nobody asked | passion projects + developing a brand

There are many upsides to freelancing. Some of my favorites are getting to work in various fields, helping people solve complex problems, and having a more flexible schedule. With more time, I can spend more time daydreaming. 

I am an ideas person. It is one of my strengths and one of my weaknesses. It is nearly impossible for me to keep ideas to myself. This can be evidenced by the countless emails I have sent to businesses suggesting new products or user experiences. 

It is like a superpower I am learning to control. Not because I need to be stopped, but because I pick up more projects than I can handle.

Recently, I have decided to catalog these ideas for either personal use or to share with clients, if it suits their goals. 

This system came from a whirlwind week-and-a-half I spent fixated on fermentation and kombucha. Like many others, I have been seeking alternative ways to imbibe that leave out the buzz. This led to my discovery of kombucha fermented in the style of natural wine, but it is difficult to deliver most brands to New Orleans. So, I started making kombucha at home. 

Many people would stop themselves here; I couldn't help but take it to another level. 

Within one week of my first batch, I completed a full branding exercise, printed labels, wrote a business plan, and outlined an operating budget (inclusive of start-up costs). My curiosity confuses interest with passion, which results in a fullhearted exercise of evaluating my newfound hobbies as a viable business. 

To make the most of all of this work, I decided to showcase the process in this blog series. Over the next few posts, you will see this process broken down into:

• Finding a name | LINK

• Choosing a mark | LINK

• Outlining a business plan | LINK

• Drafting an operating budget | LINK