Turning a Hobby into a Home Business
January 27, 2007 by Mary Emma Allen
Perhaps you thoroughly enjoy a particular hobby. You decide, “Why not make money doing what I love?”
I heard someone discussing the “dream job” and he described it as a hobby you turned into a money making venture.
This often is how many home businesses start….expanding upon a talent or hobby to earn a living. However, you should be aware that something you enjoy as a hobby you can do at your leisure, when you want and how you want, may lose some of its enjoyment when it bacomes your source of income. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t undertake such a venture. Just be aware there are downsides to most any business and just because it was your hobby won’t make this any different.
*In order to earn an income, you must work at this business whether you feel like it or not, whether there are family activities underway, whether you want a day off but the project isn’t completed. Whenever you’re not working, the income generally will cease, unless you develop your business to the point where you have others working for you. If you don’t complete projects or render services as agreed, they you can lose customers.
*You are selling your product or service to others. You must meet their demands and deadlines. Often you have customers/clients who aren’t as enjoyable to deal with as others.
*You must involve yourself in promotion, billing, collecting payment…the business side of a business which you usually don’t consider in a hobby. Sometimes you will get dissatisfied customers, even though you did your best. Some may even refuse to pay the agreed upon amount. Or no matter how well you do your job, they aren’t satisfied.
*Your hobby may lose some of its enjoyment as you meet deadlines or customers expectations. I once had to take a large quilt apart and put in another type of batting. The one I purchased on sale proved to be unsatisfactory. This took a great deal of time, but I couldn’t charge my customer for it. I was fortunate she was pleased I would make her quilt over and didn’t want her money refunded.
The upside is that in spite of the problems you may encounter with a hobby turned home business, you’re still involved in something you enjoy.
“The upside is that in spite of the problems you may encounter with a hobby turned home business, you’re still involved in something you enjoy.”
I could not agree with you more, when you do something you like it’s not work. It really does not matter how much you get paid. The money is just a bonus, for doing something you like.
Thanks, John, for taking time to read my blog and leaving your comment. I appreciate it when readers let me know their views. It’s great to earn money from one’s hobby. However, when you have to make your sole living from it, or even part of your living, then what you get paid does become important.