Hobby Turned Business

Entrepreneur: Trudi McCullough happened to learn about decorative painting and wall finishes while searching the net for fun activities for her children. Inspired, McCullough–once an art major and a former art gallery owner–did more research, took an art class at a local college and began to practice painting and finishing around her own home. “Our house transformed a lot,” laughs McCullough, 40.
Before long, McCullough was starting to do work for friends. As requests grew, she used the money she made to buy supplies and take more classes. Her hobby turned into a business when she began to set up booths at local trade shows, but it wasn’t until she started giving demonstrations at the biannual California State Home and Garden show in Sacramento that business really took off. After cutting a deal with the show owners–she agreed to give free demonstrations in exchange for a mention in their TV ads–McCullough was able to market her business for next to nothing. She also saved money by using professional contacts from class to score deals on liability insurance and website design.
Finish Line [Entrepreneur]