Personal Experience: Turning Passion into a Successful Business Venture

Entrepreneurs Sam Sidney and Anna Baglaneas Eves founded their business ventures by pursuing their passions.

This article presents an interview they did with Success.com, in which they discuss how they turned their passion into a business venture and give tips to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Sam Sidney

Sam Sidney started creating fabric portraits with her four children during the pandemic. She was paid to paint portraits of nine musicians at the request of a high school friend, but now, according to an interview with Charleston Magazine, she gets paid anywhere from $125 to $575 per artwork.

Sam offers stickers, mug designs, art prints, and more on her website. She states, “I specialize in art, and I had no business background at all.

However, I believe the key to starting this project was to accept every request, especially the things that make me happy. I feel innovative because of my work in this field; all I do is put all my effort and energy into it.”

What Was the Most Challenging Difficulty That Took You Time to Overcome?

Sam responds, “Trying to understand what I should do and what I should seek help for was the most challenging difficulty that took time to overcome. This is essential for success in personal and professional lives.

I want my artistic work to reflect my identity, so all I can do is create and post art pieces on Instagram. Apart from that, there's no harm in seeking others' help. For example, my children help me pack orders from my website, and I rely on others to ship parcels.”

When You First Started Your Business, What Did You Think Was Most Important?

Sam says, “I give it my whole energy and immerse myself completely because it all happened very naturally. Opportunities keep constantly coming now, but I'm convinced of what I'm doing, so I don't mind if the business endeavor fizzles out at any point.

I don't consider this work to be a duty of any kind. I like it and can't wait to see what comes next. That being said, I did not begin this work to start a business. I began it to create art with my kids up until the point at which my first piece was bought.”

How Did You Actually Start Turning This Activity into a Business Venture?

Initially, I would design one artwork and post it on Instagram. Then, I decided to design one every day. Later, I started thinking about designing art pieces for national holidays and celebrities.

For example, if we're celebrating National Cake Day - the first Friday of June in the USA - I design an artwork about that day and post it on my Instagram account. Followers see it and request to purchase it.

Later, I began framing the artworks after initially selling them without frames. I found that I needed a website to sell my paintings. It's like trying something for fun and then wanting to do more of it.

What Advice Would You Give to New Entrepreneurs?

I think that my organization and self-discipline have been the main factors in my success to date. I love crossing things off my to-do list and view what I do as my job.

However, I believe it's acceptable to put off certain tasks. Therefore, I believe that these three guidelines govern my life: maintain organization, enjoy your work, and put your all into it. I find it hard to believe that many people spend a long time fixed with zero progress, so I feel like I want to give this work everything I've got.

Cape Ann Sea Salt Company

Cape Ann Sea Salt is an artisanal sea salt manufacturing company based in Rockport on the Cape Ann peninsula in Massachusetts, USA. The business began modestly in 2020 when the founder, Anna Baglaneas, collected seawater, filtered it, and evaporated it in a backyard greenhouse. The resulting salt is produced by solar evaporation, is fossil fuel-free, and is then packaged in recyclable containers.

Anna estimates that her sales have increased fourfold since her project began. Anna says, "I became interested in this in my twenties in Paris.

I worked in a French bakery, and it surprised me when I saw a package of French gray sea salt. I didn't know there was salt besides what Morton Salt produces."

What Was the Most Challenging Difficulty That Took You Time to Overcome?

"Overcoming my fears and self-doubts was the biggest difficulty I faced," responds Anna Baglaneas Eves. "Among all my food-loving friends, I was seen as someone unlikely to start a food-related business.

My self-doubts persisted even though it was evident from the first time I sold my product at a farmers' market that I had a high-quality product that customers liked. So, I have spent two and a half years in this field, and I am improving in my work over time.

Now, when I am confused about something related to food projects, I learn about it, continue working, and don't let my lack of knowledge be a barrier.

Instead, I leverage this uncertainty to improve my business and product. I think it's good that I am always open to learning opportunities and self-development because I know I need more knowledge in this field."

When You First Started Your Business, What Did You Think Was Most Important?

Anna Evans: “Knowing how to build a brand is the cornerstone. Therefore, an entrepreneur's efforts will be in vain even with a fantastic product if customers aren't motivated to purchase it. So, entrepreneurs must develop their marketing skills, establish their brands, and reach a wider market.

Also, they can employ people who are knowledgeable about these business facets. My brand produces elegant-looking salt jars that are meticulously designed.

Individuals wish to give them as gifts and put them in their kitchens. One element of our marketing strategy is the jars' distinctive shape.

Most retailers have told me that they prefer my products over those of some competitors simply because they love the jar's design and packaging. Stated differently, they value my brand.”

How Did Your Interest in Sea Salt Turn into a Business Venture?

Anna says: “I love salt, especially sea salt, and I could easily extract sea salt because I live in a coastal city. I established the company in March 2020. Learning about salt extraction techniques was part of my passion. I read books and viewed YouTube videos about traditional salt extraction techniques. That's when I decided to use a solar-powered water evaporation system.

I had been thinking about this for years but lacked time to pursue it. So, I started by ensuring the production of high-quality salt. I'd lose clients if the product weren't up to par.

Once the product's quality was confirmed, I had some standard tasks to complete, such as incorporating the activity into a business and securing all required permits. Subsequently, I concentrated on advertising the product in stores, on social media, and in local newspapers.

Initially, I sold the product directly to consumers at farmers' markets and private events to gain loyal customers. My interest in salt production expanded from there.”

What Advice Would You Give to New Entrepreneurs?

Anna: “The most important thing for entrepreneurs is to ensure their product's quality and their satisfaction with it. If you don't find your product good, don't expect others to.

Build your business on a solid foundation, even if it means evolving slowly. In this case, you'll be able to meet demand and consistently offer your product in the market, even if you face challenges. Don't hesitate to adapt to reach a larger audience.

When I first started the business, I saw increased sales by diversifying product prices based on demand. Finally, never undervalue modest beginnings.

You don't need a lot of money to start your business. I began with some savings and reinvested profits to develop the project. Also, I have a 5-year plan for further development, and I'm considering a loan to take my business to the next level.

In Conclusion

In this article, we've shared the experiences of successful entrepreneurs who achieved success by pursuing their life passions. Their success was fueled by passion and perseverance rather than just having a lot of money or a solid educational background. Anyone can achieve success through this approach.