06 March 2010

follow your passion


since today is the final day of the workshop, i thought it might be nice to ask the expert panel their thoughts on following their hearts and venturing out fearlessly. obviously, in doing so, they've been noticed, rewarded and successful. perhaps we could learn a thing or two from their experiences. so i inquired.
You understand that starting a small business is a lot of work, but comes with a lot of rewards, what might you say to someone who is afraid of following their passions and getting out there?

Start small. Keep your day job in the beginning. If you find you need more time at home to work on growing the business ask for one extra day off each month or a shorter day each week. Set realistic but inspiring goals for yourself and check in often to see if you are progressing.
- elise blaha | enjoy design


I'd say life is too short not to follow your passion. Start small - start by setting up some time to create your goods or prototypes and take photographs. Then start selling your goods on etsy.com, then go to a regional craft or market tradeshow, then approach some local retailers who might have an interest in carrying your products. Create some space in your schedule to "create" or work on your business. It might be for only an hour a day. But that's better than nothing.
- jenny | LobotoMe.com


starting a business is completely time consuming, but the rewards are fantastic. i never stopped to ponder or question what i was doing, i simply did it. making and selling my work was what i did and it wasn't an option NOT to be doing that! failure was not in my vocabulary. i also worked extremely hard and very long hours. i think when you are truly passionate about something, nothing can stop you from pursuing your goals. but the key is to really love what you do and do what you love. that makes the whole journey a pleasure and not a chore. almost everyday i think to myself how lucky i am to be doing what i love to do. i truly believe that when there is a will, there is a way. but that "will" has to be authentic and you can't be afraid of hard work.
- rae dunn


Love what you do and don’t give up, because it is a lot of work. My favorite quote is “success is the journey, not the destination.”
- karyn | den10studio


I took a real leap of faith in setting up my business recently and I still have concerns, but I believe in myself and I believe in my abilities. I feel I have something to offer that is unique and special and that is what has given me the drive to start my business. Be confident in you are and what you can offer and know in your heart that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.
- melissa deakin photography


The world needs you and what you have to offer. Where would we be if Martha Stewart, Steve Jobs and countless others hadn't tried something new? You might have many failures first, but keep trying.
- brittany | one charming party


You miss 100% of the shots you never take. That's a quote by Wayne Gretzky, but it's also good advice.
- kal | love life

such wise words. a great big thank you to all the experts who gave their time and thoughtful answers for my little workshop this week. it wouldn't have been the same without you!!

19 comments:

Hil said...

very wise words. thanks to everyone for all the encouragement and advice!

Lee said...

WONDERFUL words. So wise and heartfelt. Thanks to everyone for their participation. I've learned a TON.

EliseBlaha said...

fantastic workshop marta. thank you for hosting!

Heather J said...

great thoughts. thank you! i've really enjoyed this series.

Emily said...

awesome workshop and great words of wisdom by the experts! Thanks for organizing all of this.

Danielle N. said...

I am so grateful to you for taking the time to put together this fantastic workshop. I'm motivated to get moving on my dreams. Thanks again!

Alli (One Pearl Button) said...

Thank you for the truly wonderful workshop. I've enjoyed (and learned from) every article.

Melissa Blake said...

Thank you for being so inspiring! :)

Rory said...

Good advice, and very true to form. Running a business requires more than you think you have -- which is why its so rewarding. In the end, you learn more about yourself than anything else.

Monica said...

oh gosh, i hate that its over. =( i so looked forward to the posts everyday. i guess now the goal is to apply what you have taught. so here i go, just a leaping...

thanks for taking the time to help us newbies out. i find so much inspiration in your posts and the panel has been oh-so-wonderful.

Rose said...

these wise words of wisdom and inspiration couldn't have come at a better time for me... thanks marta!

[eeny] said...

This workshop has been very inspiring. Too bad it is over. Have learned so much this whole week. Thanks for all the effort you put into it, Marta. You are wonderful. Thanks for everything.

elizabeth rosemond said...

i loved this workshop so much!! i can't wait to start making changes and swiping me fears to the back burner. thanks so much!!

Anonymous said...

Well, this is a bit of a touchy subject for me.But Im glad you covered it too, you see, Im a chicken. I need to push myself even to post my stuff on my blog. Im so afraid of getting discouraged that Id rather not show anyone my stuff. But everyday I get bolder, I wear my creations to class, I tell people I made it when they ask where I bought it :)

Moments and Impressions said...

Marta - I am not a business blogger - but the lessons you have laid out this week apply to everything in your life. Thank you so much for the workshop.

Christine said...

it's so funny, but i love that wayne gretzky quote... it's perfect for so many different situations.

amy said...

Loved attending this workshop. Your blog makes me happy. Thank you Marta.

Joy'l Ver Heul said...

Thanks for this amazing workshop Marta! I feel inspired and re-energized. Your posts make me smile and I love that you're so down to earth and honest in your posts. Thanks again!

Micayla said...

Wise words, I have been so busy the last few days I have some serious catch up reading to do. Once again, thank you so much for this.
Micayla x

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