Author: Henry Murphy

Have you ever heard the saying, “Everything is figureoutable”? Entrepreneurs figure it out. If there’s a problem, if there’s something that needs to be solved, we can figure it out. This mindset has to be in place.

Now that we’ve established that, let’s get into it.

When I first started in my brand, Unapologetic®, I really didn’t know what I was doing. But then, I got an amazing opportunity to go on tour with a promoter. Here’s what you need to realize about touring: it can be an amazing opportunity—not that it will be.

Let me say that again: it can be. But for me, “can be” was all I needed.

I knew there would be risks involved, but I was willing to take the chance because I told myself, Even if I don’t sell a single shirt, I’ll have the opportunity to talk to people about my brand—people I wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to meet face-to-face. That was my mindset. If I could just cover gas, hotels, and the cost of being on the tour itself, I was good. I even went so far as to say I’d sleep in my truck if I had to.

I’ll be honest: it was hit or miss for a while. Some shows were amazing, and some weren’t. And when you’re on the road back-to-back, you have to stock all your merchandise upfront, so your costs are loaded on the front end. Then you’re working to make it back on the backend. Still, it was a chance I was willing to take.

Stepping out into the unknown is risky. That’s why I’m so passionate about my shirt: Faith got me living risky. I really live this.

It reminds me of that scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—the one where Indiana comes to a deep chasm that looks impossible to cross. He’s standing there, faced with what looks like certain failure, but he’s told to take a leap of faith. As he steps out, what looked like nothing suddenly becomes something. A hidden bridge appears beneath his feet, carrying him across to the other side.

That’s what faith is like. You don’t always see the path ahead, but you step out anyway, trusting that what you can’t see will show up when you need it most.

I wish I could tell you that becoming an entrepreneur comes without risk. But if I told you that, I’d be lying. Even when you reach a point where the risks are more calculated, they’re still risks nonetheless. But here’s what I want to say: believe in yourself and go for it.

If you never try, you’ll never know. And honestly, that’s the thing I can’t live with—not trying, not knowing.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

I could not wait to be a full-time entrepreneur. Give me the risk, give me the uncertainty, give me the possibilities. That’s what I fell in love with—the creativity of it all.

If I am honest, this became my life. It became who I was, and it was hard for me to identify myself outside of an entrepreneur. I was many things at this time: I was a husband, a brother, a cousin, a father, a grandfather, and a friend to quite a few people. I became hyper-focused, and I didn’t apologize for it. I was literally unapologetic.

Now honestly, I’m not mad that in certain seasons you become all in with what you’re doing. I think that is necessary. But I look back, and I looked around, and so much has happened. So many people passed away, and I wish I spent more time with them. I had some great experiences doing my work and traveling, but I wish I would’ve just traveled more with my wife—independently from my work schedule.

I should’ve taken more lunches with friends. I should’ve checked up on my brothers and sisters more often, especially my grandmothers and my mother. And I can go on, but I think you get the picture here.

We are more than just what we do. While this is good, we have to find a way to be everything we are.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

If you’re just getting started in the e-commerce space, then you’re probably trying to figure out, “How am I going to make this happen?” I don’t have two pennies to rub together right now, but I have a dream. I know what that’s like, so I’m going to give you some things to think about, some things that you can be doing while you’re waiting on the season of execution.

When I’m having a coaching session with someone and they tell me, “I have all these ideas, but I don’t have the money to do anything,” the first thing I ask them is, “If I gave you $100,000 right now, what would you do with it? What would be the first place that you invest?” I usually get silence because they didn’t think about that. Most of us don’t, and some of you reading this, you may be past that stage, but I think you should still ask yourself this question.

I don’t want to overwhelm you, but let me give you some practical things to think about outside of listening to entrepreneur books and podcasts and writing down information—but not just writing it down, but actually putting some things into practice. Practice is your friend on this journey.

So let me give you a few things to think about. Have you developed your why? What is your brand mission? What are your values? These things are important because they help you make decisions on your journey. Since you’re a brand in the e-commerce space, how many designs do you have? Do you have a great graphic designer? Do you understand the files that a graphic designer creates? Do you know what a DST file is? Do you have an understanding of embroidery and screen printing? Do you know if you’re going to do shipping yourself versus distribution? Have you vetted any distribution companies? What manufacturers are you going to use here in the U.S.? Do you understand the process of manufacturing overseas and where you should start? Do you have your brand trademarked? Do you understand what email flow is and how important it is to take someone on a customer journey?

I can go on, but this is just enough to ask. Do you understand these things in a way that you can execute them and explain them? If not, you’ve got more work to do, but don’t worry—because this is a game of patience. Take your time. You’re building something great.

If you’re not ready to answer those questions with confidence, that’s okay. It just means you’re still in the preparation phase. But the good news is, preparation is the key to success. Don’t rush to the finish line without laying the foundation first. You’ve got to put in the work now, so when the money does come, you’re ready to execute without hesitation. Remember, this is a journey, and it’s not a race. Take your time, keep learning, and keep building. Stay focused on what’s important, because every step you take now is getting you closer to the dream you’re meant to fulfill.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

Many people express a desire to build wealth, which is honorable, as God placed us here to work. We build wealth by serving others. When you create a business, your primary goal is to serve. For instance, if you are an apparel brand owner, serving effectively means offering quality apparel, ensuring high-quality printing, delivering a clear brand message, providing great customer service, and ensuring fast delivery. By doing so, people will exchange their hard-earned money for what you offer. This is one of the most honorable actions we can undertake. We inject money into the economy, create jobs, serve people, and utilize the creativity God has given us.

Do you remember that campaign that the brand Staples ran? The easy button? Trust me, that is not entrepreneurship. It’s not as simple as pressing a button and having everything fall into place. Entrepreneurship requires hard work, dedication, and resilience. You must desire it, possess grit and tenacity, and avoid juggling too many tasks simultaneously. I promise that if you focus, even if it takes two, three, or five years, you can set yourself up for the next 20 to 30 years and future generations. Isn’t that worth it?

Consider this: ask yourself, “What have I learned this week?” If you can’t identify at least three things you’ve learned pertaining to your business, you might not be as serious as you claim. I aim to be straightforward in this message, but I also encourage you not to waste the creativity God has given you. Be comfortable with discomfort and willing to invest in yourself.

God bless the entrepreneur

I’ve been married for about 27 years at the time of writing this blog. My wife and I often have conversations at two or three in the morning, or sometimes at six or seven. I love these talks. They’re random but frequent, especially in certain seasons. They might spark from books we’ve been reading or things we’ve seen on social media, and we dive right into them.

Recently, during one of these conversations, my wife mentioned that our life should be on autopilot because of our relationship with God and our study of His living Word.

At first, when she said “autopilot,” I thought I understood, but maybe I didn’t. The more I reflected, the more it hit me. What she was saying is that when we have a deep relationship with God—when we’re spending time with Him day in and day out and studying His Word—it becomes who we are. It becomes second nature. Now, this isn’t to say we’re without sin—that’s not what I mean. But over time, living out God’s Word starts to reflect in our speech and in our character. You don’t even have to say you’re a Christian—people just know there’s something different about you.

Can I be honest? Scriptures like “meditate on His Word day and night” and “pray without ceasing” used to feel impossible to me. I get it now. It took me 20 years, but I finally get it. Here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to take you that long. God is waiting for you. He has a plan for your life. He has a purpose for you.

Let Him lead you and guide you. Trust Him in the valleys and on the mountaintops. Every season is necessary.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

When I first became an entrepreneur, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I grabbed everything—caramel, chocolate, fudge, peppermint—you name it. I wanted to test my hands on everything and see what could produce. Why? Because I had spent most of my life in the restaurant business, working for someone else, making them money. That was all I knew—clocking in, clocking out, and providing for my family. So, when the opportunity came to break free, I went crazy exploring entrepreneurship.

It’s been over a decade now, and though I started with one reason for what I was doing, God has been shaping my heart into something new. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, entrepreneurship is a patient game. But I love it. I wake up excited, even in seasons when there was no money. I just held onto hope.

And I hope you feel that same way, even if you’re in a season of lack. If God has given you a vision through the power of imagination, fall in love with the work. The work will produce in its time if you stay consistent.

But back to my original thought: Why am I doing this?

Money is good. It’s not inherently wrong, and it’s often a byproduct of what we bring to the marketplace. But is money enough? Not for me. It doesn’t have an eternal perspective, and as a believer, eternity is everything. I believe God knew I wouldn’t see this in the beginning; it had to be revealed slowly as I listened and grew.

Many entrepreneurs are motivated to close the wealth gap, and I salute them. That’s a desire of mine, too. But for me, it’s about more than that. The eternal perspective is to give to those preaching the gospel across the world, to be a hand that supports the hands on the ground.

It’s about being a resource for people doing the hard, thankless work in communities—those addressing women’s slavery, mental health, and issues I’ve witnessed firsthand in my family and my life. That’s my why. I want to create businesses that generate billions so I can supply the needs of those doing the work on the ground.

Lord, let Thy will be done, Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

Have you ever been doing something with great effort but felt like you were going nowhere? That could just be a feeling, or it could literally be your life. Consistency is good, but consistency without intentionality or direction is like walking on a treadmill. You’re getting exercise, but you’re not going anywhere. Let me give you a better example.

I remember recording a ton of content for Instagram and TikTok, but I was all over the place. I had no clear direction on what I wanted to talk about. Once I realized that I wanted to speak to entrepreneurs who owned e-commerce brands, my intentionality changed. I wasn’t so broad because in entrepreneurship, you can talk about a lot of things. But I wanted to be precise about who I was talking to and what I was talking about. When I did that, it just made more sense. Now, I’m only attracting the people I’m speaking to. Anyone else? They’re going to bypass me because it doesn’t apply to them.

Now, was my work ethic good? Yes, it was. I was recording, editing, posting, and I was proud of myself. And while that’s good, it was hustling backwards.

You need a clear direction for where you’re going, and everything you do needs to align with that direction. Everything on your calendar needs to make sense. The calendar is so important because if you’re operating without one, yes, you might have some good days, but that’s like shooting dice. You want some surety in where you’re going and how much effort you’re putting in every day. That’s what makes your consistency matter.

Any successful entrepreneur will tell you the difference between where they are and where you are is consistency and focused attention on what they’re doing day in and day out.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

You feel the weight of loneliness when trying to build something on your own. I’ve been there, and let me tell you it’s not a great feeling. When I first started my company, Z180 Radio, a lot was happening in my life. My wife and I were going through a rough patch, and during the building phase, we briefly separated. It was devastating, but I kept working around the clock, pouring everything I had into the business.

At the time, I didn’t know if we would reconcile, but I felt I had to keep pushing. Eventually, my wife and I got back together, but I was still juggling a full-time job and building the business behind the scenes. Then something shifted she started to believe in me and encouraged me even when things didn’t make sense. Her support was the catalyst I didn’t realize I needed.

Once she stepped in and supported the dream, it all started to come together. She handled the areas where I lacked, using her strengths to complement mine. Together, we turned my vision into our reality. Today, the future feels bright because we’re moving as one.

Our story isn’t unique. Lisa and Brian Sugar, for example, turned their complementary strengths into the foundation of PopSugar, now a massive media company. Julia and Kevin Hartz did the same with Eventbrite, proving that encouragement and teamwork can spark something extraordinary.

Being in business with your spouse is not always easy. It requires communication, patience, and a shared commitment to the bigger picture. But when both partners bring their unique strengths to the table and truly support one another, the results can be remarkable.

The journey is brighter when you’re not walking it alone.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

I remember like yesterday, I was 11 years old when I fell in love with The Karate Kid. I was just like Daniel. I didn’t understand why Mr. Miyagi was making him wax the car with “wax on, wax off” and paint the fence “up and down.” I thought to myself, probably just like most of you, he’s just using that little boy!And that’s exactly what Daniel thought too. “I’m doing all your work for you,” he said.

But what Mr. Miyagi was really doing was laying the foundation for Daniel to defend himself.

Foundation is everything. It’s the key to your business.

I’ve written about this before, but not with this approach. This week in The Ground Up Academy, at least three of my students had to change their business names because they didn’t understand what is needed in the foundation.

If you’re starting a brand, here’s my advice:

    •    Come up with three solid names you like.

    •    Then, go for the trademark.

Do not start building your logo, designing your website, or branding your apparel until you know you truly own that name. This is foundational. This step cannot be skipped over, or it could cause you serious heartache in the long run.

There are so many benefits to securing a trademark, but the most important one is knowing you own your brand before you invest in it. There are countless horror stories out there—businesses forced to stop production, change their name, or even hand over profits because they didn’t own the rights to their name.

Imagine owning a building with your logo branded on the front, your bags and merchandise all designed, your social media fully built out and then someone hits you with a cease-and-desist order. Suddenly, you’re forced to stop everything or pay someone else a portion of your earnings.

This can happen, and it happens more often than you think.

I can’t stress it enough: foundation is key. Secure your trademark first, and then make your dreams come to life.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

I often think back to the hard work it took to build Unapologetic®, especially through social media. It requires an incredible amount of consistency. Rebuilding the brand from the ground up isn’t easy, but I leaned on a few things I thought would give me a slight advantage. However, the landscape had shifted dramatically. What I thought would take months felt like years, and I soon realized that in business, three years can feel like two decades.

Take my text message list, for example. I had 10,000 contacts an asset I was sure would help me regain some traction. But when I began the process of reactivating it, I discovered it had dwindled to fewer than 1,000 people. Not only that, but the company I was testing to send messages couldn’t provide me with the list of those who had clicked through. No starting point. No safety net. I had to take that on the chin and accept it.

Then I looked at my email list. Over 10,000 people. Surely, this was a lifeline. I decided to create a nine-email sequence to re-engage those subscribers and gauge where we stood. The reality hit me hard: maybe only 1,000 people were still actively engaging. Another blow to the chin.

My Facebook page, once thriving with nearly 30,000 followers, had been flagged in 2020—and it remains flagged to this day. Running ads? Not an option. My Instagram account with over 31,000 followers hasn’t been much better. Though it still sees some activity, the platform won’t allow me to run ads either. I put off the inevitable for as long as I could, but I finally realized what I had to do: start fresh with new Facebook and Instagram pages. That realization hit me like a Mike Tyson punch to the gut.

And if that wasn’t enough, X (formerly Twitter) locked me out of my account, which had over 20,000 followers. Another fresh start, another blow. It took time to process all of this—time to accept that these losses were part of the journey.

Over time, I’ve come to realize that adversity isn’t just a part of entrepreneurship—it shapes it. Every setback, every unexpected blow, is an opportunity to learn, grow, and rebuild with even more resilience.

God Bless The Entrepreneur