Invest . Influence . Impact - Inspired Stewardship

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Scott Maderer, Founder of Inspired Stewardship, located in Lakehills, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a coach and public speaker (and soon to be an author of Inspired Stewardship, releasing in 2024). I help Faith Based Entrepreneurs master their time, their talent, and their treasures to live out their calling. In other words, I work with small business people and solopreneurs who feel stuck because they know they should be doing and having more, but they are held back by time or money.

They either feel like they make too much money to feel this broke, or they feel like they have way too many things to do to live out their passion. But the truth is all we work on is talent because, at the end of the day, the way you handle your time and the way you handle your money is all about how you handle yourself.

Tell us about yourself

I am a husband and father and am heavily involved in church activities in numerous ways. I was an educator for 16 years and then worked in the corporate world for 11 years. I started my coaching business on the side when I realized that my passion for leading and teaching was expressed to my students and my team through coaching. I went full-time with coaching in 2017 when I realized that it was my real passion and calling.

Seeing others live out their passion and calling was the real "fun." Yes, I love to work for myself, have a flexible schedule, and a short commute to my home office, but the why behind my business is helping others make the complex simple (which doesn't mean easy), so they can do what they know they are supposed to be doing in the world and have peace while they do it.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I've worked with clients in 11 countries, helping them realize success. My longest client has been with me for about eight years, and I've seen my clients achieve THEIR Goals, growing from survival to thriving in business and in life. But the real accomplishment is seeing my clients say that my coaching helped them save their marriage, or they finally feel like they have peace about doing what they feel called to do without worry or stress.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Belief. You are the lid of your business. I am the lid of my business. That's the hardest thing. Our own mindset. Our beliefs. What we choose to do or not do. That is the thing that holds us back or lifts us up. More than tools or techniques or skills, our own mindset and beliefs are the hardest thing because, all too often, they are invisible to us. We say things like I have to do that, there are only two options, or I didn't have a choice, and yet we don't recognize that none of those are true.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Find others that you can be in the community with. Other business owners. A coach. Friends and family. Find a group because being a business owner is a lonely business, and you need to find a community to support you.
Recognize that you are the lid of your business and invest in growing yourself. Don't just focus on the technical skills and abilities, but grow all three legs of your business. Grow your skills in BUSINESS. Grow your TECHNICAL skills. And, most importantly, grow YOU.
Recognize that action always trumps inaction. Find the next small step and take it. Even doing nothing is a choice. Yes, you will make mistakes, but find ways to make mistakes that aren't irreversible or fatal and only stress about the very small set of choices and decisions that have those types of consequences. And that's a very small set of choices indeed.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://inspiredstewardship.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredStewardship/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stewardcoach/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StewardCoaching
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/csmaderer/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.