THERE must be something that you’re good at, why not use your skill to make money? Everyone has some sort of activity that they enjoy and can do really well. For some, their talent and childhood hobby have been a source of income. And there are others who developed on “do it yourself projects” that worked out well and became a business opportunity.

But, before you take a shot at using the products of your past time to make money, you must find out who would pay for them, said Harold Davis, deputy chief executive officer (CEO) of the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC).

“You alone can’t be in love with it,” Davis said. “If you’re the only one who likes it, you probably shouldn’t turn it into a business.”

Share your hobby with potential customers, and do a market survey, to see what people are buying to match the demand with what you offer. There are some people who may want your product, but will they pay for it?

Kamala McWhinney provides a perfect case study. The managing director of White Lotus, a bridal boutique, which offers fascinators, bridal headpieces and hats, turned her hobby into a business after showing off her ‘work’ at a friend’s bridal shower.

“The ladies loved them so much that I got orders on that night,” recalled McWhinney.

With so many players in the micro, small and medium enterprises, Bianca Bartley, CEO of Peaces-of-Bianca said customers were drawn to the rawness of her custommade jewellery.

“People will buy things that are unique,” she said, revealing that she entered jewellerymaking because she was “bored”.

Soon after knowing your target market and how you’ll make your product stand out, you must then draw a distinction between what you do for fun and how you make money. Many people run the risk of doing their job when they feel like because it developed from a hobby, JBDC’s Davis said.

“With a business, you have to work with your demand and according to your business model,” he noted.

Because of the nature of the bridal business, McWhinney said she realised that working part time would not serve her clients. So, she opened a store on Old Hope Road.

A designer and maker of clothes and bags, Jay-Anne O’Connor’s ability to keep up with trends and put out new designs on a timely basis is critical for her business.

O’Connor has her eyes on what’s trending and what customers have an interest in.

“I work extra hours on top of my day job to get the products out,” she said.

Entrepreneurs who make money from their creativity say they have to approach the business in stages in order for it to work. Since it’s stemming out of a hobby, approaching it from a business perspective will not work for everyone.

“I have had to be patient and realistic in starting this business, and be careful not to overextend,” said bridal accessories-maker, McWhinney.

For O’Connor, who works full-time as a diagnostic radiographer, quitting her job isn’t feasible in light of the downturn in the economy.

“When the business can support itself and me, I will think about it full time,” she said.

Business is obviously about making profit. So, if your assessment shows you can’t make money from it, it’s not cut out to be a business, said Davis.

Once you know it will work, seek assistance. There’s a lot of structured assistance for entrepreneurs, including at the JBDC, he added.

“You can learn from persons with experience and seek help with business planning,” he said. “Find someone to bounce your ideas off.”

Bartley did just that; she got advice from experienced businesspersons, read magazines and periodicals and observed trends in the marketplace.

“The hardest was learning to shut my mouth and listen, I made sure to listen objectively to advice and take it,” she said.

JBDC can help you start a business, market the product, and manage your finances. While both McWhinney and Bartley enrolled in the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship Caribbean, which helped strengthen their business knowledge and foundation

“It helped me to go further in developing a business plan which has given me even more focus and a clear view of where I am going with ‘Peace-is of Bianca’,” Bartley said.

Now that these entrepreneurs turned their hobby into a business, they all have varying perceptions on the approach to doing it for fun, and doing it to make money.

“I would not choose to refer to it as a hobby because I make a distinction between the responsibility of serving customers,” Bartley said.

Added O’Connor: “There is no line to be drawn, both work together. I love seeing persons in my designs. It’s part of my motivation. I enjoy it, but I work hard at it as well.”