Skip to main content

Author: Henry Murphy

A Better Way

 I remember the NF tour like it was yesterday. God orchestrated everything for me to sponsor it, and looking back, I still can’t believe how it happened. I got connected to the right people, and next thing I knew, my clothing brand Unapologetic was part of the tour, while I promoted it on Z180 Radio. God was opening some incredible doors. I’d done plenty of tours before, but this one felt different. NF was an artist you just knew would blow up, and now, look at him.

The first show was in Michigan. I drove 16 hours from Atlanta—roadwork made it even longer. Normally, we’d kill it at events, but this time, it wasn’t happening. The tour was great, but our sales were just okay. That’s when I realized there had to be a better way. I had to learn how to capitalize on online sales.
The tour was amazing overall, but I wasn’t hitting the numbers I wanted. At the last show, I had a chance to talk to NF, and I told him how crucial apparel is for any brand or artist. It’s crazy to see how he’s embraced it now. He admitted he was hesitant at first but took the risk, and it paid off.
When I got back to Atlanta, I put my new plan into action. I started using shows to capture customer information, then texted them when we had new drops, driving them to the website after meeting us in person. I loved the personal touch—getting to share the brand’s story firsthand.
I did find a better way, but it only revealed itself because I was already in motion. You’ve got to be doing something for new opportunities to show up.
God Bless The Entrepreneur.

Possibilities

It’s the possibility of making a dream come true that makes life so interesting. I know how I feel about dreams and the process. I hate the process, but I love it because the deep work is done there. In the process of creating dreams, something powerful is built. We often look at huge companies like Hobby Lobby, a billion-dollar business, and it’s hard to imagine that it all started in a garage.

I also think about Def Jam in its prime, producing some of the greatest hip-hop artists—and it all started in a dorm room. There’s something about the process of creating the dream that makes life worth living. Sure, seeing the fruits of your labor is life-changing. But you have to learn to appreciate the grind just as much. Every up and down, every failure, every financial loss—it all means something. It’s creating something incredible within you.

Possibilities, by definition, are the potential of something becoming real. What I love most about them is the limitless nature of it all. You can dream as big as you want. You can put in as much effort as your body allows each day, knowing that God is leading and directing you. This isn’t just about proving you can do something. This is about God giving you purpose. That’s what makes possibilities so amazing.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

Your WHY is Your Foundation

It’s crucial to dig deep when establishing your foundation because your brand must be built on something solid. What is your “why”? It’s the driving force behind everything you do the reason you get up, push forward, and make bold decisions. Your “why” crafts your vision, shapes your mission, and pushes you through adversity.

This is not something to skip over or treat lightly. If you try to move forward without a clear “why,” time will show you the consequences. You may find yourself quitting when things get hard or struggling to keep going when the excitement fades. For some, the “why” is family. For others, it’s a chance to create change, solve a problem, or leave a legacy. Whatever it is, your “why” becomes the pillar on which everything else rests.

Your “why” should fuel your decisions and drive your actions. It helps you craft your mission and establish your values—two things essential to your foundation. Your designs, website, and marketing are critical, but they should all flow from the pillars of your “why,” mission, and values. If these foundational elements aren’t solid, the entire structure of your brand will feel unstable.

And here’s the truth: you have to believe in your “why” first before anyone else will whether it’s your customers or the team you build to help bring your vision to life. Your belief in your “why” will inspire others to believe in it too.

Let me leave you with this:

When the WHY is strong enough, you find the HOW.

And remember, how you do anything is how you do everything.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

Be Empty

I know when you read this title, it probably felt a little misleading. So, I think it’s fair to give you the backstory. My wife and I were having a deep conversation about life, and at the end, she said, “I want to be empty when it’s time for me to die.” She was saying that she wanted to exhaust everything God has given her to do in this lifetime.

I wanted to stop her and say, “I’m gonna do a blog about that,” but I couldn’t interrupt that moment of vulnerability we were sharing. I went to sleep thinking about it. I woke up still thinking about it. And I realized, it’s so much deeper than just reaching some pinnacle, some dream. Even after you’ve reached your dream, if you’re still alive, there’s more to do. There’s more life to live.

My goal every day now is to ask: What is God putting on my heart, and how do I act on it? How do I dedicate a portion of my life daily to improve my craft—whether it’s writing, speaking, or creating? All of these things matter. I feel it’s crucial to be prepared for whatever God is going to do, for whoever we’re meant to meet, for whatever connections He puts together. My daily prayer is, “Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, lead me in the way You want me to go. I surrender my life to You today.” I truly believe there’s joy in living like this. We won’t always be happy, but we can always have joy, because there’s joy in purpose.

I want to reach the end of my life and be empty, with nothing left to give. I pray the same for you—that when your time comes, you’ll be empty, having poured out everything you had in the time God has given you.

God Bless The Entrepreneur

Outlasting the Learning Curve

There will be days when you are building a brand and you might say, “I quit.” Then the next day, you come to your senses and say to yourself, “If I don’t do this, then it won’t get done.” This is how entrepreneurship feels most days: pure exhilaration one day and close to depression the next day. I know that’s not funny, but I laughed a little bit because I really know what that’s like.

I remember my dad used to make me recite this poem:

Don’t You Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When funds are low and debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns.

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow—

You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

As I started learning about everything that it takes to run a brand, I got overwhelmed. But I realize that I don’t have to be excellent at everything. I just need to know a little bit about everything, and the things that I’m really good at—that’s what I focus on. The goal is to eventually bring in someone to handle everything that I’m not strong in.

You’ve got banking information, incorporation information, trademark info, ads, brand identity, brand story, social media, shipping, Shopify store—the list goes on. Yes, this can be overwhelming, and that’s why you have to give yourself time. You need time to learn, and as you learn and put things into action, you grow. There’s so much potential past the learning curve. There will be days you have to tell yourself, “Once I get past this learning curve, then I’m gonna see everything that I worked for.”

As you navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, remember that persistence is key—every challenge faced is a step toward mastering your craft. Embrace the journey, knowing that the obstacles you overcome today will pave the way for the success you envision tomorrow. So, keep pushing forward, and know that with each lesson learned, you’re closer to reaping the rewards of your hard work.

 God Bless The Entrepreneur.

It’s All How You Look at It

There are days that I have to cling on to optimism with everything that is in me. Life gets tough, entrepreneurship gets tough, family issues get tough. You know, my saying: life be Lifing. It will do us good to remember that there are two sides to everything, and I know we get caught up a lot when we’re on the bottom side of things. When we are trying to build a business, all we see is this uphill climb, and it can feel like we are failing. In those moments, I remember when Myron Golden said that sometimes the work works on you until it works for you. You see, it’s that type of insightfulness that lets me know all of this is pushing me to the other side; it is pushing me toward success.

In personal development, we can look at challenges as opportunities for growth. For example, when facing criticism, instead of letting it diminish our self-worth, we can view it as constructive feedback that helps us improve. Similarly, financial setbacks can teach us valuable lessons about resourcefulness and resilience, ultimately making us stronger entrepreneurs.

The fact that I know a scarcity mindset exists—and sometimes I live there—I am always aspiring to get to that growth mindset and live there. I want a scarcity mindset to feel foreign to me. I need to pin this blog today because I need the reminder. I’m hoping that this reminds you that there is another side that exists and that it is attainable.

In closing, it’s all about perspective. Remember that the challenges you face today are simply part of your journey, pushing you toward greater heights. Embrace the duality of life, and know that with the right mindset, success is within reach.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

A Glimpse 

Something interesting happened the other day.

My wife and I were at Dunkin’ Donuts, enjoying the weather. We were sitting on the patio, talking about what we were going to get. I told her, “You know what I like? I just need a hot coffee and that sour cream doughnut they have.” She said she either wanted a cold brew or a flavored tea and a sour cream doughnut too. As we were deep in discussion, a gentleman approached us. You could tell he was older, but he looked younger, like this older guy really took care of himself. That’s what crosses your mind when you see him. He was so spunky; if I had to guess, I would say maybe he was 60 years old. He started talking about entrepreneurship and was so inspirational that he almost gave us a whole motivational speech right there at the table on the patio. When he said he was 71, my mouth dropped a little bit. I was shocked but also inspired. I said to myself, “OK, Henry, this is a glimpse of what it will look like for you in 20+ years.” I had a Kool-Aid smile on my face because this guy loved what he did, and I love what I do. If this can be me in the future, then I’m good to go. He talked about some of the places he’s been and some of the things he has done, and then I realized I still have time. It was good to get a different perspective because sometimes you need it.

You see, age is just a number; what truly matters is the passion and drive you bring to the table. It doesn’t matter how old you are; you have time. Each day is a new opportunity to grow, learn, and make an impact, regardless of when you start. Surround yourself with those who inspire you, and don’t let the fear of time hold you back. My hope is that you will run into somebody who inspires you so that you can get a glimpse of what life can be.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.

Is there a such thing as too much content?

In the fast-paced information age, the question of how much content is too much often lingers. Time, the most precious currency, becomes the focal point of reflection. The realization that time is irreplaceable propels the intentionality to use it wisely.

The analogy of a hypothetical million-dollar check, contingent on trading one’s life, starkly illustrates the immeasurable value of time over money. This concept resonates deeply when approaching content creation. Time spent crafting content is an investment, and the goal is to make it work tirelessly beyond the initial effort.

In my journey, I’ve learned not to trade time for money but to make time an ally. By creating quality content that serves its purpose repeatedly, I aim for efficiency and longevity. The desire is for my creations to keep working for me—whether I’m on vacation, asleep, on a date with my wife, or spending time with my granddaughter.

Currently, my goal is to write five blogs per week. It’s a commitment that started with just one a month, evolving as I saw the potential impact. The intention is to be years ahead in content creation, inspired by the idea that even beyond my time, the information I’ve shared will continue to resonate.

The aspiration to have a surplus of content, inspired by Tupac’s intentional approach to his craft, is an ambitious yet purposeful goal. To record a podcast, write a blog, or engage in meaningful communication daily echoes the desire to leave a lasting impact, even beyond one’s physical presence.

In conclusion, the journey of content creation knows no cap. It’s a continuous flow, a legacy that extends beyond the constraints of time. The value lies not just in the quantity but in the enduring impact that resonates through the ages.

Injustice

He formed you in your mother’s womb. Hold up—wait, what? So often we breeze over scripture without grasping the full weight it carries. We hear things like, “no one has the same DNA or fingerprints as us,” and while we know it’s true, we tend to treat it as something ordinary instead of seeing the miracle in it. God took the time to uniquely shape who you are, what you’re meant to do, and He placed purpose in your heart and gave you His Spirit. Don’t skim over that truth—it’s powerful. Take a moment to really think about it.

I remember watching Arie as she navigated the early years of school. She would often tell me about her friends, their popularity, and how sometimes she wondered if she needed to be more like them to get the same attention. It hit me that this mindset of comparison starts early. The other day, we had a conversation where she mentioned a friend who wanted to become a lawyer and then a judge. I thought, “Wow, that’s admirable.” So, I asked her what she wanted to do, and she replied, “I want to own my own beauty salon.” I smiled and said, “Well, that’s the entrepreneur in you.” She smiled back.

Then she told me how the same friend looked down on her dream. I asked, “What did you say to that?” She responded, “I told her to check for me in 10 years.” I was so proud of her for standing her ground, confident in her vision.

I don’t know exactly what God has in store for her through entrepreneurship, but I do know that we often get glimpses of our potential when we’re young. Too often, though, as we grow, we let fear creep in, or we listen to what others say we should do. I want to keep reminding Arie to stay connected to God, to let Him reveal who she’s meant to be and what she’s meant to do. It doesn’t matter what the world says; it only matters what He says. As she builds her relationship with Him, everything she’s meant to be will flow out of that.

The truth is, if we don’t take the time to seek God’s direction for our lives and become all He’s called us to be, we’re doing ourselves—and those we’re meant to impact—an injustice.

God Bless The entrepreneur

There is no true community without confession.

I was on my daily grind of reading books and I heard this statement about community and confession. I couldn’t agree more. I have been in a lot of church settings, and while there were some confessions, you knew that people were holding back—that it wasn’t deep, just surface level.

It all starts with vulnerability—vulnerability in transparency. We need it once we recognize that we’re flawed and that God wants our honesty. He wants to speak to us through His Holy Spirit, through His word, so that we can grow, but it starts with being truthful.

I had a few brothers in California that I did life on life with, and as I’ve grown in the faith and got more mature, I’ve learned to be more vulnerable. I realize that when I’m vulnerable, it helps the other person to be vulnerable too, and then you create something special because you know what you’re saying to each other can be trusted and you can hold each other accountable. There’s something amazing about what we confess—it begins to change our thinking, and we start to think and move like God desires us to move. I know, I know—we think that once we give our life to God, we’re without sin, but we all know that’s not true.

Get around some brothers and sisters that you can be vulnerable with and who can be vulnerable with you, and grow healthy in community.

In the end, true community comes when we’re willing to be open, honest, and vulnerable with one another. It’s through that transparency that growth happens, and we start to see the changes God desires in us. So, don’t hold back—find those people you can be real with and build something strong together.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.