Doing what you love — and making a living at it — is the ultimate dream, isn’t it? You may believe it’s an impossible dream, but we’re here to tell you it can be done. Not with a giant leap into the unknown, but with small steps that will take you safely to your destination.

Learn more about your desired career.

You may already be an expert at baking vegan cupcakes or making cosplay costumes in your own home. What you need is knowledge of how to make money at it.

Some ways to get that knowledge include:

• Connections with people who are already doing it — through friends, social media, professional forums, blogs, etc.
• Apprenticeship or internship at a company in your desired field
• Books on starting a business
• Certificate courses to acquire needed skills

Start small.

The biggest roadblock for most people is that they can’t afford to quit their day job. In addition, you’ll need to save money for the start-up costs of your new business.

Luckily, in the current job market there are many opportunities for flexible shift work and side gigs that will allow you to get your new career off the ground while still bringing in an income. It will also give you a chance to see how you really like working this hobby as a career before you totally commit to it.

Research the market.

How much of a need is there for your products or services? How many competitors will you have? What do they offer that you don’t — and vice versa? The answers to these questions will tell you if your business idea has a chance of success.

• Check online marketplaces, including their prices
• Look in local directories for businesses that you would be competing with
• Start a blog or vlog about your products and see how much response you get

Stay on track.

Major career switching doesn’t happen overnight. As you gain more experience in your new career, you may find that your goals need to change. The market for your product might be weaker than expected, or you may not enjoy one aspect of your work as much as you thought you would.

That doesn’t mean you should give up the dream altogether. A few tweaks may be all it takes to renew your passion and turn your business into everything you hoped it would be.