Rebekah
How can I combine many interests into one career?
I just love to do so many things. The hard part is knowing which are viable career paths and which should remain hobbies. Maybe I can combine some of them to create something unique! I wouldn't mind starting my own business/organization to make that happen. Some of my top interests include: cooking, photography, tiny houses/construction, environmental impact, missions, the outdoors, and music. I'm sure there are many more, but perhaps this gives an idea of me.
I know that interest differ between people, obviously, but perhaps you would have some solutions to help anyone find a career they will love from the hobbies they already enjoy. In other words, how can we turn our passions into income?
I'd love all the help I can get on the subject--I know there are many answers.
Thank you for your time! #general #small-business
5 answers
Laura Vaughn
Laura’s Answer
Hi there! It's great that you have so many interests and talents. Often, when someone is very smart, s/he has a hard time deciding on a career or study path. It's a good problem to have, but it can be overwhelming!
Owning a business is a great idea, but that can require a lot of time doing things you might not actually enjoy--like bookkeeping or sales. You sound like a very creative person, and there are lots of jobs where you could put your talents to work and not have all the responsibility of owning your own business.
Marketing was not something i thought of as a career when I was younger--just fell into it. But it might be something you should investigate. Especially marketing communications or agency work--where you could write, design, or create concepts for marketing products and services. It might allow you a profitable use for many of your talents, and still leave you time to enjoy your hobbies.
No matter what you pursue, I'm sure you have a bright future given you open-mindedness and many interests! Good luck.
Paul Hauber
Paul’s Answer
Rebekah,
I like how you have listed your passions and desires. Doing something you enjoy and earning a living with it can be a daunting task. I have seen people go into business with their passion and then find it overwhelming having to work other areas of business they do not enjoy and that part can be overwhelming.
When starting a business you most likely will be performing all aspects of areas that you enjoy and areas that you find that are work. Aligning yourself with good people/employees that can handle the task you don't do well better then you can, can be a challenge. And you have the whole aspect of people management, compensation, benefits and turnover etc.
I would suggest starting with a business plan for your business (http://sba.gov is a good start). Putting ideas to a structure can help you see the the whole picture and areas that bring up questions as to it's viability of success. I would start with a high level 1 page and just write down what comes to mind. Visualizing your business in yearly steps will help you think big of where you want to go.
Aligning yourself with people you trust to run your ideas by can be very helpful too. Having another set of eyes can many times help uncover areas you did not think about. I hope this was helpful. All the best.
Keri Dunkelberger
Keri’s Answer
I have to echo John's words, just loving to learn about new things is a wonderful way to encompass all of those hobbies that interest you. One thing to consider is, all of these hobbies are wonderful as hobbies, would they be as great as a steady 9-5 job? If one of those hobbies, or let's lump 3-4 together and you could do those same 3-4 everyday all day, would you want to do them when you got home from work? Sometimes it is easy to think we would love to do our favorite hobby as a job, but I like knowing that my hobbies are mine to do, at my leisure, like John does when he gets off of work.
So, if you can find a job that will engage your sense of interest and wonder and you are challenged daily by learning new things about interesting new topics, I think you win the career game! While for John it is recruiting, for me it has been commercial real estate management. I am able to have my hands in a bunch of new things, pretty much all the time and it is always interesting and new and keeps me coming back to work everyday, to find out what new thing I might become a part of!
I hope this helps!
Al Fernando Williams
Al Fernando’s Answer
I'm a little jealous :) So great that you have a lot of things that you enjoy 😊 .
I think taking out some reflective time to write out all the things you enjoy is a good place to start.
After that have a think about all the things you enjoy where they are not only for fun but also an escape for you (you time) - I'd take those of the monetisation list
I'd look at the others and figure out which ones are most appropriate for your own lifestyle, way of living, in line with your personal values
When you have a shorter list, do a market assessment to see which one is financially viable based on your financial goals
When you have a shorter list then a business plan is in order
All the best :)
John Cline
John’s Answer
Rebekah,
I am exactly the same way! When I go home from work, I immediately get into one of my many hobbies! What I realized was that more then one specific interest, I just love to learn about new things. I was fortunate enough to randomly find the career of technical recruiting which was a great fit for me. In recruiting, you have to learn about new people, new jobs, new companies, new types of technology or products, every day. Recruiting is not for everyone, but it has given me an outlet to come to work and get to learn every day. Another option is to find a well paying, stable job that allows you flexibility to do your hobbies on the side.
New businesses that succeed are typically started and run by someone extremely passionate about the product or service. If you have a wide range of interests, it might not be the best idea to start a business, because you might find that you have to focus on one thing full time, and are limited in your ability to participate in your other interests.