Yesterday, the world’s fairy Godmother, Oprah Winfrey had to go back to Color Purple Sophia Oprah. “All My Life I Had To Fight,” were the famous lines from her role in the Steven Spielberg Motion Picture but yesterday she had to fight to keep her company.
OWN, her television network, has been struggling to survive since day one. She realizes she has her work cut out. That’s why yesterday she rolled up her sleeves and decided to fight to keep her company alive. 1/5 of her staff had to be fired to save money.
Now, in no way is she or the company bankrupt but it just goes to show you how great of a business mind she is. Mother O was teaching the world without even attempting to.
There is nothing wrong with letting a business go. There is nothing wrong with letting people go. If Oprah had to fire people with all the income she has then what makes you think you owe your employees anything but honesty. If the company is falling and you have to cut then that’s just what it is.
It does not mean you are a bad business person. It doesn’t mean you aren’t a great leader. It just means the product is either
1. In the wrong place.
2. In the wrong season.
3. In the wrong hands.
Sometimes, it’s all the above. But even if so, either you are going to let it suck you in and milk you dry or you must take proper steps to come out alive.
Business owners feel like their business ideas are their babies. Well, some babies live long and mature to be adults while unfortunately some kids die young. Some even die as stillborns. Just like a parent, you don’t get to decide how long yours will live. Sometimes, you can do everything right and invest everything you have into it and it just doesn’t click.
Maybe it’s because we’re so churchy now. Not every business idea is a Vision from God to save the world. Good Lord Almighty! People will open a lemonade stand and say God told them to do it because their lemonade is blessed to save the dying world. Are you serious? If it ain’t making money close that son of gun down and try the next best thing.
I do believe Visions should be God inspired but I don’t believe every successful business was an idea by God meant to be a ministry. If YOU are inspired by God then let the inspiration make you a businessman of His Integrity. However, your burger joint doesn’t need to be named God’s Light Burgers & Fries!
Oprah proves: Men lie. Women lie. Numbers don’t. As popular as she is, the network only reached 40M people in its first year. Her highest rated show in the network happened just recently when she interviewed Bobby Kristina Brown. Even that show only reached 3M viewers.
It doesn’t mean she is a bad business person. It doesn’t mean people don’t like Oprah. It simply means when you are being sucked in you have to cut back to save it or eventually you’ll have to let it go.
Don’t lose any rhythm at all. Just start on the next thing.
Innergy Magazine 
I love this because you mentioned about us being churchy… and churches are quick to let God’s business die, fail, struggle, and be ineffective with outreach trying to keep lights on because somebody has a “vision.” I don’t know why folks think its ungodly to shut something down or put something on a shelf. We act like the Bible isn’t full of things that appear to be mishaps, misses, or restarts – but were in all actuality the perfect will of God. Let folks tell it – the disciples “missed God” because Jesus got crucified.
And you said the right thing… “restarts”. It’s like I mentioned in the blog. It’s not your fault all of the time. Most times it could just be factors. Competition, Lack of Support, Bad Location, Poorly hired employees, and sometimes… just not the right season for the product. When we fool ourselves into believing every little thing we do is going to save the lost and heal the world then we get frustrated if it doesn’t work because we assume we have let God down. I’ve had to let several business ideas and investments go. When I began them I saw and heard a lot from God. Many times, these things are still mandated to happen but maybe not in the season, with that circle, or in that mind-frame.
Great message in this! The message is simple yet so difficult for some…. IF IT IS NOT HELPING YOU PROGRESS LET IT GO! I like what you said about business ideas too… everything that pops into your head that you think is a good idea is not a God idea! LOL!
Letting go may not be the easiest thing to do but it’s so necessary sometimes. I’m sure this wasn’t Oprah’s first time letting some folks go… she’s been around a minute but because she evaluated where currently is, she recognized what she is doing is not working so she made a change. Unfortunately everybody don’t want what’s in front of them bad enough so they stay where they are much longer than they want to be. The church needs to wake up and see this… SOME TRADITIONS DO NOT WORK ANYMORE… LET THAT MESS GO! Do not change THE WORD so the people will work… change the people so THE WORD can work!!! Let get rid of the foolishness and hold on to God’s power!
“SOME TRADITIONS DO NOT WORK ANYMORE… LET THAT MESS GO! Do not change THE WORD so the people will work… change the people so THE WORD can work!!! Let’s get rid of the foolishness and hold on to God’s power!”
Now, that’s what I’m talking about! Why must we keep holding on to the show? The show is over!