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When you initially start a small business everything is so new and exciting. That feeling doesn’t always last. Sometimes that excitement can fizzle out, and you may even notice that you’re starting to wake up every day feeling burned out and unmotivated. It’s not that you lost your passion, but you simply may need to add something new and exciting to your business to get that feeling of excitement back.
The suggestions that I list below are all great starting points, but they don’t have to be the only ways to get that passion back into your soul. You may need to experiment with other ideas of your own, and it is quite possible that your passion has shifted to something else. The important thing is that once you recognize that you aren’t as passionate as you once were, you take the time to sit down and examine why you feel that way.
Become an Expert
You probably already are an expert at this point. What I mean by this is that you not only absorb all the knowledge so that you know everything there is to know about your craft, but you also take that knowledge and share it with others so that they look to you as the expert. Teach classes on your craft, write e-books, create a blog or even make tutorials.
By becoming an expert in your field, you are going to be able to branch out into other areas while you still do what you love. This will bring back the butterflies you used to have in your stomach because you’ll get to help others enjoy your craft and see the joy in their eyes. You can use your expert knowledge to start bringing in other streams of revenue like those through passive income.
Passive income is money you make without much active effort. You put something out there, and then you continue to make sales over and over again. This can include products like e-books, digital downloads, classes, YouTube videos and more. It’s a great way to add more revenue to your small business, and you won’t feel so burned out anymore when you have something new to focus on.
Make New Products
Perhaps you’ve been making the same product or products for years now and you just can’t bear to make anymore. Instead of closing up shop, try expanding into other products that interest you. Maybe you are amazing at making tumblers, but the sight of another one is going to crush your soul because you no longer find it fun and enjoyable. Try moving onto something different but similar to your interests like coffee mugs, decorative plates or even wall signs.
Something to keep in mind is that when you expand you may need to rebrand. If you’ve limited yourself by putting your product into your business name like “Angie’s Tumblers,” you can always rebrand or change your name. For instance, “Angie’s Tumblers and More,” “Angie’s Treasures,” “Angie’s Craft Shack,” are all variations that would work well if I wanted to take things to the next level and sell more than just tumblers. If you need help coming up with a name, check out my blog post where I discuss How to Name Your Craft Business.
Additionally, when you make new products to sell, be sure that you aren’t selling them until you are confident in your skills. Tease your customers with what’s to come, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. I have seen many small businesses jump the gun and start selling something because the first one they made was amazing, only to have a lot of trouble later on down the road when things aren’t going so smoothly because they don’t have enough experience.
Subscriptions
Most people think of subscription boxes when they hear the word subscription mentioned by a business. Subscription boxes can be a really fun way to add something new to your business, especially if you already offer multiple products for sale in your shop. It’s also possible to even team up with one or more crafters so that you each can put something amazing into a monthly box for your customers. Once you have a great subscription box idea, it won’t take long to add this fun product to your business. Check out Amazon for blank boxes to help you get started!
There are other types of subscriptions to consider adding as well such as newsletters, digital downloads and even VIP memberships that provide freebies or exclusives to your best customers. Consider what type of subscription model will work well for your business, and take the time to do your research.
Plan of Action
Branching out your business can ultimately help to eliminate that burned out feeling, but it’s also possible that you just don’t have the passion for it anymore. It’s ok to start over again if your heart truly isn’t in it, but also know that sometimes when you branch out into other areas you’ll find that you just needed something new to add excitement back into your soul. Really take the time to sit down and think about why you feel the way you do, and then plan out the steps you need to take to shake that burned out feeling and make your business exciting to you again. Sometimes even taking a break from your business can make a world of difference.
