Turning your passion into profession

AVALON GOMEZ

Dear AFETT,

I am struggling to find inspiration to make a move. I love event planning, and at my workplace, I am constantly asked to plan events.

This is not in my scope of duties, I am a health and safety officer, but because they know I am good at it, I become the go-to whenever there is an event. I am not remunerated any extra for this.

I've also realised that event planning is my true passion, and it is becoming difficult to manage my daily duties at work with my "side hustles," which, to be honest, actually earns me more than my salary right now. Not to mention I much prefer being my own boss rather than deal with the ego-stroking that happens in my male-dominated space at work.

However, I know very well that event planning is seasonal, so I am not quite ready to leave a steady paycheque.

Where do I go from here?

Dear Sinead,

It sounds like you are at a crossroads in your career, torn between your passion and being financially secure.

This is all too familiar for me. When I left corporate finance to be an entrepreneur, I had no idea what my passion was, I just knew I loved marketing and I did not want to work for anyone again.

It’s great that you have acknowledged event planning as your passion. When you are in tune, you feel a deep sense of alignment with your true self and a profound connection to the things that bring you joy and meaning. Knowing your passion is a powerful force that can transform your life in ways you never thought possible.

I understand your fears – entrepreneurship is scary – it is entering the land of the unknown.

The fear you are feeling is normal. It is understandable to feel overwhelmed and unsure about the next steps.

Fear of taking a risk

Risk is necessary when following our passions and goals. No risk, no reward.

To overcome this fear, the practical approach is to acquire as much information as possible about starting to operate as a full business rather than a side hustle, as you call it.

This will help you be more prepared and ease some anxiety around taking the leap.

There are no guarantees in life, particularly in business, so every decision should be a calculated risk.

Fear of uncertainty

The unknown is difficult to describe and it is natural to be afraid of failure, so we stay complacent at times.

You have to believe in the path you choose and be prepared to put in the effort necessary to attain your goals.

Apart from being an entrepreneur, I am the founder of EmpowHerTT, an NGO that supports female entrepreneurs.

At a previous entrepreneur event hosted by EmpowHerTT, one of the panellists, Delicia Patterson of DiMedia, spoke about her fear of uncertainty in sacrificing her steady job with a fixed income, yearly salary increase and promotions. She was in corporate banking for more than seven years, with her passion for media communications and marketing relegated to the back burner, simply because it seemed the more sensible and safer thing to do at that time.

"I stayed behind my desk for years because it meant a fixed income, it meant financial security and didn't require me taking any risks, but it also meant I became stagnant, with very little creative outlet," Patterson said.

At some point, you will have to make a strategic decision whether to go all in or make the balance (your steady job as well as your entrepreneurial endeavours) work for you.

As an advocate for female entrepreneurship, I will say pray on it and take the leap, as and when inspired.

Here are some tips for the journey:

– Challenges are opportunities in disguise. Embrace them as learning experiences that push you to grow and innovate in your field.

– Trust your instincts and believe in your abilities. Confidence in yourself is a powerful driver of success.

– Define clear goals and stay focused on achieving them. Break down big goals into manageable steps and celebrate milestones along the way.

– Keep learning and evolving. Stay curious, seek knowledge and be open to new ideas and opportunities within the industry, there will be multiple ways to make income on slow periods, including consulting and training.

– Success rarely happens overnight. Stay persistent, resilient and committed to your dreams, even in the face of challenges.

– Community is important. One of my success keys was cultivating mentorship and networking opportunities.

My steadfast belief in “together we go further” was a large part of my reason behind forming EmpowHerTT.

Being part of a supportive community can provide you with encouragement and inspiration, which become even more important during challenging times.

Joining and actively contributing to a reputable networking community, like AFETT, can also enhance your credibility in your field. This can help you attract clients, partners and opportunities.

Remember, every successful entrepreneur had to make a sacrifice and take a risk to become who they are today and live their dream.

Stay inspired, stay focused and keep pursuing your entrepreneurial aspirations.

This article was submitted by the Association of Female Executives of TT (AFETT).

AFETT is a non-profit organisation formed in 2002 with the goal of bringing together professional women and engaging in networking opportunities, training and business development.

Ask AFETT is brought to you by the Research and Public Advocacy team and addresses issues and concerns of executive and entrepreneurial professionals.