There are two main schools of thought when it comes to whether or not you should build a business based on what you’re passionate about.

Some argue that if you pursue your passion the money will follow. Others say that you may not be able to build a sustainable or lucrative business based on your passion. You might be passionate about building things with toothpicks… but whether you can translate that into a business is another matter.

My view is this: just because you’re passionate about something doesn’t means you’ll be able to build a business around it.

HOWEVER you do need to be passionate about your business to be successful.

Depending on who you are, being passionate about the subject matter of your business may be optional. It’s not optional for me - I need to be passionate about what my business does in order to stay interested in it - but I’m well aware of successful business people who have nothing more than a passing interest in the products and services they sell.

What I don’t think is optional is a passion for your customers. Not if you’re going to start a business from scratch and build it into something GREAT. Equally, I don’t think being passionate about business itself is optional.

Unless you love the cut and thrust of building a business, it’s unlikely you’ll have the persistence, resilience or “opportunity radar” required to overcome the inevitable challenges and seize the opportunities that come your way.