Happy New Year! It has been an exciting twelve months, but it is time to look towards the future, towards 2024. We hope 2024 will be even better for you than 2023. We will definitely do our best to help with that! To start, we want to offer some inspiration for the new year. All those New Year’s resolutions start becoming a reality in January. It is a month of new beginnings and undertakings! We believe you can take advantage of that positive energy yourself. Perhaps you have friends or colleagues around you who have vowed to do something this year, and you feel like you should do that as well. If you have not decided about what that something is, then we have a suggestion that you will probably like a lot: turn your online passion into a business in 2024.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could actually pursue your passion but also make it profitable? Are you one of those people who are unhappy with their jobs and want to do something they genuinely enjoy and care about? Then jump on the train of inspired people at the beginning of this year and make it come true. We want to use this blog post to motivate you and give you direction and a starting point. Let’s dive right into the topic and discover your passion and how you can turn it into a business in 2024.
What is Your Passion?
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Just like January is the definitive beginning of the year, declaring your passion is the beginning of your new journey of turning it into a business. That is the first thing you must consider when undertaking this journey: look deep into yourself and find out what you are truly, genuinely passionate about. What do you love doing? What will you never get bored of? We cannot tell you anything about these things because you have to answer the questions yourself.
Do you get a feeling of genuine accomplishment when you help someone? Or do you feel warm and fuzzy inside when someone compliments something you created? Are you an avid gamer or video producer? Maybe an amateur writer? Do you have a knack for working with your hands? Look around yourself, at your surroundings, and understand what is in your room or your favorite place. Such things can help you narrow down what you are passionate about. We fully realize this topic is getting philosophical, but this is the first and most crucial step into turning your passion into a business. You must know what that passion is. If there are multiple things you would love to turn into a business, then deciding on one of them is critical.
Ultimately, it is up to you to decide where your passions lie and which one you want to turn into a business. In either case, though, it is a great way to do something you love while benefiting monetarily. Not only that but turning it into a business will allow you to learn new skills and meet new people. Your job being your passion sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? It can be, but there is much work to do.
Do Some Research
Whether you are passionate about one or multiple things, you must do some research before starting your journey of making it a business. The most important thing to find out is whether there is a market for what you are offering. The worst thing you can do now is to dive head-first into a project and then realize there is no demand for it. That can be crushing.
Because of that, go online and do some quick Googling. Are you excellent at knitting cute clothes for dogs? Find out if anyone in your area is doing it, then check out some of the more prominent websites where you can find such items. See how they are doing and improve on the business they have. Or maybe you are great at video games and want to start making videos. Find out if the games you love playing have an audience and are generally well-received. But what if you are passionate about something that isn’t popular or interesting?
That is the fantastic thing about the online world nowadays: there will always be people who will find your passion interesting. Another thing is you can always put a spin on your passion: a different point of view or representation that others have not done yet. For example, there are people online who make money out of terrible, terrible video games that nobody likes because they put their own spin on their passion.
It is easy to get discouraged when researching if others are doing what you intend to do because chances are they already are. Don’t give up hope, though, because in the same way all those other people succeeded, you can make it, too.
Finally, on the topic of research, we want to stress that you should not jump on the first offer you get. For instance, if you find a hosting you like for you like we recommend not settling immediately. Do a bit more research and see if there is a better option, for a lower price. The same applies for anything related to your business: always try to get the best bang for your buck. If a company wants to provide raw materials to you, check online to see if there isn’t another one closer to your operation that might offer lower prices. Don’t settle for the first thing you see.
Are You Up For the Task?
The next thing you need to ask yourself is if you are capable of pulling off your idea. We are not talking about creating a full-blown plan and following it. Yet. What we mean is if you are ready in terms of skills. Do you have the knowledge necessary to turn your passion into a business in 2024? Chances are you are very skillful in the passion itself, but what about the business side of things? That is a significant part you must not forget about.
Do you have a website for your business? Any social media presence? Do you know what SEO is? These three questions are some of the most basic ones you must answer before deciding whether you are ready. As you can see, you may also have to research this part of your journey. To help you out, we have a whole slew of blog posts on these topics. For example, in this blog post, we discuss what to consider when building a contemporary, competitive website in 2023. Despite the title stating 2023, it will also apply in 2024, trust us!
On the other hand, this blog post discusses the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. It can give you a solid idea of which to use when building your website with WordPress. We mention WordPress because it is an excellent tool for creating dependable websites with a wide array of functionality. It does not require much, if any, coding knowledge and has an excellent graphical interface that helps with the development process. Additionally, our Shared Hosting plans are the perfect starting point for anyone looking to dip their toes into launching a business and a website alongside it.
Be confident that you are ready to not only do what you love but also everything else involved in running a business. If you can’t, though, it is not the end of the world. Consider hiring someone who has more experience than you to show you what needs to be done or do the work for you.
Finally, the most crucial part of determining if you are up for the challenge is whether you think you can treat your passion as a business. Are you ready to sacrifice a small portion of your love for what you do to develop it into a success? We say that because no matter how much you love something, it will lose some of its luster once you try to turn it into a job. Or, instead, that luster will be replaced by all the other things you have to do to get the business off the ground: infrastructure, marketing, SEO, and so on. You will have to work hard. Of course, don’t forget your finances and think long-term. Very few new businesses nowadays have been viral successes from day one. Plan ahead and know how much money you can afford to spend.
Time to Start
You have decided. Your passion will become a successful online business in 2024. You have researched everything you need, know the pieces you need to assemble, and have your staff; it is time to begin. Right?
Yes! Start right away. It does not matter where you start but do not put off working on the project. We all know how difficult the first step is, but it is the most important one. It is the one which will give you the drive and excitement to keep going. We have all done it: put off things for tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. Telling yourself that you are planning and thinking about the project only wastes time. The planning should have been done while you were researching what to do. Now, it is just postponing. People do that for many reasons, but we are confident you have either done it yourself or know of someone who postpones indefinitely.
Perhaps you are not certain where to start. That is a common issue but not an impossible one. Firstly, have a look online. We know, obviously. Some people probably have tried to launch a business like the one you are aiming for. Forums, chat rooms, and Discord servers are also great places to seek advice on getting your business idea going. You might ask yourself why you would want to talk to the competition. Don’t think of others as competition. The internet is big enough for everyone, and older businesses can give you invaluable advice.
To help you, here is what we suggest you begin with.
- Design a logo for your business. It is an excellent first step since it will kick-start your creative juices. Even if you can’t draw yourself, a logo is an inexpensive way to put a firm beginning point for your new business.
- Set up some social media accounts. You don’t need to post anything on them if you don’t have any ideas yet, but having those ready to go should inspire you even further.
- Start making a website. You can refer to the blog post we mentioned earlier for advice on where to start. A website is vital nowadays and another good way to inspire your creativity.
Don’t worry if everything you are doing feels unprofessional and amateurish. That is part of the learning experience. Unless you can outsource all the various tasks surrounding setting up a business, you will have to do some on your own. If this is your first time, feeling inadequate or overwhelmed is perfectly normal. Do not let those feelings stop you: even the most popular businesses started from zero.
Next, you can create while working on the website: a blog for your business. Blogs are an excellent way to show what your website and business are about. They are also great to keep users informed about any new developments. It is also useful when writing about your business in general. Your main website is the front of your business, while the blog is your community outreach.
Finally, there are a two more things we want to mention, regarding the financial and logistical side of your newly started project:
- Remember that some things are out of your control, especially when it comes to dealing with third parties, and the delays they can cause. Whether it is a delivery company, a packaging manufacturer or whatever else it may be. You should always keep such third parties in mind and the delays they can cause. Do not fret, though, because such occurrences are more common than you might think. Keep those things in mind and adjust your deadlines accordingly, when necessary. However, do not let others take advantage of you and if it comes to it switch to a different provider, supplier, etc.;
- In regards to the finances you will put in this business we have two pieces of advice for you: separate your personal and business funds, and never go overboard with your available money. Firstly, separating your finances into business and personal is important for tax purposes, but it is also a good practice to treat your business as a separate entity when it comes to expenses. Secondly, pace yourself when funding it. If you go all-in right from day one, and the business doesn’t work out, that can be a huge financial loss right there. Observe and fund as necessary.
With all of this said, we believe you should now be prepared to start working on your project. Good luck!
What to Do Next?
The first steps have been taken, and progress is being made. Your business has infrastructure in place, a website, social media accounts, and maybe even a blog and some SEO set up. Perfect! Now, it is time to grow and develop. One of the most important things you must remember at this point is that you are your own brand.
Turning your passion into a business comes with the unique advantage that, as a person, you are unique and have your own views and opinions. Make sure that your brand reflects that. Where you come from, the challenges you have faced, your experiences, and your personality should all play a huge role when deciding the identity of your business. From how it looks to the service you provide to the energy your website gives off when people use it, let it be you. Let your passion for your work be at the forefront of everything your customers see.
Once you are happy with your brand, it is time to start marketing. That is where things can get complicated. We have a blog post about refreshing your online business after the summer break. What we outline in it will also help new businesses. We discuss various marketing strategies in it, but if you are just starting out, we suggest focusing on social media marketing. The algorithms those platforms use will significantly boost your business’ discoverability. Of course, you can’t rely solely on that, so start posting! Proclaim you are now open; show the world what you offer. If you can afford some ad space, that is also great.
Next, try to become an expert on the topic in your community. To clarify, we are not talking about being the best online ever. All businesses form a community around them as they grow. Be the go-to person when someone needs online and offline advice. Knowing the ins and outs of the product or service you are offering will help set you apart from similar businesses that are not putting in the same effort as you. A blog can be the perfect platform for you to write about your expertise. Show the world what you know and that you can be trusted. An FAQ section on your website will also help bolster that trustworthiness. Also, if you ever notice questions on social media (or other communication channels), don’t hesitate to answer them.
Finally, the most crucial piece of the puzzle is never thinking you are done. A business is an endeavor that lasts from the moment it is created until it is shut down. Businesses need constant attention and work. Don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of thinking your business won’t need constant supervision: it will. Whether it is to keep up with customer demand or technological developments, introduce new products or services, or hire new staff, you have to be on top of things. AI has not replaced us for now, so you can’t just let what you worked so hard for run amok.
Final Thoughts
Turning your online passion into a business in 2024 is a great way to occupy your time. If you are looking for a new challenge that will bring you profits and joy while doing it, consider taking things into your own hands. Even if it won’t become your full-time job at first, starting such a project is a way to do what you love and expand your horizons: new skills, new people, and new experiences. Doing this will bring you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, from the smallest to the biggest successes. The feeling of launching your website to your first customers, to everything else, will be your motivation to persist. Don’t be afraid of failure, and turn what you are passionate about into your dream job.
