Do You Want God to Bless Your Gross or Your Net?

<p>Imagine being a teenager holding your very first paycheck, trying to make sense of the words gross and net — and asking your dad whether you should tithe on the big number or the small one. And your dad grins and says: well, do you want God to bless your gross or your net?</p><p>At some point you've probably asked: What does it mean to have enough — and to actually feel it? And what happens to the business, the mission, the identity you've spent two decades building when the season changes and the kids leave and the path opens up again?</p><p><br /></p><p>Sinikka Waugh grew up in a household where money wasn't discussed in polite company — but the lessons were everywhere. Her mother managed the family finances while her father was on military deployment. Tithing was non-negotiable. And in elementary school, her mother — a teacher — ran an experiment that Sinikka had completely forgotten until this conversation: if Mom packed your lunch, you paid less from your allowance. If you bought school lunch, you paid more. The kids had a say in how family resources were allocated. Without ever calling it a financial lesson, it was one of the best she ever received.</p><p><br /></p><p>She went to college intending to be a literature professor, discovered she was a project manager at heart, and launched Your Clear Next Step — a training and coaching company — as a woman entering a male-dominated field with no business background and a very big vision. For 18 years she ran the company, became the primary breadwinner for her family, put two daughters through college debt-free, and impacted nearly 60,000 people's workdays. Then 2024 arrived: an election year that froze discretionary spending, her mother's passing that pulled her away from the business for eight months, and a client who chose not to honor their contract. Any one of those would have been hard. All three at once nearly broke the company.</p><p><b><strong>Guest</strong></b></p><p>Sinikka Waugh, PMP, is President and CEO of Your Clear Next Step, a training and coaching company that has helped nearly 60,000 people have better workdays since 2008. With a background in languages, literature, and project management, Sinikka trains and coaches in three disciplines: returning business value, authentic human connection, and navigating change. She is also the host of the Even Better Podcast.</p><p><b><strong>Connect with Sinikka</strong></b></p><ul><li>Website: <a href="https://www.yourclearnextstep.com" rel="noop