What have you made yourself? Did you make anything when you were young? Have you thought of making something recently?
If you answered yes to any of those three questions, then you will know what excitement happens when you make something of your own for yourself. When you make something for yourself and you can also find a market, or you have thought about the market before you even made your product or service, you will know how satisfying it can be. It puts your destiny in your own hands.
It’s by no means an easy route to take. I’m not talking here about going into full-scale manufacturing but coming up with something that you can initially do on the side and may lead to bigger things. There is a compelling case for making something of your own. We still live in a world where we sell our expertise and time to someone else. But a growing number of people both young and old have started to make things for themselves. You only need to look at the app developer market to see how many young people have got involved in making apps for smartphones.
I have visited many morning markets around the country and have discovered that both young people and old are making things of their own. Products that have stood out for me recently have been a line of specialised skin creams, smoked products, organic coffee, specialised “cage” dolls beautifully made by a sculptor, and a kitchen sink board for preparing vegetables and salads. Here I am only scratching on the surface because there are so many wonderful products that people have come up with.
Yet, it is tragic when someone comes up with a good idea but is unable for various reasons to execute it or, simply put, put it into action. I came across the example of a school teacher who is retired recently and decided to open a kindergarten. But months later she has not got off of the ground and has been forced into going back into teaching at a school for delinquents in a rough area. You see, this is a typical story. By not taking your life into your own hands you end up settling for second best. This is where you get kicked in the face, where takers steal and confiscate from you and others pass the pennies at the end of a hard year of working. Perhaps this schoolteacher will get her kindergarten going eventually.
If you have never come up with something on your own whether it be a product or a service, meaning either a physical item or an intellectual concept or service, then they are ways to bridge this gap. There are ways to come up with ideas on your own that you can make viable. The is a process for product and service development. Find a system, a method a process that works best for you.
PS Disclaimer: I have started five small businesses from scratch, one of which failed and four which were successful.
