Business or serious hobby

Woodworking is a skill set that not everyone possesses. Those that do get a great deal of satisfaction from it. So much so that many decide to turn their hobby into a business.

The thinking is that one could do no better than to earn a living doing something that they enjoy or are passionate about. Many amateur woodworkers cannot wait to get into the shop, after work, on weekends, staying up till all hours working on the latest project. So it seems logical to think about turning that into your primary means of support.

But running a business is running a business and has little to do with the skills needed to make an object out of wood. This often comes as a shock. Going into business without the understanding that the world is not going to knock your doors down simply because you are good at what you do is an invitation for disappointment

Many of us who have taken this path have come to realize that we are probably going to have to spend much more time (or at least as much) on administrative tasks than on actual woodworking. If this is not going to be an acceptable situation, it might be better to let the woodworking remain a hobby and keep your day job.

D.D.