We all know having a hobby and passion in your life is essential for overall well-being and happiness. When you’re passionate about something, you’re more likely to feel energised, motivated, and fulfilled, whether its photography, playing videogames, crafting, practising yoga or meditation, cooking/baking or even travelling. A hobby or passion can instil in us a sense of purpose and direction, helping us stay focused and driven. Moreover, having a hobby or passion can bring people together, creating opportunities for social connection and community building. Research has even shown that people who engage in activities they love tend to experience higher levels of creativity, self-esteem, and overall satisfaction with life.

But what if you could turn your passion into a successful business? Imagine earning a living doing something you love, surrounded by like-minded people who share your enthusiasm. Sounds splendid doesn’t it! You will find many entrepreneurs in Pakistan and across the glove, who are doing it. They have turned their passions into thriving businesses. By identifying their passion’s strengths and weaknesses, researching and identifying market trends, and with sound business ideas, they have turned their passion into lucrative ventures; and so can you, whether it’s writing, art, music, or any other creative pursuit, the key to success lies in understanding your audience’s needs and desires.

But before you do that, it’s essential to understand the fundamental principles of entrepreneurship. One of the first steps is to identify your passion’s strengths and weaknesses. What skills and expertise can you offer and how will they be different from what is already being offered? What sets you apart from others in your field? Once you have a clear understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, you can begin researching market trends to determine whether there’s a demand for your product or service. This is crucial in validating your business idea and ensuring that it’s viable in the market. Adapt if you have to a little. Additionally, you’ll need to define your vision, mission, and objectives, as well as structure your business and eventually register it.

But as easy as it sounds, and can be an exciting and rewarding experience, turning a hobby into a business is not without its challenges. You’ll definitely face setbacks, rejections, and obstacles along the way. Just do not let that discourage you. It’s crucial not to give up on your dream. Setbacks and hurdles are an inevitable part of the journey, but it’s how you respond to them that truly matters. Instead, focus on staying adaptable and resilient, always looking for new opportunities to grow and improve. Hard work always pays off. Also, throughout the process, it is important not to forget that starting out any venture requires dedication, perseverance, and resilience. It’s not always easy, but with the right mind-set and support system, you can overcome any obstacle.

By staying focused on your goals and staying true to your passion, you’ll be well on your way to achieving success.

Consumers Association of Pakistan organized a prestigious event “Women Dignity Award 2024” to acknowledge women in society. The award ceremony was held recently at a local hotel in Karachi. Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori was the chief guest. This ceremony was held to project women empowerment in a male-dominated society. Consumers Association of Pakistan believes in empowering women to enable them to be self-reliant in all fields.

Consul generals, dignitaries, people from all walks of life and women entrepreneurs participated in the event. These awards have been named after three of our most renowned women of the country; Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Leadership Award; First Lady Rana Liaquat Ali Khan, Education Excellency Award and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Award.

The launching ceremony of ‘Dr Aijaz Fatima Women & Children Centre’ (AFWCC) was held on the third death anniversary of Dr. Aijaz Fatima, the founder of Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, a renowned gynecologist and a pioneering figure in the medical community.

Outlining a strategic direction focused on advancing research with the provision of quality care and accessible treatment to women and children, AFWCC aims to identify priority healthcare issues for optimal health care in the community and at Dr Ziauddin Hospitals, underpinned with the University’s research capability for solutions.

Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister for Health, Government of Sindh was the chief guest and lauded the efforts of AFWCC. “The organization is an adventure that holds immense promise.” Pro-chancellor of Ziauddin University Dr. Nida Hussain added, “The establishment of the ‘Dr. Aijaz Fatima Women & Children Centre’ marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to provide high-quality healthcare and advance research in maternal and child healthcare.”