Recently, several people have asked me a simple question. “Bud, I am really good at something, I’d like to turn it into a business.  How do I do that?”  I asked my friend Cathy Baylis for her thoughts on this.  Here is what she had to say…

We all have some skill we are born with, some talent we make use of. More often than not, we turn these talents and preferences into a hobby. But with time, life obligations take over most of us, gaining all the control over our time and preventing us from doing what we really love – our hobby.

Even if this isn’t your case, you still might want the same as these people do – to be able to do your hobby all the time, preferably even earn from it. This way, you don’t have to wait for the day off to do it, and you will definitely love your job.

Well, we’ve got some great news for you. Hobbies can be monetized and eventually turned into a successful business. Sure, this would have to be a hobby that has that capacity, but most hobbies actually do. So, if you are into a hobby that provides some kind of value to others, such as baking, woodworking, painting, dog training, etc., you will surely enjoy reading these tips.

Tips for Turning Your Hobby into Business

Many fear taking action despite their marketable, potentially successful skills. The reason for this is fear of failure. People fear the idea of investing into a hobby because they might fail. Others have the courage and give up everything to follow their dream.

And while you shouldn’t go blindly into it, you should definitely try to feel the satisfaction from doing your hobby as a job. It can be scary, but it is definitely worth it. Here are some tips you can follow.

1.     Make a Plan

Monetizing your hobby without a plan will be hard, often even impossible. If you want to go into this as safe as possible, you need a game plan. The plan will need some changes along your way, but having a strategy beforehand is the core of every successful business.

2.     Don’t Rush into It

You don’t want to make a huge investment without a plan, or quit your job without being sure that the plan will succeed. There’s no reason to rush into it. Put your efforts into turning your hobby in a career gradually and carefully. Get the first sale, then the second, then the third. Build your brand slowly and with certainty. In the beginning of every business, word of mouth is highly important.

3.     Organize Your Time

Working full-time, doing your daily errands and turning a hobby into business isn’t simple, but it is doable. You will need some extra time to pursue this, so you better organize your time to make sure that you aren’t missing out on the important things.

Prioritize. Put your must-do tasks first, the hobby second, and the less important things last. Delegate as much as you can to find some time to fit this into your schedule, and follow the plan. A to-do list or a schedule won’t work unless you stick to it.

4.     Get Some Help

You might need help to push this idea through, especially if you continue working and lack the time to fully focus on this goal. Ask for some assistance and tell your closest people about your plan. This should also help spread the word around and start getting you customers.

5.     Build an Online Presence

Nowadays, a business can hardly succeed without being present online. People use their smartphones and their laptops to find everything, which boosts your chances at getting successful faster and on a very large level. This means that, as soon as you decide to turn the hobby into business, you need to work on your online presence. Online presence is an essential step to take if you want to brand yourself as a true, talented professional.

6.     Do Some Networking

You’ll find people around you, online, tell people about your new challenge – these are all smart ideas because word of mouth is important. But, networking is also important. The more people you reach, the bigger are your chances of getting your brand recognized. Networking is the key to success of every business nowadays, so the best time to start working on this is right away.

7.     Treat Your Hobby Like a Job

What does this mean? It means that if you want your hobby to turn into a business that generates a great income and keeps you happy, you need to treat it as such. This means giving it the attention and time it needs, investing in it, and being persistent about it. Things hardly succeed the first time you try, so dedicate yourself to bringing your dreams to life if you really want this to happen.

Are you ready for this new, frightening challenge that can change your life for the better? The results are more than worth it, and you don’t have to risk everything to get there. Just follow these steps and turn your hobby into a profit!

Cathy Baylis is a freelance content writer who works for an assignment help service. She specializes in personal growth, career development, leadership, and education. She loves sharing her interests with readers, and she has something to say, for sure. Writing is not only her hobby but profession at the same time.