Karel Vermeulen: ‘I Want To Reflect Jesus In The Business World’
Karel Vermeulen is a businessman, entrepreneur and the owner of, among other things, the Kingdom-oriented Find my Leak franchise. Get to know him better by reading this testimony.
As four siblings (three boys and a girl), we did not have the ideal childhood. Poverty was part of our normal and after school we had to stand on our own feet very quickly. But in a certain sense that turned me into an entrepreneur, to spot opportunities that others might overlook.
Broken world with broken relationships
I gave my heart to the Lord when I was six years old. I still remember that day so well – it was at the Full Gospel Church in Krugersdorp. Regardless of your age, when Jesus is invited to come in, that place, date and time is something that you do not easily forget. The place and day were so special that I wrote it in down in the front of my colouring Bible in my own childlike calligraphy.
Because I grew up in such a broken environment, I considered certain behaviours and actions to be the norm. As a teenager I later experimented with drugs, and the fruit of that is self-explanatory.
Distorted father figure
The relationship with my father was a broken one. He and my mother divorced the year I was born. The older we got, the more absent he was. My stepfather(s) were not someone who really understood or could fulfil the role of a father. Today there is no blame in my heart towards them, only gratitude that the Lord protected us so much at a time when I myself did not even know what dangerous ground we navigated. After being absent for a large part of my childhood, my father reappeared and began to build a relationship with me during the last few years of my school career. Right after matric, I went to live with him. For the first time in my life I experienced what it is to have a father every day! I wanted it to never end. In January 2005, he died in a car accident. What had just begun to grow, was ripped away without any forewarning!
A turnaround
The inscription in the front of a colouring Bible came to mind and then and there I knew: The void that I have experienced all my life of an absent father figure, will remain empty if I do not give our King a permanent place in my heart.
My father passed away on the Friday; that Sunday I went to church (Alberton Lewensentrum) with one goal in mind – my heart needed a King! That day I asked the Lord to take on the role that my earthly father had begun to fulfil. The Lord took His place and fulfils a role of an earthly, as well as my heavenly Father – far surpassing my idea of that role. The turnaround in my life, started that day.
A principle in my life that is applied daily is: First, stand up on the inside before you stand up on the outside. The change first took place in my heart, then my flesh had to follow suit. I never experienced the Lord standing over me with a whip to beat me if I failed, or did something wrong. I just realized that with what had happened inside of me, there was no more room for my previous lifestyle. I didn’t desire it anymore … He who is in me now, is greater than he who is in the world!
My first business venture
I had to start my first business operation overnight after my employer (at the Johannesburg vegetable market) almost had to close his doors. The vegetable market was where the Lord deposited so much business experience into me. It is in this period where certain business principles took hold. Through the school of hard knocks, my Father built new character in me and taught me to trust in Him, despite the storm around me.
Revival Fruit & Veg became the vehicle for valuable life lessons. This business managed the fruit and vegetable departments for Steers, Fruit & Veg City, Pick n Pay, Spar, etc. As a young entrepreneur, with a one-man business where I handled sales, customer service, accounting, operational management and employees, with too little cash flow to hire employees, I decided to sell my customer base and close the doors. A holiday was the next step; to spend time with my Father and to get perspective on my future plans. One of the best things that did come out of that time, is that I met my wife, Mari.
Rugby in my blood
Rugby was my thing, like every young lad I wanted to wear that green and gold. Regardless of where I worked, rugby was always part of my lifestyle and I spent more and more time on it.
I came back from that important holiday, still focused on the rugby, but also decided to focus my entrepreneurial acumen on the sports field. An athletics academy was set up after I got Athletics South Africa level 1 and level 2 accreditation. I love hurdles and sprints and have focused on it for primary and high school athletes.
Rugby in the Currie Cup League
At that time I was then selected for the Falcons rural league. Any rugby player can testify that the road to provincial rugby is not the easiest. In South Africa, the amount of competition levels is enormous: from club rugby to rural, amateur, then Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup rugby and Super Rugby and then the green and gold. At 24 I a rugby scout spotted me and invited me to the Currie Cup training group. The Word is so clear in Deuteronomy 28:2 that the blessings of the Lord will pursue and overtake us and in Deuteronomy 30:8-10 the Bible says that everything we put our hand to will be blessed and prosper.
A big decision
At the same time, I became involved in Woord en Lewe Church under the leadership of Pastor Ronnie Barnard; I started serving the young adults.
Little did I know that I soon would have to make a big decision.
In one day I received three offers from three different sides: A contract for a Currie Cup team (in line with my dream), an offer from the church for a full-time position in the ministry and a very good job offer from my sister-in-law’s family business (my brother was working there at the time). Indeed a big decision to take.
My Father supported me so much during that time, not only as heavenly Father, but also in the earthly role. The Word taught me that the young man keeps his path pure, by sticking to God’s Word (Ps 119:9). The peace that passes all understanding will reign in our hearts (Phil 4:7) and that those who are led by the Spirit will truly be called children of God (Rom 8:14). This was my criteria for sifting through the opportunities and making sound decisions. I considered the choices for a day, but I didn’t want to wait too long as passion can get the better of us too quickly, because we too easily approach a matter emotionally. A good thing at the wrong time is still a wrong thing. The Lord dropped the following into my heart: “My Body is where I need you now, my son.” In obedience, I placed my Isaac (the rugby) on the altar.
Obedient to the call
I chose the calling to the church – and Mari and I have never looked back. We served five years at Woord en Lewe under Pastor Ronnie. The day the calling to the marketplace came, it caught us off guard, it was unexpected. We never asked the Lord to stay in the Cape or to send us to the Western Cape, but this was His destination for us with our new calling to the business world.
In the community, for the community
The Lord gave me a vision of seven businesses in seven years, based on the verse in Ecclesiastes 11:1-3. Currently, my wife and I manage our businesses, each of which came about in a remarkable way. The Find My Leak product was born four years ago when the Lord planted the idea in me of a business in the community for the community. With four years of market research and market experience, the opportunity arose for a franchise model that will kick off at the beginning of September 2022.
A family that makes a difference
We were blessed with three sons and each one’s name was chosen very purposefully: Zain, Hanko and Sion. Zain and Hanko both mean “gift from God”. A year after Hanko, we were surprised with a third pregnancy, Sion, “God’s grace” was on the way. Every time we call one of our sons, we prophesy this over their lives.
Before their birth, we decided that we would make ourselves available to the Lord, so that He could make a difference, wherever we go as a family. The more we declare this, the more we see how the Lord allows exactly the right people to cross our paths.
The example of a father that I get from my Father helps me to be a father to our three sons every day.
About 12 years ago it was prophesied over my life and four years later confirmed again – the Lord clearly said: “I will connect you with divine connections”. I can see how the Lord connects His children with one another in our schools, churches and the market place. I think that that prophecy is meant for all His children. He will connect us with His children, with God-fearing people – not a guy who just says he is a Christian, but with His true sons and daughters; those that carry weight in the Spirit. Now I fulfil my role in the marketplace and want to reflect Jesus in the business world.
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Date published: 26/08/2022
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