Page 59 - The $100 Startup_ Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love

‘Why are you wearing those?’ Then I have an easy way to get to know them and
try to learn their language.”

Benny says he gets paid for learning languages, but as you can see, there’s
more to the story: He actually gets paid for helping people. True, the
inspirational side is important (people enjoy watching and sharing his videos),
but without the helpfulness, he would just be the sober Irishman who speaks a
lot of languages and there would be no business model.

Along with first understanding that not every passion makes a good business
and then realizing that businesses and hobbies are often distinct, there’s one
more important point: You may just not want to combine your hobby with your
work. If the hobby or passion serves as an important stress reliever from your
day job or other commitments, are you sure you want to assume full-time
responsibility for your hobby? Some people find that it’s better to keep their
passion separate from their work.

Review the Reality Check Checklist below to see if a follow-your-passion
business is a good idea for you. Benjamin Franklin, an old-school entrepreneur,
put it this way: “If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.”

Reality Check Checklist

Questions for You

Instead of just during your free time, would you enjoy pursuing your
hobby at least twenty hours a week?

Do you enjoy teaching others to practice the same hobby?
Do you like the ins and outs (all the details) of your hobby?
If you had to do a fair amount of administrative work related to your

hobby, would you still enjoy it?

Questions for the Marketplace

Have other people asked for your help?
Are enough other people willing to pay to gain or otherwise benefit from

your expertise?
Are there other businesses serving this market (usually a good thing) but

not in the same way you would?

Note: Chapter 6 looks at market testing in more detail. If you’re not sure how to
answer the marketplace questions, stay tuned.