Interested to know which hobbies did you turn in a little business and has it worked for you?

[Sparkles41]

What’s your little business, if I may ask?
I make beaded bracelets, which I sell. It doesn’t make huge amounts but I enjoy it.
So what’s your sideline? Candles, clothes, soap etc… ?
Do you enjoy what you do, have you managed to turn it into more than just a hobby.

Good luck

I started an Instagram using my tarot cards during the first lockdown.

Now I import artist made tarot decks from all over the world and sell them online and also at a market, I love it.

@niceupthedanceagain Wow! Sounds great! Good luck with it all 😀

I sell succulents in pretty pots ranging from £10 to £45. I have about 10 different types that I propagate and grow in attractive layouts. I don't make a fortune but I make enough. I run classes on demand.

But I really like succulents and pots and that is why I get repeat business. It was a hobby and friends wanted my plants so I started to sell them and it snowballed from there. I think some small businesses struggle when they start to offer too many different things or they are just starting a business to get money and then find out that it can be a grind IMHO. I was lucky in that I got a lot of word of mouth recommendations. I now source more unusual succulents so not just what you buy in Morrisons and Tesco. It was tough at first but over 8 years it has grown.

Like a lot of people who are into collecting antiques and vintage I started an Ebay shop back in thee 90s and it has grown into quite a lucrative business. Began by selling my own surplus collectables but I now have 3 online shops on different platforms and have built it into a serious business.

@backinthestoneage, that sounds like a great little business and running classes too. I find it interesting how hobbies can develop and bring so much joy.

@simitra, last year I was thinking about selling vintage kitchenware but I didn’t go through with it as I thought there were so many people out there selling the same. But that’s inspiring to hear you have 3 online shops and built it up to a serious business.

Good luck to you both for the future 😊

My business is very niche and I have become an expert in my field. Published a small book and several articles on it in antiques magazines.

Vintage kitchenalia is very popular not only for ornamental use but also for daily use. That would be a good area. My advice for anyone going into antiques/vintage would be to choose an area or period and specialise in it. Then you can become the "go to" dealer for that thing.

Vintage taror cards is also a great area! I do read the tarot but dont have wide knowledge of the different cards. This is an example of how you can take a very specialised area and make youraelf the master or mistress of the subject.

You develop your own ways of describing, displaying and photographing your stock so that you build your own "brand".

I agree with @simitra to stand out in the long run you should become a specialist. Develop in-depth knowledge for your area which will give customers confidence and should get repeat business

Network with other businesses to generate more sales

A lot of the hobbies you have mentioned in your OP aren't really things that can be turned into a business that makes money these days. Sure you could make a bit of pocket money from them, but not earn a living. As those who have contributed have shown, their hobbies are more specialised and not something that everyone else is doing because they require extensive knowledge. You only need to look at how saturated the market is with wax melts to see that everyone is thinking they can have fun making things all day and not have to go and work for anyone else ever again. The truth is, they are earning half and less than minimum wage because they are all competing, and even then they are selling very little per person.
My business could have started as a hobby, but it didn't, it was always a business. I'm not going to disclose what as I have enough competition but I had to learn a lot, and continue learning a lot in order to keep going.

I make and sell craft items- very niche and specific.
I struggle to keep my revenue under the VAT threshold.