(NC) Do you dream of starting your own business one day, but don’t know where to begin? Making a living out of your passions can be more possible than you think, and lots of entrepreneurs have been able to create successful businesses out of theirs.
For example, Trisha Bower turned her dream of making people happy with her baking into a reality when she opened Eat My Shortbread, a bakery café. She began by operating her shortbread business out of her home and eventually launched the full café and bakery a few years ago. Here, Bower shares three tips for turning your passion into a small business reality:
- Fill a void with your passion.In order for your customers to buy into the product or service you are selling, you have to offer a solution to a problem. Look for the gaps or things that could be done better within the industry. Once you’ve established that, then it’s all about developing an awesome business plan.
- Become an expert on the subject.It’s not enough to say you’ll open a bakery because you love baking — you need to know how to operate in the business. This means doing lots of research to learn all about suppliers, maintenance, insurance, real estate, marketing and more. Do not underestimate how much time is required in the research phase. Ensuring your ducks are in a row before launching will help you save time, money and resources.
- Join a community of small business owners.Joining the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) can be key to increasing the odds of your business success. You are given access to specialized business resources, established important partnerships with businesses likeInterac Association, and are consulted on government issues that are important to your business. With CFIB, you don’t have to do it all yourself – so don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Visit Shopsmallbiz.ca to learn how businesses and members of the public can celebrate local businesses on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.
