by Mike Baer Adapted from material first published on the Third Path Blog, here and here, reposted with kind permission. I’ve consulted with a lot of business startups – usually after they’ve stalled or run into trouble. The problem in almost every case I have seen is not funding. It’s people. Not having the right […]
Once a month, our panel of mentors answer your practical business questions. Send us your questions! Dear BAM Mentor, Have you got any advice for me concerning HR issues that involve a clash of cultural or Biblical values? I want to pay my workers equally for doing the same job and in Nepal where I […]
by Peter Greer Excerpts from eBook ‘Stop Helping Us!’ reproduced with kind permission from the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics and Peter Greer. Buy eBook. Stop Helping Us! introduces a new paradigm for an evangelical response to poverty alleviation. Being effective means recognizing that there is a difference between short-term aid, which is important and […]
Insights from a BAM Practitioner Brian Albright has been involved in international development and business (in agriculture and health care) in East Africa since 2004. He currently teaches Business as Mission and Social Entrepreneurship at Hope International University in Fullerton, California, USA. Invest in your key relationships and stay teachable I’ve been blessed to partner with […]
Adapted and excerpted from the BAM Global Think Tank report on BAM at the Base of the Pyramid. The Call to Poverty Alleviation Through Business Business has a role in alleviating poverty. Christians in business have a unique opportunity, and responsibility, to address the suffering and injustice of the 2.5 billion people who live on less than US$2.50 […]
by Lauren Rahman Business is uniquely positioned to respond to the needs of this world. The Partners Worldwide global network works every day to leverage this truth for change. We recognize that business is a calling to do God’s work by creating flourishing economic environments in all parts of the world. In places where poverty […]
Once a month, our panel of mentors answer your practical business questions. Send us your questions! Dear BAM Mentor, One of the purposes of my business is to create jobs in an area where there is a lot of need. I am feeling the tension between hiring more people who are particularly vulnerable and desperately […]
Dreaming is the easy part of starting a business. Putting the pen to paper, turning ideas into action, and getting others on board to believe in the vision with you is where the real work begins. Getting financing for the business is at the crux of turning ideas into reality, where the vision grows legs […]
Excerpt from the recently published BAM Global Think Tank report on Business as Mission Funding. Transformational SME – BAM Investor Profile Transformational SME (TSME) was established in 2001, after two and a half years of market research and business plan development. Their goal is to capitalize growth-stage SMEs with patient, strategically integrated financial, intellectual and human […]
Insights from a BAM Practitioner Peter has lived and worked in a professional and business capacity for over 30 years throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South and North America and is a pioneer in the business as mission movement. He currently consults on business as mission all over the world and is the CEO […]
by Mike Baer Post first published on the Third Path Blog, reposted with kind permission. The still famous line from the movie Jerry McGuire is “Show me the money!” Some of you have been thinking that as you’ve read the rest of this series. How do I get money to launch my startup? I’m going to outline […]
What would you say were the most important things to prepare or think about as I approach a BAM investor? What are some typical pitfalls or mistakes I could avoid? Before you walk down the road of approaching an outside investor, why not consider the possibility of self-funding – also known as “bootstrapping” – your company? If you decide to bootstrap, […]
Excerpt from the recently published BAM Global Think Tank report on Business as Mission Funding. The word ‘funding’ refers to the spectrum of financial resources required for a business venture through the normal life-cycle phases of every business: start-up, growth, maturity, and decline. It includes a range of monetary sources, each with attributes unique to each […]
What would you say were the most important things to prepare or think about as I approach a BAM investor? What are some typical pitfalls or mistakes I could avoid? Funding for your new business is obviously crucial – no cash, no business. So let’s think about this from an investor’s perspective. What is it that interests him or […]
Twice a month, our panel of mentors answer your practical business questions. Send us your questions! Dear BAM Mentor, What would you say were the most important things to prepare or think about as I approach a BAM investor? What are some typical pitfalls or mistakes I could avoid? ~ Getting Prepared Dear Getting Prepared, Funding for your new business is […]
by Kevin White Kazakhstan is one of the top ten fastest growing economies in the world. This multicultural developing nation is home to 140 various ethnicities and 17 religious groups. The capital city Astana is slated to host the Expo 2017. Kazakhstan’s ambitious 2050 plan is to become one of the top thirty most developed […]
Insights from a BAM Practitioner Dwight Nordstrom is a veteran of doing business in Asia for almost 30 years. He is on a continuing journey of learning how to deal with bribery and corruption as he leads Pacific Resources International, to expand manufacturing operations in China. Don’t make blanket statements about bribery and corruption. This […]
Twice a month, our panel of mentors answer your practical business questions. Send us your questions! Dear BAM Mentor, My customs broker tells me I have to give a gift to the customs officials to get our materials out of customs. He said it’s standard, no big deal. I asked the pastor at our local church […]
Post first published on the IBEC Ventures Blog, reposted with kind permission. Some people find it confusing to read about socially conscious business, social entrepreneurship or values-driven business. Isn’t business just business – driven by profit margins acceptable to shareholders? What’s all this talk of values, social impact and community development? For the past decade […]
Mats Tunehag has been speaking, writing and convening on business as mission for nearly 20 years. When he visited The BAM Review office recently, we asked him a few questions about the business as mission movement. Mats, what have you seen changing in business as mission in the last 15-20 years? We are seeing a reawakening […]
Who is a BAMer? What does ‘business as mission’ really mean? Not very much without a human face and real stories of the blood, sweat and tears that it takes to build a business. At the heart of every Kingdom-focused business there is that small team of dedicated human beings, carrying their personal passions and […]
Insights from a BAM Practitioner ‘Ben’ has spent a decade and more of his life in the specialty coffee industry. He has an unwavering passion for quality in coffee that has grown into a pursuit of quality in all aspects of his life – in business, in mission, and in relationships. The quality of relationships in the […]
What are the most important questions to ask myself when evaluating a business opportunity? When I first heard this question my reflex response from 30 years experience of running a business was… When will I get my investment back, what is the percentage return on investment and what is the risk?! My more considered response is to […]
What are the most important questions to ask myself when evaluating a business opportunity? Probably the most important aspect of pursuing a business opportunity is to first determine whether you are the right person for the job. I would recommend you do a personal assessment (be honest with yourself, there’s a lot at stake here), […]
by Mats Tunehag Business is more than making money, at least it should be. According to the “father of capitalism” Adam Smith, businesses exist to serve the general welfare. The computer pioneer Dave Packard said: ”Many people assume, wrongly, that a company exists simply to make money. While this is an important result of a […]
by Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen The following are just a few of the questions that should be asked when assessing the viability of a Great Commission Company (GCC). Economic Viability Is there a clear statement of the purpose and goals for the company? Does the management team have the appropriate experience and training? Can […]
by Mark Russell There comes a day when we sit back and ask ourselves what we are going to do with our lives. In a sense, I am still asking myself that question. But many years ago I felt a nudge, a call if you will, to spend time in cross-cultural contexts advancing the gospel. […]
by Mats Tunehag One can identify 3 essential activities that have helped to catalyze and grow the global Business as Mission (BAM) movement: 1. Developing the concept 2. Spreading the concept and 3. Applying the concept. Of course one cannot credit just one book, event, person or organization with the current interest in Business as Mission […]
by Bridget Adams and Manoj Raithatha In his book Screw Business as Usual, Sir Richard Branson outlines his vision for nothing less than global transformation. He asks, ‘Can we bring more meaning to our lives and help change the world at the same time… a whole new way of doing things, solving major problems and turning […]
by Tim Weinhold Over three thousand years ago God himself preemptively weighed in on one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century — how can we solve poverty? One of his answers is found in Leviticus 19: 9-10: Gleanings. When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very […]