The Decision Of Turning My Passion Into My Business

I have finally taken the first steps in starting my publishing company. I have started getting business counseling and I am in the planning phase of writing my business plan. It's been a long time coming. For the past two years I have been on a learning curve. Learning as much as I could about the publishing industry and writing. I'm a student at Full Sail University pursuing a Bachelor's in Creative Writing For Entertainment and I love it. I'm turning my passion into my business. The decision to do so wasn't hard to make.  Living out my dream and getting a paycheck for it is just plain ol' smart to me.

For some women it's not so easy. For their own reasons, making the decision to follow their passion is hard. I have a few suggestions for those of you that find yourself in that position:

• Being passionate vs. Being interested.  We're all interested in a million things. I for one love doing hair, would love to work in the medical field, would like to invest in real estate, and so many other things. I've been to school to pursue those things in the past and failed miserably. Why? Because I find those things interesting but I'm not passionate about them. Writing, I'm passionate about. That 's the one thing I've always stayed dedicated to. The first step in turning your passion into your business is to make sure you're pursuing something you're passionate about. Not something you're just interested in.
• Study the market thoroughly.  If you determine that you are in fact passionate about something. See if there is a way that you can make money from that. Research the industry and market thoroughly. Learn all you can about the market. Make note of things like who the industry leaders are, who your potential buyers are, what skills you have that can help you enter the market, etc.
• Write out a plan and set realistic goals. You've know what you're passionate about. You know that there is a market for your passion. Now it's time to take your research and use it to write out a plan for how you will turn your dream into a reality. You need a map to know where you're going. This will help to keep you on track and give you a way to check your progress. This was one that I didn't really think I needed at first. This is the most important of the tips. I realize that now. It wasn't until I had a clear plan written down and began to follow it that I started to progress.

Next I encourage you to find  a business mentor. They can give you guidance, advice, and insight into business and can be your support. Sometimes family and friends aren't the best support when you're following your dream. Sometimes they don't believe in your passions as much as you do and can stunt your progress. 

Lastly, take action! Move now! There is no perfect time. If you wait until the time is "right" you may never take the first step.  Good luck!

What are your passions? Any tips for how to turn your passion into a business?