JK Rowling, Rudy Choirudin, Krisdayanti, and Kobe Bryant. What do these people have in common? They are rich, they are famous and... they're like that because they do jobs that they enjoy. They are actually getting paid to do their hobbies! Don't you want to be like them?
Almost every hobby can be developed into a profitable occupation. People who love traveling can be tour guides, language enthusiasts can be interpreters and translators, pet lovers can run pet-care centers, gardening aficionados can open nurseries-the possibilities and opportunities are endless. But, it's a long way from simply doing your hobby for fun and doing it for money. The following pointers should give you an idea about how to make the most of your hobby in terms of money.
Shape Up. Before you decide to make money with your hobby, make sure that you are really good at it. People will only hire you or buy from you if you are really skilled in the business or your products are of high quality. They don't care for people who can only cook one or two types of dishes, or know only the basics of computer programming, or call themselves designers without any knowledge of textiles or sewing techniques.
So, learn as much as you can, either from books, special magazines or the Internet. It's also a good idea to take classes if any are available: guitar or piano lessons if you are interested in music, for example. But if there are no courses you can join, you can try meeting people with the same hobby and share your knowledge with them. You can easily find them in the special places where hobbyists usually flock together, like race tracks if you like racing cars, game shops if you love video and computer games, theaters and concerts if you enjoy film and music. Or, you can try the Internet to find people who are also crazy about the things you like.
Source: http://www.chennaiclassic.com/1_Chennai/posts/5_Education/109_Language_Music_Hobby_Classes/
Get Busy. Learning alone is not enough. You have to be productive. If you love photography, go out and shoot pictures. If you are into writing, sit in front of your computer/typewriter/writing pad, and write. If you are thinking of becoming a song writer, write songs and make demo-tapes. If you are creative with greeting cards, make some and give them to your relatives. If you enjoy jewelry-making, then create some dazzling samples and try selling them at the next school bazaar. Make something that people can see and appreciate. You have to be able to show some evidence that you are really serious about what you do. Don't be afraid to let people see your work and always ask for their input. Don't be afraid of criticism. The keyword here: persistence.
Test the Waters. After you are sure that you're pretty good at what you do, the next thing to do is check the market for your craft. Let's say that your family agrees that your cooking is the best in the world and you can get a fortune by opening a catering business. Don't start counting the money yet. You'd better take a look around and find out how many caterers are around to give you enough competition. Also, you need to calculate the amount of money necessary to run that kind of business. You need to know the prices of ingredients and other necessities like gas, equipment, etc.
This "testing the water" is very important before you consider devoting more time and energy to your hobby. When you seem to run into a wall after the initial survey, it doesn't mean that you have to give up your dream job. Go back and list all the choices and opportunities you can find. For example, when you realize that opening a game shop requires more money than you can afford, don't bag the idea just yet. Maybe you can sell video and PC games via the internet, or advertise your wares by dropping brochures and fliers in game centers and warnets, etc. After all, a shelf full of management books is no substitute for the ability to spot golden opportunities and a strong determination.
Source: http://parenting-skill-info.com/3-reasons-mom-should-have-a-hobby/
Meeting people who share the same passion is always a lot of fun. But when you're thinking of converting your hobby into a lucrative business, you need a much bigger crowd of acquaintances. Don't stay away from family arisans, reunions, weddings and other large gatherings where you can meet people who can help you make your dream come true. Maybe your father happens to need someone in his office who know animation software. Maybe your mother's ex-school-mate is also interested in motorbike modifications. Maybe you can offer your hand-made souvenirs to your neighbor who will hold a wedding party in a month. Maybe your friend's advertising agency is looking for a copywriter. The idea is getting to know people and letting them know of your ability and skill.
Link Up. Well, now that you know that having fun and making money can do together, what are you waiting for? Do you really want to get stuck in a job that you don't enjoy? Or do you choose to come home rom work feeling like you've just had the greatest time of your life?
Shape Up. Before you decide to make money with your hobby, make sure that you are really good at it. People will only hire you or buy from you if you are really skilled in the business or your products are of high quality. They don't care for people who can only cook one or two types of dishes, or know only the basics of computer programming, or call themselves designers without any knowledge of textiles or sewing techniques.
So, learn as much as you can, either from books, special magazines or the Internet. It's also a good idea to take classes if any are available: guitar or piano lessons if you are interested in music, for example. But if there are no courses you can join, you can try meeting people with the same hobby and share your knowledge with them. You can easily find them in the special places where hobbyists usually flock together, like race tracks if you like racing cars, game shops if you love video and computer games, theaters and concerts if you enjoy film and music. Or, you can try the Internet to find people who are also crazy about the things you like.
Source: http://www.chennaiclassic.com/1_Chennai/posts/5_Education/109_Language_Music_Hobby_Classes/Test the Waters. After you are sure that you're pretty good at what you do, the next thing to do is check the market for your craft. Let's say that your family agrees that your cooking is the best in the world and you can get a fortune by opening a catering business. Don't start counting the money yet. You'd better take a look around and find out how many caterers are around to give you enough competition. Also, you need to calculate the amount of money necessary to run that kind of business. You need to know the prices of ingredients and other necessities like gas, equipment, etc.
This "testing the water" is very important before you consider devoting more time and energy to your hobby. When you seem to run into a wall after the initial survey, it doesn't mean that you have to give up your dream job. Go back and list all the choices and opportunities you can find. For example, when you realize that opening a game shop requires more money than you can afford, don't bag the idea just yet. Maybe you can sell video and PC games via the internet, or advertise your wares by dropping brochures and fliers in game centers and warnets, etc. After all, a shelf full of management books is no substitute for the ability to spot golden opportunities and a strong determination.
Source: http://parenting-skill-info.com/3-reasons-mom-should-have-a-hobby/Link Up. Well, now that you know that having fun and making money can do together, what are you waiting for? Do you really want to get stuck in a job that you don't enjoy? Or do you choose to come home rom work feeling like you've just had the greatest time of your life?
Source:
C'nS, Vol 3 No. 20 November - December 2003
C'nS, Vol 3 No. 20 November - December 2003
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