Are You A Victim Of Passion Entrepreneurship Porn?

Should you become a passion entrepreneur? Passion entrepreneurship sounds amazing. Doing what you love, and thus working hard doesn’t even feel like working hard. Laptop entrepreneurs in luxury hotels. Vanlife across Europe or the USA. Inspirational coaches living on the beach in Bali. Turning your love of yoga, cooking, popcorn, making jewelry – anything – into a money machine, and calling it a passion business. I’m not going to lie, it can be amazing. I have been a passion entrepreneur, while living in Sweden and building Skimbaco as a lifestyle magazine, as an influencer. I was able to make money by traveling around the world and blogging. I’ve also taught others to live that life too. I loved it, until I didn’t anymore. Even now, when I am building Crush Movement, this has been more about a passion project and the need to take action for things I believe in, instead of building a sustainable business (yet). The balance between passion and building a sustainable business has been on my mind a lot. I think the biggest difference is that Crush Movement is more purpose-driven than passion-driven. In a way, the same risks lurk around the corner, no matter what I call it. However, the past two and a half years of building Crush could be a great example of getting swept up in passion, almost burning out because of it, and not succeeding with the business model we had. What changed for me? My business partner left. There was no drama, but the harsh reality: Crush Movement was not a profitable business. It was an annual event that didn’t bring enough revenue. She chose an actual business and joined another company. She made the smart choice. Passion doesn’t always pay your bills. Neither does purpose. I was left with three choices:

1. Also quit.
2. Do not change anything, and eventually be forced to quit or/and burn out.
3. Change things dramatically, and start building a sustainable business.

I chose to build a business around the annual event.

You Can Love What You Do And Still Burn Out

I also wrote the Big Rich Money book and the e-course together with Candice Brathwaite for all those who are still questioning what your passion might be, or if it is something you could turn into a business. More importantly, we wanted to give you the permit to forget about the passion business porn and to realize that passion business is still hard work, and it’s possible to experience burnout from it. The pressure to turn your passion into a business can lead to exhaustion and a loss of the initial joy you had for it, and then what do you have left? It is extremely inspiring to see someone able to make a living through their passion. At the same time, it might make us feel intimidated or inferior. Should we all be passion entrepreneurs, and are we somehow failing if we are not? 

Sometimes we think: are we really passionate about marketing and business strategy? Here is the Big Rich Money Secret: No! We are NOT “passionate” about marketing and business strategy.

Neither of us used to dream of writing 30 Instagram posts about lotion when we were younger. We didn’t line up our dolls and deliver wrap reports to them about their latest campaigns.  Our passion is cooking big family dinners, and traveling around the world for culinary adventures, but while I have done some food posts at Skimbaco Lifestyle, I quite never went for it. I didn’t have the patience to create food for the camera, but for eating. While in my dreams, I would love to be a successful food influencer or recipe content creator, I just know that making it a job would ruin some parts of it for me. The “good life” is the real goal here for most of us, but it is ok to also want to be fabulously wealthy. But it’s fine if you create a business that allows you to follow your calling and create your ideal lifestyle –  that in itself is a win, even if it is not financially super profitable. Remember that only you can define what real success looks like to you. 

Your Business Can Fuel Your Passion, even if You Don’t Make it Your Business.

You can combine your life passions with your business, but they don’t have to become your business.  The reason that we built a business based on marketing strategy and entrepreneurship is that we realized we have a real talent for marketing strategy. We love our work, and perhaps one of the reasons why we like it so much is that we are good at it. 

Think about all those passions that you considered making a career out of or building a company around. How many were/are there? … Why were you not able to make a career or business out of any of those passions? Or, if you have been able to have some success, what was the key to the success? Was it the passion or the effort you put into your job or company? Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban, Billionaire.

Passion alone is not enough. You also have to be talented in something to turn it into a profitable business. And even with passion and talent, you will still need to put in a lot of effort.

A Passion Business Can Be Amazing, But Not Always

While creating a business that makes you feel you are fulfilling your passion every day, in most cases is great, but it can have its disadvantages.  The emotion you feel for your passion might be hard to separate from the hard business decisions you need to make. Your feelings might guide your business instead of logic. If your business feels like your “baby”, your heart might break if your baby isn’t successful. Also, how could you ever sell your baby? Getting investors can feel yucky too.  While the narrative of creating a business out of your passion can be inspiring for many, it’s essential to recognize that it might not always be the best path for everyone.

Risks in Passion Business

Here are some reasons why the passion business narrative can be misleading or even harmful: 1. Unrealistic expectations. Pursuing your passion as a business can create unrealistic expectations for immediate success. Building a successful business takes time, effort, and often involves financial instability in the early stages. Some passion-based businesses may have limited potential for growth and scalability. 2. No money. If your passion doesn’t align with a profitable market or doesn’t generate income right away, it can lead to financial stress and potentially put your financial well-being at risk. Passion-based businesses can face economic pressures where financial concerns become more important than the original passion. 3. Burnout risk. When something you love becomes a daily obligation, it can lose its charm and lead to exhaustion. Business challenges, like financial instability and customer complaints, can take a toll on your mental health, as your emotional investment is often higher in a passion-based venture. The pressure to commercialize your passion may lead to a loss of interest or burnout, and in some cases, you might even begin to resent your once-beloved activity. 4. Market demand can limit your originality. Not all passions have a sufficient market demand to sustain a business. Your enthusiasm for a niche interest may not bring enough buyers. Turning a passion into a business often involves conforming to market expectations, potentially limiting your creative freedom and originality. 5. Skill gaps. Pursuing a business based on passion might require skills you lack, such as marketing, finance, or web design. You may need to invest time and effort in developing these skills, which can be overwhelming.  

It’s Not a “No” for Me. More like a “Yes, but…”

So, should you become a passion entrepreneur? Only you can make the decision for you, but as someone who has done that and been there, it still is a business, and sometimes, no matter what kind of business you run, there will be a day that you will need a day off, and maybe do something else. These days, I am definitely guarding myself more. What helps me? Surrounding myself with other business leaders and entrepreneurs, and that’s why I continue building Crush Movement.