Should You Start a Business in Your Industry or Explore Something New?
- Akino Davis
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
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Last week, we explored "The Smart Way to Test Your Business Idea While Employed," a strategy-packed guide to validating your idea without risking your paycheck. Today, we’re continuing the conversation by answering one of the most asked questions I get in coaching sessions:
“Should I stick to what I know or try something new?”
Let’s talk about it.
What if I choose the wrong business idea?”
That’s the real fear, isn’t it?
You’ve spent years, maybe a decade or more, mastering your profession. You’ve climbed the ladder, built credibility, and developed a valuable skill set. So the idea of leaving that behind to start something completely new feels risky.
But what if staying in your lane isn’t the shortcut to success either?
When I started SME Digital, I didn’t come from a traditional “business” background. My foundation was in operations, construction, and project management, all highly structured, execution-heavy roles. I could run a site or facility with a hundred moving parts. But launching a coaching brand? That required a completely different skill set.
Still, I didn’t abandon my background. I used it as my edge.
And that’s the key: You don’t have to choose between what you know and what excites you. You can start a business in your industry or explore something new or build a bridge between both.
The Problem: You’re Not Sure Where You Belong
Most professionals considering entrepreneurship struggle with one big question:
“Should I build a business based on my existing skills or follow my passion?”
It’s a false choice.
What makes this hard is that you’re not just picking a business; you’re picking a lifestyle, a risk profile, and a learning curve. Some try to follow their passion into industries they know nothing about, only to be overwhelmed by the learning curve and lack of results.
Others stay too close to their comfort zone and end up bored, stuck, or replicating their old job inside a new business.
Here’s what I’ve seen after coaching a couple dozen transitioning professionals: The best business idea is usually at the intersection of 3 things:
What you already know (your experience)
What excites you (your curiosity)
What the market is willing to pay for (your opportunity)
Common Advice That Doesn’t Work
Let’s bust two myths:
1. “Do what you love, and the money will follow.”
Sounds nice. But many passion projects fail because the owner never considers if there’s a market for it.
2. “Stick to what you know.”
Safe advice, but it can keep you trapped in the same patterns you’re trying to break out of. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should build a business around it.
When I was first launching SME Digital, I toyed with the idea of offering only operations consulting because it was what I knew. But my passion was in helping professionals start their business, not just improve existing ones.
So I combined my strategic project background with my desire to teach and coach. That became the foundation for SME Digital’s coaching programs.
A Smarter Way to Start a Business In Your Industry
Here’s the 4-step framework I share with my coaching clients when they’re torn between sticking to their industry or exploring something new:
1. Identify your transferable skills.
Not every skill needs to go. Some will serve you in any business. Think strategy, leadership, communication, or systems.
2. Clarify your ideal business lifestyle.
Do you want to work from home? Travel? Lead a team? Your ideal day matters more than your resume.
3. Validate your options.
Use soft launches, test content, and micro-offers to explore demand before going all in.
4. Look for the “sweet spot.”
That’s where your experience overlaps with market demand and your personal interest. That’s where the magic usually happens.
I call this your Entrepreneurial Sweet Spot, and it’s one of the first things we uncover in my 1:1 Coaching Accelerator. It keeps you grounded in your strengths while giving you permission to evolve.
The Story That Proved It
One of my early clients came from a career in sales. He wanted to grow his fashion hobby into a business. Everyone told him he was “crazy” to throw away his credentials.
We used the Sweet Spot framework and realized something: He didn’t actually want to print t-shirts full-time; he wanted to build a brand around African consciousness. His love of printing was part of that, but so was his sales literacy and background.
Together, we refined his hobby brand, reorganized his financial management, included growing his content platform, and created a small product line, all while keeping his business model lean. Within six months, he was earning consistent income, all without leaving his job.
He didn’t have to choose. He just had to align.
Final Thought: This Isn’t About Reinvention, It’s About Reconnection
You don’t have to burn your old identity to become a business owner.
You’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience.
The best business isn’t always the trendiest one. It’s the one that aligns with you, your values, your vision, and your voice.
So before you decide whether to build a business in your industry or explore something new… ask yourself:
“Where do my strengths, story, and the market meet?”
That’s where your next chapter lives.
Want to dive deeper into this approach?
Subscribe to the Becoming An Entrepreneur Newsletter at www.smedigital.biz/blog for weekly insight into how professionals like you are building profitable businesses before quitting their jobs.
Let’s build yours.
Whenever you are ready, there are more ways that I can help you:
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Spotlight: Live Class is Now Open for Applications
Are you stuck in the “thinking about it” phase of starting your business?
That in-between place, where you're still working your 9–5 but dreaming of building your own business, is one of the most overwhelming stages of entrepreneurship.
That’s why I created the Becoming An Entrepreneur: Live Class.
It’s a free, high-impact 2-hour working session that gives you the clarity, structure, and roadmap you need to finally move from idea to action.
Inside the Live Class, you’ll:
✅ Clarify the right business idea for you
✅ Shift the limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck
✅ Learn how to test and validate your idea before you invest
✅ Create a personalized 30-day business action plan
✅ Get introduced to my 1:1 and group coaching programs for deeper support
It’s not a webinar. It’s not a pitch. It’s a working session.
Spots Are Limited: Only 25 Professionals Accepted Per Month.
Ensure your spot today to begin your entrepreneurial journey with clarity and confidence.
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