Do you feel unhappy at your job and can’t wait till the next weekend when you can finally do something you actually enjoy? Everyone has a hobby, however, not many people have the guts to quit their job and pursue their passion. It’s scary, risky, and overwhelming, especially, if you have reached some heights at your job. On the other hand, monetizing your hobby will change your life completely and help you fulfill your potential and improve the quality of your life. When you do something you really enjoy doing, it barely feels like a job.
Now you are asking yourself: where do I start? How do I turn my hobby into a business? Let’s discuss the five most popular business ideas and how to mitigate the risks.
- Fashion
What do I need? Sewing machine, mannequins, fabrics, and other sewing tools, clothes design app.
If you are a fashion lover and design your own wardrobe, the fashion industry might be something for you. Nowadays, it’s really difficult to find something unique and authentic to wear – everything is mass-produced! So, if you can turn someone’s vision into a real piece of clothing, the feedback will be amazing. And modern technology can help you with that: there are several apps on the market – Fashion Design App or Fashion Design Flat Sketch – that assist you with designing, creating patterns, and making adjustments. They work like a sketchbook but you can look at your model in 3D, play with colors and fabrics as well as use integrated templates.
- Photography
What do I need? Camera, lenses, lighting, tripod, editing software.
If you enjoy photography and never leave the house without a camera, this business might be perfect. The career opportunities here are endless: you can be a wedding or real-estate photographer, you can shoot pets and small businesses or travel and sell breathtaking views from all over the world.
You will need to purchase some professional tools like off-camera flash, backdrops, and reflectors along with camera, lenses and memory cards. Next to the photography equipment, the essential part of your startup kit goes to photo editing software. Check out PhotoWorks – a professional editor developed by AMS Software that will help you with post-processing. A great helper for a photographer of any level – use Auto Correction to drastically enhance the quality in one click and try out the Portrait Magic tool with automatic face detection to ease and speed up portrait editing. Besides, you can use the Clone Stamp or change background altogether in case you spot some unwanted objects and finish up by applying an original filter or a 3D LUT. And if you are afraid that you lack some knowledge, don’t worry, the program will walk you through the tools by providing guiding tips to ease the learning curve.
- Jewelry
What do I need? Pliers, jewelry hammers, glue gun, wire cutters.
Many women make their own jewelry, however, never think about launching their small jewelry business. Making jewelry is a great hobby – it unlocks your creative side, inspires you to new beginnings, and makes you look pretty afterward. Set up a small online shop or even get an Instagram or Pinterest account and you will have your selling platform. There are tons of jewelry making programs and apps that will help you envision your design, play with materials and forms as well as take advantage of jewelry design templates.
- Cooking
What do I need? Dishes and containers to transport the food, coolers, a fully equipped kitchen.
If your food parties are always a hit and everyone asks for your special ingredients, the cooking business might be your new career path. Maybe, you bake awesome pastry: cakes, cupcakes, and pies. Develop a menu of your best treats, take flattering pictures of your gastronomic creations, and check out your competition to research what your market niche needs. Secondly, set the prices. Pricing is tricky and depends on many things, so simply check the price range of the bakers in your area and go for an average offer. Here, you could also use some accounting apps – QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books – to see whether you will make a profit with your business plan and if you need to increase prices.
- Graphic Design
What do I need? Graphic design software.
Are you good at drawing and always wanted to use your superpower to create something great? Well, get a program for software design (e.g. Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Sketch), learn some basics online in case you feel that you lack some knowledge, and design away. You can create designs for cups, t-shirts, and pillows as well as make funny posters or artistic paintings. Set up an account on social media platforms, foremost on Pinterest, register on Fiverr or Upwork to reach potential clients, and refer them to your shop. Alternatively, offer your services in the local stores and print shops – if you manage to collaborate and create t-shirts with your amazing drawings together, you can expand really quickly and attract new customers.
Starting your own business is terrifying – you make all decisions and carry all the responsibility. However, if there is a chance that quitting an unloved job and making money on your hobby will make you happy and fulfilled, go for it! It’s worth the risk.
