Transforming A Passion Into A Profession

It is essential to be passionate about your own business in order to succeed online. If you're doing it just for the money, you'll get bored very quickly and lose interest when money does not come fast enough for you. In contrast, if you do it with passion, the money will roll in, and you will succeed before you know it! If you are like us your passion for creativity covers a variety of disciplines some of which we enjoy more than others, as artisans, we love creating and sharing our knowledge but don't overly enjoy the more mundane tasks like accounting or paperwork. As unique creators, it is critical to remember what keeps us separate from big box stores who buy mass-produced items from the cheapest builders we are the small guys, the ones that use high-end materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are stunning in both their beauty and their function. Our designs are centered around the concept that they are unique and meant to serve both as art pieces and fully functional furniture and decor.

Our previous articles have discussed where our inspiration comes from, how we develop our design process, and a number of other topics, however, this article is intended to give guidance and pointers to the next generation of artists and creators. We hope the below information will be of help to you, and please don't hesitate to contact us if needed. Making the transition from passion to the profession isn't as straightforward as it might seem, and there are a few things to consider. Find your passion and pursue it! If you own your own business and run an online business from around the globe, then this cannot be more accurate than it is when you are your own boss. The second secret I want to share is closely related to the first: to treat your passion like a business.  To become an online entrepreneur, you need the right mindset, and it is not something that comes naturally. For instance, if you are passionate about creative writing, practicing yoga or horseback riding, and decide to create a business around this, you must treat it as a business, which means showing up every day, taking responsibility, and being accountable for your actions, just as you would for any business. But how does one make a business out of their passion?

Identify what you are passionate about

You can use your interest in beautifying environments, in improving processes for dealing with certain tasks, in helping people feel better in their bodies or in offering more creative parenting skills as the starting point for your entrepreneurial adventure, but you must define exactly what you could do, who you want to work with and how you will offer your services. Once you understand these points, you have to determine whether a market exists for this. This is where market research comes into play. Is there anyone else in the industry that does something similar? How do they differ from each other? Who are their target markets/audiences/countries, etc? How would your product/service be better than theirs?

Would you be able to run it on your own? Can you hire professionals to assist you?

If you want to succeed, I strongly recommend that you outsource some of the work, such as your website creation or social media efforts, or find a coach or mentor to avoid months and years of trial and error. You will almost always have to outsource the marketing side of your business, too. There are so many things to do, and so many different niches to learn, depending on your business. You can easily get overwhelmed. As a software developer, you will have to hire a software as a service marketing agency to help you market your product. A specialist restaurant marketing agency is a requirement if you want to open a restaurant. Marketing techniques vary by industry, so you have to get the help of an expert. 

Would you like to turn your passion into a business?

Be prepared to work harder than you have ever done before. Owning your own business isn't always glamorous. You'll be spending hours or even days in front of your computer doing marketing or updating your website or social media accounts. Working on the beach with your laptop is just for show! Don't be fooled by Instagram. Trust me as everything is going to be your fault or at least your responsibility regardless of whether or not you had anything to do with it.

Get started now!

Don't wait until tomorrow, next week, next year, or whenever you feel ready. Again, I'm speaking from experience when I say that you should start today! Trying to figure out what you will do online for six months will take away six months of learning about entrepreneurship. Therefore, you should start a website/blog/Facebook group around your passion today. Connect with people doing similar things, comment on their blogs, pages, or groups. Since there is room for everyone online, you shouldn't consider them as competitors. Focus on your story, that's what will make you stand out.

Develop the online backbone of your business.

You should develop your own line and, above all, be unique since there are thousands of "corporate copycats" and people who drop ship mass-produced products. That is one of the easiest ways to be authentic and to be able to grow your business. Create your own branding, develop a "You Inc" blog or website, and set up your social media accounts. 

Plan, adapt and overcome

Organize your action plan for each day of the week based on your business and marketing plan. The more routine and structures you establish, the easier it will be as the weeks turn into months.

Establish yourself as THE expert within your community.

Your aim should be to become the go-to person for that specific topic, online and off. Several ways can be taken to become the go-to expert:
- Write about the subject matter, develop content for beginners, intermediates, and experts, etc.
You should share stories about your industry and interview experts, etc.
Create a Q&A series on your social media accounts (start with an FAQ series to cover different areas of your expertise if nobody asks at the beginning)
– Share your journey of how you got started and where you are at now
– Help others on social media and share your tips
Organize masterclasses and workshops in your area of expertise

Every day, build your brand

You are Your Own Brand! What makes you unique are your story, background, experience, and personality. That's what will draw people to what you sell. As well as selling physical products, you are also a service provider. You are not selling commodities, so don't try to differentiate your pricing from your competition. You will attract your dream clients by your energy and story. Focus on traffic generation activities that will drive your followers to your website by reading about branding and attraction marketing.

Assess and adjust activities as needed

Conduct regular assessments/reviews of your website and services and make necessary adjustments to your business. Even if your first version of your website isn't perfect, you should still publish it as you can always improve it later.  Do not get bogged down by perfection, you’ll learn along the way.

Take pride in every accomplishment.

Remember why you started your business - "Your Why" is what will help you through hard times, so don't forget to celebrate every success along the way!

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