You may be completely happy at your job or settled into your safe career, but chances are you have talents and passions outside of your 9 to 5. You may daydream about the day that you no longer have to clock in and give your talents to someone else's company but use them for your own.
Have you ever thought about just how fulfilling it is to turn your passion into something more?
I'm here to tell you first hand, it can be done. Take it from me, I now have a creative agency after launching several business. I left a career in healthcare years ago when I felt this constant push to use my talents in business.
Turning a passion project into a business isn’t something you can easily accomplish without taking certain steps to set yourself up for success. That’s why we are sharing resources and educational content to help you build a passion and purpose filled business.
Start as a side hustle or side launch
One of my greatest pieces of advice is to keep your day job for as long as you can while building your brand. You don’t want to put everything on the line financially because starting a new business is filled with so many uncertainties.
You should start small by building confidence, knowledge, and experience before you go all-in. If you quit your job based on your passion and hope and belief, you may put yourself in a vulnerable position. Please take it from me to build a safety net before taking the leap.
Take your time. It’s important to properly test the market for the product or service you are offering. Be sure your idea solves a problem or adds value. You want to offer something that is vital. Make sure there are enough people out there who need your product or service and that they are willing to pay for it.
Start by dedicating time to work on your business at night and on the weekends. This will give you an opportunity to see how it grows and develops. When you start a business while working a job, you have more clarity and not in a position of desperation. You can see if this is something that you truly enjoy and willing to put in the work to grow. You don’t want to drain your savings account, only to find out that your business isn’t something you actually like doing.
The main difference between a passion project and a real business is sales and revenue. Give yourself time to test the viability of your potential business.
Treat it like a business
Unlike the typical 9-to-5, entrepreneurs setting off on their own don't have anyone telling them what to do or when to do it.It’s important to treat your business as a professional business right from the start. Dedicate time to work on your business plan at the beginning. Setup a structured work schedule and dedicated schedule of professional tasks, just as you would in your day job. Make sure you keeping track of business finances and handling client interactions professionally. All of these things really matter as you begin building a passion centered business.
Whether it’s a checklist or a formal business plan, you need something written down that you can always reference that helps you stay organized and focused on your business goals.
Focus on Strengthening Your Strengths
The most successful entrepreneurs who turn passion into profit focus on their strengths and find others to help them fill in the gaps. When we focus on developing our strengths, basically sharpening our irons, we grow faster than when we are trying to improve upon our weaknesses. If you are great graphic designer, continue to find ways to stretch yourself creatively as a designer. Don’t waste time trying to learn the ins and outs of the bookkeeping and tax laws. Outsource your accounting needs.
Build Your Online Presence
These days, having your own website is essential whether it is for a personal brand, passion business, or business brand. It not only helps you share who you are and what you’re offering, but it can also help build trust around your brand. And from a more strategic standpoint, a website can make it easier to actually run your company. You should also consider launching social media platforms and other online platforms to sell product if you have a product based business.
The beauty of doing business now is that being on the Internet you are not locked into your geographical location. There are numerous of ways to reach clients all over the world by building an online presence. You can start small with a landing page that tells you customers the who, what, why, and how of your business and scale up to a full website.
If you are ready to take the leap and build a successful passion centered business and need direction, let's make something magical together. I'd love to chat with you.