Have you ever lost yourself in something you truly enjoy, only to come back feeling recharged and inspired? That experience may be doing more than just helping you relax, it could be shaping the very career or entrepreneurial abilities you’re striving to build. Many founders trace pivotal moments in their journey back to a hobby that sparked insight or momentum. Some have drawn encouragement from books like Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert, which reinforce perseverance, creativity, and the courage to move forward despite setbacks.
The activities we’re naturally drawn to reveal our values, interests, and strengths. Over time, they quietly influence the choices we make and the way we define ourselves as business leaders, often long before we draft a business plan or pitch an idea to investors.
When passion projects turn into real ventures, and hobbies turn into a business
It is common for an innocent pursuit to turn into an incredible enterprise. A good illustration would be the story of Michael Kittredge, who was simply a kid when he began to make candles in his grandmother’s kitchen, purely for pleasure and as gifts. But because his neighbours liked them so much, he continued to produce them, and eventually this leisurely activity grew into what we now know as ‘Yankee Candle Company’, one of the major candle manufacturers in the world.
In much the same way, Debbi Fields had a passion for baking cookie dough but never planned on creating a business; she simply enjoyed the scent of freshly baked cookie dough and wanted to share her baking experiences with others. As a result of her love for baking, she created a worldwide bakery chain called ‘Mrs Fields Cookies’.
And then there’s Ingrid Nilsen, a content creator who started making candles as a new passion after she retired from making videos on YouTube. Inspired by the COVID epidemic, she created ‘The New Savant’, an aromatic studio where every candle tells a story and has a specific theme, e.g., one based on her love for literature and nature. “If someone doesn’t appreciate my art, I don’t care; I want people to receive my art completely without any distractions,” she said.
How pursuing what you love can make you smarter, stronger, and more confident
Not all hobbies lead to starting a business, but many can provide useful learning experiences. One example of this is podcasting, where the host learned patience and other skills while learning how to garden, and now feels he has a much calmer and better strategy in making business decisions.
Another business owner commented that his workout routine has helped him develop discipline through weightlifting and thinking ahead, which has helped him build his company into an £ 18m-turnover operation.
Many people find that they can get reenergised through their daily hobbies, whether it’s reading, writing, cooking, or hiking. The founders who are posting in online discussion groups say that they find their hobbies help them avoid burning out and also provide inspiration for new ideas that are ultimately included in their business strategy.
What failure teaches you about growth, grit, and getting back up
Failure is a part of most side projects, which help creators grow as individuals and learn through experimentation. For a creator, it took him decades to perfect a hobby until he finally found success in one. Likewise, a blog turned into a subscription model after numerous attempts.
These unsuccessful attempts provide entrepreneurs with the experience needed to develop their hidden strengths.
Your hobbies and side projects are an opportunity to develop your creativity, resilience, connections with others, and self-understanding. Regardless of whether or not they grow into a business or simply keep you interested and engaged, it is clear that the things you enjoy doing can help determine how you will develop as an individual, making all the difference in the world.