People are motivated by two basic things when they decide to start their own business.
It’s either just a pure desire to make money without working for someone else, or it’s a passion that’s easy to monetize and that runs so deep you decide to make it your life’s work.
Oftentimes it’s some combination of these two motivations, I need to make money and I’m going to start a business around something I’m passionate about, but almost always, one of these factors is the real driving force.
Both Confucius and Mark Twain have been credited with saying, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Entrepreneurs have adapted this to their liking and are known for saying, “Start a business you love and you’ll never have to work another day in your life.”
If you’ve ever taken a course on how to start your own business, one of the first things you’ve likely been told to do is make a list of things you’re interested in, things you enjoy doing, hobbies you have.
The course will then take you through the process of narrowing down which one of these passions could have a viable business attached to it.
But as with most things, there are two answers to the question, “Do I have to start a business around something I’m passionate about?”
Why Starting a Business Around Your Passion is a Good Idea
There are many valid arguments that land on the pro-passion side of the coin.
1. Why Not?
The internet has blown things up when it comes to business opportunities.
If you were to make a list right now of the your top five interests, chances are at the very least, one of them brings with it the opportunity of having your own home based business around it.
People love to buy online. And they buy not only traditional products and services, but information.
Entrepreneurs run successful online businesses selling eager customers information on how to train their dog, how to get their baby to sleep, how to learn any craft imaginable, how to buy a car, how to apply your makeup . . . the list literally never stops.
Since there are so many opportunities out there, one good question is why not start a business around something you’re passionate about, since you almost certainly have that option.
Surely it’ll be more fun that having a business around something you have little interest in.
2. Avoiding Boredom
Which brings us to our next argument in favor of passion.
We spend a good portion of our lives working, if you choose your business just because it sounds like a good opportunity to make money, sooner rather than later, you’ll find yourself bored and unhappy.
After all, when we’re searching for a job, many people begin by choosing something they’re interested in and earning a college degree in that subject.
Even without a degree, we search first for jobs we're interested in, and quickly look for something new if we end up in a job we don’t like.
So why would starting a business be any different in this respect?
At least at a job you can continue to show up and get paid even if you don’t love it.
With your own business, it’s harder to keep the wheels rolling when you find yourself bored and unhappy, and yet your paycheck depends solely on your efforts in that dismal business.
3. Maximizing Your Creativity
Having your own business means you have to market the business, you have to make people want to buy from you.
This is done through advertising, and talking with people in person, but when your business is online your most effective marketing often involves putting out daily content on social media.
In addition, you’re responsible for determining what products and services you’ll offer and for coming up with new ideas to improve on the old and to ensure repeat customers.
All of this is going to be much easier if you’re selling something you have some level of passion about.
It’s far easier to tap into your creativity and develop and market things you’re truly interested in, and chances are you’ll be much better at it.
While expert copywriters may have an easy time selling golf balls to people even if they hate golfing, it’s going to be a disappointing struggle for most of us.
And again, why take on that unpleasant challenge when chances are you can start a business around something you’re passionate about?
The Passion Myth
There seem to be a lot of reasons to go ahead and aim for a passion-filled business, but there are some cautions to consider before you buy that domain name and declare yourself an entrepreneur.
1. You Will Work Many Days in Your Life
Even if you absolutely love what you do, having your own business is work, and you’re not going to love every aspect of that work to the point that it feels like play.
If you sell your own paintings you may love every moment of creating those paintings.
But you also have to market yourself, and you have to stay on top of your business’ financials, and unless you want to work constantly you’re going to eventually have to bring on some outside help.
One or more of these things may be tasks that you hate, or at least find no pleasure in.
And at least in the beginning, your business is going to require a lot of attention — a.k.a. a lot of work — towards all the details it takes to get your business going, noticed, and profitable.
2. It’s Never Going to Be All Sunshine and Roses
Especially the first few years, your business will have ups and downs.
And really, you’re always going to be experiencing growing pains (hopefully!).
Which means you need to give some thought to whether you want to take something you truly enjoy right now and turn it into your source of income.
Doing so will naturally add a layer of pressure that wasn’t there when what is now your business was just a hobby or interest.
And, can you persevere through lean times and struggles without losing your love for your business?
The last thing you want is to end up the painter who can no longer find the inspiration to paint because you’ve become so burned out from the business of selling those paintings.
3. Objectivity is Good for Business
Passion and objectivity often aren’t on the same team.
Yet your business will require that you make objective decisions on pricing and other financials, marketing, scaling, staffing, and a host of other considerations.
If you’re looking at your business as purely your money making machine, it’s easier to make those decisions because you’re free of influence that can come from how much you love your specific business and the vision you have for how that business runs and grows.
It’s important to ask yourself if you can make good business decisions in light of your emotional ties to your “baby” that is your business.
The Happy Middle Ground
There is a way you can evaluate your potential business that doesn’t require you to choose between a “passionate” business and a “boring” business.
You can be passionate about what you’re doing without being passionate about how you’re doing it.
This is best explained with an example.
Let’s say you love helping people feel better about themselves.
You may be presented with an opportunity to represent an organic skin care company, even though you have no interest in skin care.
This may be a great opportunity for you, as your customers would be passionate about skin care and you would be responsible for introducing them to terrific products that produced delightful results.
Being responsible for your customer’s joy would satisfy your love for helping people feel better about themselves.
While you don’t have to operate a passion-driven business, for the reasons we’ve discussed, it is a good idea to make sure your business at least gives you a good feeling for some reason on some level.
And if you love making kids smile, and are interested in starting your own business, Kids Party Characters may have a great opportunity for you.
Owner Cheryl Jacobs has created a membership with Kids Party Characters that is perfect for stay at home moms and entrepreneurs looking for a second income stream.
Membership gives you your very own Kids Party Characters business, including an exclusive territory in which to book parties, the right to use our 200+ costumes, and access to our casting director and acting coach.
Furthermore, you’ll get business training and support from Cheryl, so no experience is necessary.
If you’re passionate about happy kids, and wouldn’t mind making some money from putting that passion into action, book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Cheryl right here and she’ll answer all your questions and help you figure out what’s right for your life.
Want to learn more about KidsPartyCharacters.com? Connect with us on Facebook for daily updates about the magic we bring to children’s parties, as well as tips and strategies for starting and building a successful work from home business.
No comments:
Post a Comment