Originally written by Legal Zoom on Small Business
Harley Davidson, Mattel, Disney. What do all these brands have in common? It’s not just that they are all iconic names that grew to dominate in their industry. Each of them also started out as a “garage business” as a way of escaping the nine to five.
By this we mean they were started by individuals who took a skill, talent, passion or hobby of their own and put it to work on a small scale. They then developed it into something much bigger. Doing what you love can certainly be a wonderful motivator. However, it takes more than passion alone to achieve success. So, what else needs to be thrown into the mix? This guide aims to help you find out.
Check your audience shares your passion
Harold Matson and Elliot Handler started out selling picture frames from a garage workshop. As an enjoyable sideline and a way of putting their talent to work, they had the idea of crafting dollhouse furniture from frame scraps. Soon, they found that the furniture was more profitable than the picture frames — and the toy specialist, Mattel, was born.
Escaping the nine to five
Whether it’s handmade toys, or amazing

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