Saddle maker, Mark Nelson, in his home workshop in Boyceville, Wisc. ? Sean McCormick
Nelson's passion is historic re-enactment of cowboy action. He even helped start a Cowboy Action Shooting club. "I wanted to know how to make saddles for my own use, but realized that I had to make some money at it, too."
Nelson opened a tiny workshop on his 5-acre property and went on to buy equipment he needed. He also paid $5,000 tuition to spend six weeks in Montana learning how to make saddles.
During the course, he made three saddles, one for himself and two he sold to team ropers in Montana. He was hooked. When he got home, he opened Way West Saddlery.
His custom-made saddles now start at $2,000 and take him about 40 hours or more to make. His primary clients are historic re-enactors and extreme cowboy competitors, who strive for the authentic costuming and saddles. He also builds custom western stock saddles fitted for an individual horse and his or her rider.
Nelson admits he's not making a lot of money. His upfront material costs usually top $800 per saddle. While his business slowly ramps up, Nelson is logging in two-days a week as a caregiver at a nearby residential alcohol and drug addiction treatment center, earning $9.50 an hour.
Turning a hobby into paying work can ruin your passion for it, so you need to plan ahead and take it a step at a time. And if you need the income now, you might want to supplement your fledgling business with outside work initially, as Nelson has done.
There are plenty of great home-based jobs out there for you. Here are five popular ones to consider. Pay ranges, which will vary based on factors such as experience and where you live, are primarily derived from U.S. Department of Labor data.
Could you turn your craft hobby into a business? >>
Source: http://www.aarp.org/work/working-after-retirement/info-12-2011/home-based-jobs.html
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