Last summer we took the children to visit the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.  We absolutely loved it.

While shopping at their retail store, I picked up the book, Lady on the Hill* by Howard Covington.   It’s the story of how the Biltmore Estate  managed to stay in the family and become a profitable venture after decades of being a drain on the family’s finances.  I found it one of the most encouraging books I’ve read in a long time.

As a small business owner, it really “spoke” to me.  This is one of my favorite Cecil quotes (Cecil is the man who resurrected the Biltmore and turned it into the profitable venture it is today) from the book:

“There was always this negativism that it can’t be done,” he said. “If you ever want me to do something, just say, ‘It cant be done,'” Cecil said. “Everyone told me it couldn’t be done, so I just stuck my feet in it and I said, ‘We’ll see about that.’ And that is what motivated me.”

It’s that kind of “make it happen” attitude that has made America great. Do you have that kind of attitude?

I generally do.

When I was first making our goat milk soap, I was told point blank, “You can’t support your family making soap.”

When I tried to get a loan to build the soaprooom, I was told by my ex-banker, “You will have to wait years before you can build something like that.”

But I wasn’t willing to accept either of those opinions.  I pressed on and within a year of launching Goat Milk Stuff, Jim was working the business full-time. And within 3 years of talking with that banker, not only had I secured a loan for the soaproom. But I had built the soaproom and fully paid off the entire loan as well.

Do you know how I was able to do it? Because I was not willing to accept defeat. I was going to make it happen and not let the naysayers discourage me.

What in your life are you being challenged by right now? Are people telling you that it can’t be done? Are you telling yourself that it can’t be done?

I’m here to tell you not to defeat yourself by listening to negative talk.  Don’t give in.  And most definitely don’t quit.

(Of course don’t be stupid. Don’t say,”I can jump off this roof and fly.” In that case it is important to listen to the people who tell you that you can’t fly.)

The road to Goat Milk Stuff success was NOT as easy as we’ve made it look or that you probably think it was. It was filled with excessive hard work, mistakes, wasted money, and tears. But we never let the dream die.

It doesn’t always happen as quickly or as easily as I would like it to happen.  But I have faith in God, prayer, myself, my family, and my business.  And when the going gets hard (which it often does), I just remind myself that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)

I’d love to hear what your biggest challenges are right now!

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