the privilege of working with a couple that is very committed to seeing the Gospel take root and bear fruit in the neighborhood. They are involved in a local church there and want to provide a place, through the coffeehouse, that retains the ethnic identity (or identities) of the local population and forms a bridge to the incoming gentrifying population. Since there are not presently other welcoming places to sit and enjoy friends and good (fair trade) coffee and healthy food in the neighborhood, we have a tremendous opportunity to create that space, while running a profitable business.

In an effort to get the coffeehouse going, we submitted our business plan to the entrepreneurship initiative of a local church. Our plan was selected as one among a group of about 15 finalists in the competition, and Mike (the business owner) and I were invited to participate in an entrepreneurship forum of entrepreneurs, investors, venture capitalists and theologians this past Saturday. I walked away even more encouraged and excited about what we're doing - and about enabling other small businesses in poorer neighborhoods to get off the ground.

So this is likely the first of many posts on Gospel entrepreneurship. Some will have to do with parenting (as the business ventures do in various ways), but perhaps more than that, they will represent the leaven of the Gospel being worked through the flour of my life until it is all leavened.

[Now those reflections can be found on Gospel Entrepreneurship.]