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The Key to Recovering From a Financial Crisis

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CBN partners Ed and Ellen Schack unwind from work by walking along the New Jersey shore. Together, they built a successful cosmetic supply company.

Ellen says, “It's really awesome to run a company with your spouse because his strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa and we can complement each other so well.”

Ed points out, “We actually sell our ingredients to the end users, the manufacturers. And they, in turn, make their own products and sell them to the consumer.”

Ellen adds, “Our business was growing, our staff was growing. And we were outgrowing the space we were in.”

They had just bought a bigger building when their biggest client called and ended their 14 year relationship.

Ed recalls, “It was devastating to both Ellen and I. We can understand if the business was not doing well and the sales performance wasn't there, but our staff and our team were doing really well nationally with them.”

With the higher building costs and a near 50% percent loss in business revenue, Ed and Ellen feared their company would go under.

Ed shares, “The first thing that I was struggling with is, ‘We may have to lay off some people.’”

Ed and Ellen prayed to God for help.

Ed says, “I just felt a sense of peace. That the Lord was involved, and that He was going to take care of it.”

The Shacks also resolved, that no matter what, they were going to remain consistent in giving.

Ed shares, “There was not going to be any changes in our tithing, in our giving.”

Ellen adds, “I didn’t see our tithing and our maintaining our giving as a way out. I knew that the Lord was going to support us.”

Shortly after that prayer, the Shacks landed a new client. A deal that restored more than half of their losses.  

Ed says, “It was absolutely amazing. But it was proof to Ellen and I that the Lord was working through the process.”

Ellen beams, “And it’s been amazing. We’ve always have known that He has us, He has our back, that He has our business.”

On the advice of friends, the Shacks used their extra building space to start a new venture called “The Urban Schack”, which now gives local artisans a retail venue.

Ed explains, “It allows them to test and measure making a product and seeing if its sellable. It now gave us that peace and comfort to move the business along and not have to worry about firing people.”

Now, with their company back on track, the Schacks have confidence in God’s plan for the business and their lives. And, for over 30 years, Ed and Ellen have been partners with CBN. They have continued to entrust their finances to CBN and have even volunteered with our humanitarian outreaches.

Ed shares, “One of the great things that we did with Operation Blessing was, we became volunteers for Hurricane Sandy, right down in this area, which was devastated, this part of New Jersey. We can't physically be there on the other side of this world but we can support the work of Operation Blessing and CBN in building water wells.”

Ellen points out, “And it's just unimaginable to not have drinkable water. So, everybody should have water.”

Ed says, “And that just blesses our heart, knowing that we can take care of these small villages. So for us, we love the way that CBN uses our money and our resources. Our gifts to bless other people.”

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