Stewardship Over Survival:
How to Lead Through Rising Costs
One of the most pressing issues for businesses right now — especially small businesses — is the sheer weight of rising costs.
From inflation and increased wages (such as the National Living Wage), to higher taxes, energy bills, and insurance premiums, many are feeling the squeeze. Margins are tighter than ever. And while price increases may be necessary, they’re also risky — nobody wants to drive away loyal customers.
So how do we navigate this tension between staying afloat and staying true?
The Power of Diligence:
If you’ve ever started something with excitement, only to feel it unravel halfway through, you’re not alone. It’s a question that echoes across boardrooms, prayer meetings, and coffee chats alike:
Why do some plans succeed while others fall apart?
We dream. We plan. We begin with hope. But not everything makes it to the finish line. What makes the difference?
The Answer Is Ancient
The wisdom of Proverbs 21:5 holds a powerful key:
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
This isn’t just a proverb for finance or farming — it’s a principle for leadership, vision, business, and faith.
It’s not that ambition is bad. Far from it. But how we pursue it matters.
We live in a culture that celebrates speed, but Scripture values diligence — thoughtful, consistent action rooted in trust and wisdom. Not just starting well, but walking it out with patience, purpose, and persistence.
“Success is rarely about talent or luck. It’s about steady, faithful steps — guided by God's timing.”
💡 Practical Wisdom: 4 Steps to Apply Diligence
Here are four ways to bring this ancient principle into your leadership and planning today:
1. Pause Before You Start
Before rushing into the next decision, slow down. Pray. Reflect. Plan.
Ask: What is the wise next step — not just the exciting one?
2. Break Big into Small
Big visions require small actions.
Write down what progress looks like this week, not just the final dream.
Diligence thrives in the daily.
3. Resist Shortcuts
Quick fixes often bypass character-building.
Choose the long road of integrity. It may take longer — but it lasts longer.
4. Stay Consistent in the Ordinary
The world celebrates big wins. But fruitfulness is built in routine — the disciplines, habits, and faithfulness that no one sees.
That’s where character is formed, and where lasting strategy is born.
Final Thought
“Strategy without diligence is just wishful thinking.”
God’s timing often stretches us, but it also protects and prepares us. The call is not just to build — but to build wisely, patiently, and faithfully.
As you move forward this week, don’t just aim for success. Aim for sustainability. For wisdom. For fruit that endures.
Let diligence shape your days, and wisdom guide your pace. What you build in faithfulness will stand.— Andrew Cussons
Why Some Plans Last and Others Don’t
Laying The Foundation
If there’s one thing I’ve come to believe after decades in leadership and business, it’s this: strategy without foundation is fragile. The world doesn’t need more noise or hustle for hustle’s sake — it needs wisdom. Anchored, timeless, spirit-led wisdom.
That’s what this blog is about.
It’s the beginning of a longer conversation — one I’ve had in boardrooms, coffeeshops, and quiet corners of reflection — and now, I’m opening it up more widely. My hope is that From Scripture to Strategy becomes a place for leaders, builders, thinkers, and believers to explore how biblical truth speaks directly into the complexities of modern work.
“This isn’t just a blog series. It’s the seed of a book — and the foundation of a way of thinking that I believe will help shape the next generation of leaders.”
Why Now?
Business is shifting. The world is hungry for integrity, clarity, and meaning. We're seeing companies rise — not just because they’re clever, but because they care. About people. About purpose. About doing things the right way, not just the profitable way.
That shift doesn’t surprise me. In fact, it confirms something I’ve believed for a long time:
“Scripture doesn’t fight the future — it informs it.”
The best leaders I know are already living this out, whether they quote the Bible or not. They’re building with fairness. They’re prioritising rest. They’re generous, principled, and grounded. In short, they’re walking out values that the Bible has championed for thousands of years.
What Inspired This Series?
Earlier this year, I read through The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025. What struck me wasn’t just who made the list — it was why. These organisations were being recognised for things like:
Respect and inclusion
Ethical practices and trust
Supporting employee well-being
Creating space for rest and balance
Sharing prosperity
Cultivating purpose
And I thought: This is scripture at work — often without being named as such.
“When we remove the language of faith from our strategy conversations, we risk forgetting the source of what works.”
That’s why I’ve decided to start putting this to paper — or rather, to blog — and sharing the principles that I’ve found to be true, both in scripture and in practice.
Today’s Reflection: Why Scripture Still Matters in Strategy
If you’ve ever tried to lead something — a team, a company, a vision — you’ll know how hard it is to hold clarity and compassion at the same time. To build something meaningful without burning out. To push forward without leaving people behind.
That’s where scripture has been my compass.
Take this simple instruction from Jesus:
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them…” (Matthew 7:12)
It sounds almost too simple. But in business? It’s revolutionary.
When you treat others the way you’d want to be treated, suddenly your pricing, your hiring, your feedback culture, your customer care — it all changes.
“The Golden Rule isn’t just ethical. It’s strategic. It creates trust, loyalty, and long-term value.”
It’s the same with stewardship, another principle I’ll explore more deeply soon:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” (Luke 16:10)
Good leadership is about being faithful — not flashy. Scripture keeps us rooted in what truly lasts.
What’s Coming Next
In the weeks ahead, I’ll be diving deeper into the principles behind what I believe makes a business not just successful, but sacred. You can expect thoughts on:
Integrity and how it fuels innovation
How generosity works as a growth model
What it means to lead with eternal perspective
And how we can shape cultures that reflect heaven, not just market trends
This will grow — not just into a blog series, but potentially into a book, a guide, maybe even a community of leaders who want to align their work with the values of the Kingdom.
Final Thought
“Strategy gets you to the goal. Scripture keeps you true to the reason you started.”
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I don’t take it lightly. I’m glad you’re here — and I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with you.
Let’s build something worth passing on.
— Andrew Cussons
If there’s one thing I’ve come to believe after decades in leadership and business, it’s this: strategy without foundation is fragile. The world doesn’t need more noise or hustle for hustle’s sake — it needs wisdom. Anchored, timeless, spirit-led wisdom.