The Hobby Business I Was Ignoring
In 2019, just before covid hit, I was applying for jobs as an Architectural Technician. I had been treating my business Once Upon A Garden Landscape Design as a hobby for years, never seriously considering working for myself as a real option. Not giving it any love or attention. Very random marketing and next to no social media presence. When I did work, I was charging about $60 an hour, so even after tax, that was still a very healthy hourly rate.
I had recently completed a Diploma of Architectural Technology. The starting rate for this role could be around minimum wage, approximately $25/hr. in NZ at the time. This was pretty shocking to me especially when you compare it to the hourly rate I could bring in with landscape design. With still having 4 kids at home, I had decided I didn’t want to work fulltime.
When Covid Closed the Door on Job Hunting
Then covid hit and any job opportunities dried up alongside it.
The thought came to me to compare the options in front of me:
Continue to look for work as an architectural technician at $25/yr, earning approximately $26,000 a year before tax.
Or – could I boost work on Once Upon A Garden with the goal of bringing in a similar amount, and still retain the flexible lifestyle I wanted?
So the goal was to meet what I could earn part time as an Architectural Technician. This was 26k a year before tax. Dividing 26k by $60/hr. came to 433 hours a year. That’s about 8.5hrs a week. The same income as working 20 hours a week for someone else , without the travel costs, the rigid hours and the boss.
A very doable option.
Why Working For Yourself Pays More Than You Think
The year before this decision OUAG brought in $3700 Net Profit.
When you work for yourself, Net Profit is what is left over after you have taken out all legitimate expenses. If you work for somebody else you get taxed on your take-home pay and still have to cover travel costs and work expenses yourself. Working for yourself means you get taxed after expenses – things like work-related travel, phone, internet and in my case, a portion of my mortgage interest, rates and insurance. This is huge.
At this point I wasn’t putting any meaningful energy into the business. I had been studying, and life was full on. Once Upon A Garden was firmly on the sideline.
The Numbers That Changed Everything
But I now had the goal of 25k.
This type of challenge invigorates me. I find I respond well to a tricky spot and having to figure a way out of it. I get inspired to look at an issue from different angles and think, what can we do here? How can we help ourselves here?
In 2020, OUAG brought in $17,300 Net Profit.
Bear in mind, some of the expenses being deducted were ones we would have spent anyway. We claimed a portion of our mortgage interest, phone, internet, rates etc. because our office is at home. This made the actual benefit to us even higher.
In 2021 OUAG brought in $19500!!!!!
During lockdown I worked on my systems and made things more efficient. I created a plant database which continues to save me hours of time with every single client.
Over this time, my husband wasn’t able to work due to covid regulations so we created a property services role within Once Upon A Garden. One-off garden maintenance, weeding, odd jobs – the things people don’t want to do themselves.
How cool that this hobby business, which was only ever meant to provide bonus money, could now support our whole family and give work to my husband.
Working For Yourself Gives You Options a Job Never Can
The thing I love most about working for yourself is that you have options. You have a container within which you are able to pivot, adjust, play with and make suit you.
I can’t emphasize this enough. So many people I know are not happy with their working situations but feel they can’t do anything about it.
I realise I am in a hugely privileged position. Tim’s income covered our bills, which meant I was able to stay home with our kids and start a low cost business without financial pressure. I am not ignorant of the fact that not everyone has the luxury.
If you are reading this and are in a situation where you do need to keep working for now, keep reading. There may be something you can start on the side that could eventually give you what you need. My free class is only 30 minutes and a great place to start.
What Happened When I Actually Showed Up For My Business
Anyway back to the rise of Once Upon A Garden!
In 2022 we hit $41,600
In 2023, OUAG brought in $51,000!!!
Crazy stuff. It was jumping at an alarming rate.
Job Security When Working For Yourself vs Employment
Recently, I heard of a number of women who had been in their workplace for over 10 years – no complaints, doing their jobs well – and then new management came in. There was a need to cut costs and with very little notice these women were told, just before Christmas, that their jobs were gone.
Some of them were in shock. You can feel like there is job security in employment but in reality that is a myth, as recent world events have shown us.
One of the women was in the fortunate position of owning a farm with her husband. She responded to this redundancy with plans to create a glamping and Airbnb set up – in essence, creating her own business. It isn’t job security in the traditional sense. But there is real security in relying on yourself. Being able to pivot when needed is powerful. It beats being at the mercy of decisions completely out of your control.
I am not sure how the other ladies responded but it would be a horrible feeling – that lack of control over your own future.
I spoke to another woman still employed there, and she said a number of her colleagues were now anxious their department would be next.
My response every time I hear stories like this is the same – I am so glad that a portion of my income is reliant on me.
If no one wants their gardens landscaped, we can mow lawns, do weeding, and find another way.
There is never full control – we can’t dictate the market – but being entirely at the mercy of a boss and fully reliant on someone else just doesn’t sit well with me.
Where You Put Your Attention, Growth Follows
Have you heard the saying, where we put our attention, attraction happens? I don’t fully understand the mechanics behind it, but in my experience, giving Once Upon A Garden more love, made it grow. The marketing efforts made sense – more visibility, more clients. But I also believe that going through my systems, creating tools, and showing up consistently for this business sent a signal. To myself, and maybe to the universe, that I was taking this seriously. That I believed in it.
If you’re looking for inspiration on what that business could be, I’ve put together a list of 7 low cost businesses you could start right now.
Could This Be You?
Maybe you have something sitting on the side right now. A skill, a service, an idea you’ve been treating as a hobby. What would happen if you decided to take it seriously? If my neglected little landscape business could do this, I genuinely believe most businesses can.
If the idea of creating your own opportunities appeals to you, here’s where to start.
My free class walks you through the one foundational thing you need to know before you do anything else – the thing that makes sure your business works for your life, not the other way around.
It’s just 30 minutes – and it might be the most useful 30 minutes you spend this week. Sign up here.
Leave a Reply