Last summer, I was knee-deep in river water, building a floating bridge at my Dream Garden. I slipped. Again. For the third time that day.
My shirt was soaked, my hands were covered in splinters, and I was questioning every decision that led me to this moment. But you know what? I was exactly where I needed to be.
That bridge taught me something important about entrepreneurship: the difference between chasing trends and following your passion.
Why Most People Struggle to Choose a Business Idea
If you’re reading this, you probably have a notebook full of business ideas. Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting something for months—or even years. You’re not alone.
Most aspiring entrepreneurs face the same problem: too many ideas and no clear way to choose the right one.
Some people pick ideas because they saw someone else succeed. Others jump on the latest trend without thinking it through. And many sit frozen, unable to decide at all.
I know this struggle personally. I failed twice—once in 2015 and again in 2019. Both times, I was chasing what looked good rather than what felt right.
How to Choose the Right Business Idea for You
Choosing the right business idea relies on understanding three essential factors critical to your business’s success.
Let me share what I learned from my failures and my eventual success.
1. Start with Passion (Not Just Profit)
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most businesses fail within the first five years.
The ones that survive? They’re usually run by people who genuinely care about what they’re doing.
How to know if you’re truly passionate:
Ask yourself these questions:
- Would you still do this if you weren’t making money right away?
- Does this idea excite you when you think about it?
- Can you see yourself working on this for the next 5-10 years?
When I started Dream Garden for the third time in 2023, something was different. This wasn’t about copying someone else’s success. This was about creating the peaceful space I’d always dreamed of—a place where people could relax by the water and reconnect with nature.
That passion kept me going when things got hard. And trust me, they got hard.
The passion test:
Real passion doesn’t fade when obstacles appear. If you’re ready to quit at the first sign of difficulty, you might be chasing the wrong idea.
My first two businesses failed because I didn’t have that deep connection to what I was building. I was doing what seemed smart, not what felt right.
2. Match Your Skills to Your Business Idea
Passion is essential, but it’s not enough. You also need the right skills—or at least the willingness to learn them.
Skills needed to start a business:
Different businesses require different abilities. Here’s what you should consider:
Technical skills:
- Can you actually deliver the product or service?
- Do you understand the basics of your industry?
- What specific expertise does this business require?
Business skills:
- Can you manage money and track expenses?
- Do you know how to market and sell?
- Can you handle customer service?
Let me tell you about that floating bridge again.
When my partner and I planned it, I got quotes from professional bridge builders. The prices were sky-high—way beyond our budget.
I went home frustrated. Then I remembered: I used to build things like this back in 2008 when I worked as a gardener. I had the skills. I’d just forgotten I had them.
So I grabbed my tools and did it myself. Yes, I fell in the water. Yes, it was exhausting work under the hot sun. But I saved thousands of dollars and proved I could still do it.
One of my team members asked, “Boss, why don’t you just hire someone? Look at how hot it is out here!”
I joked, “I’m just testing my new hammer to see if it’s any good.”
But the real reason? I had the skills, and I wasn’t afraid to use them.
What if you don’t have all the skills?
That’s okay. You have three options:
- Learn them: Take online courses, read books, and find a mentor.
- Partner up: Find someone whose skills complement yours
- Hire help: Bring in experts for areas you can’t handle
The key is being honest about what you know and what you need to learn.
3. Think About Growth and Scalability
This is where many passionate entrepreneurs get stuck. They start something they love, but it can’t grow beyond a certain point.
Questions to ask about scalability:
- Can this business serve more customers without you working twice as hard?
- Is there a real market that’s big enough to support growth?
- Can you expand to new locations or offer new products later?
Since restarting Dream Garden in 2023, we’ve seen steady growth. We started with a small space by the river. Now we have multiple relaxation areas, several cabins, and daily visitors.
But I planned for this from the start. I chose a location with room to expand. I designed spaces that could be replicated. I built systems that could handle more guests.
If your business idea only works when you’re doing everything yourself, you don’t have a business—you have a job. And probably an exhausting one.
How to Choose a Business Idea: A Simple Framework
Let me make this practical. Here’s a step-by-step process for choosing your business idea:
Step 1: List your passions Write down everything you genuinely enjoy or care about. Don’t filter yourself yet.
Step 2: Identify your skills What are you actually good at? Include both professional skills and personal talents.
Step 3: Research the market Are people already paying for solutions in this area? How much competition exists?
Step 4: Test the overlap Where do your passions, skills, and market demand intersect? That’s your sweet spot.
Step 5: Start small You don’t need everything perfect. Begin with a simple version and improve as you go.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Startup Business Ideas
I’ve made most of these mistakes myself, so I can speak from experience:
Mistake #1: Copying someone else’s success Just because it worked for them doesn’t mean it’ll work for you. Their passions, skills, and circumstances differ.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the money Passion is great, but you need to eat. Make sure people will actually pay for what you’re offering.
Mistake #3: Waiting for perfect You’ll never have all the answers upfront. Start before you feel ready.
Mistake #4: Choosing based on ease Easy businesses are usually crowded with competition. Sometimes the hard path is actually easier in the long run.
Mistake #5: Forgetting about yourself The best business idea means nothing if it makes you miserable. Choose something that fits your lifestyle and values.
Real Talk: Starting a Business Is Hard
I’m not going to sugarcoat this. Building a business—even one based on your passion—is difficult.
There will be days when you question everything. Days when you’re physically exhausted, mentally drained, and wondering if it’s worth it.
But here’s what makes it bearable: when you’re working on something you truly care about, those hard days feel different. They’re not pointless suffering—they’re steps toward something meaningful.
When I was building that floating bridge, falling into the water for the third time, I could have felt defeated. Instead, I felt alive. This was my dream taking physical form.
That’s the power of starting a business based on your passion.
Your Next Steps
If you’re ready to start a business based on your passion, here’s what to do today:
- Get clear on your passion: Write down what you’d do even if it were hard.
- Audit your skills: Be honest about what you can do and what you need to learn.
- Do basic market research: Spend a few hours understanding if people will pay for this.
- Start talking to people: Share your idea and get feedback.
- Take one small action: Don’t plan forever—do something concrete this week.
Remember, I failed twice before I got it right. Those failures taught me what worked and what didn’t. They showed me the difference between a good idea and the right idea.
You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need enough passion to start, enough skills to deliver value, and enough vision to see where it could grow.
The rest? You’ll figure it out along the way.
Just maybe bring an extra pair of dry clothes if your business involves river work.
Conclusion: How to Start a Business Based on Your Passion
Starting a business based on your passion is about aligning what you love, what you excel at, and what fulfills a real need.
It’s about having the courage to try, the resilience to fail, and the wisdom to learn from both success and setbacks.
Dream Garden exists today because I finally stopped chasing other people’s dreams and started building my own. You can do the same.
What’s your passion? What skills do you have? Where could they take you?
The answers to those questions might just be the business you’ve been looking for all along.
