It's party time. We’re celebrating 12 years of running a successful small business. This is an aha moment. It’s been such an integrated part of our life, Centerline Farm hardly seems like a business. It was built around a dream of living out in the “country”.  Based on a passion for all things equestrian. Somehow it turned into a community of people who share a love of horses, the sport and the adventure. 

Like many small business owners, at first, we were in way over our heads. The learning curve was ridiculously steep. We bootstrapped the farm, as we turned potential into reality. Sometimes it really sucked. Now, most of the time it’s simply great.

Here’s the point. Lots of businesses are a result of one’s avocation. However getting from that passion to a “day job” is a gigantic leap. For some, it never becomes full-time, and that’s OK. Regardless, to grow from avocation to successful occupation, the small business entrepreneur must start by doing these 5 things:

1. Determining their goals
   
2. Describing their customer
   
3. Defining their products
   
4. Developing a plan
   
5. Then doing it, adjusting it, doing it again
   

My advice. Start out by keeping it simple. Take a couple of hours to brainstorm and write it all down on one page. Then, get some help to move it forward. 

With some good luck, smart choices and lots of previous business experience we were able grow Centerline Farm into a profitable and fun business. We’ve downsized a bit – but it’s still a joy. And what I realize now, the most important thing is learning how to do this: Keep it real, be true to yourself, and live the moment. 

Let’s get the party started. 

The Year of Blogging Honestly: Day 3