The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

hobby turning into a business

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,933
Utah
I've been sewing since childhood. It's my biggest and the only hobby. A few weeks ago my friend asked me why haven't I started taking orders and sew for people, because I'm really good at it. And I started thinking about it. Soon I plan to buy a new, better sewing machine and I hope, that it'll be profitable.
Have you ever faced a similar situation?

This isn't going to work out well unless you consider how you'll turn this into a business. Hoping you'll be profitable is a good way to never see a dime. If you're going to buy a better sewing machine, make sure you'll be happy with it even if you don't make money because you'll be on the hook for it whether your products sell or not.

Yes, I've been in similar situations. I've fooled myself into believing certain purchases would open the doorway to profits and got bitch slapped by reality when it didn't work that way. Other times I bought stuff and made money almost immediately. But I didn't hope for profits in any of those situations. Always had a game plan even when it wasn't a good one.

You can test this idea without spending money. You probably should.

Doing sth because you like it is awesome
But it sucks if you need to do this to pay your bills.
Doing your hobby on someone elses terms is just another type of slavery.

You like weightliftng? Cool! Build a pyramid for me. There is a lot of weights and lifting invloved.

As long as you are not doing your hobby on your terms - its slavery

OP didn't mention anything about paying bills and anything you do to be profitable involves someone else's terms. OP is talking about starting a business, which means she would be doing her hobby on her own terms..so what point are you trying to make?
 

Cameraman

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
207%
Sep 25, 2021
319
659
UK
Be very careful turning something you love into a business.

My hobby of 20 years became a hobby business and then became full-time when I decided to stop working (you need something to keep you busy). It was not my intention to make this a full-time business but it somehow happened. It then becomes easy to stop loving your hobby. You easily become burned out when this happens but you don't now have a hobby to turn to in order to unwind.

If you do make your hobby your business be sure to find another hobby. I learned to play the 5-string Banjo.
 

Oso

Gold Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
289%
Jan 18, 2022
407
1,176
Be very careful turning something you love into a business.

My hobby of 20 years became a hobby business and then became full-time when I decided to stop working (you need something to keep you busy). It was not my intention to make this a full-time business but it somehow happened. It then becomes easy to stop loving your hobby. You easily become burned out when this happens but you don't now have a hobby to turn to in order to unwind.

If you do make your hobby your business be sure to find another hobby. I learned to play the 5-string Banjo.
I cannot emphasize how important it is OP keeps this comment in mind.

I had been in the gaming industry (specific niche) for 20 years as a hobbyist/consumer. Turned it into a brick and mortar with a few friends. While it/we was/were successful (I've since sold my share) I absolutely hate everything about the industry, hobby, etc. now to the point of refusing to be involved in any type of project that's industry-related.

Sad part is, out of every available industry, it's the only industry I know like the back of my hand. Be wary of potential negative outcomes, friend. Good luck.
 

StellaArt

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
27%
Nov 7, 2019
11
3
I've been sewing since childhood. It's my biggest and the only hobby. A few weeks ago my friend asked me why haven't I started taking orders and sew for people, because I'm really good at it. And I started thinking about it. Soon I plan to buy a new, better sewing machine and I hope, that it'll be profitable.
Have you ever faced a similar situation?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

dawp

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
106%
Oct 23, 2017
35
37
30
Doing sth because you like it is awesome
But it sucks if you need to do this to pay your bills.
Doing your hobby on someone elses terms is just another type of slavery.

You like weightliftng? Cool! Build a pyramid for me. There is a lot of weights and lifting invloved.

As long as you are not doing your hobby on your terms - its slavery
 

Ing

Gold Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
102%
Jun 8, 2019
1,621
1,651
58
Bavaria
I see a big oportunity out of your hobby : you know, how to make clothes. So you can make clothe samples and tell others to produce them without scamming you.
Keywords factory, China, import....

I would NOT turn making clothes for someone else into a time for money job!

you read "unscripted "?!
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
D

DeletedUser0287

Guest
I've been sewing since childhood. It's my biggest and the only hobby. A few weeks ago my friend asked me why haven't I started taking orders and sew for people, because I'm really good at it. And I started thinking about it. Soon I plan to buy a new, better sewing machine and I hope, that it'll be profitable.
Have you ever faced a similar situation?

My business I do sewing. I enjoy it and it make money. But keep in mind that I would be happy even if I didn’t make money. Investment and learning was heavy before I even made a dime. I make the products for myself and I never really cared if others liked it or wanted it. I just wanted to build the best product in my vision. Turns out...others ended up liking it as well. I built it because I couldn’t find anywhere that produced the designs and functions I liked.

if you do go deep, I’m sure you already know. Costs add up quick. You won’t see a return in a while (the dip they call it). If someone went into this profit minded, they wouldn’t be able to handle“the dip” the hours and hours of sinking every paycheck I had to fund this and trial and error to make the product of my dreams.
 

NeoDialectic

Successfully Exited the Rat Race
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
685%
Feb 11, 2022
402
2,754
Phoenix, az
I agree with many of the caveats that have already been mentioned by posters, but I would add that it isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you don't have business experience, this may be a great way to get your foot in the door. It doesn't mean you need to make a huge commitment and make a big business out of your hobby. But for a beginner, any business experience is a good start and maybe keep your eyes open for better opportunities.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top