Everybody’s dream is to make money doing what they love…but it can feel SO impossible and overwhelming at times. You may be wondering how you can get started, or if there’s a step-by-step process you can follow for foolproof success. And while unfortunately there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to turning your passion into something profitable, there ARE a few things you can do to jumpstart the process, which is what we’ll be talking about today.
Before we dive in, I want to remind you that I wasn’t always the CEO of Olivia Jenkins Consulting. I worked in digital marketing in health and beauty for a long time, and actually left what I thought was my DREAM job to start my own business consulting firm. I now know that running OJC is my real dream job, but at the time, it was so scary — I had no idea if I would be able to make my passion for transforming brands into something that paid the bills.
It all worked out in the end, but not without a SERIOUS amount of reflection, planning, strategizing, hard work, and dedication to what I do. All of these things are part of the recipe for making your dream a reality. Ultimately, doing what you love IS possible…you just have to really, really want it.
So, here’s what you need to start thinking about as you dive in:
What lights you up inside?
Start considering what you love and how you can integrate that into your daily life. You may not think it’s possible to do this thing as a career, but you’d be surprised at how many different ways there are to make what you love profitable. Once you know roughly WHAT it is you love, you can begin to think of possible ways to profit from it. For example, if you have great taste and love fashion, maybe you could offer style consultation. If you’re an incredible artist, you can put your art on products and sell them. There are so many different options, it just depends on what YOU want to do. And remember — finding your passion can be the hardest step of all. It’s OK if you don’t know exactly what it is you love. If that’s the case, you can start by considering the things you enjoy doing and find interesting.
What opportunities are available to you?
Do you want to start your own business, or work for someone else? Whatever the answer is, you need to do a little research and see how to make it happen. You may even need to do research to figure out the answer to this question. This is when it’s a good idea to look at job websites like LinkedIn and ask around your local network/on social media to see if anybody knows of a good starting point. I especially recommend Facebook groups for new entrepreneurs if that’s the route you plan to go — the community aspect is so helpful.
Consider the workload and lifestyle you want.
Sometimes, doing what you love also means falling into the trap of overworking, because it doesn’t feel like work. The facts are, it still is, and you need to be very purposeful about creating a divide between your professional and personal life. This is even more important if you are pursuing your passion for flexibility and work-life balance — you don’t want your dream to turn into something that burns you out, and you also don’t want to work so much that it stops being your passion. Balance is key here!
Get organised.
As a business consultant, the number one tip I can give you when going after a new passion or project is to stay on top of your organisation. You should always have a plan in place that you can return to and revise as your work starts to evolve. It doesn’t matter if you’re pursuing a passion project or full-time career — you’re going to need a schedule to help you stay on top of what you need to do, a budget for any potential expenses, and a rough idea of what you’ll be working on each month. (You can learn more about working with me to create a winning strategy here.)
Network, network, network!
This is where social media and your own personal connections really come into play. It does not matter how amazing your product or service is — if nobody knows about it, you will not be able to make a profit. Do everything in your power to share what you have to offer with everybody in your circle and beyond. Build connections, put yourself out there, and don’t be afraid to try new marketing tactics.
Just DO it.
The only way you’ll ever be able to make money doing what you love is to just get started. Work through any feelings of fear and insecurity you may be having and take the first step, whether that’s looking for a new job, hiring a coach or consultant to guide you, investing in a course, or sitting down and creating a plan. Simply getting started is all it can take to light a fire under your butt to keep going.
Remember, you never have to stay stuck at a job you hate just to pay the bills. With hard work, planning, and commitment, you can turn your passion into the thing that makes you the happiest and most successful you’ve ever been.
If you need some help getting started, let’s hop on a free 15 minute discovery call to chat more about your passion and how together we can create a killer strategy that will turn it into your source of profit.