Don’t Just Dream The Dream, Ignite Your Inner Entrepreneur – Here’s how
Are you a potential Christian entrepreneur with a dream, vision or idea that is just that, a dream, vision or idea? Here’s some encouragement to help you go from dreamer to entrepreneur in one small step.
Marie Forleo, one of my fave business mentors and influencers, sent out the most awesome email (as she always does) to her students.
“You’re a leader and a shining example of entrepreneurial possibility — showing the world what it looks like to do business from a place of love, truth and service.
So many people talk about following their dreams, but it’s only a tiny fraction of humanity (read: YOU) who are actually going for it each and every day…”
She got me. I read through the rest of her inspirational email moist-eyed and believing in myself. As entrepreneurs it’s natural to occasionally get stuck. But after that email, I was fired up into action. As I’ve spent years working with women of faith and helping them to blossom right where they are, I’ve loved being able speak words of life into their souls, just like Marie did for me just then through her email. Having it said back felt oh-so-beautiful. In fact, life-giving. Life-giving to my dreams.
This line in particular:
“So many people talk about following their dreams, but it’s only a tiny fraction of humanity (read: YOU) who are actually going for it each and every day…”
Here’s why that line in Marie’s email meant so much to me, and why it’ll mean something to you if you’re an budding entrepreneurial bad-ass! Because it’s the darn truth. It’s not all about having great ideas! That’s one of the first things I learned during my Business Entrepreneurship degree when studying different entrepreneurial styles and personality traits. In fact, maybe it’s one of the most important things.
It takes something special to not just DREAM THE DREAM, but also ‘TAKE ACTION’ to make it come true. Thinking of the idea doesn’t make you an entrepreneur, it just makes you a person that can think of great ideas. Sometimes we’re willing to spend so much time telling people about our ideas (secretly just seeking validation) but we’re unwilling to spend the time it takes to get the work done. It’s the ‘doing attitude’ that counts! Faith without works is dead!
Neither is it all about of money…
OK, yes, girl, money is a rewarding, delightful and a welcomed bonus, but it’s not the primary incentive that usually drives the majority of us. Most of us want to make money so that we can get paid to do what we love, whilst providing for ourselves, families and equally to re-invest into serving others, with our business as the catalyst.
Here’s what it’s really about to me:
- It’s about identifying a need and using your gift to serve that need
- It’s about seeing an opportunity that your creativity and solution-finding-ability can fulfil
- It’s about knowing where your abundance can overflow to grace the lives of others.
- It’s about influencing your corner of the world for the better
- It’s about taking ACTION!
The hard bits!
Will you face challenges? Oh yeah!
Will you ever doubt why you even started? Yes, that too.
Will you ever feel overwhelmed by how much there is to do? Of course.
Will you ever feel stuck? Often!
Does that mean you’re the wrong sister for this?
Heeeell no! It only means you’re going to learn something new and grow a little more. Maybe get a little more determined, find a new collaboration, or develop new skills to overcome whatever is holding you back. Your challenges become a place to grow, build character, resilience and compassion – for yourself and others.
Here’s a connection that every females entrepreneur needs:
If you’re a woman that wants to start or grow in business, then Marie Forleo is your go-to-woman. If you haven’t signed to be an MF Insider, I highly recommend you do so.
Named by Oprah as a thought leader for the next generation and one of Inc.’s 500 fastest growing companies, Marie’s mission is to help you become the person you’re meant to be and use your gifts to change the world. She’s the creator of the award-winning online show MarieTV, founder of B-School and has been featured in Inc. Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine among others. Marie has mentored young business owners at Richard Branson’s Centre of Entrepreneurship and through her Change Your Life, Change The World initiative, a portion of profits are donated to support women, education, the environment and entrepreneurship. MarieForleo.com is one of Forbes.com’s Top 100 Websites for Entrepreneurs.

Marie encouraged me, and now I want to pay that encouragement forward. That’s what The Hope Table Sisterhood is about. It’s about building up and championing the sisters at your table. It’s also about grabbing a chair for the next sister and making room for her to join you and the others at the table. It’s about joining hands and helping one another along as we impact the world through Jesus and Entrepreneurship.
And we challenge one another. So, if there’s one thing that you’ve been putting off doing, I have a challenge for you.
Are you ready for the challenge?
Whether you’re yet to start or you need to develop your idea to go to the next level, after reading this post, I want you to switch off any unnecessary devices. Turn off Netflix or Real Housewives of Potomac, log out of your social media platforms (all of them), basically eliminate any distractions and do the darn thing!
Stop over-thinking it and do it. Be like Nike.
You’ll feel so much better afterwards. I promise you. Sometimes, we procrastinate on something for weeks, months, even years. It lingers in our head-space as an annoying mental to do list. Free your mind girl! You don’t have to finish right now, you just have to start it. Take one small step. Even if it doesn’t ‘all’ make sense yet.
“But I don’t know where to start” I hear you say.
You don’t have to start with a million bucks, or or with everything in place. Just start where you are.
Here are 17 simple suggestions for a first-step. You only have to choose one (of course you could choose more):
-
- Write the vision down
- Make the call
- Send the email
- Plan your next steps
- Schedule actions in your diary
- Reach out to organisations that offer free business planning (my local library and university do. Yours might too)
- Download a business plan online
- Start research on the internet
- Sketch the idea out
- Find out if there’s a course
- Purchase a book or magazine on the topic
- Check out YouTube videos or Pinterest
- Get a coach
- Book a webinar
- Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs
- Speak to some YOU TRUST or those you hope to serve to find out what they think/or need
- ____________________________________________________(whatever other action you need to take….fill it in here)
It just takes ONE action to start. I can’t tell you exactly what action you need to take because I’m 2 screens away, only you really know what you need to do to get the ball moving.
Here are a few of my fave quotes to ignite you into action:
“Small steps (before it all makes sense) really are big steps” – Jordan Lee Dooley, Founder of SoulScripts
“The critical ingredient is getting of your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. Lot of people have ideas, but there are a few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week but today. The true entrepreneur is a doer not a dreamer’ – Noel Bushnell, founder of Atari and the video games industry”
“You can stay in the boat and watch the miracle, or you can step out of the boat and be a part of the miracle” Me 🙂 Shovorne Charly Adams. founder of The Hope Table Sisterhood
Here are my last words on this post:
Dear Dreamer, Your God-given dreams will reveal the potential. When you awaken from dreaming, and grasp the reality of all you are meant to be, you’ll become a woman of action that makes them happen.
You are:
Bold
Brave
Powerful
Capable
Cherished
Needed
Smart
and perfect for the job.
And as one of my faves Emily would, say “You Are Enough”.
I can’t wait to witness the dreams of your soul, become an asset to this world.
With Heart & Hope,
Shovorne Charly Adams

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The Little That You Have – by Shovorne Adams
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Girl!! This was amazing!! I felt like it was written for me. Like you were whispering God’s words of wisdom.
As a new blogger for a year now I had had a little bit of everything you mentioned. Your words are something I think I want to wake up to every morning. Thank you for this !!
Definitely the kick in the butt that I needed today! Thank you!!!
Thanks for this really inspiring post. I intend to become a woman of action for the success of my business.
Very motivating read. Pinning! 🙂
This post is really motivating. Definitely make me want to go do some work on my blog, show what I can really do.
I love your quote the best! “You can stay in the boat and watch the miracle, or you can step out of the boat and be a part of the miracle”
LOVE it! And this is so encouraging to me. I didn’t realize when I started our non-profit / ministry that I was becoming a Christian entrepreneur. I thought of entrepreneurs as for commercial business only.
Turns out starting a non-profit (we are doing our ministry not quite like anyone else) is a whole lot of the same kind of challenges, .. how to be a start-up, how to convince others to take a chance on you, how to communicate your message… and market your organization. Not to mention taxes, accounting, business plans, etc.
It all feels so overwhelming. I kind of just have this mentality though that I’ll move forward one step at a time as much as I can move forward. And will deal with being stuck when I get stuck instead of sitting around waiting until everything is figured out before I take the first or next step.
A very well intended article that I can use time and time again. Thanks for this guide with quotes that push you to the next step!
This rocks, Shovorne. I love to see more and more Christian entrepreneurs getting out there and going for it! It’s true: it only takes one step to start climbing the staircase.
I love how you say Be Nike! I may write that on my desk somewhere . It is tough being a Christian entrepreneur but so worth it!
Great motivation! I wanted to start blogging for YEARS and never actually did it until I got with my now husband. He told me the only one holding me back, was myself, and I needed to just jump in and do it. I’m glad I listened to him. I have never been happier!
Christian entrepreneurship is such a gift. You are so right. Sometimes we have to go do it. Just stop making excuses, and get the job done – little by little, day by day.
My favourite line: ‘It only means you are going to learn something new and grow a little more. Maybe get a little more determined, find a new collaboration, or develop new skills to overcome whatever is holding you back. Your challenges become a place to build character and resilience and self-compassion.’ The fact that when you pursue a calling, you will face difficulties BUT you will grow from the challenges. I am at this stage OFTEN in my business but we are still in the game and each hurdle has definitely brought with it some valuable lessons that only add to my growth portfolio. A great post Shovorne! xx
My biggest dream for years has been to be a successful blogger. I would cry at my lack of success and the sense that there was never enough time to work on it with my full time job. I recently took some time off to get focused and it has been AMAZING. Although I might have to go back for financial reasons, I now feel that I am understanding what I need to be working on with the time I do have and I just know I am on the right path as I do what I can each day to move forward. I love this motivation and wish you all the success as you pursue your dreams <3
I definitely needed to see this!
Briana
https://beyoutifulbrunette.com/
Fantastic advice! I’m going to take your challenge today and see what happens! Thanks for all the great tips!
Yes my friend. Do the darn thing xx
Thank you for sharing such a powerful post i really need it
Such wonderful encouragement to show others to share their gifts!
Thank you Neca. ❤
Excellent article with some useful practical tips! ???
❤ you’re awesome. Let us know how you get on. X
What a great post. Well written. I am working on the seventeen steps. It is time for a new vision for my next chapter of life.
Hey Keith! You are diving in! Most just start with one action but you are ready to hit the ground running and start ’em all! Yasss Keith! #readyforaction