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Turn your hobby into a career

By Helen Beckett

Imagine being paid for having fun. Many people manage this by turning their hobby into a career. Some sell on what they make or do for pleasure, whereas others find jobs that use or are related to their hobbies.

Guitar maker
A lifelong love of guitars, a flair for design and an interest in recycling transformed Simon Lee from prop designer to guitar maker. Initially, he intended just to supplement his day job working on films and in TV productions.

But a guitar-making course transformed a passion into a job and then a business. Having someone as a sounding board is crucial in the early days of any new business and it was a business adviser from Lewisham Enterprise Centre (and guitar enthusiast) who became Simon’s mentor. Simon adds “He was fantastic – really wanting my business to succeed.”

It also makes sense to undertake a career makeover in stages, where possible. Make sure you have the correct experience, complete market research and sufficient funds in place before you ditch the day job. Doing guitar repairs for a music shop provided Simon with valuable work experience and income before he launched out fully on his own.

From underground to open water
After being an underground miner in the Philippines, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania and Australia, Simon Murie longed for a job he would enjoy every day. “For me it was open water swimming.”

Having swum the English Channel, Simon had the necessary credibility to offer open water swimming as a leisure service. And credibility in his hobby was essential to convince the travel sector that his company, Swim-Trek, was a genuine proposition.

Swim-Trek only recruits guides with similar aptitudes and beach-lovers should bear in mind the importance of relevant experience when going for specialised work. Working in the travel and leisure sector, or doing a spell as a rep, may have broader appeal.

Constant gardeners
A love of gardening or interior design leads many seasoned workers into a new career. Three quarters of landscape gardening students are career changers. There are numerous courses to choose from but you should pick one that offers commercial guidance as well as artistic development.

Sexy sectors
Not everyone can turn their favourite leisure activity into their day job but everyone has the chance to find a stimulating environment for their work. This is true whether you are a sales executive, shop assistant, accountant or a marketeer. You can enhance your enjoyment of a role by moving to a sector that appeals to you, whether it’s travel, fashion or film.

A good way of spotting exciting and viable sectors is to create one list for your skills and interests and another for sectors and requirements. Where the two cross over is fertile ground. Starting your own business or moving to another sector may pay less and you’ll want the support of close family and friends.

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