Etsy! It's a J.O.B.

In case you did not see this article in the NYT yesterday, it is a must read! It highlights the ins and outs of turning your hobby into a full time business via Etsy. Andy and I often discuss how to achieve a good life/work balance, how to do what you love full time? What happens if your hobby becomes your profession; Do you...lose an appetite for it, pick up a new hobby to replace the one that just became your J.O.B. or become completely absorbed in it - losing all aspects of the life you once had (the one where you were sitting behind a desk counting down the hours until 5pm)? I guess you don't know unless you try, right? This article really made me think about the gives and takes of a hobby-based business that I had not thought about before. It sounds glorious...working from home, brewing some coffee and getting to work on hand-made items all day, everyday! But as author Alex Willimas (husband of premiere blogger Joanna Goddard of a Cup of Jo) points out, there is a lot more to it than that.

And for all you Minnesotans...the article mentions Minneapolis designer Angie Davis (shown above), owner of Byrd and Belle, who started her shop on Etsy last year after she was laid off from her job. Be sure to check out her blog and give her some love; she sells great iPod and laptop cases!

So what are your thoughts? Have you thought about ditching your J.O.B. and heading out on your own? What would you do and how would you manage it?