Author: Henry Murphy

Some days the blurred vision and endless screenshots weigh on me,
but the fire God placed in me won’t let me quit.

I write about this often, it’s my outlet. A way to release.
No matter how much progress I’m making, this weight shows up every day.
It doesn’t run my life, but it sure affects me.

I think of KB’s track “Doubts” from his 100 EP when he confesses:

“Come quickly, wish that You would come get me
This world is a passing joy, yeah, I feel so empty
If they only knew I’m such a weak dude
At the same time I see how much I need You…”

That verse hits deep. It’s raw and honest.

Then he moves into the Spirit’s reassurance:

“But then the Spirit comforts me, he comforts me
I ain’t gotta worry about this no longer
When I feel my grip about to slip
His grip on me gets stronger…”

That’s exactly what I feel sometimes, the Holy Spirit reminding me of who He is, who I am, and that I belong to Him. Even with my limitations, I’m still called.

A lot of the time I’m writing for you, hoping to encourage someone else. But today, this one is for me. Still, if someone else sees it and finds hope, I’ll gladly share this moment with them. Maybe they’re not dealing with blurred vision. Maybe they’re battling loneliness, doubt, or fear. I get it.

I live surrendered to a sovereign God, and He sovereignly allows me to steward what He’s entrusted me with. That’s powerful.

It’s not about chasing my plan. It’s about submitting it all before Him, so I can walk in the purpose He created me for.

In this moment I told myself:

Henry, don’t let your limitations limit you.

I’m laying my heart bare right now, giving it all to God so His peace can rule.
He’s called me to be an entrepreneur in the marketplace.
To tell people: He gives us power, not just to make money, but to build legacy in His name.
We can do nothing apart from Him.
And those big plans? Submit them to the Master, not just add Him in.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

I don’t trust you, homie.

That’s what kept running through my mind.

I was talking with this guy who came highly referred. As we talked, he was answering all my questions with confidence. And I could tell he knew what he was doing. It even got me thinking: This dude could actually be an asset.

The timing was wild because I’d just started working on the same kind of framework he offered. I was doing it myself out of necessity. It was actually kind of cool to learn, but now here’s someone who could take it off my plate? Of course I was intrigued.

So we went over the numbers.

We talked about what he could offer.

Then I asked what felt like a simple, natural question:

“What’s your Instagram?”

You’re a professional. You offer a service. Now I need to see your face. I need to see your consistency.

And when I got there… nothing.

Your face is nowhere to be found. Yes, what you do is there but how do I know you’re real?

How do I know you’re not a scammer?

In 2025, Social Media Is the New Resume

There is no way no way in this day and age that you should be invisible on social media.

Think about it. You’re asking someone to trust you, and this ain’t face-to-face. I can’t hear your voice. I can’t look you in the eye. I don’t know your energy. I don’t know your track record.

At least if I saw your face and got scammed, I could say:

“Dang, they got me but I saw them, I watched their stuff, I just didn’t see it coming.”

But if I can’t find your face anywhere?

🚩 Red flag.

🚩 Red flag.

🚩 Red flag.

Real Talk: I Can’t Do Business With You

Unfortunately, I had to walk away. And I’ll give him this he was persistent.

But I don’t care how good the price is or how good the work might be. If I can’t trust you, I can’t turn you over to my network.

Even if you do a solid job for me one time, that’s not enough. Because when I recommend you to my students or clients, I need proof that you’re consistent.

Where’s your digital track record?

If I see you’ve been posting your face, your thoughts, and your value every week for the last 52 weeks, now we’re having a different conversation.

That’s credibility.

That’s consistency.

That’s currency.

Final Word: Show Up

Social media is not just for entertainment it’s for validation.

When people can see you, hear from you, and watch you show up over time, that builds trust. And if you’re offering a service in 2025 and your face is nowhere online?

That’s a non-negotiable.

If you want the business, you’ve got to show up.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

It’s really not uncommon for people to want to take shortcuts.

I remember being young and heading to a park on the other side of our neighborhood to play baseball. If we walked around the block, it’d take 30 minutes. But if we cut through a hole in the fence and took the shortcut, we could get there in 12.

That shortcuts made sense.

That mindset doesn’t always go away.

Even in business, most people still want to “get there faster.”

But here’s the truth: there’s a right way and a wrong way to shortcut.

In business, a legit shortcut is hiring someone who’s already put in the hours someone with the experience and expertise in the exact thing you’re trying to do. They help you avoid unnecessary trial and error, and that shortcut is earned.

That’s why coaches exist.

My business is coaching e-commerce entrepreneurs m helping them build their business from the ground up. And while creativity has no cap (what you bring to the market is uniquely yours), the framework doesn’t change.

It starts with:

• Knowing your why

• Proving your concept

• Structuring your business

• Developing your brand identity

And now more than ever, your brand story and brand voice matter deeply.

People crave connection.

They’re tired of faceless corporations.

That’s why microbrands are winning.

If you’re going to do this, 

Do it right.

Don’t just go through the motions.

Let me paint a picture.

Imagine you want to start your own restaurant, and your specialty is gumbo.

There’s a chef from New Orleans who shows you exactly how to make the roux, what to put in it, every spice, every seasoning.

He even tells you what sides to pair it with, what bowls to serve it in, and which spoons complement the experience.

He’s been through the process. He knows it works.

But when it’s time to open your doors, you decide to cut back on the spices.

You swap in cheaper bowls.

You grab whatever spoons you find on sale.

And when your gumbo doesn’t hit like his, you wonder why.

It’s because you had the shortcut

But then you skipped the process.

You had access to the right way, and still chose to do it your own way.

And now?

You’re not only behind, you’re also frustrated.

That’s not a shortcut. That’s sabotage.

If you’re going to take the shortcut, take it all the way.

Follow the process.

Do what the coach says.

Don’t reinvent what’s already proven.

Because at the end of the day, 

What’s the point if you’re going to skip the process?

God Bless The Entrepreneur®

I sit and ponder sometimes is there such a thing as too much money?

I definitely know there’s such a thing as not enough.

One of my favorite scriptures says, in layman’s terms:

“Lord, don’t give me too much that I forget about You, and don’t let me lack so much that I’m in need or tempted to steal.”

That always hits me. But I think there’s more we can take from it.

It’s not just about how much we have it’s about how we use what we have.

We shouldn’t use people to get money.

We should use money to serve people.

And truthfully, that’s how most of us earn money in the first placethrough our creativity and service.

That’s how we show up in the marketplace. That’s what people are paying for.

So I don’t believe there should be a cap on creativity.

But I do think we each need to define the lifestyle we’re called to live.

After a conversation with a friend of mine, I started thinking about what that looks like for me.

He told me that $30,000 a month would make him comfortable.

He broke it down, college tuition for his kids, travel, home upkeep, basic life.

That adds up to about $360,000 a year. Fair and realistic.

As for me, I’m still thinking through my number.

It’s just my wife and I, but we plan to have homes in three cities.

Not just to live in, but to build local businesses and community hubs in each one.

That’s the mission.

Don’t miss the point of making money.

It’s not about stacking for the sake of stacking.

It’s about serving at a high level and letting that overflow onto others.

I’d love to hire a personal chef six times a month.

I’d love to bring in someone to clean our home.

I’d love to invest in coaching from other entrepreneurs in areas I want to grow.

Not just to make life easier, but to sow into someone else’s business.

Even the small things matter. I used to love getting my car detailed another way to support a local entrepreneur.

It’s about thinking beyond comfort.

What can we give?

What legacy are we building for the people we love?

I remember hearing about a guy with crazy talent. He was trying to build his business while taking care of his family.

Someone stepped in and paid his family’s rent for a full year.

That changed everything for him.

If your creativity gives you the power to earn more but you stay capped out because you’re comfortable you might miss an opportunity to be that person for someone else.

God was clear about not storing up treasure just for yourself.

If it’s only about you, what’s the point?

You could die any day.

But while you’re living

What are you doing with the money?

Let your creativity flow.

Serve God.

Serve people.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

I was on the phone recently, reminiscing with a friend about the early days of building my e-commerce brand , back when everything felt like trial and error. One story came up that still sits with me today.

At the time, we were moving a lot of cotton tees. We had a strong system going, producing around 300 shirts a day per press — and we were confident in our process. So I decided to step it up and invest in a batch of Bella Canvas jackets. They were clean, quality pieces at around $20 each, and I had a vision for how we’d design them , something on the sleeve, something strong on the back. I was convinced they’d be a hit.

But what I didn’t realize was that nylon requires a completely different kind of heat transfer than cotton. And instead of pausing to figure that out, I let pride lead the way. I kept pressing, trying to force something that wasn’t meant to work that way, determined to make at least one jacket come out right.

By the time I stopped, the entire batch was ruined.

Over a thousand dollars gone. Just like that.

Eventually, we pivoted , moved the same concept over to zip-up cotton jackets. And they worked. But the lesson stuck.

We don’t know what we don’t know.

And that’s not a flaw — it’s just part of the journey.

Entrepreneurship is filled with moments like this , where the right information could have saved time, money, and frustration. Sometimes all we need is a little awareness, someone to point us in the right direction.

That’s why I created something called Talk with Henry , a free 15-minute conversation. No strings attached. No sales pitch. Just real help from someone who’s been through it.

And here’s my promise: if my calendar is open, then I’m here to serve.

You can check availability at 

thegroundupacademy.com).

I understand what it’s like to build alone.

But the truth is , you don’t have to.

Let’s build smarter. Let’s build together.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

Is perfection a thing? Of course not. It doesn’t even matter how old you are,  you know your entire life you’ve never done anything perfectly, and you won’t. You’re human. Anything that you set out to do will come with failure, and if you can accept that at this point in your life, then you’ll just get started. Because every day that you put something off, every day you procrastinate, you’re not avoiding failure, you’re just prolonging getting better at the thing.

Let’s be real , some things just take time.

If you’re a parent, or even if you’ve got a little cousin, niece, or nephew, then you’ve probably seen them go through the walking phase. They fall a lot. Then they get to the stage where they start holding on to things , walking along the coffee table, until one day they just get it. They moving. They going. That’s how everything in life is. It’s gonna be shaky at first.

I’ve got a client that just started doing live shoppin,  she went live on both Facebook and Instagram, on the same day. When I saw that, I was like: yes sir! I was super proud of her. That’s what I’m talking about. That “I’m showing up regardless” attitude.

Now look, she didn’t sell anything that day, and she was a little bummed. But I had to remind her: that’s part of it. That’s what comes with showing up. The first time, the second time m,  sometimes even the tenth time. But she did the hard part. She showed up. And now it’s just about staying consistent. Getting better. Getting more comfortable in front of that camera.

I told her if she starts posting in between those lives, talking to her audience about why she started this brand, what she’s been through, some stories from the vendor road, people will connect. And eventually, when she shows up on those lives agai,  her people will be there.

So let me leave you with this:

When we prolong failure, we prolong success.

And there’s no path to success without failure in it.

Show up anyway.

Do it anyway.

Keep going.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

I was on my phone editing a blog the other day, and I caught myself doing what I always do, screenshotting.

And I don’t mean just one or two. I’m talking 20 screenshots, easy, just to get through a single blog post.

If you’ve been following me for a while, then you already know, 

In 2021, the optometrist declared me legally blind due to a specific eye condition.

The day I got the diagnosis, it honestly didn’t bother me that much.

Don’t ask me why.

But some days after that?

It hit hard.

Real hard.

It takes time to mentally recover and get back in the creative flow when life hands you something that heavy.

The glasses I wear don’t really correct my vision.

But they allow me to zoom in 10x with my left eye, just enough to help me edit, write, and create on my phone.

If I’m honest, sometimes it’s discouraging.

But every morning, I remind myself that God has given me the grace to keep going.

It’s the same kind of discipline I talked about in my last blog:

“Dangerously Disciplined: Why the Best Growth Happens Underground.”

That kind of quiet, personal focus is what gets me up in the morning.

I get up and read, well, you know, that’s Audible for me with the eye condition and all.

Whatever stirs me up, I write about it.

I don’t believe inspiration should be wasted.

If it’s a good thought, I’m going to write it down.

Talk about it on social media.

Share it in a blog.

Because there’s so much foolishness out there, and if we’ve got something positive to add to the world, we should.

Okay, I’m rambling a little now, but I’m just realizing:

I literally live by a screenshot.

And still, I’m thankful.

Thankful I get to do anything that encourages someone else.

I don’t know what your ailment is.

I don’t know what you’re battling today.

But I hope this blog finds you in the middle of it, and reminds you that you’re still called.

Still created for something.

I write these blogs in faith.

I write to encourage someone, maybe you, to push forward, even when it’s hard.

To do the thing God created you to do.

To become everything He designed you to be.

We will never be perfect.

That’s not the goal.

The goal is consistent effort.

The goal is to bear fruit.

I don’t know exactly what Paul’s ailment was, but it’s clear he was dealing with something.

And yet, he kept pressing.

He became everything God called him to be.

My ailment is my eyes.

I live by a screenshot.

But by the grace of God, I will do everything He’s called me to do.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

When I say dangerously disciplined, I don’t mean that in a bad way, I mean it in the best way possible.

See, I wasn’t always disciplined. For a large part of my life, I lacked structure. But now that I’ve found discipline in certain areas, I finally see what I’ve been missing.

I’m sitting here looking at the trees and how beautiful they are. But when you start to look down, you see the roots. That’s where the discipline happens.

Underground.

Unseen.

Unapplauded.

Discipline shows up when nobody’s watching. It doesn’t need an audience or a pat on the back.

It’s just you and the work. You and the vision. You and the routine.

And anything that tries to pull you out of that rhythm?

You recognize it instantly.

I recently had a conversation about a new opportunity. It looked good. It sounded exciting.

But once I slept on it, I knew, it wasn’t for me.

Not in this season.

Why?

Because it would’ve derailed everything I’ve been building.

All the discipline.

All the focus.

All the momentum.

It’s crazy how distractions often show up right before the breakthrough, right before the fruit starts to appear. You’ve got to be disciplined enough to say no. Even to the good things.

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”

— Proverbs 12:1 (ESV)

If you’re just starting out and you’re not quite there yet, I want to encourage you:

Start anyway.

Discipline can be lonely. You might miss out on some things.

But as long as you know your why, stay focused on your what.

If you’ve been disciplined for a while but haven’t seen fruit yet, keep going.

It’s coming.

And if you’re in the season where discipline has produced fruit, encourage someone else.

Remind them that it’s worth it.

That the quiet grind leads to public harvest.

Because this journey of entrepreneurship can be tough.

And we all need a little encouragement.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

I ran across a reel today, actually, my wife sent it to me, and it hit me hard.

It was talking about how there are some things in life we just don’t get to choose.

When we’re younger, we don’t get to choose what family we’re born into.

We don’t get to choose what our parents teach us.

We don’t get to choose the trauma, the dysfunction, or the brokenness we might have grown up under.

And here’s the hard truth:

If we came from a family that struggled with mental illness, we had to sit under that.

It became part of us, whether we liked it or not.

If our father was abusive, that shapes us.

If our mother was married three or four times, or if both parents were alcoholics, we witnessed that.

We experienced it.

And yes, it becomes a part of our story.

But here’s the other side of that truth.

As we get older, we get to choose.

We have the power to change direction.

We have the power to renew our minds.

We have the power to break cycles.

You can’t undo what’s been done, but you can change where you’re headed.

You are not the pain or dysfunction you came from.

But you can push through it, grow through it, and come out better, stronger, bolder, and more courageous.

And when you do, when you make that shift, 

you don’t just win for yourself…

You become the choice for someone else.

You become the light.

The model.

The one who shows up and shows what’s possible.

You get to serve from that place.

You get to give what you never got.

And that’s powerful.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️

It won’t be polished.

It won’t have bells and whistles.

It’s probably going to look generic, you know, like that off-brand product sitting next to the name brand everybody knows.

I was nudging one of my clients the other day, encouraging her to get comfortable with just getting started.

She sent me this super polished video that she loved, beautiful visuals, crisp edits, music on point. And yeah, it was dope.

But I reminded her:

That creator has probably been doing this for years.

She’s just getting started.

Her first 30 videos?

They most likely won’t look anything like that one.

And that’s okay.

Because what’s unpolished now will be polished later.

You’ll learn.

You’ll grow.

You’ll find your rhythm.

You’ll figure out faster ways to film.

You’ll get better at editing.

You’ll master close-ups and pullbacks.

You’ll learn to tell stories better.

But all of that comes after the start.

You can’t shortcut the process.

This is just a reminder to fall in love with the journey of entrepreneurship, and everything that comes with it.

Because even though she’s unpolished on social media right now, there are many areas in all of our journeys where we show up unpolished at first.

But that’s the point.

It’s not about perfection.

It’s about progress.

It’s about the journey.

God Bless The Entrepreneur®️