This is a version of the article Pastime to full-time: How the pandemic made us turn our hobbies into main jobs that first appeared on The Metro website 17 July 2022.
People are turning their hobbies into jobs that fit better with their life styles and well-being. This is due to a combination of factors.
Salary statistics
Salaries continue to rise at a lower rate than inflation, the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that average pay for the last quarter continued to fall. COVID-related job losses and the increase of people continuing to adjust their priorities all contribute to the nation’s sustained mass exodus from conventional employment. Figures from the ONS last month showed that, in the most recent quarter, one in six (17%) adults experienced some form of depression, compared with 10% before the pandemic. It is no surprise, then, that as more people turn their backs on their careers, they are taking to self-employment and getting paid to do what they enjoy.
The artist
54-year-old Rob Ballentine lives in Hampshire with his wife and teenage daughter. He found drawing “incredibly curious, mysterious and challenging” as a child and continued throughout his adult life. When a friend was devastated by his dog’s death during the first lockdown, Rob pencil drew the dog, recalling “It was such an emotional moment for him that he posted it on Facebook. I was overwhelmed with the amazing feedback”. In stepped his wife, who posted on a local Facebook group, and RobBallentineArt was born. For Rob this was a stark change from working as a consultant trainer in military, defence, government, health care and telecommunication businesses!
The well-being gardner
35-year-old Kendall Platt from Reading found that her regular gardening sessions helped calm her overworked brain. In December 2018 she ran 4 wreath-making workshops that incorporated techniques designed to aid relaxation and increase the wellbeing of the attendees. Doing this alongside her job as a forensic scientist, Kendall decided that life was too short to stay in work that “made me miserable” and focussed on developing Adventures With Flowers, going it alone in September 2020. Last month she launched “The Mindful Gardening Club”, the UK’s only gardening and floristry membership for women costing £19 a month. The club already has six members.
Turning your hobby into a business the money
Transforming your hobby into your business can be a lucrative move. Sophie Arnott was a project manager on around 29k a year. While still living with her mother she founded Anvil and Ivy in 2014, making handcrafted modern heirloom jewellery in the garden shed, Five years later she moved to a high street outlet in Maldon. Now living the dream with her fiancé and her dog on a houseboat in Essex, she is on target to double her income this year. From stating with just £500 to purchase silver to make every-day items costing £36 – £165 she has developed the business, making engagement rings and bespoke items, now costing up to £2,800. She is aiming to sell to wholesale companies.
When COVID and lockdown hit, Rob had just left his job where he was earning around 80k a year, to start his own training business and found himself with no work. Now in demand for drawings, he expects to double his former salary over the next couple of years, charging £450 for an A4 drawing and £750 for an A3 with more depth and detail. Whilst Rob still plays the guitar, it is possible that Rob could turn another hobby into a career, as he has just finished writing his first book.
“Turning a hobby into a business is not a get rich quick scheme and takes time and consistency to show up and let people know you have something they want”, advises Lisa Johnson, who helps people make money online from their passions.
The clothes maker
42 year old Priya Velusami, worked for 20 years in various roles for John Lewis, earning up to 75k. She started making party dresses from her mother’s saris when her niece was born. After receiving compliments on the “unique and comfortable designs”, she started listing outfits between £9 and £35 on eBay and her Pri Pri brand was born. Her business sells a collection of colourful, upcycled accessories and kidswear using pre-loved vintage saris.
On target to turn over 30k this year, money isn’t the important driver for her. Inspired by early memories of sewing with her sari-clad grandmother, who instilled zero-waste values, she says “I love being able to revive beautiful textiles whilst also helping people and the planet and being around for my two young children.” Priya used to make everything herself but now partners with an Indian charity that makes up her designs and helps to upskill and empower underprivileged women with tailoring training.
Loving your business
Sales coach and strategist Jade Jemma, the Founder of Freedom Zest, has worked with FTSE 100 companies and start-ups for over a decade. She says that there is a common trait for success: “Those who become market leaders love what they do, live their brand values and come from a place of heartfelt service.”
Kendall reflects on how running her business made her examine and work through some challenging emotional behaviours, thoughts and situations. Having suffered being bullied by a work colleague, maternity discrimination when pregnant with her daughter and twice being made redundant, Kendall’s self-confidence was severely impacted. This was gradually restored as she slowed down and gave herself time to reflect and rebuild her confidence.
Kendall now relishes supporting other women to grow their own flowers, food and nourish themselves, whilst being there to support her daughter, the next generation of growers. She says “Gardening for mindfulness had such a hugely positive impact on how I felt about myself and my relationships with loved ones, that I had an overwhelming urge to bring it to more women in similar situations to me.”
Priya has enjoyed picking up new technical expertise. “I’ve had to learn a large number of different skills from website coding to filming myself on 1 minute videos!”
Advice for starting a busines
Asked what advice she would offer people wanting to turn their hobbies into businesses, Sophie wishes that, in hindsight, she’d taken time to price items properly: “Having the confidence in my work and business that I do now, would have been very useful back then! It’s difficult to get out of that ‘Hobbyist’ headspace and into a business mindset.”
For anyone looking to start a new business, the Dragon’s Den star, Deborah Meaden, emphasises environmental and sustainable concerns, telling me:
“The great news is that consumers are increasingly making their buying choices within their values system and sustainability is right up there at the forefront. This gives start-up businesses a huge advantage when it comes to environmental impact as they can engineer their business towards being more sustainable from the outset…without having to change existing embedded values and systems. They also don’t carry the baggage of legacy which can be hard to shift in the eyes of the customer.”
Lisa recommends immersing yourself into social media: “Research people already making money from their hobbies so you can see what sells well” but warns not to compare yourself to others! “Start building a following on the social media, giving helpful tips on what you know. You need to start out by showing that you can help people. Don’t give up and be consistent!”
Brad Burton is the UK’s #1 Motivational Business Speaker. 10 years ago he set up Network Central which now runs over 5,000+ business networking meetings each year with 1000’s of members. He spoke to me on The Complaining Cow Consumer Show about business and surviving and thriving in the current climate.
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