How many of you have a passion or hobby that you truly can’t live without? And how many of you secretly daydream about turning your passion into an income-producing business? Guilty!
The question is, what is stopping you from turning your creative passions into a business?
Is it because you think you need more experience and connections? Maybe you think you need a heavy initial investment or are stopped by the fear of work-school balance. Somewhere, I did too. But the students involved in Student-Made at ASU® did not.
Are you ready to make the leap from daydream to action? Check out DreamBuilder’s step-by-step framework for launching or growing your own small business.
The Secret to Getting Started
In today’s dynamic and fast-paced world, where people are becoming millionaires before the age of 21, the younger generation is seeing the possibilities of entrepreneurship. Many students are trying to not just focus and excel in their academic pursuits but also channel their hobbies and creative passions into successful entrepreneurial ventures.
The Student-Made at ASU® Creators are student entrepreneurs who overcame all these fears and had the courage to take a leap to turn their idea into an actual business venture. Caroline and Isabel, the owners of Da Bomb Bath Fizzers, were 10 and 11 years old when they came up with their million-dollar business idea.Iman Gadzhi was 19 years old when he made his first million with his company. But how can we turn an idea that we daydream of into a business?
As Mark Twain once said, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” You don’t know what the future holds for you unless you take a step and give yourself the chance to explore. This is exactly what these student entrepreneurs did.
Are you ready to just start? Explore our Just Start resources for tools to help you take the first step.
Student-Made at ASU® offers a custom-designed, professional online storefront to ASU student businesses, as well as in-person pop-up shops, business support, and real-world management experience to the team of student workers who run the site. Here are some experiences and perspectives from some of the Student-Made at ASU® creators about how they were able to take the leap from daydream to reality and launch their businesses with the support of Student-Made.
How does it all start?
Photo: Madison Bullock of Beaded by Madison
Every successful business was once an idea, waiting to be translated into something real. Different businesses require different first steps but one commonality is that the beginning stages require patience and determination.
Student-Made at ASU® creator Allison Fick, owner of Drifting Elephant Art, shared that apart from selling her paintings in the farmer’s market and getting the word out through social media, she offered to do pet portraits for free to pump up her portfolio.
Most say that building your brand is the key to starting a business.
Having an ideal brand name, identity, product or service niche, and market research are just some of the starting points. Madison Bullock, owner of BeadedbyMadison, described her first steps as “applying for Student Made, creating a logo and branding, setting up social media, and setting goals for my brand.”
Can I start a business with my savings?
No matter how expensive it looks, starting a small business can be pretty inexpensive. All you need to do is invest smartly and make the most of the resources around you. Many times, everything we need can be found at home, especially if it’s a hobby you practice regularly. Oftentimes, taking advantage of store sales and employee discounts can keep the budget in check. Jenna Serag, owner of Dulcet Jewels, mentioned that her initial investment to start her business was only $150, which mostly went towards buying jewelry material.
Learn more about your funding options.
But how do I balance work and school?
Photo by Pixelshot
For students, it’s generally a challenge to invest time in starting and learning about a new business while also fulfilling your academic responsibilities. Our creators, too, often find it challenging to find a balance between excelling in school and building up their business. There is nothing consistency, dedication, and prioritization cannot fix. Finding a balance is an ongoing challenge as you keep growing your business or moving forward in your academic pursuits, but being mindful of deadlines and utilizing your time judiciously goes a long way. Some creators try to have products prepared in advance, so they don’t have to worry about preparing things when their schedule is busy academically.
Some own their business as a hobby or side hustle and prioritize working on their business after they have fulfilled their academic priorities.
Am I ready for it?
You will never know if you are ready until you actually give it a shot. Doing thorough research and taking advice from family, friends, and mentors is useful and important (Further reading: Is mentorship right for me?). There should always be someone who gives you constructive feedback and makes sure you are working towards your goals. Our creators say, “It’s important to put effort in, and having another person can help you do that.”
Day-dreaming often brings with it overthinking. Believing in yourself and stepping into a new journey requires you to be patient and to be willing to experiment. As our creators say, “You won’t regret trying it out. If it works, then great! If not, then that’s fine, you experienced something new.”
