In college I was actively involved with Students In Free Enterprise, and in a former career, I worked with highschoolers promoting Future Business Leaders of America.

Business and creativity are a natural progression for homeschoolers. Whether it’s a lemonade stand on the corner, soap making, or website design, there are an incredible amount of opportunities for homeschooled students to use their gifts and talents to create a profitable business from home.

Today, more than ever, opportunities abound. Just ask Dallas Crilley, a 16 year old homeschooler from Texas, who also happens to be an author and entrepreneur. His blog, “kidpreneur,” chronicles stories of creative kids and teens and how they’ve taken an idea and turned it into a profitable business model.

One of the underlying themes is how students have taken something they’re passionate about and turned it into a money making opportunity. Isn’t that what homeschooling is all about…learning about those things that interest us and pursing them? And, if it so happens that these interests can be monetized, even better, right?

Gary Vaynerchuk is a guy who I’ve become fascinated with of late. He’s the founder of Wine Library TV, an online videocast about the wine industry, and he just authored a book about turning your passions into profits. Now, I don’t know about you, but I love the idea of getting paid to do what I enjoy. In the traditional paradigm of education and work, this rarely happens. but today, with the advancement of technology, we see it happening more and more.

Picasso once said that taking action is the key to all success. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, help your students (and yourself) find their passions and begin creating something that you’ll not only enjoy, but might also make a few dollars as well!