8 Tips To Take Your Business From Part-Time To Full-Time

 You’ve been following the same routine and completing the same tasks every day. You find yourself wishing that you were able to create a career out of the hobbies that you enjoy doing in your spare time. So maybe you wake up early, stay up late or use the weekends to start a part-time business. Soon the inevitable happens and you find yourself yearning to take this hobby and turn it into a full-time business.

So how do you do that? Well CGD is about to give you the scoop!

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1. Narrow your focus.

Let’s say you enjoy writing. Writing is a broad term since you may be interested in journalism, creative writing, poetry or nonfiction writing. Now let’s say that you gravitate towards journalism. Journalism is also a broad term since you may be interested in news reporting, sports reporting or health care reporting. Now let’s say that you gravitate towards news reporting. You can work for a newspaper, a television station, a magazine or website. Do you see where this is going? Regardless of your area of interest, narrow your focus and invest your time and energy in expanding your knowledge and developing the skills you need to go from novice to expert.

2. Develop a killer business plan.

This may sound like a daunting task. But you need not worry! A business plan is a great way to gather the information you need in order to successfully create the type of work you envision. This includes understanding the industry, analyzing finances (how much money you need to make and how you can make it) and developing ways to market yourself. Luckily, there are many free templates on the web that will help you gather and organize these pieces.

3. Network, network, network.

Speaking of marketing, one influential way to market your business is to network. This means it’s time to make friends! Find people who are working within the same field and get talking. You’re not trying to “sell” yourself. You’re trying to create relationships with others that can lead to future collaborations or endeavors. Perhaps one these encounters will lead to a mentorship or someone who can help you better navigate their field. Regardless of the direction of the relationship, you will be are spreading your name and your work. You never know where it will lead!

4. Let your creative juices flow.

Decide to do something that sets you apart from others within the same market. Let’s say your goal is to become a sports photographer and you’ve narrowed down your interest to photographing professional surfers. There is something about getting in a wetsuit and hitting the waves (without actually getting crushed by one) that gets your creative juices flowing. You begin to shoot from different angles and perspectives. You develop your own style that sets you apart from others. Regardless of your interests, know what people are doing, look at your work from a different angle and perspective, and do something different.

5. Step outside of your comfort zone.

Perhaps doing something different will naturally take you outside of your comfort zone. If it does, don’t be afraid to take that chance. One of my favorite quotes is “If you want big rewards then you have to take big risks.” True statement.

6. Remember your worth.

Don’t sell yourself short. Just because you may be in the early stages of breaking into your preferred field, doesn’t mean that you don’t have something unique or desirable to bring to the arena. By placing yourself at the low end of the spectrum, customers will automatically think that they will be getting low-quality work. So set your standards comfortably within a competitive market. If you don’t value your services, then who will?

7. Take small steps.

Don’t just sit there and let ideas get jumbled up in your head. Jot them down in order to make them visible. Then tackle them one by one until you create a more cohesive picture. This ensures that you will not become overwhelmed and you will no longer be thinking or dreaming about your ideal career. You will be turning ideas into a reality.

8. Have fun!

It can be easy to get caught up in nitty gritty finances or marketing aspect of creating a successful business. Although important, don’t lose sight of your goals and maintain your passion. Those who genuinely love their work don’t view it as “work” and this includes those not-so-fun aspects of the job. Remember that determination and dedication always pay off.

So whether or not you want to become a full-time writer, photographer, blogger, event planner, fashion designer or anything else, make it happen!

Inspirational photos: Pinterest