When Does PROACTIVE Mean Preemptive Strike?

Maybe when your business terrain looks more like a battlefield?

It’s GOAL-SETTING time. January 2018 — the time when every seasoned business owner / executive is considering how to best advance their interests in the coming year.

What BHAGs — Big Hairy Audacious Goals — will push them beyond their comfort zones into the realm of meaningful progress? What SMART — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, Time-bound — goals will make those BHAGs come to life in the days, weeks and months to come?

Much of this goal-setting finds its grounding in SWOT Analysis. What internal company Strengths and Weaknesses must be considered and addressed? What external marketplace Opportunities or Threats will help or hinder forward momentum?

Some business owners are not seasoned at all. They just start with their passion and take a leap of Faith.

Like Brush & Nib Studio in Phoenix, Arizona. Its owners, Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski, are Christian artists who create hand-painting and calligraphy artwork for clients. They met at a Bible study and learned about their mutual love for art. In early 2015, over tea and hot chocolate at a local Starbucks, they hatched a plan to start a business.

What was driving them? Their passion to use their God-given talents to create beautiful artwork for others, recreating the beauty God has placed all around us and sharing it. Through this goal, they naturally focused on artwork for weddings — one of the most beautiful days in someone’s life.

These two artists hold the religious belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. The Phoenix City Code disagrees, and bans even religious companies from refusing to provide services on the basis of sexual orientation.

What’s the penalty for violating this provision? $2,500 per day and 6 months in jail. What is a Christian business owner/artist to do when faced with such an impossible choice?

They didn’t want to violate the law or suffer such onerous consequences. They didn’t want to close their business. They couldn’t compromise their artistic and religious beliefs.

So they took the only viable option left.

Duka and Koski chose to be PROACTIVE. In May 2016, they sued the City of Phoenix to stop enforcement of that provision. They argued that Phoenix is violating their rights under the Arizona Constitution and the Arizona Free Exercise of Religion Act.  They’re waiting now for the Arizona court to decide their case.

https://www.adflegal.org/detailspages/case-details/brush-nib-studio-v.-city-of-phoenix

What do you think?

Is there room in the marketplace for same-sex couples to secure wedding services for their same-sex marriages without having to force Christian business owners to violate their sincerely-held religious beliefs?

Is the fairest outcome really to put Christians out of business and/or into jail?

Please post your comments below.

Diana Furr, a.k.a., Abba’s Girl

This blog may have raised questions for you. If you’d like to connect, engage, or get further help from me, you can…  EMAIL me at [email protected]; CALL me at 863-446-1660; or request a complimentary initial CONSULT with me at  http://tinyurl.com/DianaFurr.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *