Balance Passion With Proof

Every great brand starts with something you care about. Coffee, skincare, handmade clothing — whatever excites you. Passion matters, because when things get hard (and they will), it’s what keeps you motivated. But passion alone isn’t enough. The other half of the equation is proof: proof that customers want what you’re offering.

Plenty of people dream about turning hobbies into businesses. The ones who succeed are those who check the numbers first. For example, Etsy reports millions of monthly searches for “soy candles,” but only a fraction as many for “ceramic incense burners.” That doesn’t mean incense burners can’t work — but it does mean you need to know what you’re walking into.

The formula is simple: choose a product that excites you, then back it up with evidence of demand. If you love tea, check Google Trends or Amazon best-sellers to see which blends are rising. If you’re into clothing, look at Pinterest boards or TikTok hashtags for signals of what people are wearing. Proof keeps your passion grounded, and passion keeps your proof exciting. Together, they form a foundation you can actually build on.