Five Questions with VJ Smith

I decided to share with my LinkedIn friends what my OTHER LinkedIn friends have been doing over the past two years. I am doing a series of quick 5 questions catch-up interviews.?

Here is my interview with VJ Smith who retired from public service and is now reinvesting into his international work (He did win the international Holy Angel Award from the ACLC and a Peace Keeper) ?He is now dedicating his time to Hope Dealer International from his new house in Texas. I have tagged him in this post and feel free to say hello to him in the comments section. ?

Top five hurdles you jumped as a business owner in the last 2 years

Staffing- Hiring and retention. Being able to properly staff outreach and intake workers and be intelligent on how to place people into positions where they were comfortable and effective.

Budget- Utilization of the budget in creative ways when the need for outreach is so great. Being able to understand the budget cycles and responsibilities as you are addressing how to push the limits of the budget to build bigger impacts and outcomes.

Relationships- Recognizing that customers and employees are not alike and have very different goals for the business. ?Distinguishing the difference between building positive relationships and just working alongside of someone. ?

Forecasting- The aptitude to forecast what can happen in the future in your business and in life, opening your mind to what may happen, and how you can learn from your past. ?Calculation of possibility into your basic plan has been very important for me to learn. ?

Time Management- Managing the resource of time is critical in order to understand and invest in street level crime prevention. Anything could happen, because of emergencies but time management is crucial.

?Prosperity lesson that changed your life in massive or unexpected ways.

The biggest prosperity lesson that I've learned is know your worth, and don't be afraid to ask what you're worth. ?Don't be afraid to pass up something that is not of value, and to wait till things of value come to you.

Sometimes you have to suffer for a little while so that you can have a bigger game in the future.

?Name three ways you put your OWN ideas first.

You must know the skills and what you're capable of doing. If you don't have the skills and you're not capable, you need to make sure you bring people around you that have those skills to make you stronger.

?Know your talents. know the talents that you have because your talents are important to the work that you do.?Make sure that you use all the talents and abilities that you have and what you don't have, you can get from others.

?Gifts. Everybody's unique and the gifts that they have are as well. You must know what your gifts are. Some people go all through their lives not knowing what their gifts are, but you must know so yo can put your ideas forward in the highest good.

?Work that you are doing now that is meaningful to the world and to YOU.

I am in the life changing business. I take the time everyday to listen to the hearts and minds of the community and help them find a meaningful path forward to their own highest good. We need strong people to lead strong change.

?I am a father to many sons in my community. I don’t forget that

Tell us something that we wouldn’t have expected to learn about you!

?It's a long time before I even knew it about myself, but I must confess, I am a mother's boy. I am fully upset fully obsessed with loving my mother and making sure that she feels the love for me. We were separated most of my life and I am honored to care for her in her old age.

?For more on VJ please check him out on LinkedIn: Experienced President with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. Skilled in Youth Development, Social Outreach, Public Speaking, Empower, and Community Service.?