Frameworks Lab

Entrepreneurs serving their communities for Impact > Profit, so so so inspiring.

How to take your JOB and fill it with meaning...building your business as a way to disciple others is the most life giving way to love our world: - Creating jobs, - Showing compassion and awareness of your people and their needs, - Giving the opportunities to share that same love of Jesus with them What a brilliant strategy. #howdoyouframework #entrepreneurship #businessasmission

This is a very old quote that we say all the time. Do you know the origin story? It turns out that way back in the 1400's, William Camden famously said it, although slightly differently. As Americans we think of pudding as that sweet Jell-o substance that we can whip up out of thin air. In England, where this originates, pudding is a complicated process of cooking meat and oats in a bag. If the pudding turns out uncooked, well, that doesn't exactly go well. But when it's cooked it's a delicious concoction. Back then the only way to know was to eat it. The gist of the saying is the same in both contexts - try it and see. This is a fantastic way to describe trust building in positions of authority, clubs and organizations, and community developers. If we say we are here for the people - but we don't support the people in any discernible way other than what we say - the actions don't back up what the mouth is portraying. That's cognitive dissonance. Expect one thing. See something completely different. If we want to win the trust of the people we serve then we better back it up with action. Action that is loving and that wins trust. Action that is relational. Action that serves the people. It's the difference between word and deed. In other words, when we come along and seek to serve - our people will be "trying and seeing" just what it is we are all about. The proof then, it seems, is in the pudding. #action #impact #framework #theproofisinthepudding

Classes for new entrepreneurs offered in Wedowee, AL this fall! If interested, please message or email for more information.

Impact over Profit. Sinapis hosted their annual conference called Forge in Romania, this past April. One of the biggest takeways there was this idea - investing in and creating companies that are more interested in Impact than Profit. Sure profit is important. Let's make money. After all, profit pays the bills. Profit is given away to nonprofits and charities to bring love into the world in all sorts of cool ways. Profit reinvests. But what if we elevated Impact OVER #profit? What if impact was the goal, profit was the bonus? Small businesses that collaborate locally, with impact in mind, can and will have the greatest local impact on #economicdevelopment and creating jobs, which in turn increase #impact. It's a beautiful and generous way of doing business. The profits will come. Leaders in business - let's look at the shift this takes in our own #leadership so that we can make the greatest #impact. How do you #framework? #work #businessasmission #marketplaceministry #smallbusiness #business

Community Gardens: A Story 1 year ago...our co-ops went out into the community, praying for ways to bring fresh produce to our friends and neighbors who were most likely below the poverty line in financial terms. We met with a local community leader and discussed the needs. We found a spot that would be great for a garden. As we talked, it became clear that we would be seeing a need and single handedly meeting the need. We would do the work. We would provide the solution. As the best community developers know, that approach does not breed community development. It only sows dependence and in later phases, contempt for the provider, INSTEAD of a "we're in this together" approach that brings about dignity and restoration that true community developers understand and appreciate. So we kept praying, but backed off on the provision, unless we had community support and leaders. This past spring, a local church leader in the same community (different church) felt led to start a garden with his skills that would provide for the neighbors in our community. The church members jumped in to help. He did not know who the recipients of the produce would be. We prayed, they sowed. When it came time to harvest this summer, they had an abundance of vegetables and were running out of homes to share them. The produce kept coming. We were able to introduce the two neighbors and connect them in a meaningful way - neighbors helping neighbors. NOT Frameworks Lab co-ops providing a solution for the community at large. We asked the Lord of the harvest to provide. We did the connecting, knowing the people and the needs. God did the rest. "It's not she who plants nor she who waters but God who makes the growth." 1 Cor. 3 #communitydevelopment #howdoyouframework #loveyourneighbor

"Go therefore and take your job with you" - Andrew Scott Have you ever pondered why your work matters in the world? We can't recommend this book enough. Andrew does a beautiful job of putting so many common thoughts into words. Now, who wants to read this with us in the fall?

What is community development? A trusted friend of mine is helping me define this important work. Recently he told me, "embody." There is much work to do in developing a community... There is hope involved for something more for a community - more collaboration, more love towards one another, more love in action for those in need. Hoping and dreaming along with community leaders and community members is one aspect for sure. Before and during all that hoping and dreaming, the community developer must EMBODY. Embody light and love. Embody hope. Embody encouragement. Embody acceptance and inclusion, of everyone. Sounds good, tough to do. Something else he said that has become like a splinter in my mind: "We have to communicate that we are on their side without siding with people." In other words, we have to lean into and listen and love ALL, without choosing their side or becoming a proponent of their "side" of things. Tough to do but that's where I want to be. #communitydevelopment #community