Putting Your Passion to Work
8/2/2004

By Suzanne Thinnes

Among the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. politics, hidden from the nation’s law makers, advocates, and lobbyists, is a piece of Disney magic. For the last eight years, Deb Wills has turned her passion for Walt Disney World into a full time career. With its headquarters located more than 852 miles away from the number-one family destination spot in America, her website, AllEarsNet.com, reaches millions of vacationers from around the globe – from first time visitors to Disney veterans – and uniquely assists each one with planning the perfect trip through the power of the Internet.

Wills’ passion for Disney began to emerge the first time she saw The Wonderful World of Disney on television; she has been hooked ever since. In 1964 she had the good fortune to visit the New York World’s Fair where Walt Disney’s attractions It’s A Small World, Carousel of Progress, and Great Moments with Mister Lincoln were showcased. “Walt Disney holds a special place in my heart,” she says.

Currently the All Ears^® site includes more than 3,000 pages of information ranging from tips on navigating Disney’s Priority Seating system to the best location to view the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Each month, over 500,000 unique visitors research accommodations, menus from every Walt Disney World restaurant, and one-of-a-kind vacation experiences. With over 4.5 million page views each month, Wills soon developed a reputation for being reliable and accurate. What began as a plan to spread a little happiness has catapulted her to being one of the most recognized Walt Disney World experts.

“When the Internet started most people didn’t jump right in,” she said. “I saw this opportunity as the key to the future. Traditional industries didn’t know what to do with the technology. I turned left and here I am.”

As All Ears^® grew, Wills realized that she could not afford to maintain the website by herself. Faced with the decision to scale back its free resources or keep her passion alive, she founded RYI Enterprises, LLC five years ago. As president she works with ten volunteers from around the country – all linked through the Internet – to provide accurate and up-to-date planning information. In addition to All Ears^®, RYI Enterprises maintains a spin-off website detailing Disney’s Cruise line and boasts an 80-page Magical Disney Cruise Guide and a free weekly newsletter that just welcomed its 50,000^th subscriber.

“The Internet offers a personal way to communicate,” Wills said. “It brings out my style. A conventional business wouldn’t allow my personality to come through. People will come up to me at Walt Disney World and say, ‘I feel like I’ve known you forever.’ It’s an amazing thing.”

Wills is not alone. Everyday more and more women are finding their passion and turning it into creative new business ventures. According to research conducted by the Center for Women’s Business Research, since 1997 women-owned firms have grown at nearly twice the rate of all firms (17 percent vs. 9 percent). Growth in employment by women-owned firms has been even more dramatic: 24 percent compared to 12 percent for all firms.

When you talk to people who are passionate about what they do, it shows. They exude a certain energy that tends to draw you in. You can hear the excitement in their voices and see their eyes light up when they talk about the things they love. Whether you share their love or not, you’re hooked, and you find yourself eager to know more. It is this enthusiasm that drives success.

“When you're passionate about what you do, [prospective clients] would rather give their business to you than to your competitor,” writes Richard Nelson Bolles in his bestselling book What Color is Your Parachute?

Many people spend years trying to tap into their passion. They may love their job, but find it difficult to express what they are most passionate about. A person who loves animals may not necessarily want to quit their full time accounting job to work at a zoo. Instead, iVillage.com suggests merging skills by compiling two lists – one with your interests and hobbies and another that details your skills and experiences.

“Ask yourself, ‘Could the two lists be combined in any way toward a venture?’” suggests Priscilla Y. Huff, iVillage contributor and author of 101 Best Home-Business Success Secrets for Women. “Start your venture part-time. With persistence and some trial-and-error work, you can find the enterprise that will make you look forward to work every morning.”

“It starts with a hobby,” agrees Wills. “But then you realize that there is a burning inside your heart. It ignites something inside and turns into a passion.”

Wills suggests finding a business niche that fits your true passion rather than molding your hobby to the latest business craze. “It is important to have a core group of people around you,” Wills explains. “Following your passion takes time and energy. If it is not something you love, you quickly begin to find the business boring and end up resenting what you are doing.”

“It is an evolving world,” advises Wills. “Keep your eyes and ears open. When a door opens, check it out, but don’t wait too long. Opportunity can whiz right by”


Sources:

AllEarsNet.com. http://allearsnet.com/.

Center for Women’s Business Research. www.nfwbo.org.

Huff, Priscilla, Y. “Finding Your Entrepreneurial Passion.” iVillage.com. www.ivillage.com/work/experts/wfhhelper/articles/0,,165487_570462,00.html.

Lyden, Sean M. “Finding Your Passion.” Entrepreneur.com. Mar. 2001. www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,287335,00.html.