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Small Business Center

When a Hobby Becomes a Business: Navigating the Shift From Passion to Profession

June 12, 2025

Some businesses don’t start with a formal plan — they evolve from personal projects. Writing for Inc.com, Marcel Schwantes, principal of his namesake executive coaching and leadership firm, examines how passion projects can develop into full-fledged ventures and what entrepreneurs should consider when that transition begins. From testing products with trusted networks to managing early challenges and maintaining the motivation that sparked the idea, the piece outlines key strategies for making the shift from hobby to business.

Read more on making the leap from personal project to thriving business.

By Rebecca Meiser

Contributor, Commerce + Communities Today and Small Business Center

Small Business Center

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