Has anyone turned their interest/ obsession into a business?

[Woodswalker]

My long term goal is to turn my interest in primitive survival skills and edible/ medicinal/ useful wild plants into a way of making money teaching classes. The way I figure it, if I have to deal with people, at least they will have a common interest. I have carried a gun for a living most of my life, with the exception of a couple of years driving a truck and 5 years as a massage therapist/Reiki master. I'm at the point where I cannot work for someone else anymore. Does anyone else feel the same way?

 

[Ylva]

More or less. I want to work from home, and I want to work on translating written material.

I like "The 30-second commute". It gives me the perspective that my dream is realistic after all.

 

[Butterfly_Lady]

I have tried to turn my interest into a business but it has not worked out so well I would love to work for myself because I am so sick of working for other people (I don't mind serving/helping others, just not the kind of people that have been my "boss")

 

[Nolan1971]

You do incredible work too my love!:love:

 

[Undiagnosed]

What is your obsession/interest Woodswalker? Do you want to or have u made it into a business?

 

[Woodswalker]

My interest is primitive survival skills and edible/medicinal/useful wild plants. I don't feel that I have the expertise to teach yet. But the next 2 months I will spend quite of bit time in the bush to learn more plants and practice my skills. I need to take more classes also. I'm enjoying the learning process though. I love the power and feeling of being self-reliant!

 

[Geordie]

If I could make my passion in spotting and analyzing spatial patterns a reality, I'll turn it to a small but viable business. I'll be very happy doing something I really, really like =D

 

[epath13]

The way I see it, it's very possible to turn passion into a business. I've just posted this video on my FB page about an artist, who has turned his passion into a business, hoping (I'm hoping) to draw some inspiration from it. But running a business involves so much besides your product or service. You must be a good salesman (unless you want to hire handlers), and a good salesman needs to have good social skills. You also need to be able to organize yourself so you can face all the tax, legal, marketing challenges appropriately. I wish my business - whatever its going to turn into - flourish within 2-5 years or so. But, lets face it, my social skills are ... not even sure how to call them... I'm just a very confused individual, pretty hard to relate to... so... yeah... I'm still hoping, that despite of my weirdness, I'll break through.

and, Woodswalker, why do you carry a gun for living? just curious. And, things you are interested in are fascinating, I do believe its very possible to make a business out of it.

 

[Woodswalker]

Ah, I USED to carry a gun fer a livin'. I don't anymore. I quit doing all that Oorah stuff! Now I'm just a peaceful , gentle woodsman. . I was a Marine/Sheriff's deputy/Doe security police officer/ IRS security officer/ private security officer. I should have been an artist or engineer or gunsmith. I sure have put up with a lot of BS in my life. But, I don't work anymore(for the time being), so I'm enjoying RV'ing.

 

[Woodswalker]

Epath13, I agree there's more to a business than the product. I am in no way a businessman. That area will be my greatest weakness and my biggest irritation. I hate all that business/marketing/taxes crap. I am going to try to keep it very low key and simple. Maybe it will be successful, maybe it won't. The way I look at it, I will be learning about the things I like and enjoying life. If people are willing to pay for what I can teach them, great! If not, then I will continue learning and enjoying life. I can make money in some other way. I've just decided that I'm gonna enjoy my life to the fullest regardless. So I'm gonna do my thing!

 

[HelloDizzy]

Yes, in a way. My dark obsessions, and all of my obsessions have a bit of a dark side, have caused me to become a novelist.

 

[Aalo]

It is pity that I don't really want to do things that I could do by myself and without some level of education as I struggle with both.

But it is GREAT to hear some of you have. You go, I wish prosperity for all of you!

 

[Perkinsj88]

I have tried many times. I was into old school blacksmithing at one point, I was honing my knife making skills fairly quickly. I sure smacked a lot of 1040 spring steel around, ended up with 2 pretty decent knives, both of which I gave away. I played world of warcraft a lot back in the day so I knew about the loot cards in the card game packs. I became obsessed with buying the packs in bulk and searching for rare cards. I would spend 2-300 bucks at a time. I got so many of those "wtf is wrong with this dude" looks from cashiers lol. I found a few cards of worth, 4 cards were rare playing ones, sold them for $70 a piece on ebay.

What I've always wanted to do is buy, restore, and resale cars for profit. I love the classic muscles but I've done accident repair independently too. I tried to get started in this once, bought a 74 nova, ass loads of times and a good chunk of hange later I had to sale it before I finished it. I guess cars have always been my art canvas, I was never much for painting or craft type stuff so this was my creative outlet.

 

[SallySlips]

I've tried a few times, never with much success.

I love to write, but I'm such a perfectionist that I'll write an entire novel and then rework it from front to back, and then start to do it again. Usually the third time through I give up, put it down for a year or two, and then just completely start over again.

Then there was the paper bead jewelry I tried to sell online, and now gourmet cupcakes and crochet items. I've had the most luck with the cupcakes, but not as much as I'd like. People seem to get so excited when they see the recipes I come up with, but most of them never buy anything.

 

[Fox]

I've thought about this a little bit. I've been doing the whole "I'm going to set up an art portfolio and send it out and sell my art blah blah blah" but to be honest I don't know where or how to start. I like my paintings and I think they're pretty neat but I just don't know how to market them properly, or if anybody would want to buy them.

If I had some start up and sat down and wrote a business plan I think I could have a pretty decent baking business out of my house. I live in an area with a lot of coffee shops that could end up being potential vendors. I've always enjoyed baking when there's not a TON of pressure, and I could always have a notice policy on orders to lighten that stress. Thing is, like I said with my paintings, I wouldn't have much idea where to start, and the kitchen in the house I live in now is by NO MEANS anywhere near health standards to do that, and since I plan on moving out of here as soon as possible, I'm not going to put in the time or money to get the kitchen into the shape it needs to be. It's one of those "one day when I'm on my own" plans.

 

[epath13]

I've thought about this a little bit. I've been doing the whole "I'm going to set up an art portfolio and send it out and sell my art blah blah blah" but to be honest I don't know where or how to start. I like my paintings and I think they're pretty neat but I just don't know how to market them properly, or if anybody would want to buy them.

If I had some start up and sat down and wrote a business plan I think I could have a pretty decent baking business out of my house. I live in an area with a lot of coffee shops that could end up being potential vendors. I've always enjoyed baking when there's not a TON of pressure, and I could always have a notice policy on orders to lighten that stress. Thing is, like I said with my paintings, I wouldn't have much idea where to start, and the kitchen in the house I live in now is by NO MEANS anywhere near health standards to do that, and since I plan on moving out of here as soon as possible, I'm not going to put in the time or money to get the kitchen into the shape it needs to be. It's one of those "one day when I'm on my own" plans.

I've noticed that for a lot of people it is quite an issue: understanding what specific steps need to be taken to start a business. Thankfully there're books, videos, articles about it. Some places even have small business organization providing support to those who's just starting out.
I think for people on the spectrum those steps have to be even more specific and their description have to be more detailed. But I do believe it's not impossible for people on the spectrum to succeed in business. For every problem there's a solution, especially when it is an organization problem. It is overwhelming but if you set the frustration aside and see the issue for what it really is, the attitude towards it might change. I also think you should only start a business if you're truly passionate about what you do, if you believe you can deliver a good product to people. If you think that you're passionate now, but tomorrow you might loose the interest, then you probably shouldn't do it. For me the major issue has always been self organization. But I'm determined to work it out.

As for Artists business plan, I found a pretty good template once, I tried to go the website, but there's something wrong with it, and I only have it in a PowerPoint form, so I can't really share it. I think it was done by some non-profit in Pittsburgh. This is interesting as well, can be quite useful: Creating a Successful Business Plan for the Artist | Free Creating a Successful Business Plan for the Artist Forms | Entrepreneur.com

 

[King_Oni]

I've thought about it, but then again, my interests change all over. And the things I actually want to do, and to some extent, I'm passionate about, aren't really business perspectives I guess. Mainly because it's not the "job" itself that appeals to me, but the endproduct. Right now I do enjoy graphic design/work, but only because I have something I want to do with it. If I'm done with my personal project I'll most likely abandon that field until I have a new "goal" that uses these techniques. And the same goes with all my creative endeavors. I'll only pick up my guitar or turn on my synthesizer when I have an absolute urge to write a piece, which probably is already written for 75% in my mind.

There's a field I care about enough to, in theory, make it a thing. I don't know if it's sustainable as such though. I always had a strong interest in games (card/boardgames) and wouldn't mind owning/running a store that sells and facilitates those products. A store that's big enough to offer gaming spots for people. Perhaps even add in some related products like paints, brushes, specialist lamps and whatever you need for tabletop wargaming (and the entire painting thing that comes with it).

Some experience tells me that my city, and pretty much the general area here is not ideal for it. There's no real market for it here. I've seen a few stores within the 30 mile radius go bust while I thought they were the best places I've ever been to. The ones that actually manage to keep around are mostly stores that offer no gaming space as well as specialise in other stuff more than said gaming products. There's a store that actually is trying to get out the gaming side of the products, since it's actually a comic book store. Which I guess is fair enough. The reason the owner wanted to get rid of it, is because the profit margins on it are so slim the shelves could probably stock more profitable items as well as a lot of silly regulations some gaming companies pose upon stores.

Add in that to start a business like that you would need a lot of money to start off with. I did my math and looked how much of a starterloan I could get, and I found that this was not enough to get started just on that. And since I don't have a job I can't really put any "reserves" into that. Add in that a businessplan needs to be approved and a bank will surely look if your plan has a viable future, even in times like this supposed crisis. Luxury products, that are obviously "luxury" priced. Having a decent place to run your store is another issue. Prices for a big enough store are jacking up way too much. The last store I've frequented was about 3000 bucks in rent a month, and of course it went bust, it would never flip over 3000 bucks in products and make a profit as well. Hence it went bust. At some point they got subsidized by the local government because they doubled as a hangout for teens, but then come cutbacks and it clearly needs to go. But that's how the store kept going for about 3 years... the owner and his family are pretty in debt and on social security now.

I've talked to most store owners in the area from both current and former stores so my knowledge isn't just from nothing.

Owning a business just by myself doesn't seem smart and since I don't have a big social group of people I trust enough, it's hard to find a business partner.

Also looking into store policies here, laws, regulations... it doesn't sit well with me. We have pretty strict laws for store opening here and I'm quite sure that a place for teens and adults to hang out and play a game (and as such spend leisure time), isn't suited to be a 10 in the morning to 6 the evneing opening thing. I'd rather have my store open at 3 in the afternoon and close at 12 in the evening or so. And open on sunday...

To some extent this actually came from looking into advice from a therapist. Therapists all in my life concluded that I do not function with a boss and should run my own company if anything. So that's pretty much the best way to get employed, based on what experts told me. It does become a problem when even "being your own boss" is limited by law, because you even have different ideas how to run your business and it keeps conflicting.

 

[Ste11aeres]

My long term goal is to turn my interest in primitive survival skills and edible/ medicinal/ useful wild plants into a way of making money teaching classes. The way I figure it, if I have to deal with people, at least they will have a common interest. I have carried a gun for a living most of my life, with the exception of a couple of years driving a truck and 5 years as a massage therapist/Reiki master. I'm at the point where I cannot work for someone else anymore. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Are you familiar with Tom Brown? Type Tom Brown Jr into the search engine and the guy I'm referring to will be the first page of results.

 

[Fox]

I've noticed that for a lot of people it is quite an issue: understanding what specific steps need to be taken to start a business. Thankfully there're books, videos, articles about it. Some places even have small business organization providing support to those who's just starting out.
I think for people on the spectrum those steps have to be even more specific and their description have to be more detailed. But I do believe it's not impossible for people on the spectrum to succeed in business. For every problem there's a solution, especially when it is an organization problem. It is overwhelming but if you set the frustration aside and see the issue for what it really is, the attitude towards it might change. I also think you should only start a business if you're truly passionate about what you do, if you believe you can deliver a good product to people. If you think that you're passionate now, but tomorrow you might loose the interest, then you probably shouldn't do it. For me the major issue has always been self organization. But I'm determined to work it out.

That's a lot of the reason I don't end up pursuing or exploring my business ideas, I make it way too complicated in my head, I get frustrated, and I give up. Part of that probably has to do with the lack of knowledge of the business world and not sitting down and writing up an actual plan. I'd definitely be passionate to sell my paintings, the baking is a little iffy for me. I do love to bake, I love to experiment in the kitchen, I take great pride in decorating my cakes and whatnot. My only concern is would turning it into a career kill it for me? I did some baking in a commercial kitchen for a few months, but that was way too much pressure and then I didn't step foot into the kitchen (to bake) for months. It's a good idea in theory but maybe not so much in practice.

As for Artists business plan, I found a pretty good template once, I tried to go the website, but there's something wrong with it, and I only have it in a PowerPoint form, so I can't really share it. I think it was done by some non-profit in Pittsburgh. This is interesting as well, can be quite useful: Creating a Successful Business Plan for the Artist | Free Creating a Successful Business Plan for the Artist Forms | Entrepreneur.com

This. Is. Perfect. It's aimed more at bands starting up than artists but it's easily tweak-able to my needs and it's something I can follow through and write out! Thank you so much!

 

[tridianprime]

I am working to become a mathematician so that satisfies one of my obsessions but I also programme and would like to start selling my software and one day publish computer science papers. I also want to start reptile breeding of leopard geckos and musk turtles and ackie monitors and lots of other gecko species but I can't name them all.

Unfortunately, my situation doesn't give me the space for this so I will have to wait a year or so.