A few weekends ago, I had one of the biggest epiphanies I never expected to have, one that I think everyone needs to learn ASAP.
It was so game-changing for me that I flipped my entire understanding of the business world upside down.
Prior to this experience, I would frequently say things like, “That would never pay the bills,” or, “There isn’t much money in a hobby like that.”
Maybe that was just the way I was raised, or maybe it was because I’m an accountant and I’m always looking to take the safe route to ensure a comfortable life.
But maybe that’s not the way to look at it. Maybe we should look at business and problems through a different lens. And this experience definitely changed the way I viewed hobbies and making money.
Bonsai Trees, the Most Expensive Trees
What’s the backstory of this, you ask?
Well, it all started with my wife, Bianca, wanting a bonsai tree for her birthday.
For the past few years, she had always mentioned that she wanted one. We just could never find a good place to actually pick one up for her.
Then, one day, while driving down a county road outside the town we lived in, we noticed a sign that said “Bonsai Trees for Sale.”
And my wife couldn’t let me drive past.
So we pulled over, and it was clear that someone was running this business out of their garage and backyard.
As we parked and got out of the car, we were greeted by the owner and his little helper, his trusty dog.
We explained that we were looking for a bonsai tree, and he gave us a lay of the land, if you will.
He told us to start on the left side and work our way to the right. However, he did warn us not to be too surprised by the cost on the left side, because it became more affordable as we moved toward the right side of the yard.
My initial reaction was to think that the “unaffordable trees” were maybe $1,000 or $1,500 at most.
But dear God, I was wrong.
Those first trees we saw started at $10,000, with some going up to $15,000. My mouth literally hit the ground. I was in such shock.
As we made our way to the right-hand side, we did find trees that came down in price and were more affordable. But dear God, they were still insanely expensive.
For reference, we bought my wife a tree that was three years old, and it still cost us $300. And the tree wasn’t even a foot tall.
As we were buying this tree, we asked the owner how long he had been doing this, and he told us that he had been doing it for over 30 years.
And at that exact moment, I learned that you can make serious money doing almost anything.
Making money isn’t just reserved for traditional careers or traditional products. If you’re clever and can find a way to provide value, the money will come.
I Always Thought Jobs Created Wealth
Prior to this experience, I always thought that jobs were what created wealth. Unless you were one of the very few, like the top 1%, you couldn’t make serious money following a hobby like professional sports or something similar.
So, therefore, I always took the approach that we need to go to school, get a relevant degree, enter the workforce, and move up the corporate ladder.
And there is nothing wrong with that path. I mean, hell, that’s the route I’m on.
But seeing this bonsai nursery in action made me realize that there are many other ways to make money.
Money will follow the value you provide and what people are willing to pay for, not your job title.
Every Hobby Has a Problem People Are Willing to Pay to Solve
In the case of the bonsai tree, there really wasn’t a suitable bonsai tree seller in our area. And so this guy capitalized on it.
He knew there was demand for these trees, and he ran with it.
But it doesn’t just stop there.
If you think about baking, you can sell your techniques or recipes to beginners. In fitness, there is coaching or personal training. In fishing, you can become a guide or make videos teaching people how to fish.
The point is that just because something is a hobby doesn’t mean there isn’t money in it.
In fact, there are many beginners who would be willing to pay someone who is a little further ahead in the game to help them.
You don’t need to be the world’s greatest fisherman, you just need to know more than the person who is willing to pay you.
You Don’t Need to Invent Something New
Time and time again, I’ve heard so many people say that they can’t start a business because they don’t have a new or great idea.
Well, guess what?
You don’t need a great new idea.
In fact, I would suggest trying to start a business that already has direct competition. Because if there is competition, that means there are enough customers to allow companies to survive.
In fact, when I was getting my bachelor’s degree, I had a marketing professor who took this exact approach.
He mentioned that he wanted to start a marketing agency, and before he took the first step, he researched the competition.
What he found was that in his area, there were over 200 marketing agencies within an hour of where he planned to operate.
That didn’t scare him away. In fact, it gave him the confidence and knowledge that he was looking at the right business.
And I’ll never forget what he said:
“Seeing 200 companies made me believe that there was so much demand for marketing services that me becoming the 201st company could help solve the demand problem.”
He knew he wasn’t the first, and he knew that his idea wasn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread. But he knew that customers were willing to pay for his services.
My Mindset Was the Biggest Limiting Factor
Prior to this “aha” moment, my mindset was trapped in a box.
It was clear that I knew one path and one path only for making money.
But after seeing this bonsai nursery and the amount that people were willing to pay for these trees, my view of the business world changed forever.
Prior to this, my mindset wouldn’t allow me to see certain ideas as ways to make money. I had already decided that I couldn’t make money doing this or doing that.
Which is funny because I’m a firm believer in the idea that, “If I say I can, then I will. But if I say I can’t, then I won’t.”
And here I was saying I couldn’t make money doing certain things, and sure enough, I wasn’t making money doing them.
I fell into the wrong side of my own belief when viewing monetary opportunities within hobbies.
Conclusion
Prior to this bonsai nursery experience, I would drive past hundreds of businesses and think, “There is no way that makes any money.”
Now, I’m not so sure about that assessment.
I’ve come to learn that if you’re creative and look at problems or services in a new light, you might just be able to make money doing something that you truly enjoy.
So think about your hobbies and what you enjoy doing.
Now think about what problems exist within those hobbies and how you could solve them.
If one person is willing to pay for your solution, there is a good chance others will be willing to pay for it too.
Leave a Reply