Making a Hobby a Job

Earn income through your favorite activities.

Do you have a hobby that creates a sellable product? Bringing together your interests and your work increases ownership and enjoyment over the product. Find out what you can do to make your dream job a reality.

Many life coaches will tell you that you need to incorporate time for yourself in your daily or weekly routine. What would be better than turning one of your hobbies into your work? Creating a product out of your hobby takes a great deal of effort, but as the adage says, “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life!” While this is true, not everyone has the freedom or desire to become an entrepreneur.

·         Planning

Do you have an idea? Look at what it is you love to do. Is there a product that you can create, or already create, that can be marketed? Look at similar products that already exist. Can you compete with them? Remember the local edge you have over imported items.

If you have previously thought about becoming an entrepreneur, explore why that is. Do you simply not like being controlled by others? You may wish to think about what it is you are giving up before moving on. Employment brings with it experiences and interactions that you may lose in your new venture.

·         Seek advice

Visit local organizations that support small businesses. These organizations will have resources to assist you in creating a business plan, assessing the competition and creating networks. Use these unbiased services to evaluate your ideas. Seek out criticism to help you hone your idea. If a major flaw is found, create a new plan.

Seek advice from others who have started their own businesses. Their insights may give you better clarity for what you are in for, and may save you some stumbles along the way. Speak to as many people in your industry as you can to get the best picture. Seeking advice from others in your area will begin to create your network of business contacts.

·         Look at your resources

What resources do you have? This includes physical, financial and human resources. How are your resources affected by your decision? Turning your hobby into a job may require significant changes in your current environment and schedule. Working for yourself may allow for more flexibility in your schedule, but may increase your actual workload. Will you still be satisfied with the time you have to nurture your relationships?

You may be able to increase your resources by partnering with a friend or family member. What conflicts do you believe may arise? Negotiating a business relationship through a personal relationship can be a strain. Look into how a partnership agreement may help to keep relationships and expectations healthy.

Creating a new business from a hobby is a worthwhile experience for those who have done their due diligence. Make your hobby your work product to increase your enjoyment. There will be flaws in your idea that need to be changed. Your plan will change with time, which is good. The criticisms of others will help you to build a better product that will allow you to attend to your financial and personal needs.