How the idea of Eternitee started – an inspiring t-shirt business in Dubai

Goal Setting Principles

As I was working on my faith and developing a more profound spiritual relationship with our Creator, I stumbled upon the 3 key principles in setting up goals that would be pleasing to God:

1. It should be motivated by love
2. It should be dependent on God’s love
3. It should honor and glorify Him

I told myself, whatever business I’d do – whether a restaurant, a laundry shop, an events company or a service-oriented business, I should have these 3 principles on my checklist.

“Any goal that causes you to love God more brings glory to God. Any goal you set that causes you to trust God more, brings glory to God. Any goal you set that causes to you obey God, to love God, to serve God, any goal that causes you to want to brag on God and tell unbelievers, ‘Look what he did for me’ — that’s the goal that brings glory to God.” – Rick Warren | Daily Hope

I heard the message by heart. Realizing I may have worldly ambitions, I asked God to reset my plans and all things in my head that may not be aligned to his purpose. Every single day I prayed that he fill me up with thoughts on what he wants me to do according to his will.

Truly indeed, “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” 

Psalm 33:10-11

For more than 6 months, I have no plans, I emptied my mind and submitted everything to him. 

2:30AM

It was 2:30 in the morning, 1st of March 2017, when I received God’s answer. I woke up and was lead to reading a featured story on my 2017 planner. It was about an entrepreneur in the Philippines who put up stores to sell t-shirts and other merchandises with printed words from the bible.

Use Me

For years, I’ve been persistent on my prayer for God to use me in any way he wants me to bring him honor and glory. When I read about the entrepreneur’s story, I realized God brought me to where I am right now – the kind of work I do, the things I’m passionate about, the technology, the influence, the place I am right now.

The revelation allows me to figure out how I can be used by God. I understood how I can live a more purposeful life.

Right at that moment, before 3am, I was able to conceptualize a similar business with a little twist. I thought of bringing God’s words of comfort, love, hope, mercy and his promises closer to the people. I can use my skills in design to create t-shirts that will not only express one’s faith, but will also bring inspiration and encouragement more importantly. I can use my currently developing journey with God to share with others what I learn.

Right at that moment, I visualized that it would be more of an advocacy than business. The priority is to make God’s goodness and kindness known to many. The business aspect comes secondary.

Right at that moment, I was defining quick strategies.

Right at that moment, I was scribbling SWOT analysis. I was able to identify key strengths and opportunities. I was able to list down my weaknesses and the threats.

Right at that moment, I was sketching t-shirt designs.

Right at that moment, I was researching intently how similar businesses operate.

Right at that moment, I was drafting a business plan.

Right at that moment, the energy was at the highest. Ideas are overflowing.

Right at that moment, I was listening to God talking to me – that it’s all his plans to put me in the internet industry, to grow a passion in design, to somehow have an influence online, and to give me a place in the community.

Right at that moment, I also had a dilemma…

Dilemma

Sort of. I was asking for a business idea, and God gave me a “spiritual” thing to do. Will it work? There’s not too many Christians in Dubai; and we are in an Islamic nation.

I had this question because I was also thinking about the sustainability of the idea. In one way or another, this has to have a market. It has to be marketable. I have to be a good steward of what God has given me.

Instant Affirmation

That very morning of March 1, driving to work, I tuned in to a podcast of Rick Warren, “How to make the most of every opportunity (God is giving you).” In just less than a minute, Rick talks about the population of Christians in the world:

“There are 2.3 billion Christians in the world… bigger than America and China combined.”

And what was I thinking to do again? An online store! That means the reach won’t be limited to the country I’m currently living in.

So that was a loud affirmation. Even if we only look at the 1% of it, we are still talking about 23,000,000. Even the 1% of 1%, we still got 230,000 people – not bad at all! Confirmed and composed, I spent the following days planning, preparing and praying about it.

Challenges

As a visionary, I was able to foresee what the road ahead could look like. It’s busy and it’s fun. Running a business while working pose some serious challenges. Time is number one. Customer relations should be good at all times. Doing these without affecting our daytime jobs and our family time is on top of our checklist.

As few other roadblocks started to show up, I was reminded to carry on when I read this message from Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

So off we go. I shared the idea with my wife and since then, we’ve been talking about it day in and day out.

One good thing about this kind of business is that priorities are always on check. To this date, time with family is never compromised. Our 5-year old daughter is “involved” in what we do – in fact, we are already seeing signs that she absorbs some good business principles at a very young age.  And she understand that we are “spreading God’s words though our t-shirt business.” Raqz and I have also had deeper conversations since we started.

We talked about the need of doing this business with a partner. For some time, we pondered who could we possibly invite. Who would share the same vision and principles with us. Who else could be willing to be used by God?