More and more women dream of a job that brings not only income, but also joy. The question is how to achieve this goal without succumbing to the pressure of circumstances or expectations from relatives and society.

Let's look at the most important steps that will help you make money doing what you love and not give up when faced with various difficulties.

1. Find your passion

The first step to making money doing what you love is to understand exactly what you love.

What inspires you? What makes you happy? What do you really feel happy doing? What skills do you have? What experience has already been gained?

Answers to these questions (certainly in writing!) will help you find an area in which you can develop. Do not stop at the first idea, allow yourself to write down new ideas for a few days to really feel the area (maybe even 2-3) with which to continue to take the next steps.

2. Define your target audience

Write as accurately as possible who could be the target audience of your product/service. Who will use it? Who will pay for it? You can't sell to everyone! There is even a saying “if it works for everyone, it works for none”!

Remember, the more precisely you define the target audience (gender, age, location, occupation, income level, interests, etc.), the easier it will be to find it and target sell to it. The more uncertain the target audience for the product/service provider itself, the more difficult it is to plan the budget even before the start of sales and to prepare sales texts and visual materials in the future.

3. Conduct market research

Once you have defined your passion (maybe even 2-3) and the target audience, study the demand for this service or product in the market. Analysis of competitors and potential audience will help you understand how your hobby can turn into a source of income.

Use the Google search engine, in which you search by key words, whether your product/service is already available on the local market, if you plan to target Latvia, or on the European market, if you aim more broadly (I definitely recommend it!). Depending on the chosen audience, research is conducted in Latvian or in another language.

When conducting research, immediately save information about direct and indirect competitors according to specific parameters (it's easiest to do this in an Excel or Word file) - name of the competitor, links to the competitor's sales channels, prices, any other relevant information. Competitor research is not stealing information, as people often perceive it, but a valuable activity that will help you avoid many risks in the future.

When evaluating business ideas, I always pay attention when it says "no competitors", because it is very suspicious why no one has thought of it yet. If there are many competitors, do not immediately abandon this idea. For many activities, you simply have to come up with your own raisin, which will make me or my product/service different.

Even at the initial stage, it helps a lot that you already find potential buyers and talk to them, ask what they would like, what would be important in packaging or delivery, etc. Just remember to talk to your target audience, not your mom, brother or girlfriend if they are not your direct target audience.

4. Creates an action plan

List specific actions that must be taken to turn your hobby into a source of income. When I tell clients that they need to develop a business plan, many are scared or I often hear: "I don't need it, because I don't plan to go to the bank or look for an investor!" But you need a business plan! In it you describe in detail your goal, market research, describe your product/service, sales strategies and monetization plan.

I have a popular phrase in the money mind game : "Until I see the numbers, I can't value your business!" And that's exactly how you should treat your heart's business, with which you want to make money. You need to see the numbers - what my expenses will be, what my income will be in order to understand whether it is worth investing my time and energy.

5. Develop your skills

Always keep learning! Invest time and resources in improving your skills and knowledge in the chosen field. This will help you become a successful entrepreneur.

Just don't make the mistake that many women make - they just study all the time, but never start earning with their heart's business, because subconsciously they say: "You are not yet professional enough", "You have not yet obtained X diploma", "You are not yet knowledgeable enough", etc. You always have to start somewhere!

6. Be ready for challenges

The road to success is not always smooth and easy. It is important to be ready for difficulties and not to give up at the first failure. Remember that you are learning the skill of being an entrepreneur! It is rarely put into the genes. Most often we are taught to be hired workers. So be patient with yourself! Use failure as a lesson, as a valuable experience and move on.

7. Evaluate your financial situation

Switching to a job you like can be a challenge for your financial well-being, because you can't always immediately earn as much as, for example, you earned in a salaried job before. Therefore, plan your expenses, create reserves and regularly evaluate your financial situation. Make friends with numbers in your everyday life!

8. Find a supportive community

Connecting with like-minded people and mentoring can be important factors for success. Find a community or a coach or mentor who will support you in achieving your goals. We have someone by our side when we learn to crawl, walk, ride a bike, read and write. It's the same with business - find someone who is ready to be your support shoulder!

I myself belong to the association "Līdere", which unites women entrepreneurs, because I know how important it is to share your challenges, give support to other women and receive it myself.

Making money doing what you like can definitely become your reality, as long as you are ready to devote time, energy and effort to your heart business. Follow the guidelines mentioned above, do not give up at the first challenge and remember that success is achieved by those who are persistent and committed to their goals! May you succeed!

Author of the article: Daina Einberga

Coach-therapist with 17 years of practical experience in coaching, therapy, training

Pavadone, which leads people to a happier, healthier, richer and more conscious life

@DainasPasaule

www.einberga.com