by Paz Hernandez Diaz, PhD
Here are some important tips for those who would like to get started on their own adventure as lifestyle entrepreneurs.
- Don’t follow someone else’s life. Forget trying to live out someone else’s dream, especially someone whose life has been written about in articles or books. Figure out what it is that you want, and don’t get stuck in a business you don’t enjoy. Think it through before you make the leap, and understand why it is you’re leaping toward it.
- Start small. You see many lifestyle entrepreneurs who are making great living off massively scaled projects. Do not envy the 1,000 niche websites they’ve built over the last 10 years, or the amount of commissions they get out of their affiliates, or the big bucks they receive every month selling their amazing photographs through a stock photo site. You will need specialized skills that you can apply to your planned projects. You will also need to learn much about freelancing.
- Plan it right and deliver on your promises. Don’t try to do too many projects at once; you’re better off trying one project and getting it successful before you start branching out and spreading yourself too thin.
- Don’t be afraid to invest in your business. Starting a business on a shoestring budget is ok, but you can save much time and effort by doing things right – the first time.
- Establish your own brand. This is critical. With your own brand, you can easily communicate who you are and what you are doing to potential clients, partners, and customers. This brand helps you to scale your projects and be perceived in a positive and acceptable light.
- Be serious about your work. Figure out what you can actually do for your clients and get it done. Build a routine and make sure you prioritize both your clients work, and that of your own projects.
- Don’t work in isolation. Find like-minded people or even online communities that support what you’re doing, and understand your drive to be a lifestyle entrepreneur.
(The author co-wrote Entrepreneurship: Study and Practice published by the SERDEF for use of students of entrepreneurship. She is the secretary of the Board of Trustees of SERDEF, vice president for academic affairs of Roosevelt Colleges, and national treasurer of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.)
Photo: from www.retireat21.com