Hobby To Hustle: The Art of Earning With Your Hobby

Hey friends!

Imagine you love your full-time job so much that it doesn't feel like work. You go to work and work (sounds funny hehe) and come home and want to continue the work. Because you just love what you do! It combines your values, your passion and just feels like fun and joy. 24/7 you could be busy with it.
That'd be amazing innit?

Let me tell you that this is possible and easier done than you think:

All you need is your hobby!

In today's article I want to introduce you the theory of "Hobby-Monetization".
I think that there is no better and sustainbale way to build a business.

Currently I am even writing a guide and my whole coaching program is about: 'How to monetize your hobby.'

This article is a short introduction what the theory is about and also a small preview what you can expect in my guide which will be released soon :)

Alright, let's go:
Most of the people I meet who want a business think about the money first. They think ok which product they can sell in order to make a lot of money. They don't have any relation to the product and only see the end result.

They miss the most important part in the equation: The process.
To make money and a living with your business is a different level and it takes time, patience, hard work and setbacks.

"Many people give up once they realize building a sustainable business is more complicated than
how it's portrayed on social media."

Finding the right product or service and to figure out how to sell it can be overwhelming especially when you only see the money and glamour of a successful business. It's not even the peak of the iceberg of the businesss-game!

Unfortunately only a few people / coaches / influencer speak and tell you the truth. Rarely they speak about how to start and begin, more often they talk about increase sales and growth. But what about level zero? What about year 4,5? Where is the security of having fun?

Sustainability & A Long Lasting Business Model

I want to make a difference and show a different approach of buidling a business:

We will make money with your hobby! No joke! Monetize your favourite free time activtiy to combine work and passion.

Even if it's not profitable from the beginning, it's no problem because that's the great advantage: The money and success is just the extra, because you enjoy your hobby anyway, right? And because of that we want to add a little professionalism when practicing and doing our hobby to start earning money.

Starting with a fool proof attitude and setting:
-> No big investments
-> Starting small
-> Building on the compound effect
-> Take advantage of the 'side hustle fact'

Having a solid foundation without much risk ensures a stressfree building process. This is important because it will take time before your business will make money. The side hustle fact describes that this money is an just an extra. It's a bonus. You don't rely on it. You are not forced to generate income, because of no or low investments. There is no pressure to payback a loan or something similar. The feeling of 'I need to make it' doesn't exist and it gives us the freedom to be as creative as we want.

Break it down:

So the basic theory is to take our hobby and see how can we monetize it. The easiest step is to make clear that we are becoming an expert. A teacher. A guide. We want to become the go-to-person when it comes down to the hobby.

From painting pictures, to lifting weights there are no limits. From building websites to personal private chef. Everything can be monetized!

You are the expert. Especially when you speak with someone who has never done it before you are couple levels ahead. This position makes you more experienced and valuable.

The best proof is to document the process. This will make sure everybody who checks you out sees that you also started at level zero. It will give people a connection and build trust. A beginner wants to see the starting point, not the success part.

Great Timimg:

The best thing in my eyes is that there are endless possibilities how you can make money in the times of social media and internet. I created a list to give you an idea and inspire you. Check it out below:

Mediums you can use to monetize your hobby:

Affiliate marketing
Online Shop
Subscription content
Blog
YouTube channel
Write an e-book
Be a social media influencer
Give workshops
Freenlance service

How to do:

The long lasting vision is to build a personal brand.

The short answer would be become an expert and find beginners to teach.

Chose a medium and a style which you like the most. If you like to record videos start a YouTube channel. If you are less cool with being on camera then start writing about it.

There are many different ways to build a small business around your hobby. Each of us is a different person with different strenghts. It's important to note that you need to take advantage of your strengths and combine what you like.

There is no easy or short way. It is a journey with a win-win at the end:

You like your hobby, so why not making money with it. All you need to do is make small steps. This will include self-improvement and learning new skills.

The detailed explanation you will find in my guide "How to monetize your hobby". Subscirbe to the newsletter to not miss the launch - I got a special offer going on: Check it out and enjoy ;)

My personal example:

I monetized three of my hobbies:
After selling my restaurant I wanted to continue my passion of cooking and started giving cooking classes. I go to people's home and show them how to cook indian food and get paid for my knwoledge and skills.

Complementary to that I sell my own Indian spices on my online shop. I know how to cook and which struggles unexperienced people have creating a tasty indian dish, so I came up with a solution which makes the cooking super easy.

When building these small businesses I learnt how to build a website, build an onlineshop, create an offer, take product-pictures and many more skills. All of them I use in my third side hustle which is this blog connected with my Instagram page "business_selfcare". I offer a coaching program to teach business starters to help them starting their own small business.

You see there are many options of making money with your hobby, your interests and your skills.

IMPORTANT: Please note and don't get blinded by results:

It took me almost 3 years to build these small businesses!

"Not depending on financial success is a form of luxury."

Everything took many small steps and I never felt any pressure, because I am not depending on the financial aspect. I can't emphasize this aspect enough: It's a form of luxury. This gives you a clear head and mind to create a business how YOU like it. This gives you the freedom of choosing who your clients should be and the luxury of adjusting and making changes as many times you want.

Conclusion:

In the era of endless digital possibilities, transforming your hobby into a profitable solopreneur venture is easier to realize than you think. The fusion of passion and niche-expertise propels you towards visibility and success. Being a solopreneur isn't just about making money; it's about creating a fulfilling life where you're in control of your destiny.

I hope you enjoyed the article and got inspired to start your side hustle!

To be prepared for the journey you know what to do ;)

Enjoy life and bless up :)

Sahil