When I go to church, I’m always impressed by the logos on the vehicles in the parking lot. It seems that most of my day-to-day needs could be met just from those people. Dog groomers, rock-chip repair, plumbers, and salon owners are among the dozens of possibilities. And as I look back, I realize just how many people in my faith circle have been entrepreneurs. These are the big dreamers. Could it’s because they have a big God?
In fact, according to research by Baylor University, statistically entrepreneurs attend church and pray more frequently than the rest of the population.
Their survey of more than 1,700 people shows that business people are closer to God
Mitchell Neubert, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship at Baylor University, was interviewed by Harvard Business Review and his conclusions are unsettling some societal presumptions.
“These findings might surprise people who assume that hard-driving business people are too busy or greedy to make time for religion,” said Neubert. “
What comes first? The faith or the startup? I could be that the uncertainty of business might just force a man or a woman to their knees.
“They’re exposed to a lot more uncertainty and risk than the rest of us, so maybe they feel a need to pray more,” said Neubert. “Perhaps the pressure of starting and running a business to put food on the table heightens their spiritual leanings.”
But another, more likely conclusion can be reached. Faith in God inspires assurance to operate in the world and to make those big leaps that are requirements for running your own business.
“I think there’s a confidence that can come from your religious beliefs,” said Neubert. “And maybe the individualism and autonomy associated with entrepreneurship are reflected in the idea of a more personal, direct relationship with God.”
I look around my church and I see business confidence. Good, smart people who own carpet cleaning businesses, roofing companies, and day care centers. I see a spark of enthusiasm, even when times are tough or the lean economy bears down on them.
Yes. People of faith do make better business owners.
What do you think? Do you own a business? What keeps you going? Is the research right?
Read the entire article here.
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