Taking your trade on the road, with a little help from the computer- if necessary.
Obviously, this is not possible with all trades, but with a little creativity, you can take your trade or skill out of your studio or workplace and hit the road. I stumbled onto a web site last night where a jewelry maker and Airstream guru took her love of the silver bullet and created multiple revenue streams. She designs interiors for vintage Airstreams, makes silver pendents of the little caravans and rents out the 4 or 5 remodeled Airstreams in her collection for nightly or weekly retreats. How creatively fabulous!!
Members from the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Show share their skills with visitors to the annual Pow-Wow where gem hounds and collectors buy and sell amazing rocks and gemstones from around the world.
1. A Mobile Studio and an Open Road.
If you’re an artist, of any kind, why not take your tools, toss them in a travel trailer and take to the open road for a little bit of time each year. Schedule your travels to coincide with art festivals and trade shows and sell your wares from the road. Open an Etsy shop or an online store and increase your revenue while traveling. Want to go to Italy for a little inspiration? Fire up that online store, toss your tools in your bag and book a flight to the Old Country. Be inspired! Create your art!
2. Got some Carpentry Skills?
Toss your essentials in your truck or a travel trailer and hit the road. Research a few Craigslists prior to departure from the towns you’ll be visiting and see if any carpentry gigs are available. Post an ad on Craigslist for your services and run an ad in the local paper. Find a cheap place to stay (or just stay in that little travel trailer- convenient little buggers) and work from the road. Start writing that E-book in your downtime or start gathering instructions for a DIY carpentry book to publish from home. Create a simple portfolio web site of your work with a little bio and some testimonials from happy clients so people can see how wonderful you are and why they should hire you!
3. Start Digging!
Yep, digging in the dirt! I’ve met several people recently who travel during certain parts of the year and mine minerals and gemstones for a living. Several of them own the mineral rights for excavating on their land and others simply mine on public lands, such as BLM areas. They sell their finds at gem and rock shows and make jewelry from their finds as well. A fabulous way to make a living!
4. Volunteer!
Why not just volunteer at state and national parks in exchange for rent, either in their employee housing or RV parking. Couple this with one or two of the online careers from above and you may have the best of both worlds.
5. Teach!
Do you possess a special skill that others would love to learn about and are mobile? Post an ad on Craigslist or the local paper for the towns you are visiting and offer your education services for a fee. Contact the local chamber of commerce and offer a discount for their members or contact the local SBA or community college and see if your workshops can be held at their facilities and would their members like a discount. The options are limitless here, and with a little patience and planning, you could create a viable income source and touch people’s lives with your knowledge.
Well, this list could go on forever, but I’ll stop here. The true point is, we all have talents and attributes that make us unique individuals. These talents have a place in our lives and also in the marketplace. And in an economy like this one, having multiple skill-sets ready to use in different environments can be a life saver. What if your boss called you into the office tomorrow, handed you an empty cardboard box and said, “sorry- we’re downsizing, now get the hell out.” What would you do? Where would you go? How would you support yourself? This time of transition might be the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate your skill-set and use it in a creative and unique manner to change your life! And maybe someone else’s along the way.
Wow! Often times people who have a desire to “peddle their wares in the market place” feel they need a little boost from an angel of sorts. You are that angel, Crystal! Many who received a four year college degree just topped the combined knowledge they learned by reading your real world, two part series on independent salesmanship. One thing’s for sure: the days are gone when one just hangs an “OPEN” sign on their door and expects customers to come flocking in. You gotta pump the pump!…..you gotta walk the walk!…..not just talk the talk. Your wise words are not only inspirational, they are like gold to those who listen. When one combines wisdom, understanding and knowledge, they are pointed in the right direction. You are a compass of hope to many and we love you for that! Safe travels back east!