Giving Thanks and Giving Back
In today’s newsletter:
- Giving Thanks and Giving Back
- An Economic Snapshot, The Business of Giving Tuesday, and Groceries
- 3 Podcasts for Kingdom Business Leaders
It is no coincidence that the season of giving follows the season of gratitude, and yet, since Christmas is much more readily commercialized, more and more we see Thanksgiving pushed to the side. But not today.
Today we, as kingdom-minded businessmen and businesswomen, are going to stop and take a moment to reflect on our blessings. We’re going to look on the bright side, remind ourselves of reasons for hope, and then see how we can give back, in light of the awesome gifts that we have received.
The research on negativity bias is extensive – it is easier for us to see the reasons a plan will fail rather than the reasons it will succeed. It’s easier to remember the bad things that happened during the week rather than the good things. And if we don’t escape this sort of thinking, many good ideas will be shot down by our internal critic, many good works won’t get done, and our hearts won’t experience that beautiful metamorphosis in which they enter with thanksgiving and come out with praise.
Because the truth is there is still plenty for us to be thankful for.
Starting a Business Is Easier and Cheaper than Ever
Forget the doom and gloom for a minute – AI tools, open-source software resources, print on demand technology, on-demand shipping, and digital access to customers make starting a business easier than ever. The barriers to entry are significantly lower than they have ever been. You could literally start a business today, before 5 pm, without spending a dime. Here are some free resources to check out for that side hustle you’ve been meaning to try out:
Free website builder: https://durable.co
Free design services: https://ideogram.ai
Free POS system: https://squareup.com/us/en/home/q9xf2
Free order fulfillment and personalization for a whole catalog of goods: https://printify.com/
Free online storefront: https://www.etsy.com/
Free automations: https://zapier.com/
If you are needing an actual, physical presence, or if your business model requires some real capital, check out your local SBA. Set up a few meetings with a professional there to help you refine your business plan, identify a target market, and then, with a little bit of luck, they can give you a referral for a fast-track small business loan that is otherwise difficult to get these days.
Good Values Still Produce Good Results
Don’t buy into the lie that nice guys finish last and that you can’t get ahead unless you leave a pile of bodies in your wake. The data just doesn’t back that up. What it does say, however, is that the values we hold dear actually translate into successful outcomes if we stick to them:
- A positive culture inside your workplace results in 30% better customer satisfaction.
- Leadership matters! 70% of employee engagement is directly tied to the manager’s attitude, actions, and engagement.
- Being friendly with one another at work improves the work experience for everyone and increases productivity and creativity.
- A high-trust culture (where honesty, integrity, and quality of work are valued) can save your company, on average, $3,300 per employee per year.
So ignore the cynics. Compassion still matters, people value respect, honesty, and skill, and the high road is still the best road we have.
Ways to Give Back
As we experience the season of thanksgiving to its fullness and meditate on our blessings, giving thanks to God, let’s take a look ahead to see how we can share those blessings with others:
Crisis Pregnancy Care
The Bible continually talks about having compassion for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. In the case of a woman in a crisis pregnancy, she can easily be all three of these. In our culture that so often promotes things that lead to death, let’s participate in helping people choose life, for themselves and for their children.
The first way you can give in this area is to give personally of your time and resources to someone who is going through a crisis pregnancy or who is raising children by themselves. The more local your giving, the more efficient, personal, and effective it can be.
Secondly, find a local pro-life pregnancy care center where you can donate money, supplies, or even time.
Thirdly, give to a large non-profit doing work in this arena. You have to be careful here, because not all charities are created equal, and some pro-life organizations are more pro-life than others. But you can feel good about giving to Live Action (Lila Rose’ media and advocacy organization), Human Life International (a wonderful organization that supports pro-life pregnancy centers and other pro-life physical needs), and the ACLJ (a legal organization that fights for pro-life causes in court).
Food for the Hungry
The Book of James says that it’s no good at all if we say “bless you” to someone who is in need of food and clothes without also seeing to the needs of their body. So this holiday season, see if you can meet the physical needs of the poor around you.
The first way you can give in this area, again, is to personally give grocery store gift cards, a Thanksgiving box, or a shopping trip to someone you know who is in financial duress. This is the most direct and best way we can give.
Secondly, many churches and humanitarian organizations run food banks around the country. There is very likely at least one food bank in your area that gives to those in need. Do your research, and see how you can help them in their mission, via food donations, or buying refrigerators or other equipment they might need to do their work effectively.
Build Something
This last way of giving back takes more thought, time, and effort, but if you get inspired, you could change your community.
What does your neighborhood lack? What does it need? Where do you see injustice, need, or oppression?
What do you think Jesus would like to see changed in your realm of influence? Then, if you can, build something – a company, a system, a fund, whatever solves the problem – and give it to God as praise in thanks.
Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at S2W.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
An Economic Snapshot, The Business of Giving Tuesday, and Groceries
An Economic Snapshot
The DOW Jones, S&P500, and NASDAQ all saw their third straight week of gains last week, as AI is back on investor’s minds. The dollar has weakened slightly in comparison to the Yen, Yuan, Pound, and Euro in the past week, but for the moment, the dollar is still strong, the lynchpin of the global economy. The US GDP is forecasted to come in at around +2.4% on the year, driven in no small part by government spending and resilient consumer consumption, before dropping to a meager +.08 in 2024. Unemployment hovers around 3.9%, and the average 30 year fixed mortgage rate hit a two-decade high of 7.79% at the end of October, before cooling to 7.44% more recently, but demand continues to outpace supply.
The Business of Giving Tuesday
Everyone knows about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but ever since 2012, we have one more day in the series of consumer holidays: Giving Tuesday. Created in response to the creeping commercialization of the season of giving, every Tuesday after Thanksgiving, people are encouraged to give to charity, donate time to a good cause, or find someone in need and help them out. Non-profits alone raked in $3.1 billion on Giving Tuesday 2022, and this year that number is expected to rise significantly, possibly topping $4 billion. Over 85 countries participate around the world, and in the US, adult participation has been rising each year. The average donation on Giving Tuesday came in at around $159 last year, and many non-monetary contributions (such as goods and volunteer hours) were racked up as well.
Groceries
Food prices have been increasing sharply since 2020, but in recent months, the rate of increase has slowed – though that’s little relief for consumers, since prices remain well above what they were three years ago. Ground beef prices, for example, have steadily risen to nearly 20% above 2020 prices, while other commodities, such as eggs, have been volatile. The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal has decreased 4.5% from last year’s record high, but still remains 25% higher than pre-pandemic prices, and consumers are looking for ways to save. Perhaps that is why it’s now estimated that as many as 13% of American households now raise chickens, an explosive increase over pre-pandemic levels. Maybe they’ll start raising turkeys, too.
Sunday School
Q. What is the New Testament word for “Thanksgiving” (giving thanks)?
A. εὐχαριστία. Or, in English letters, “Eucharistia.” If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is where the word “Eucharist” comes from, because the historic church considered Communion an act of “thanksgiving.”
In hindsight, everyone agreed that pairing the energy drink with a mascot who sleeps 20 hours a day was a bad move.
TIPS & TRICKS
3 Podcasts for Kingdom Business Leaders
We all know the struggle.
You get a random pocket of time, or you have some mindless work to do, or a commute to make, and you reach for your phone to pick out a podcast…
And you have no idea what to listen to.
Well no more – we’ve got three must-listen podcasts for kingdom business leaders to help you succeed in your personal finances, your investments, and your spiritual walk.
Personal Finance Podcast – “Afford Anything”
“Afford Anything” is a very accessible, conversational podcast that feels almost like weekly coaching sessions designed to keep you on track with your goals, to consider topics you haven’t thought about before, and to keep your mindset where it needs to be when it comes to managing your money. The typical episode runs between 30 and 60 minutes, and, as an added bonus, the hosts love to take listener questions – so if you want to hear this podcast’s take on your own burning question, you can always drop them a line. From the show notes:
“You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus, and attention – and ultimately, our life. How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles? On the surface, ‘Afford Anything’ seems like a podcast about money and investing. But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think. In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models.”
Investments Podcast – “Motley Fool Money”
If you play the stock market at all, you need a constant stream of daily information. Enter “Motley Fool Money,” a daily podcast hitting on all the most relevant news about publicly traded companies, macroeconomic trends, and industry insights. At about 30 minutes per episode, it’s an easy listen on a morning commute, and it will help you keep an eye on your market bets. The show describes itself this way:
“Join us as we cover the day’s top business news and financial headlines with the Motley Fool’s team of investment analysts. Tune in on the weekends for the greatest investing classes you never got the chance to take in school and perspectives from special guests helping to shape the future.”
Spiritual Enrichment Podcast – “Sent 315”
As Christians in the marketplace, it can sometimes be difficult to wrap our heads around what evangelism looks like in our particular context. Enter Sent 315, a weekly conversational podcast all about walking with Jesus and sharing Him with others. Host Kevin Miller focuses on the lives of everyday saints, so a big part of the podcast is testimonial, as people share their stories of growing in faith, stepping out with boldness, and being effective for the kingdom. From the show’s description:
“Every week, Kevin Miller, the Sent 315 Team, and their friends share stories and insights to help followers of Jesus mature in sharing their faith. A mix of discussion and guest interviews, Sent 315 practically dives into how to reach those around us with the Gospel. This podcast teaches you how to reach others authentically and naturally, according to the way God designed you, while exploring the challenges we all face. Trusting that every believer is sent, this podcast is here to grow with you in building skills to engage all kinds of people in a meaningful way.”
Quick Hits
- Turmoil at Chat GPT’s OpenAI, as Co-founder Sam Altman is forced out, then reinstated only days later.
- UAW workers ratified an agreement with Big 3 Automakers, officially ending the strike.
- Fraudulent schemes that target older Americans (such as “person in need” scams) cost consumers over $1 billion in 2022. With the advent of AI generated voice clones, that number may see a significant rise.
- The Gospel Coalition publishes a list of recommended advent devotionals to help keep Christ in Christmas with your family.
- Chip and Joana Gaines discuss how their marriage has grown and shifted after 20 years in life and business together.
Guess the Prompt
Our “Giving Thanks and Giving Back” graphic was generated using AI prompts. Guess the prompt for your chance to win Sent To Win gear. Just reply to this email with your best guess.
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