Hobbies To Business, How To Make Money Just By Doing What You Love

Hobbies to business, is it even possible?

The answer is a resounding YES!

I know, because I’ve done it, and you can do it, too!

Just as I’ve been able to create a career from our humble home, I have yet again succeeded in creating an income stream from a hobby that I only started to de-stress – crocheting.

Gosh, I didn’t even know I had in it me.  Like I never crocheted in my life!  And then one day, I found myself trying to learn it, and once I learned the basics, I was hooked!  Pun intended.

And I’m the last person on earth who would call me creative.  When I was still trying to figure out how we would survive with just my husband’s income, with a pile of debt and three very young kids, I considered doing desktop publishing.  This was at the time that I was already doing transcription, but of course what I was earning from transcription was just enough to cover utilities expense.  And because I have a supportive family, and a circle of very supportive friends, I did receive a number of orders for business cards, invitations and letterheads.

But alas!  It was not something that I could really do long term.  I would spend hours designing (if you could even call it that) and spend more hours revising, editing, and most of the time, completely changing my work.  I went through a lot of unproductive hours before I admitted to myself, and to the world, that no, I can’t make a living out of desktop publishing or anything that has to do with graphics or design.

So I went on to assess my skills, my God-given talent, my passion.

And discovered I have a knack for organization, process flow, building up on ideas, creating opportunities, and meddling coaching.  🙂

Yup!  I meddle a lot.  Poking my nose on other people’s business.  Trying to be helpful.  Although my clients see that as a welcome initiative.  🙂

That’s how I built my career as a virtual professional.  By finding my core and working on my purpose.

I’m very comfortable where I am now as a virtual assistant.  You wouldn’t believe the nights I spent worrying about losing a client because a lot of people have joined the bandwagon.  It seemed like everybody wanted to leave corporate to escape the daily horrors of traffic, be able to be hands-on moms, keep flexible hours, and do what they want with their time.  And because a lot of them don’t have experience, they were charging in disrespectful rates.

But guess what?   A lot of them left the race just as quickly as they came.

Reasons?

• They are not earning enough to make a difference.
• Time management is a challenge.
• They lack most of the skills their clients need.
• The hours are not what they thought would be flexible.
• No job security.
• No benefits.

And I have to agree with all those.

Virtual assistance is stressful.

It’s worse than being in corporate, actually.  When you are left to operate on your own, how much you earn is based solely on how hard and and how smart you work.  No assurance of a salary bi-monthly.  Heck, there’s not even an assurance that you’d still have a client next month.

That’s why I had to take on a hobby.  I.HAD.TO.  To keep my sanity in check.

But even in choosing a hobby, I had to be practical.  I didn’t want something that I would have to spend on. So I decided to try to learn crochet, because we already have an impressive inventory of yarns.

After I posted a photo of my first completed project on Facebook, inquiries came in.  Inquiries turned to orders, and the rest is history.

I have since created a website, a Facebook page, and ta-da!  I have gone ahead and registered the business!

Hobbies to business?  Yes, it is possible!

But… but… but…  HOW?

Well, it did not happen overnight.  I did not merely wish for it to happen.  I went through a process.

And you know what’s the hardest part?

To get started.  That’s what.

And this is where I want to meddle again.  To help you answer these questions:

• Where do you want to go with your hobby?
• Would you still enjoy your hobby once you have turned it to a business?
• What are the different ways you can turn your hobby into a business?
• Everybody says you need to make a plan.  What are the steps in making one?
• Can you sell what you can create?
• You don’t have a target market, how do you create one?

And it will not stop there.

Relationships matter.

My vision is to be able to create a support community for like-minded souls who are ready to act on their dreams of turning their hobbies to business.

I want to connect people so we can build a support network along the way. Collaboration instead of competition.  Suppliers, merchants, affiliates… the whole nine yards.  Maybe even partnerships.

And this will begin on August 27, at The Parenting Emporium in New Manila.

Check out the page now and register early.  This one is going to be awesome!

[photo credit: pixabay]

Do you have questions, comments or feedback about this post?
Please leave me a message, or post them, at my Facebook Page.