What if you have no idea what your what is? What if you’re thinking, “I’m just tired of making money for someone else. I’d really like to do my own thing,” but you don’t know what your own thing is? Start here…
Make a list of your hobbies.
- What things do you like to do outside of your regular working hours?
- Are you artistic?
- Do you love photography?
- Painting?
- Woodworking?
- Do your friends compare you to Martha Stewart?
- Do you bake?
- Do you cook incredible meals for your family?
- Do you run, or bike competitively?
- Do you spend your off time at the gym?
- Do you meal plan?
- Are you a sports enthusiast?
- Are you a gardener?
- A reader?
- A bargain shopper?
Once you’ve made a list of those hobbies, evaluate them for potential business ideas.
- Can you sell your photography? Maybe you want to open an Etsy shop or sell your work at local craft fairs. Maybe you want to become a family photographer, or a landscape photographer.
- Is your painting or woodworking something you could sell or teach?
- If your off time is about making meals, would that be something you could do for others in your area?
- If you’re a runner or a competitive bicyclist, do you have knowledge to share? How did you get to where you are now? Do you have a training regimen?
- If you’re a gym person, what can you share with others about fitness? Does personal training sound like something you would enjoy?
- If you’re a meal planner, is that something you can do for others? Could you specialize in meal planning for specific diets like Keto or Gluten Free?
- If you’re a sports enthusiast, is coaching something you could see yourself doing? Could you start a sporting organization in your neighborhood or your city?
- Could you teach others to garden? Share your tips?
- How about becoming a proofreader? Or a reviewer? Would teaching others to read excite you?
- Could you be a personal shopper?
Next, move on to listing the unique skills you have. Start with soft skills–those personality traits you bring to the job every day.
- Are you a leader?
- Are you a motivator?
- Are you a collaborator?
- Are you a negotiator?
- Are you organized?
- Are you a self-starter?
- Are you independent?
- Are you a problem solver?
- Are you the person in the room who can guide people to decision?
- Are you the one people seek out for advice?
- Are you a great listener?
- Do you bring out the best in others?
- What have your co-workers said about having you on the team?
- What does your manager say about your contributions?
- What words would your family members use to describe you?
After you’ve tackled the soft skills, move on to the hard skills.
- What kinds of things do you do expertly?
- Are you a project planner?
- Are you a great administrator?
- A software developer?
- An accountant?
- A bookkeeper?
- A social media guru?
- A landscaper?
- A mechanic?
- An electrician?
- An interior designer?
- An office manager?
Whatever it is that you’re doing every day, whatever it is that you’ve been doing for enough years that you really understand the ins and outs of doing it, can you leverage that skill outside of the current structure you have?
Other things to think about that help in defining your what? Those things in life that drive you–your passions. Sometimes these align closely with your hobbies, and sometimes not. How can you parlay a passion of yours into something that others would find useful?
Beyond your hobbies, skill sets and passions, what are your pain points? Think about the person who put wheels on luggage for the first time. What about car seats with wheels and a handle for pulling your child through the airport? I distinctly remember trying to carry my 18-month-old, with a car seat, and a diaper bag through the airport on my own… had I focused on that pain point then and had I been thinking about innovation, I could be a wealthy woman right now!
Mobile services, organizing services, Door Dash, Amazon lockers, the ChickFilA drive through process, grocery delivery–all things that came from understanding pain points and creating value in unique solutions. Look around you. Evaluate your daily routine. What do you find yourself complaining about? What products do you have in your home that you would love if they had that one additional feature? Where do you see opportunities to save time? What kinds of services would you pay for to shorten your to-do list?
All of the above should help you evaluate what you bring to the table. It might be service-oriented, and it might be product driven. Either way, answer the questions, make the lists, ask your friends and family, get some clarity. Don’t start off down the road until you have solidified your product or service offering.
Once you have it, tune in for the next step, What Makes You YOU.
