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that's fine in one respect (there's nothing wrong with a job being hard work), I think I'd rather fun something that I enjoy Which leads me to: musical performance and talking to people. I do this all the time. If you knock on my front door at an unexpected time, the chances are pretty good that you'll find me either singing or playing an instrument - this is because I truly love to do it. Because I've put a lot of time and work into this aspect of my life, I have a reasonably marketable skill, too. When you combine this with "talking to people", you've pretty much got the busking experience. When you go busking with unusual instruments (we usually go out with bagpipes, harp and hammered dulcimers or cornet, percussion and melodeons), you find that 50% of the time, people want to talk to you about them.

I also realise that my web-authoring abilities are a good source of potential income, but I appreciate that some of my skills could do with updating (hence my comment about PHP and Java in the third list). However, any gaps in my technical skills can be compensated for by my skills in other areas - I'm a good administrator, and I know a lot about gigging and the music business. When you partner all these things up, it seems pretty apparent that I can offer a good service to musicians who need help with office work, mailouts, copy-writing and marketing. They may be prepared to overlook my dated Java skill-set if it comes partnered with a great working knowledge of the music scene. Also, unlike some cutting-edge web-designers, I am a pretty good copy-writer and can offer a package to clients that other agencies can't - if you can't provide the copy, I can

The key is to identify where the money-making potential is, and to see if you can partner it with any of the other items on your first two lists to be able to offer a niche service. Niche services are the easiest markets to break into, as the people looking to recruit into the niches need staff with a ready-made expertise, and the niches usually do not allow for "on-the-job training". It's all very well *saying* that I can learn about the music business, but no amount of articles read or tv programmes watched will make up for 6 years of gigging on the real-life circuit. This holds true for any niche - I can always read a book on steam trains, but I'll never approach the passion and breadth of experience that a steam-engine enthusiast will be able to bring to bear on the subject.

Once you've found your niche, and are settling into it, give some thought to your third list. You'd like to get better at these things, yes? Find a way to incorporate your learning into your business opportunities. If you want to be a better photographer, consider taking your camera when you carry out your dog-walking business. Take pictures of your doggy clients, and see whether the owners would consider buying them, or using them on christmas cards/private stationery etc.

I want to improve my Java and PHP skillsets, so I'll look at folding that learning into a website for a client. I won't charge the client any more, but they'll get a more functional end-product, which will make them happy :-) At the end of the project, I'll have updated and practised my skills, given extra value to a client and everyone wins! Hurrah!

And for your information, I am still trying to come up with a way to encompass web-authoring and beekeeping! I haven't found it yet.

Learn more about this author, Annie Walker.
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