Dig the Well | Episode 20: Jesus in the Boardroom: Why Our Business Thrives with Him in Charge
Dig the Well | Episode 20: Jesus in the Boardroom: Why Our Business Thrives with Him in ChargeDig the Well | Episode 20: Jesus in the Boardroom: Why Our Business Thrives with Him in Charge
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Dig the Well | Episode 20: Jesus in the Boardroom: Why Our Business Thrives with Him in Charge
How do you integrate faith into your business practices? In Episode 20 of Dig the Well, join us as we explore the powerful intersection of Christianity and entrepreneurship. We share how our faith has been a cornerstone in both our marriage and business ventures. Discover how prayer and divine guidance have led to unexpected opportunities and helped them navigate challenges with grace.
We dive into the importance of ethical practices, the art of discernment in hiring, and overcoming setbacks with a faith-driven mindset. With scriptures like Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:33 woven throughout, we emphasize trusting in God’s timing while taking responsibility for your actions. Plus, hear about our journey in the direct sales industry and our commitment to our company, Neora.
Tune in for a heartfelt conversation that could transform how you approach your business life. Share your thoughts with us on social media and join our growing community of faith-driven entrepreneurs!
Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. Remember you can always connect with us on social media @thevikkidowney and be sure to check out our website johnandvikki.com.
If you are interested you can find Vikki's book HERE and the audio book HERE!
How do you integrate faith into your business practices? In Episode 20 of Dig the Well, join us as we explore the powerful intersection of Christianity and entrepreneurship. We share how our faith has been a cornerstone in both our marriage and business ventures. Discover how prayer and divine guidance have led to unexpected opportunities and helped them navigate challenges with grace.
We dive into the importance of ethical practices, the art of discernment in hiring, and overcoming setbacks with a faith-driven mindset. With scriptures like Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:33 woven throughout, we emphasize trusting in God’s timing while taking responsibility for your actions. Plus, hear about our journey in the direct sales industry and our commitment to our company, Neora.
Tune in for a heartfelt conversation that could transform how you approach your business life. Share your thoughts with us on social media and join our growing community of faith-driven entrepreneurs!
Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. Remember you can always connect with us on social media @thevikkidowney and be sure to check out our website johnandvikki.com.
If you are interested you can find Vikki's book HERE and the audio book HERE!
Feeling overwhelmed by your family's daily grind and looking for a way out? Welcome to "Dig the Well," the podcast that empowers you to build the life you deserve. Your hosts Vikki and John are top earners at Neora. Vikki is a # 1 best-selling author and John is a retired Los Angeles Police Officer. Together they’ve navigated family challenges, raised successful kids, and achieved financial freedom.
In each episode of "Dig the Well," they dive deep into the strategies and mindsets that can help you break free from the constraints of the traditional 9-5 lifestyle. They understand the unique challenges faced by stay-at-home moms and families who are juggling multiple responsibilities and struggling to find balance. Their mission is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to create additional income, gain more family time, and ultimately, transform your life.
Throughout their journey, they’ve had the privilege of working with renowned figures like Jack Canfield and Jeff Olson, whose wisdom and insights have greatly influenced their path to success. They’ve also celebrated significant milestones, such as raising two valedictorian children and supporting their son, an Olympic weightlifter on Team USA. These experiences have equipped them with valuable knowledge and practical tips that they’re eager to share with you.
"Dig the Well" is more than just a podcast; it's a community of like-minded individuals who are committed to personal growth and financial independence. Whether you're worried about your family's financial security, longing for more quality time with your spouse, or simply seeking a way to reignite your passions, this podcast offers actionable insights and real-life stories that can help you achieve your goals.
Our mission is to inspire you with the belief that if we can do it, so can you. We want you to feel empowered, educated, and ready to take control of your future. By tuning in to "Dig the Well," you'll gain the confidence and knowledge needed to break free from the daily grind and create a life full of possibilities.
So, if you're ready to transform your family's future and discover the greatness within you, join us on this journey. Subscribe to "Dig the Well" and start building the life you deserve today!
Vikki:
This is the EWN podcast network.
John:
Ever wondered how you could turn your side hustle into a full time gig and spend more time together?
Vikki:
Hi. I'm Vikki a number one best selling author.
John:
And I'm John, a retired Los Angeles police officer. Welcome to Dig the Well, where we help couples navigate the world of business.
Vikki:
We've been married for thirty five years, and because we built a successful side business, John retired nine years earlier than he originally planned from the Los Angeles Police Department after twenty five years on the job. Now we spend more time together, and we want to help couples like you do the same.
John:
Join us as we help you overcome common obstacles, and we show you how to make extra income without sacrificing family time.
Vikki:
Ready to dig deep and build your well? Let's get started. Hello. Hello. Good morning, afternoon, evening, wherever you are.
Vikki:
It's the next episode of Dig the Well with us. We are excited to be with you again today, and we hope wherever you are listening in, you're having an awesome day. We wanted to talk about something different that I haven't heard a lot of entrepreneurs talk about. Have you?
John:
No. It's not very it's not spoken of very often. Yeah. Huge. Right?
Vikki:
Huge. Huge. I don't know how an entrepreneur is successful without God. That's just, I know, our belief. Yeah.
Vikki:
Without talking to God, including God in your business. So yeah. And I also think that when I coach a lot of people, I'll for one, if their mindset isn't right, ask about personal development. What book are they reading? But two is I will ask them about are they including God in their business?
Vikki:
And, yeah. So we're gonna talk about that.
John:
Yeah. Because I think most people don't.
Vikki:
Yeah. He is the ultimate counselor. Right? That's right in the Bible. And actually
John:
I'm gonna show the
Vikki:
I'm gonna
John:
show you a picture right away.
Vikki:
We have this picture in our office. And if you can see that there, it is Jesus, counseling, sitting basically in an office with a businessman or woman. You know, if you're a woman, you could picture yourself there. And it's he's he's it. He he if you try to build your business just on your own efforts, you're gonna struggle.
John:
Yeah.
Vikki:
That's what we've noticed or for sure for me. Yeah. So that might lead into actually, I did wanna read one scripture to kick us off, regarding, you know, struggling and and all of that, and your business. And that is, where did it go? Proverbs three:five-six, the New International Version.
Vikki:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to him and he will make your paths right. So there it is. In business. And so I kind of wanted to ask you, John, because we were chatting before this, that, I tend to forget to include him, but you don't.
Vikki:
Every day, you pray.
John:
Yeah.
Vikki:
Yeah. Yeah.
John:
It's the first thing I do every Yeah. Every morning, the first thing I do when I wake up is, pray.
Vikki:
Yeah. And what's kinda cool that you started, I don't know what, five years ago, ten years ago, whatever we read that book, it was a book on prayer
John:
Mhmm.
Vikki:
And it was getting on your knees. And you're at the side of the bed. I hope you don't mind me sharing that. Yeah. John will secret.
Vikki:
And I do it too. Oh, it was the prayer circle. And we circle Right.
John:
That's right.
Vikki:
Yeah. The book was something to do with the prayer circle. Shows you you could read lots of books, and if you don't remember the name, it's okay as long as the message is getting through. And I I pray too, but I often forget. I just get going.
Vikki:
And then but I I give him up, and sometimes I'm talking to John thinking he's still in bed, and he's at the side of the bed, kneeling and praying. So and that's you include, like, all prayers for the family and to him about business. Yes. Oh, I like that. That's why
John:
I'm sitting there for so long too. It takes a while.
Vikki:
It can be a long time, but you take as long as you need. I think everybody should.
John:
Right. Absolutely. And like this morning, it was taking so long that, the little doggy that we have, little tanky, He, was he was getting impatient. Oh. So, when I finally opened my eyes, he was right in front of me.
John:
Usually, he'll, like, bark or, like, talk to me. He does this, like, weird
Vikki:
Yeah.
John:
And he thinks he's speaking English. So he'll do that oftentimes. But today, he was just silent, but he was right in front of me. So I opened my eyes, and there's just a few inches away was his nose.
Vikki:
That's
Vikki:
adorable. That's so adorable. But now that, you know, that leads to okay. So you're you're praying. If I forget, I will say, and it's been days or weeks and I haven't included God, I start business starts struggling.
Vikki:
Mhmm.
Vikki:
And I can't put my finger on it ever. And I know that's and then I the minute I pray, I ask the ask Jesus for something, give me guidance, or bring me a prospect even, bring somebody that's interested in doing business with us. He does. That's a crazy thing. Out of nowhere, which we know it's not out of nowhere, he someone will that day, I kid you not, that day, someone will talk to me.
Vikki:
You know, whatever my ask is, he answers. He delivers. That's what I'm trying to let you know. Yeah. Yeah.
Vikki:
It's crazy.
John:
There are times though that I do forget, and it's weird. I don't you would think that it would have been, established as a habit by Right. Right? Like the whole twenty one days thing. Twenty one you do something twenty one days in a row and generally you will establish that as a habit.
John:
Well, I've been doing this for hundreds of days, right, in a row. But when we travel, I seem to forget and it'll be a few days later. And it's a lot of times I'll notice it because there'll be some sort of a challenge that that because there's all there's challenges all the time. Right? There's challenges in person.
Vikki:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But if
John:
you're an entrepreneur, there certainly are a lot of challenges with business. And so I'll notice it, like, I'll have this challenge. I'm thinking, gosh. You know, gosh. What's going on with this?
John:
Why why, what's going on here? And then I'll realize then I'll think of, oh, I I need to I need to pray about this. Right? I'm thinking, well, why haven't I been praying for these days? And I'll think back and think, oh my gosh.
John:
I haven't prayed in, like, three, four, five days. And it's usually when we're traveling.
Vikki:
Yeah. We're in Tulum or we're in Florida.
John:
Yeah. Wherever it is.
Vikki:
It's just
John:
I don't know. Maybe I just don't like to kneel down in a in a hotel room. Right?
Vikki:
That's gotta be
John:
I think it's that.
Vikki:
But you could stay in bed and lay on your bed. Sometimes I pray in bed. Yeah. I know I think it's preferred that we kneel, but, yeah, you could pray anywhere. Right?
Vikki:
Yeah.
John:
It seems more official, I do.
Vikki:
It does. Yeah. That's true. It does.
John:
I think I think God hears me either way. Yeah. I think it's more official.
Vikki:
Yeah. That's really cool. Here's a question for you. Why do we need, Jesus in our business? And maybe you kinda answered that with that previous.
Vikki:
But why specifically, do we need him?
John:
Well, I think there's a number of reasons. One is you you can't do everything on your own. Right? Or you shouldn't even try. It's just too much to it's too much of a burden to carry.
John:
So I think the times that when when I realized that, hey. I just need to give it up and then, get some have some help. Right. It it's it works. And the other thing is the help that you're gonna get is gonna lead you in the proper direction.
John:
Right? It's not like if I asked a business partner, another human being, hey. Let's let's share the load on this and give me some help. I don't know whether or not that advice is gonna be good advice, whether it's gonna True. The vice the advice will be ethical and, you know, and have integrity, you know, the Yeah.
John:
If there would be any integrity with it. I I don't know for sure, but I know that if I ask God to help me that it certainly will be ethical and it will certainly have integrity.
Vikki:
I love that. Yeah. Love that. And how many times have we coached other couples on business and said, just, you know, pray about it, whatever we're coached upon. And we we don't expect them to believe us or totally I mean, we hope they know we're full of integrity.
Vikki:
But pray about it and, you know, do what God says that they should do. And almost always, they get going. Right. Yeah. Yeah.
Vikki:
And a lot of times in our business. So that's very, very cool. The role of faith in business, success success. So I was gonna read Matthew. So got some quotes for you guys all today.
Vikki:
Matthew six thirty three, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. That's kinda what you just said because you're not, you know, you're get you're asking yourself and other people Mhmm. To pray and ask God. He's gonna give you the righteous word. Yeah.
Vikki:
That's cool. Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.
Vikki:
So, oh, yeah. Let's talk about hiring. Like, if you have a business we we're not in a business where we hire people. We franchise people into their own business, but we do have to have discernment. We they're still a reflection of us almost like children in a sense.
Vikki:
When you're franchising someone, you're vouching for them to be ethical people. So there is we do need to pray about that. But those of you also that are hiring people, it's smart, I I think, to pray and ask God, is this person a good fit for us? Is this a righteous person for our company? And I kinda wonder, do you guys do that out there?
Vikki:
If you're on YouTube, put in the chat. I'd love to hear. Somehow message us, and let us know. Are you praying about each person you hire or each person or couple that you franchise? You know, whatever your business is.
Vikki:
Yeah.
John:
It would be interesting to find out that, you know, for the ones that you didn't Mhmm. How did how did they work out? And for the ones that you did, how did it work out? Kinda like a before and after.
Vikki:
Right. I think that'd be definitely and and, you know, on that in that same, vein of thought, we've definitely had people in our business who were not a right fit. They turned out not to be right, just not to be ethical. Mhmm. They were shady.
Vikki:
Let's just use kind of a common term term. And, actually, God purged them from our business. He weeded them right out like he weeds our garden.
Vikki:
Mhmm.
Vikki:
They, either they chose to leave or we we noticed and we asked them to leave. So, that's that's been so that's definitely something if you're struggling with right now. Yeah. Pray about it, how you should handle that situation. And he will give you the strength and actually the what to do as well with the best course of action is.
John:
Yeah.
Vikki:
Yeah. And I
John:
think if you if you counsel with the Lord and you operate your business with integrity, and it's, you know, it's ethical and and, whatnot, I think you will draw to you other people that are like minded. Mhmm. And I think the converse is true. Like, right? Yeah.
John:
You if you operate your your life and your business in such a way that it's, a little bit shady as you said earlier.
Vikki:
Right. Yeah. Shady.
John:
If it's a bit shady, you're gonna draw shady people to you. Yeah. You're gonna draw people that have shady business practices. So I think if you if you, if you ask for, if you ask for counsel with with God and you take that and act upon it, I think you're gonna find that you will you will sort out your business. I mean, it'll you'll you'll draw, like I said, you'll draw the right people to you, and I think you'll repel the shady ones.
John:
And Definitely. Yeah. Awesome. Like you said, that's We've
Vikki:
had it happen. We're not gonna name names. Yeah.
John:
We're not gonna right. Definitely. Definitely. It is God weeding your garden.
Vikki:
It is. Yeah. For sure. And you can sometimes be sad in the moment because you're not quite understanding. Maybe it's somebody that you just didn't expect.
Vikki:
They were a really good friend and or became a friend in the course of doing business,
Vikki:
and then they do something totally unethical, stab you in the back or what whatever it is, and God weeds you out
Vikki:
and you stab you in the back or what whatever it is. And God weeds you out and you think, gosh. What was
John:
Or weeds them out.
Vikki:
Weeds them out. Yeah. What was my hand in it? What did I do? And a lot of times, it's not you.
Vikki:
It's been them all along, and you realize they were fake and phony the whole time. Yeah. That's happened to us as well. Yep.
John:
It sure has.
Vikki:
And so another really great scripture for that is Colossians three twenty three to 24. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Isn't that the truth? Right? Things that we're doing here on the planet, also, we're gonna be rewarded in heaven for them.
Vikki:
We'll be rewarded here too, but also big time in heaven for always doing the right thing. Yep. Yeah. Love that. Do you wanna do the next one?
John:
What's the next one?
Vikki:
I think was number four.
John:
Oh, yeah. Trusting God's timing and provision. Right?
Vikki:
Yeah. Yeah.
John:
Let me read I'm sorry. I'm just reading. I didn't get to this part of it before when we were talking about it. But, yeah. You know, like I said before, that you always seem there's always gonna be challenges, and a lot of them are are are there's a time, element to it.
John:
Right? And most people aren't very patient. Like, when I'm smoking food
Vikki:
Yeah. Someone The issue with that with the Super Bowl.
John:
Someone over here isn't very patient. It's like, is it ready yet? Is it ready yet? And, I just have to do trust the the smoker's timing. Right?
John:
It it needs that time in there because that's how it works. But that's also how it works in business. Right? There's you don't always know, and oftentimes you're really, at least I am and we all are, right, impatient. We want results quickly, but it's not in our time.
John:
Right? God will will bring us a success when it's when the timing is right. And oftentimes, it's maybe we need to work on ourselves a little bit more.
Vikki:
Yeah. That's so true.
John:
Yeah. Maybe we're not we're not ready for, whatever it is that God has for us, that he has planned for us.
Vikki:
Yeah. And we've talked about that so many times. Yeah. We're like, for us, you know, it's a lot of times me, but we're not here yet. We're not there yet.
Vikki:
We haven't hit this benchmark, and it's it's gotta be God's timing. And you remind me of that. It's, you know, the the Lord has his own timing. It's so true.
John:
It's I mean, it's, and I think and I most of the time, I think it's me. Right?
Vikki:
Oh, that's funny.
John:
What? No. That I need to work on something Oh. That I'm not ready.
Vikki:
Oh, yeah.
John:
Yeah. That I need to grow in one area or somewhere, you know, somehow I need to I need to be better, in order to accept.
Vikki:
Yeah. I think I do. Right? You're meaning like all of us, aren't you?
John:
Yeah. But I'm saying me personally.
Vikki:
Oh, okay.
John:
If I'm frustrated, like, how come this this part of my business isn't growing faster? Why am is this part, you know, not where I want it to be? And then I think then I stop and think, and I and I oftentimes, I believe that, well, I need to grow somehow.
Vikki:
Right.
John:
Right.
Vikki:
That's the better that's the best way to look at it.
John:
And I need to somehow improve. I need to be better at what something in order to unlock that next level.
Vikki:
But you still keep doing the activity though. Right?
John:
Absolutely. In fact, I Yeah. Probably double down. Right? I I actually I actually increase what I'm doing.
John:
Right. I increase the activity because I figure, hey. It's there's something I'm missing, so I've gotta get better. I've got to do more.
Vikki:
Right. And repetitious yeah. Yeah. Doing thing yeah. Because the reason I bring that up is, again, we've coached so many people over the years, and we have so many well, I need to work on this.
Vikki:
And sometimes they'll blame. Well, sorry. They'll use their beliefs, their religious beliefs in God as a crutch saying, well, you know, when he's ready to bless me, then that's okay. And but they stop working. They stop working at it.
Vikki:
They stop doing their business activity that you still need to keep doing to put food on the table, guys. Yeah. Yeah. That kills me because, I they're missing the a very important part that you still gotta keep doing the activity. He's gonna bless you.
John:
Right. Right. But he's not he's not gonna bless you if you take a break and stop.
Vikki:
Idle hands. I'm sure there's a quote on that too, a scripture on that for sure. Yeah. Yeah. So, I know James one five, if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Vikki:
I love that because it's what we're talking about. Like, you're trying to improve yourself. I'm trying to improve myself, but god's not gonna look for the fault in us. Right? He's not trying to find fault.
Vikki:
He's going to give to us generously at if we seek him. Right? If we seek his counsel, he's gonna bless you. Yeah. I I think of God as our father, which he is our father.
Vikki:
Right? And your father wants you to be successful. I always think of that. Yeah. Your father doesn't want you to wallow and scrape for every penny to put on the table.
Vikki:
No. He wants you to be successful. So seek him. He's gonna give you the answers and put the activity in, and it's gonna happen.
Vikki:
Mhmm.
John:
Yeah. For sure. Just like if you think about it, just like parenting. Right? You don't just well, some people do.
John:
They, like, just give their children whatever it is that they want without the kids ever having to put in any kind of work or or or any effort. And, I guess, you know, if that's I'm not telling people how to parent, but personally, that's not our philosophy. Like, our kids had to work for what they have. Right? It's not that we wanna keep them and and and keep them from having things.
John:
It's just that we want them to also see that there is an element of work that has to go in to in order to,
Vikki:
Yeah. Big time. Right? We didn't give them an allowance. You heard that on John's podcast episode and possibly Misa's too.
Vikki:
We they they had earned money. Yeah. So we were the firm belief you don't just get money for nothing. Right. You gotta do something that helps the family, then they and they both grown up really respecting money that way and and effort.
Vikki:
Mhmm. Yeah. So that is so, so true. Handling stress and anxiety. This is key faith with stress and anxiety to me is everything.
Vikki:
Yep. Everything. Everything. So many people I talk to are they worry about everything. They're they're miserable, and they have no faith, and they're not going to the Lord with it.
Vikki:
Because if they had faith, you know, maybe they didn't need to be educated that you can pray anytime, any day to Jesus. You don't have to do that only at church. I think that was a misnomer for me when I was growing up. I thought I only prayed at church. But, you know, I became born again, and I realized I could have a personal relationship with God and talk to him anytime.
Vikki:
He's my friend. So, anxiety for me, like, in the police department when John was an officer, we talked about that in the beginning, and it's in my book that I gave God to the Lord. I just gave I just said, Lord, take care of him. It's out of my control.
John:
Give me to the Lord. You didn't give God to the Lord.
Vikki:
Oh, John. Here I go again. Gave John to the Lord. Yeah. I gave God to the Lord.
Vikki:
That's one of the same thing. And I gave John to the Lord. Like, I instead of me stressing, you know, the anxiety, the stress over, is he gonna come safe at home safe at night? I just had asked God to take care of him. And then I didn't think about it again.
Vikki:
So, I think that's all you can do, but that's the same in business. You've gotta give your challenges to the Lord. Give your, dreams and goals to the Lord and ask that he bless you.
Vikki:
Yeah.
Vikki:
And it's not selfish. That's another thing. I think a lot of Christians think it's selfish to pray about yourself. It's not. Not at all.
Vikki:
He wants you to. Mhmm. Yeah.
John:
Yeah. Absolutely. Oftentimes, I think, boy, I'm I'm asking for a whole lot.
Vikki:
Right. You
John:
know? But why not?
Vikki:
Yeah. He wants to bless he wants to prosper us. That's in the Bible. I think over a 40 times the word prosper.
John:
I guarantee each and every one of us has so much in our lives that that we we need help with. Right? And that we would like to have help with. Ask for it.
Vikki:
Yeah. Yeah. And I don't know about you, but here's kind of a funny thing I thought of as a kid growing up. I know in football, you guys would huddle up and say a prayer or maybe it wasn't in the huddle. But we, cheerleaders, would, huddle ourselves before a game, and we would pray.
Vikki:
And we would pray for the all the players to be safe and not get injured. We would pray to win, though. We did not shy away from asking for the win. And as I got before I became a born again Christian, that was before I was born again. And I, I remember thinking, is that selfish?
Vikki:
Is that and the more, then I got to college and I still wasn't a Christian yet. Well, I was a Christian, but not born again. And I still kept thinking that that was selfish. But then I met you, and, you told me it's not selfish at all.
John:
I don't know
Vikki:
if you remember that.
John:
Not at all.
Vikki:
Yeah. Not he wants us to come to him with anything and everything, which includes being successful and winning.
Vikki:
Mhmm.
Vikki:
Yeah. So what did you have any thoughts?
John:
I was just gonna say because you were talking about stress and anxiety at the moment.
Vikki:
Oh, yeah.
John:
I I if any of you out there are having trouble, sleeping. Right? I think a lot of it may could possibly result be resolved if you would just give more to to the Lord. Right?
Vikki:
Oh, that's a good nugget. Yes.
John:
Yeah. Because I know I don't ever since I've been doing that, and seeking his guidance, I don't have trouble falling asleep. Mhmm. And I Yeah. I've had some pretty stressful days.
John:
And, you know, you all know what I did for for a living, which is kinda stressful work in in and of itself. But I would come home and fall right to sleep. Like, if I go to bed, I'm usually asleep within certainly within a minute. It's you oftentimes it's within seconds,
Vikki:
Yeah. Yeah. John's out. Like, honestly, I say when your head hits the pillow, you're out. Yeah.
Vikki:
Well, it's part partly you drink our cleanse and calm and the sleep juice. But but yeah. But even
John:
the times that I forget, like, I'll I'll I won't have that sleep chew before I go to bed, and I'll bring the Cleanse and Calm, which I make it we both make it like a tea. We just add hot water to it, so it's a really mild, like, little tea. Then I'll drink that before I go to bed. I'll bring that, set it on the nightstand, climb into bed, and I'll fall asleep before I can actually Finish it. Grab the mug and drink it.
Vikki:
I think your body's gotten used to it. Yeah. Sleeping so well. And giving giving your challenges to the Lord, your anxieties and stress.
John:
Because I think a lot of times people when they go to bed, they're just constantly thinking about all the issues that they have to deal with that either they've dealt with that day earlier Right. Or they're gonna have to deal with in the next day. Well, if you give it to the Lord, right, you're gonna just take his guidance. And that's your partner with in all these challenges. Like I said earlier, right, you're gonna ask someone to help you.
John:
Who who better to ask than than God?
Vikki:
Yeah.
John:
Well, if you know you're asking for the help and you know you're gonna get the help. Right? You know you're gonna get it because you act upon it. You take action on what the Lord brings to you as as, solutions to your problems.
Vikki:
Right.
John:
You're gonna have that help. I think you'll sleep better. At least I do.
Vikki:
Definitely.
John:
I'm at I'm at I'm at ease. Right? I'm I'm my my mind is calm because I know, hey. I'm getting help. I'm getting help from the the very best help I can possibly have.
John:
Right? Right. And now I just have to act on it.
Vikki:
Yeah. And I can't help but think too, even during police work time, we're talking business right now, but, you slept well as a police officer because you counseled the Lord and always asked him to guide you. I know the book of Romans for those police officers listening. Right? That was a biggie for you.
Vikki:
Mhmm.
Vikki:
And so many of that's so much of that scripture was like your shield of honor and valor.
John:
Mhmm. The right hand of God.
Vikki:
Yeah. When dealing with criminals. So yeah. I mean, I'm telling you, if you haven't found the Lord yet, please, you know, reach out to someone that you know locally. Go to a local church, and just be open.
Vikki:
I mean, I was scared to death. I thought when I accepted Jesus into my heart, this is being really transparent, I knew that I could do that, but I thought there was gonna be, like, a I've told you this. There there's gonna be, like, a bolt of lightning, and and I was gonna be maybe I've seen too many scary movies. I was gonna be like, something terrible is gonna happen. That just shows you where I was, and that's not in it all.
Vikki:
Nothing like that. Yeah. You're not gonna feel this bolt of energy. You're just accepting Christ into your heart, that he's gonna guide you. And I'm, you know, I'm a novice on the bible still, so I can't give you any specific quotes.
Vikki:
That's why it's great to go to a local church and seek that out because it's the best thing I've ever done. I mean, I don't have stress and anxiety. I just don't, and I know it's the lord. Mhmm. And here's another scripture on that.
Vikki:
Philippians four six through seven. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Isn't that the truth? Yes.
Vikki:
Yes. Yes. So true.
John:
What we're just talking about. Right?
Vikki:
It is. That that sums it all up. Yeah. Yeah. And, I guess, I'd love to leave with you guys, well, we'd both love to leave with you some encouragement, and just kind of a call to action, if you will.
Vikki:
For for us, one of the reasons I sought out direct sales and and building, multilevel marketing direct sales business, really was I saw it as a way of bringing the God to to people that may not know who he is. Because way back in the day, we were in Amway. Sorry. I have something bugging a piece of hair near my eye. We were in Amway and that's where I did the altar call.
Vikki:
Our group was a very Christian group, and, at one of our big conferences on a Sunday. They always had a Sunday, worship service. You didn't have to go, but I felt tugging, at my heart to go. And that's when I, like, looked at John and I said, I think I wanna walk forward and accept Jesus. And then you came with me,
Vikki:
Mhmm.
Vikki:
I think yeah. Because I didn't I was scared to walk up there alone.
John:
Because of that bolt of lightning?
Vikki:
Because of the bolt of lightning. I kid you not. That's what I thought. But it's been the biggest blessing friend of yours in high school that brought you to the Lord. Right?
John:
Yeah. Yeah. It was an Amway.
Vikki:
It was an Amway.
John:
It's funny that we talk about Amway in that way. It's just I don't know if I don't really think Amway, the the big company, and they've been around since the fifties. Right. Very successful company. I don't know in if I'm sure that
Vikki:
The DeVos family? Yeah.
John:
I'm sure that they're Christian, but it was mostly the group that like like Vicky was saying, it was our particular sponsorship group that was very, very much Christian. And I think it could have been any business.
Vikki:
Yeah. It's
John:
true. It could have been any business as long as it was that that particular group. And I and the other thing I think that we were drawn to, network marketing, direct sales, whatever you wanna call it. I think the reason which is the the company in New York that we're that we're involved in right now is that is a direct sales business. I think the reason why we were kinda drawn to that industry, there's actually several reasons.
John:
Right? It's it's very lucrative. Mhmm. There's great money to be made in it. But I think more importantly, it's a it's a business model of people helping other people.
John:
Right?
Vikki:
Yes. Yes. Yeah. That's it.
John:
So I think just in and of itself, it's has kind of a a Christian foundation to it. Right? It's always doing what's best for someone else. And if you do what's best for someone else and you do it enough times, it becomes very profitable for you. But you have to do the right thing.
John:
If you're doing it for the wrong reasons or not helping other people, then you're not gonna be successful in it.
Vikki:
Right.
John:
So we've kind of always loved that business model. And, unfortunately, the Federal Trade Commission, the FTC, is going after pretty much all direct sales businesses. They don't like the concept. I don't know why they don't like it. I think it's because, like most government agencies and entities, they want control, and they don't have very much control of these direct sales businesses.
John:
So they're going after pretty much every single one of them. In other businesses And
Vikki:
even real estate. Yeah.
Vikki:
That's what I
John:
was gonna say. Even other businesses that aren't necessarily considered direct sales, but even real estate that pays up has a pay structure or compensation structure that's very similar to what we use in direct sales. There's only one company that has survived it, and that's the one we're with, New York. That's one of the reasons why we're never gonna leave it because we will we will never have to because they've already fought the FTC on this, went through a years long battle. Right?
John:
Spent millions, tens of millions of dollars and won. Beat beat the federal government. And that's important because if if you believe, like we do, that a direct sales business model is the right one to be a part of and you're looking for a company, there is no company that's safe except for Neora. That's the only safe company.
Vikki:
%.
John:
Yeah. And the reason why I bring that up again is because we're not saying these other direct sales companies are bad. Many of them are very good. Right? And many of them are very bad, but there's some that are really good.
John:
The problem is they're not necessarily safe from the government. And that's the scary part. Right? That you're gonna invest your time and your effort in in building that and in building your organization, had to have it fall apart if the FTC comes knocking at the door, which they will. Yeah.
John:
They've already said that. They will.
Vikki:
They haven't stopped. And more and more companies are going to affiliate model or one first one generation, commission plan. Yeah.
John:
So they can stay in business, but the problem is in complying with the FTC guidelines, they can no longer pay the compensations, the lucrative compensation back to their, their distributor base
Vikki:
Right.
John:
Which hurts because then what are you gonna do? You know, as we've talked about before.
Vikki:
Yeah.
John:
The world doesn't go around on good wishes and good intentions. Right? It goes around things happen because of money. And you need to earn money to have options and to do the right things for yourselves and your families. Yes.
John:
And if you're not gonna be compensated because the FTC has changed the company that you deal with, has changed their their their structure, and they've gone to an affiliate model or what whatever they've done, that's huge. Right? You've gotta start over.
Vikki:
Right. So you wanna keep the right one. And I'm just saying, we're it. So we hope you've really enjoyed this. We hope you're gonna think about including God more in your business.
Vikki:
I guarantee you're gonna be a lot more successful when you do. He wants to bless you. He wants to prosper and keep you always, but you've gotta go to him. You've gotta include him. So I know we do.
Vikki:
And reach out. Let us know if you've loved anything from this podcast today. Take a screenshot and, post in your Instagram story. Post on your Facebook story and tag us. We would love to shout you back out again.
Vikki:
So have a great one, guys. Thank you so much. Bye. Thanks for joining us on Dig the Well.
John:
We hope you feel empowered and ready to take on new challenges.
Vikki:
Remember, if we can do it, so can you. Keep learning, keep believing, and going after your dreams.
John:
And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who needs a little inspiration or maybe a nudge in the right direction.
Vikki:
Help us grow this community of go getters. Together, we can achieve greatness and get back to family.
John:
Thanks for listening, and let's keep digging the way.