Knitting and Sewing
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Turn your hobby into a business
   
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Mommy, Mommy, There's A Caterpillar On My Bed
Chenille has been used for bedspreads since Catherine Evans revived the craft in the 1890s. She applied raised tufts of yarn .....
Chenille has been used for bedspreads since Catherine Evans revived the craft in the 1890s. She applied raised tufts of yarn .....
Many people these days would like to work from home running
their own business. Plenty of these, have hobbies and skills
that they could use as the basis of their business. The best way
to break into self-employment at the beginning is by starting up
alongside your day job. This way, you can start to make your
contacts and plan for the day you will be able to kiss being an
employee goodbye, without actually losing your regular income
straight away, unless of course you have a chunk of capital to
Make Simple Curtains And Valance For Any Window
Making a quick set of curtains and a valance is something that you can do even if you don't have much sewing experience. It's just a matter of thinking through .....
inject into the business at start. Making a quick set of curtains and a valance is something that you can do even if you don't have much sewing experience. It's just a matter of thinking through .....
The best thing you can do in this life is to get paid for doing
something you would be doing anyway, so building up a small
business from a hobby is the ideal way to make a living. Not
only will you be your own boss, you will also be doing something
you love to do anyway - work isnt like work if you enjoy what
you are doing. On top of this, if you are marketing your own
products and designs you are far more likely to work harder and
have a belief in your product and the love you put into
producing your work will shine through, not like if you were
selling or promoting someone elses wares.
There are many ways to turn a hobby into a business. It doesnt
necessarily have to be something you make to sell. If you like
cooking, why not start a recipe newsletter for other like minded
chefs. Or if your forte is fancy cakes or cheesecakes, why not
try to get one or two regular customers, for example local
coffee bars or sandwich shops, to buy your extravagant
confections to sell in slices to customers. Obviously if you are
going to do something like this you will have to comply with
health and safety regulations, but it is definitely something
which is entirely possible.
If you enjoy making crafts, why not sell them via mail order,
rather than going down the usual route of selling through craft
fairs. What about sewing? Are you a good quilter? Could you make
exclusive cot quilts and bumpers? Cuddly toys, clothes
alterations, soft furnishings? All these pastimes can be turned
into lucrative businesses. By working as many hours, or taking
as many or as few orders as you like, you can control how big
your business grows and at what rate.
When you have decided to take the plunge, it is useful to read
case studies about how other people have started up home based
businesses. There are plenty of books in the library to you
inspiration, tell you about tax issuesand all the necessary
accounting and statutory rules and regulations you may have to
comply with. Some of the business opportunity magazines are also
interesting reading. In these, you will find many other home
based opportunities, information and contact names and addresses
Knitting Wool
Knitting Wool - Baaahh!
No, I didn' t say blaah, blaah, blaah! I said KNITTING WOOL - BAAAHH! Most adults would take it for granted that .....
which may be of help to you when you are starting up.Knitting Wool - Baaahh!
No, I didn' t say blaah, blaah, blaah! I said KNITTING WOOL - BAAAHH! Most adults would take it for granted that .....
Your hobby might involve a very specialised product, or may even
be something that relates to a locality. If you are a collector
and want to start up an agency that deals with your particular
obsession, then the best way to find other like minded souls, is
by advertising your service or product in some of the specialist
magazines that are available on the news-stands. These days, you
can get magazines on almost any subject, from miniatures,
through to family trees through to card making. Theyre all
there if you just go out and find them. Also it is worthwhile
looking in trade magazines too, which refer to the field you
will be entering into. Many useful contacts and associations can
be found in the pages and you will need all the information and
help you can get at the beginning.
The next stop is to find out if there are grants or bursaries
available to the small business person. However, usually you
need to put up some of the capitol yourself too to match these
awards.
You will need to set up a business account, making sure the bank
in question does not charge and administration fees for at least
a year. ALternatively you could opt for a completely free
business account. These are usually postal or internet based
though. Let's face it though, you dont want any profits made in
the early days being frittered away on bank charges do you?
You also have to decide on your method of advertising. If your
product or service will sell on a local level, why not try
leafleting door to door in your area, posting small flyers
promoting your services. Alternatively you could always use the
tried and tested method of post cards in shop windows. Not very
glamourous admittedly, but an effective way of advertising very
cheaply.
On the other hand, if you are going to have to advertise
nationally, then you will have to have at least some budget put
aside for this purpose before you start. Advertising can be
expensive - but doesnt have to be. It depends on the
publication. Contact magazines relevant to your product with a
press release telling your story or advertising what you have to
offer. You might even get a feature about you. Your story has to
be unusual or different however, if you are to hit gold straight
away.
In summary, turning your hobby into a part-time business is the
ideal way to be your own boss, work at something you love doing
and get paid for it, be in complete control of your working life
and have the opportunity to possibly work from home. You have to
do your research before you start though. Never jump in before
you are confident that there is a market for your product and
that you have enough financial reserves to keep you going during
the early days of your business.
About the author:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gail Miller is a UK artist
and writer. View her vibrant, contemporary artwork at her
website, Gails Art Gallery http://home.freeuk.net/gails-gallery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~