Author: Henry Murphy

Can we be real for a minute? Some days, we just don’t feel motivated. Some days, we just don’t feel like it. But if you have a plan and I hope you do (and if not, get one) then the objectives you’ve set for yourself must be executed consistently.

This is where discipline comes in because motivation doesn’t show up every day. It’s unreliable. If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve seen it firsthand, discipline is what allows you to switch gears and say, “I’m going to show up no matter what. I’m going to do what I said I’d do. I’m not going to break the promise I made to myself.”

Lately, I’ve added more things to my life, which has taken time away from writing my blogs. And I could have written them, I had the time—but I just didn’t feel motivated. So today, I’m writing because this is discipline in action.

There will always be days when you don’t feel like showing up, but success is built on consistency, not feelings. The difference between those who make it and those who don’t is the ability to push through even when they’re unmotivated. Obedience to the call outweighs comfort.

So even when you don’t feel like it, get up and get it done.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

OK, OK! I  gotta tell you, I’m geeked out just talking about this. Let me walk you through how I landed on this whole vertical acquisition thing.

It started on Instagram. I kept running into this lady breaking down acquisitions, and she was talking about Amazon; how their downstream acquisition was Whole Foods, and how they strategically built out community Amazon pickups, lockers, and so much more. That alone was crazy to me, but I never connected it to my own business.

Then I’m listening to Sam Walton’s book, Made in America, and boom, there it is again. Walmart was expanding to the East Coast, and instead of starting from scratch, they acquired Kuhn’s Big K stores. But that wasn’t all. They took it further, building distribution centers to make sure stores got their inventory on time and customers got what they needed. That’s when it clicked.

Within a week, all this info started coming to me from different angles. Then one night, the Lord showed me exactly how this applies to my business. Now, I don’t know how He talks to y’all, but with me, it’s like that scene in Iron Man, you know, when Tony Stark is moving stuff around on the screen, piecing everything together? That’s how my mind was working.

I jumped out of bed the next morning and started researching upstream and downstream acquisitions. Let me break it down real quick:

• Upstream acquisition – This is when you take over a supplier. So for Unapologetic, that could mean acquiring a textile company to control material costs and quality.

• Downstream acquisition – This is when you take over a distributor or retailer. So for a brand like mine, that could mean owning a screen printing facility or even our own stores and fulfillment centers.

Man, let me tell you, I talked about this to everybody I saw that day! This opened up my mind to so many possibilities for making my business more efficient, cutting costs, and expanding in a smart way.

If you’re an entrepreneur, I challenge you to think about this. What’s the upstream and downstream move for your business? How can you own more of your process instead of relying on outside companies?

Stay motivated. Keep building. God Bless The Entrepreneur.

God Bless The Entrepreneur 

We all deal with broken promises, especially when it comes to ourselves and the things we want to do in life. I refuse to give up on this. I’m always striving to keep my promises to myself. If I put something on the calendar, I do my best to stick to it even if I have to shift the task to another date or even move it to another list. The goal is to get to it.

Blogging is one thing I’ve stayed consistent with, and I’m proud of that. I’m actually 2 to 3 months ahead right now because I built a system for it. At the time of this writing, I’m doing great with my eating habits, and while I still want to improve, I’m focusing on building consistency where I’m at. Looking back, I can see how far I’ve come. The way I used to eat was ridiculous. I had to educate myself about where food comes from and what it does to the body, and that knowledge has helped me on my journey.

I’ve stayed true to learning diving into podcasts, reading books, and seeking to become a better entrepreneur. I also want to grow as a student of the word of God. Both of these require intentionality. There are still things on my list that I haven’t accomplished yet, but I think about them every day. Once I make a commitment, I have to keep that promise. It’s about building the mental fortitude to do it day in and day out.

The mind can easily become relaxed if you let it. If you let it, the mind will start telling you what to do instead of you telling it. It doesn’t matter how small you start. We just have to stop lying to ourselves and stop letting broken promises run our lives because they affect every area of it. Broken promises chip away at our confidence, and if we don’t believe in ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to?

Enough with the broken promises.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

The next thing I want to talk about is Customer Service. Now, we all know how important that is. Lately, I’ve been on X (formerly known as Twitter), trying to get in touch with Teachable just to let them know that their customer service is trash. For real, it’s been a nightmare trying to get a response from them.

And look, I get it. AI is the future. Even as I’m building out my Shopify platform, I know I’ll be using a chatbot to handle quick questions. But here’s the thing, there has to be a limit. At some point, if a customer is asking multiple questions or getting frustrated, they need to talk to a real person.

I’ve been on the other side of this, trying to get help from different companies, and it’s frustrating when you can’t reach a human. And a lot of these companies? They got the nerve to put you in “tiers” based on how much you pay! Nah, I’m not rocking with that. I don’t want my business to be another company that ignores its customers.

This is what I’m thinking about as I build Unapologetic. And honestly, this is why I respect Sam Walton so much. Back in the day, Walmart employees used to wear vests that said, “How May I Help You?” Customer service was built into the culture. But after he passed in ‘92? That whole vibe disappeared.

I refuse to let that happen in my company. Customer service has to be a priority. I want my customers to feel valued, not ignored. And I hope you feel the same way about your business.

At the end of the day, no customers = no business.

Let’s do better. Let’s build better. 

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

I’m not even sure how Sam Walton got on my radar, but when I heard that he worked for JCPenney before building Walmart into a massive empire, I was intrigued. But it wasn’t until I got into his autobiography, Made in America, that I really started to understand his mindset, his journey, and his approach to business.

I’ve been an entrepreneur for over a decade, and his story hit me in a way I didn’t expect. It reminded me that not everything you try is going to work—and that’s OK. Now, I say that all the time, but when you realize Walmart is doing $680 billion a year right now, and back in ‘92, right before he passed, they were already doing $43 billion a year. Man, that expanded my thinking.

One of the biggest things that stood out to me was profit sharing. Sam Walton was big on it, and he broke it down in detail in his book. Now, as I’m rebuilding my company, I’m doing things differently than I did last time. I want to set up key roles in my business where the people working with me actually share in the profits—because when people feel like they own a part of the company, they treat it differently.

I love this model. And I’m already putting it into action. I just structured a profit-sharing agreement for my Creative Director. It’s a one-year plan that starts with an internship phase, then moves into a 10% profit share, and eventually a salary + 5% of net profit. At the end of the year, we’ll reevaluate and adjust as needed.

See, in the past, we’ve done $70,000 months and beyond, and honestly? We weren’t even operating as efficiently as we could have been. Now, as I put this back together, the opportunity feels limitless.

I have no idea if my Creative Director will stick around for the entire year. But I felt like this needed to be done now. And I’m not sure how many positions I’ll build this model around, but I’m excited to test it out.

If you’re building a company, I hope this sparks something in you. Think about how profit-sharing could change the way your team operates. Because when people feel like they own a piece of the business, they move differently.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

I just got off the phone with someone who has become a friend. I gave them advice, wisdom I truly believed was right for them, but afterward, I had this moment of conflict. Not because I doubted what I told them, but because when I looked at my own life, I started second-guessing if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing in this season.

So, I went upstairs to pray. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep mid-prayer. And honestly, that’s how this season of my life feels unpredictable, filled with questions, and constantly seeking clarity. I keep asking God, Should I make this move? Should I make that move? What should I be doing?

But before I fell asleep, all I got was a quiet peace. No big revelation. No deep answer. Just a simple Trust Me. And sometimes, that’s all God gives us. Not because He’s withholding direction, but because trusting Him is the direction.

Then came the confirmation. My uncle called me later, telling me how he was in church, moved to tears by the sermon. He said he felt in his heart that the message was for me. When he told me what it was, I had to sit with it for a second.

Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

That was my answer. Wait. But waiting isn’t just about sitting still, it’s about how you wait. Do you wait in fear or in faith? In frustration or in trust? In weakness or with strength?

Some seasons aren’t about moving. They’re about believing. About standing firm when everything in you wants to run. About choosing faith over doubt, even when the next step is unclear.

So, if you’re in a season of uncertainty, let me encourage you with the same thing I was reminded of today, wait well. Trust well. Because God is faithful in every season.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

I’ve been known as the e-commerce guy, the person people come to with questions. And honestly, I love it. I love what I do. But most of the time, people aren’t even asking about e-commerce. They want to know where to get their stuff printed or what design to go with. And sure, I can give them that information, but all I can think is… you’re missing the fundamentals.

So my next question is always this: Is this a side hustle, or are you actually trying to build a brand? Because if you’re serious about building a brand, you need to have some level of understanding. Do you have a “why”? Do you have proof of concept? Do you even have a brand name? And are you ready to be trademarked? Before we even get into the details, these are the things that matter. These are the foundations. But people always want to skip steps. They want to rush the process. And honestly, it gets frustrating.

It’s like those new houses that go up in record time, look good on the outside, but inside? You can hear conversations through the walls, footsteps shake the floors, and nothing is built to last. That’s how I see business. If you’re going to build a brand, build it right. Build it with the fundamentals.

But then, I remind myself… maybe some of the people I’m talking to aren’t even the ones I’m supposed to be talking to. And that’s fine. I let it roll off my back like… water off a duck? A duck on the water? Whatever it is, you know what I mean.

I just keep putting out content, keep pushing the message. The right people, the ones who care about building something that lasts will find it.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

One thing I’ve learned along the way is the importance of preparation and trusting your gut. When I was creating the job description for my creative director, and even for anyone you plan to bring onto your team, I’d suggest that you start building job descriptions in a way that’s aligned with the specific tasks you need them to perform. Do this early on in your business journey.

When you first start out, you’re usually doing everything yourself. But you can’t stay in that phase forever. You need to document your process, and this is where SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) come in. They outline the steps for the tasks they will perform, and, more importantly, how they will do it. Don’t overcomplicate it.

A few days ago, we were sending back audio messages, and one of the questions my team member asked was, “Should I wait a year before bringing on an intern?” I thought about it for a moment, then replied, “No. I think once we hit about six months, that would be the perfect time to bring someone in.”

Why? Because what I’m training you on right now is hands-on. The things I’m teaching you will soon become your responsibility, taking over what I do when I’m not there. The cool thing is that the things you’ll be training your intern on are the things you’ve already mastered, things like setting up payroll, finding models, scouting videographers, and even working with influencers for TikTok marketing strategies. It’s not about doing everything on your own; it’s about offloading the smaller tasks so you can move on to the bigger ones.

Plus, the bonus of bringing an intern in is that it protects the company. If your hire decides to move on, you’ve already got someone in place who’s been groomed for the position, and if they fit, they can step right into it.

This is something I attempted earlier in my entrepreneurship journey, but I won’t say I failed, I just didn’t do as great of a job as I could’ve. And that’s okay. We learn from it. As I continue building, I’m being much more intentional about the entire process. The details matter, and this time, I’m making sure that I get it right.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

Blogging has become my best friend. I guess because I look at it as a place to process my thoughts, a space to unload what’s on my heart, and a place to plant seeds. It’s funny because I never considered myself a blogger, but the more I do it, the more I love it. There’s something amazing in the scriptures when Jesus talks about planting a seed, you never really know what that seed goes through. All you see is the harvest.

That’s what I hope my writing does. Every time I sit down to write, I’m planting a seed. A seed for someone to learn from, to take the information and do something with it, to be encouraged, to be inspired. One thing I’ve realized is that the struggles we go through in life aren’t just for us alone. It’s easy to become selfish and get so caught up in our own lives, thinking everything is about what’s happening to us. But no. As we navigate these seasons, we begin to understand that someone else can benefit from this. Someone can learn from the struggles we face. They can apply it to their life, maybe skip a season that I’m going through or maybe walk through the same season but with the wisdom I’m sharing. At least they can read about it from me.

I personally write with entrepreneurs in mind, but I believe anyone can learn from it. Some of my thoughts are nerdy, some quirky, some serious, it just depends on the mood and how I’m thinking through things.

As I write this, on the back deck, pollen is falling heavier on a cool day in Atlanta, Georgia. The sun is nearing its setting, and the sky is overcast, but I’m smiling because I get the opportunity to do this. Be encouraged, keep going, and in all things, ask the Lord to order your steps.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

I was on a coaching call with one of my clients when she said, “Systems eat strategies for breakfast.” I was like, “Hold up what? Say that again!” Man, I thought that was such an amazing title. So today, I want to talk about strategies and systems. Both are important, but they play two distinct roles. The truth is, strategies don’t make any sense without systems because if you have an amazing strategy, you’re going to see the holes where your systems should be.

I remember walking into our first independent Unapologetic®️ building, which I called “the original compound.” It was a huge space in the back about 2,500 square feet. As soon as I walked in, my mind immediately began to create the flow of systems that needed to be put in place. I thought to myself, “The shipping station will go over here, the bags will go here, the shelves will go here, the printing station will go over there, and the transfers will go on this wall that would be a good start.” The photo studio would go on this wall, and we would hang the paper on the wall, so when we’re not using it, the lights can be tucked into the wall to keep that space clear. I also added a folder station for the shirts before they went to the shelves.

Now, it was time to put people into that system. As a shirt got printed, it was folded, then we added a sticker and placed it on the shelf. The inventory was logged into the computer. The desk was set up so that as we pulled the shirt off, we’d grab the bag, stuff it with any cards that needed to go in there, print out the label, add the shipping receipt, and then it went into the USPS mailer bins. We then took those mail bins to the front. We then went into our USPS business account and scheduled a pick-up, and the orders were off to the customers.

There are other systems that go along with this too way too many to name in this blog but that’s the gist of a system. Now let’s talk about strategy.

Both systems and strategies go hand-in-hand. For example, when I bring a model in to take a picture or record a video, I use that content to run an ad. I send out a text message with it and include it in an email sequence. That’s my strategy to drive sales. But here’s the catch: strategies always lead back to more systems. After running that campaign, I can automate the system with more email marketing, more text message marketing, abandoned cart automations I  could go on, but I think you get the picture.

So, what’s the difference? Strategy is the big-picture plan the “what” and “why.” It’s your overall approach to achieving your goals. It’s about deciding what direction you want to go in and how you’ll make things happen. Systems are the actionable steps—the “how” and “when.” Systems are the tools, processes, and structures you put in place to make your strategy come to life. They’re how you turn ideas into action and ensure everything runs efficiently.

Strategies are great, but they mean nothing without systems to execute them. Systems are what keep the wheels turning, day in and day out. And without them, even the best strategy can fall apart.

God Bless The Entrepreneur