Crafting is your life. DIY network is your jam. The handmade world is your home.
Does this sound like you? Yes? Awesome. Then you’ve probably toyed with the idea of turning your passion into a business.

Prepare your Online Business with Crucial Questions

Like top Etsy seller Little Baby Bumblebee says:

I think you need to find something that you love to do… Once you have found what you really want to do, then you can just expand from there. I know that it is sort of generic, but it holds a lot of water.

It only makes sense. You never work a day in your life if you’re doing what you love, right?

But there are plenty of considerations that threaten to stand in the way of starting your dream business:

• The need to support yourself (and maybe a family) financially
• Finding the time and resources to get a business up and running
• The fear that the business might fail

But even before we get to those, you should ask yourself a few questions to really set the foundation for your business plan and business.

You can fill out the free worksheet with all 7 questions here as we go along:

Click Here to Download Your Free Worksheet Now

Jumping right in can be the most exciting part, but starting your own business is no joke. Consider these questions before climbing out on that entrepreneurial limb, and you’ll be better prepared for those curve balls that owning your own business chucks at you. First, and most importantly, ask yourself:

Will I be doing work that’s meaningful and really interests me? Starting your own handmade business is a very personal thing. I mean, you are literally hand crafting your products to share with the world, hoping they will appreciate them as much as you do. You wouldn’t be considering starting a business if you didn’t think your product has value, and if you didn’t genuinely enjoy the creation process. If passion is the spark that ignites starting your own business, then you’re equipped with what it takes to answer some of the harder questions… But hey, now you’ve got the right answer to the biggest question. Sweet! It’s a start. But before we even get into questions of logistics or creating a business plan, here are five more crucial questions you need to ask yourself…

Knowing Yourself, to Know Your Business:

2.             How determined am I to succeed?

Is this just a hobby? This can determine how much you invest in the business… if you are just doing it for fun and the profit doesn’t matter so much, then failure isn’t the end of the world. But if you’ve quit your day job and this venture is going to be your main money-maker, you better be ready to fight!

3.             Do I enjoy challenges?

If you answer no to this one, then stop here. Starting a business is not easy. Plain and simple. Challenges don’t have to be your favorite thing in the world, but if you can’t handle them, then you won’t be able to handle a lot of the process of starting a business. If you thrive in challenges, then it’ll just make things a lot easier and enjoyable all around.

4.             Am I flexible?

          Curveballs… curveballs everywhere! Will you be able to run with what you’re given, and make it work?

5.             Can I handle rejection?

Even if your business becomes the most successful in your industry, it won’t be all peaches and sunshine the whole way. Not everyone will be your biggest fan, so you’re going to have to be able to handle the bad with the good.

6.             Am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of my business?

You may need to invest a good chunk of your personal money and time to get your business up and running. Are you willing to miss out on that dinner party because you’ve got to finish your new marketing plan? Are you okay with putting your savings toward your business supplies instead of that trip to France this summer? You’ll gain so much from your business, but just be prepared to make a few sacrifices when you need to.

7.             What are my strengths and weaknesses?

Think about what you’re confident you can do well, and what you might need a little help with. Don’t know the first thing about marketing? Not sure what all those financial terms and calculations mean? Nobody starts out knowing everything – acknowledge your weaknesses now to know where you can grow. You can always ask for help!

Ready to Start Your Creative Business? Your success is never guaranteed, but by embracing certain characteristics you can boost the possibility of success. Beyond that, you can figure out the rest. We can help you with the logistics, marketing, online selling, all of that. You have access to resources and tools to manage all these processes, it just takes some initiative.

Even if some of your answers to these questions weren’t entirely positive, that doesn’t mean give up! You don’t have to bite the bullet and settle for a cubicle if that’s not what you want.

Your dreams are always valid, no matter your answers to these questions. It just means you may have to work harder, or need help from others who are stronger in those areas. If you’ve answered the first question positively, then that’s enough to pursue.

Starting your online business is not going to be easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding. Considering these questions now means you can kick butt when the time comes!

Click Here to Download Your Free Worksheet Now