How To Monetize Your Passions Without Losing The Fun Of It All

If you are staring down the potential pathway of running your own business that involves your hobbies or creative outlets, then you are not alone. Small businesses have easily become the backbone of America having added 12.9 million jobs in the last 25 years, according to Forbes Advisor. Many of them have also started from a personal project or fun venture.  

For those looking to contribute to this growing number with their own passions, find out how you can do so successfully without losing the joy in all that you do with these helpful tips. 

According to Forbes, knowing why you want to achieve certain goals is the first and most important step for figuring out how to achieve them. You are able to learn more about yourself and what fuels you in order to live by your true purpose. This will help guide you into setting clear, actionable goals as a result.  

As someone who is pursuing a Masters in entrepreneurship and working to monetize my own passions, understanding the reasoning behind my work keeps me going during difficult or slow periods. Whether short term or long term goals, the rationale should also only come from you and nobody else because it is helping you understand their purpose. If you’re pursuing a career for someone else and not living true to yourself, then this can quickly lead to burnout because you’re not feeding your true passions. 

To avoid potential burnout, create a clear divide in separating business time from leisure time. This includes having dedicated time enjoying your passions without the feeling or need to pair a business initiative with it. By honoring your personal needs, you will also be able to live true to the needs of a business as a result.

Pink Cole, a restaurateur and owner of Slutty Vegan explained the importance of having boundaries as well as pushing them as a business owner to Revolt.

“Every day is a boundary,” she said. “Entrepreneurship is tough. There’s nothing easy about it. If you look up the definition for entrepreneurship, you won’t find “easy” next to it. It’s more of a resiliency game and I face challenges every single day in business, but I somehow find a way to dig myself out of the holes that are created.”

Creating any business, especially one that involves personal passions, will not have a linear journey. It is important to focus on the present journey instead of looking only to the future possibilities. 

In an article by ET, Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules stars Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix said that while being in the unknown part of a business can be scary, it also means that anything can happen. Embracing the idea that it can be a positive outcome invites an exciting energy into the endeavor and keeps you grounded along the way.

Once you have started to get your business idea off the ground, look to see where you can shed some of the administrative work onto other colleagues. This way, you can center your focus on more of the creative aspects or scaling the business and not have to worry about the smaller details.

According to Forbes, delegation and team building is the powerhouse of a company, especially as it begins to grow. 

Pursuing your goals becomes easier when you realize that there’s a group out there who are also monetizing their passions. Make an effort to go join them – whether it is through networking events, online forums, or social media groups. You can also go a step further by seeking out mentors, coaches, or other online groups who understand your journey and can help provide additional support.