How to Turn Your Passion for DIY into a Business
Featuring Lianna Piccetti
Lianna sits with me at a marble island in her San Francisco home, surrounded by a myriad of DIY projects and hand made sculptures. From growing her own succulents to crafting feathered art pieces, she can do just about everything.
We wanted to share with you Lianna’s long-time excitement for DIY and see what it is that has led her to turn this passion into a business. Moreover, we hope that her work encourages you to get your hands dirty and see where your talents may take you.
While Lianna’s inventory includes chapstick, face serums, lotions, and essential oils, she started out by making her own soap. The basis of her need to jump into soap making is simple:
Store-bought beauty products just don’t cut it
“I just thought this was disgusting… I don’t know what’s in the things on my body. So, I’m going to teach myself how to make soap.”
For anyone who tries to self-teach, perfection does not come right away. Lianna spent a whole month diving into books and how-to videos before her first batch of soap was made.
So is there a secret to learning new things like this?
“I think if you have a mentor of sorts you’ll learn faster, because I had to look at articles, I had to look at videos and buy books, and when something went wrong I would have to research a ton to find out what was going wrong.”
Lianna is in agreement with us regarding the typical reasons for doing-it-yourself: things like saving money, being more eco-friendly, and knowing what you’re getting.
Why else would someone want to choose this lifestyle?
“It’s also fun…you get to have fun when you’re doing it… I enjoy also having my own skill set and not having to rely on other people.”
Having fun and possessing the tools to fend for yourself sounds good to most, but what about those who want to turn their newfound skills and interests into a business?
“I think you just have to get obsessed. So if you really like something, for example, I really like making soap, so I started making a ton of soap. Then I was like, I’m just going to show up at a fair and see how this goes.”
However, not everyone has the courage to put themselves out there at local markets or street fairs and potentially stare rejection in the face.
Guess what, there’s an app for that
“Etsy! Etsy is like the perfect place for DIYers because you can just throw all your listings up and just test it out. Or you can just start on Instagram without even having a business license and people can DM you for purchases, just to see if it goes well and see if you like doing it.”
While Lianna has ventured far and wide to put herself and her product out there into the world, there is still just one major reason why she has decided to keep up all this hard work… and it’s not for wealth, power, or pride:
“For me… using my product (chuckling) and looking at it. It’s really exciting to be like, oh my god, I know exactly what this is! I made it and now I can use it, and it doesn’t hurt the environment.
Lianna is just one of many who spend each day crafting amazing things and reaping all sorts of benefits, from saving money and the environment to simply having some peace of mind.
Following in her path begins with finding something you care about and discovering new ways in which you can do it better. Becoming obsessed with something and having a mentor are great ways to fast track your learning.
Moreover, you need to find the right tools for the job and have the courage to use them. Lianna did just that by uncovering resourceful ways to get her product out there and connect with her community using free tools many of us are familiar with.
Finally, you need to take the time to appreciate what you’ve created and reflect upon why you have chosen this path in the first place.
“You should bring something into the world that wasn’t in the world before. It doesn’t matter what that is. It doesn’t matter if it’s a table or a film or gardening — everyone should create. You should do something, then sit back and say ‘I did that.”
— Ricky Gervais
We hope you enjoyed hearing from Lianna and getting to travel briefly into the mind of a passionate DIYer. To learn more about her or check out some of her amazing products, follow her instagram @loveliannasoap and check out her website liannapiccetti.com.
For those of you interested in starting your own business or simply seeking some help, visit us at www.fixmate.io
