Do you enjoy doing your hobby so much that you could only imagine how amazing it would be to one day call it your business? If you are like me…then YES you couldn’t think of anything more enjoyable. It doesn’t matter if it is sewing, dog grooming, etc. – we all can possibly have the opportunity to generate our hobby into a business. I would definitely say that my passion is now my business. At the cusp of my web developing and designing very appealing websites, I am a businessman.
So, I am ALL EARS now, what steps should I take to generate my hobby into my business? Well, I have 3 SIMPLE STEPS that you can put into action right away that will get you in the right direction from just doing a hobby in your spare time to having a full business.
Your 3 Steps are:
- Entertain ALL possible leads.
- Always find new ways to NOT reinvent the wheel but make certain tweaks.
- Don’t wait for clients…Show your own work.
Entertain ALL possible leads
I feel we can all relate when I say that “I don’t like to waste time”. With that being said, if you are looking for ways to get your hobby up and going as a business, then you do not want to waste time on having to figure what groups to join, what companies you should follow, what business you should mimick? Your best first step to this is simply digging back in old emails of conversations you may have had with an old college professor or an old friend.
This is a good breeding ground for generating some leads that could potentially already be within your network. I feel that it could be at your best advantage to entertain all the contacts you have made over the years to see where things end up. I can certainly attest to this approach. I have been very fortunate to have some amazing leads from “back in the day” that have lead to either excellent referrals or even potential clients. Start from your own backyard and see what happens.
Always find new ways to NOT reinvent the wheel but make certain tweaks
“Why reinvent the wheel?” That’s a question that I feel is asked every day. I found myself asking the same thing at some point in my life. Then I came up with a solid answer to it – you don’t have to necessarily reinvent the wheel, but you can certainly put your spin (no pon intended) on how it works and looks.
No one is saying go make an entirely NEW blend of coffee that will have people running faster, but find a way to gain a keen sense of various ingredients used to make coffee and produce a familiar, yet unique taste that will keep them coming back to YOURS.
Don’t wait for clients…Show your own work
I can remember a time when I used this approach. I was early in my business and didn’t know what clients I would attract or what type of services I would necessarily provide. So I had to first find my niche’. I knew that my hobby was web development, but I wasn’t sure about my target audience or what service in web development I would provide.
So after thinking over all of the skills I have accumulated and all of my past work experiences in management I gained, I was stirred in the direction of being a business consultant. I first came up with my idea of certain clients I would want to work with. I gave myself deadlines, created effective business strategies, and mocked and developed many websites. I took the approach of starting with the end in mind – to have my hobby become my business.
Starting a business can be a bit tricky and especially when it is a hobby of yours. You will naturally be emotionally invested and that can be a good or bad thing. Entertaining ALL leads, finding ways to NOT reinvent but tweak the wheel, and creating your own projects are 3 simple steps you can start TODAY to change your hobby to a business.
If you are already in the transition of having your hobby a business now but need help with developing a solid business strategy or even fine tunning or creating a new website…look no further we’ve got you covered.
Feel free to visit our website KodeGistics Design – either stop by and say hi or get some insight on growing your business.