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Few people get the chance to make a living by doing what they love. “Photography has been my passion since I first held a camera in 1986,” recalls entrepreneur Paolo Cescato.
He’s run his own photography business called Cescato Studio (www.cescato.com since 1995. “I came to love photography so much that I left my career as an industrial engineer,” recalls Cescato. In his mind, he hasn’t “worked” a day since deciding to be his own boss.
Cescato Studio’s main areas of photography are portraiture and sporting events. The business focuses on photographing amateur sports and school events for clients within the GTA and across Southern Ontario.
Cescato realized his photography skills were extremely marketable. “Building a business around your talents is an incredibly satisfying way to earn a living,” he comments. “You’ve got to believe that people will pay you for your abilities.”
While belief in oneself is important, Cesato says new entrepreneurs must nonetheless put together a proper Business Plan. “A plan will outline how you are going to package your skills, market yourself and make money,” he insists. “In addition to guiding my activities, my business plan helped me to secure a start-up loan.”
As his own boss, he’s learning many other skills to add to his photography talents. “I’ve had to learn not to take some things too personally,” he says. “For instance, rejection from prospective customers can be common and suppliers can be tough negotiators. Your company is your baby so it’s hard to stay detached.”
Cescato has also learned that entrepreneurship is a marathon and not a sprint. “You’ve got to have patience in terms of building a client base,” he says. His business plan calls for a steady increase in the number of studio hours booked. “My goal is to be fully booked 12 months of the year, and I know I’ll get there one client at a time,” he enthuses.
What are your talents?
Capitalizing on a unique ability is how most people launch into small business. Your special talent may stem from your education, your previous work experience, a particular aptitude or a technical skill. For instance, maybe you’re really good at writing, getting people to agree, solving sticky problems, programming computer code or taking pictures.
Understanding what you’re really good at doing – and enjoy – is the first step on the road to entrepreneurship. Try to hone in on your talents by:
* Paying attention to likes and dislikes . If you’re currently employed, dig out that job description and review all of your tasks and responsibilities. Honestly assess which of them you like or dislike, and why. Hate crunching numbers? Make a note of it. Love putting things in order? Maybe you’re destined to become a Professional Organizer.
* Asking others . It can be difficult to critique ourselves, so ask someone else to do it. Meet with your closest friends and family members individually, asking them what they think you do best. People who know us well are in a great position to help us zero in on our skills.
* Taking an aptitude test. The average person will experience eight different careers in their lifetime. An aptitude test can help you to identify your particular strengths and propensities without such exhaustive job hopping. While some tests are available free online, visit a qualified career counselor.
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You're a talented writer, designer, speaker, consultant, coach, salesperson, but doors aren't flying open for you. Why not? Talent, I'm afraid, is assumed - a lot of people have talent. It's the price to get into th...
