Filling a need can lead to some surprising realizations on your path to enjoyable self-employment.
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In my line of work, I come in contact with new people virtually every day whose desire is to leave the confines of the typical Nine to Five. Many dream of venturing out on their own to launch a business, grow a side gig, freelance, or any other number of solo gigs.
But in nearly every case, something is holding them back from taking the plunge.
In conversations with clients over the last several years, I’ve found the most oft-cited reason for hesitation to be a lack of clarity. Two of the most popular comments include:
“I’m not sure ultimately what I’m best at.”
And…
“I don’t know where my true passions lie.”
Do either of these resonate with you? If so, it’s important to understand that the problem with both of these concerns is that they’re focused on the wrong person. You.
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Find a Need and Fill It
Instead, begin by researching the unmet needs around you and determine whether you might be in a position to fill any of them. In other words, whose problem can you help solve?
And though I only dabbled with helping a handful of businesses early on, when I did finally leave my radio career, it was this same side-gig-turned-full-time-gig that kept me afloat for the first several months as I found my way.
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For example, in mid-2010, when I was contemplating leaving my then 23-year broadcasting career, my research uncovered most small businesses didn’t yet have mobile-responsive websites. This was becoming ever more important as mobile devices were trending to overtake the desktop in the coming years as the preferred method for accessing the Internet.
It seemed obvious to me that a local business’s ability to offer customers a mobile-friendly experience, whether via a mobile-responsive site or mobile app, was going to be key to survival. Turns out, I wasn’t alone.
Web-based companies were already beginning to pop up to solve this problem, much like easy-to-use website-building tools had years before. As many of these same companies offered marketers the opportunity to white label their services, I realized I could help local businesses address this issue without either of us having to learn code.
Thus began my first real side hustle. And though I only dabbled with helping a handful of businesses early on, when I did finally leave my radio career, it was this same side-gig-turned-full-time-gig that kept me afloat for the first several months as I found my way.
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Think Beyond Your Present Skillset
Don’t think solely in terms of what problems you possess the skills to solve, at least not at first, but include those problems you might be able to solve by leveraging the skills of others.
So, instead of asking, “What am I good at?” or “What are my passions?” ask, “Who can I help and how can I help them?”
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Remember, my desire to help businesses early on didn’t require me to build mobile-friendly sites and apps myself. I didn’t have the skills for that. I simply had to identify readily available tools that could do much of the heavy lifting for me.
Was this gig a part of any long term business plan? Not at all. Though I’m happy to have been able to help a number of businesses make the leap into mobile, it was never a passion. And that’s the point.
More often than not, the path to doing what we want to do is paved with our moments of service and, sometimes, sacrifice to others.
So, instead of asking, “What am I good at?” or “What are my passions?” ask, “Who can I help and how can I help them?”
And an incredible bonus to this tact you’ll find is, as you gradually move to focus more on your own passions and desires, those you made a point to help in the early going will be ready and willing to return the favor, and at a time when you’re likely to need them the most.
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Photo: Getty Images