Simon Hansen

Taking risks and challenging yourself is necessary, but it’s always best to mitigate these risks by being well-researched, well-informed, and well-prepared.

 

Simon Hansen is a digital entrepreneur and founder of www.homebrewadvice.com, who is trying to make some positive change in the world by pursuing his many passions and sharing his expertise in multiple areas which include sports, traveling, and homebrewing. His love for homebrewing and winemaking was first inspired by Denmark’s rich beer and wine culture which made it seem natural for him to develop a love for the craft. Wanting to share and connect with people who shared the same interest was quite difficult for him when he realized that everyone else didn’t seem to like the idea of homebrewing or found it too difficult or too complex to talk about.

Since then, he took it upon himself to fix the information gap and change the perception of homebrewing and winemaking by creating helpful guides and articles about the ins and outs of the brewing industry while comparing different wine kits in order to find the ideal package for any budding brewer and winemaker through his very own blog, www.homebrewadvice.com.

Up to this day, Simon is still dedicated to creating the best content for his readers by constantly researching and experimenting with the current trends of the industry. Through this, Simon wishes to inspire other people’s creativity and help them realize that their hobbies are nothing to be ashamed of and there’s nothing more fulfilling than creating something from scratch.

Where did the idea for homebrewadvice.com come from?

The idea for Home Brew Advice came from my love for homebrew and winemaking. As someone who grew up in Denmark, brewing and winemaking became second nature to me and as I immersed myself in it more, I wanted to take one step further and share my love and expertise with others.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

As a digital entrepreneur, my idea of a typical day varies from time to time and that’s the most exciting part of being in this business. However, a few things that have always remained constant in my routine is that I divide my time for my family and my business. I try my best to do extensive research on the latest trends, plan with my team, and fulfill all of my duties as a partner and father. When I first started my business, I must admit that I struggled with maintaining all these responsibilities but as soon as I started to critically analyze the value that each task has and began sorting out my priorities by following a strict schedule, I soon got used to the demands of my personal and professional life and slowly but surely became more disciplined and productive.

How do you bring ideas to life?

As someone in the homebrewing and blogging industries, I must say that the challenge I face on a daily basis is coming up with new ideas that are unique and helpful to my readers. In order to bring these ideas to life, I make sure to research and keep myself updated with the latest trends in my industry. I also test out these trends in order to see what works and what doesn’t. I believe that experimenting and trying out new things is necessary for bloggers and writers who wish to add a personal touch to their content.

What’s one trend that excites you?

One trend that excites me is the rising awareness of organic and sustainable trends. I believe that this trend will introduce homebrewing and winemaking to a lot of people and make them realize that homebrewing and winemaking are good for one’s health and the environment and a great challenge for one’s creativity.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I believe that one habit that I have which makes me a more productive entrepreneur is my love and hate relationship with risk-taking. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that the willingness to try out new things is important for any entrepreneur to grow. It’s just that I don’t like the fact that so many of my fellow entrepreneurs just accept risks without taking precautions first. That’s why before trying out a new project, I always take my time researching and studying trends before fully investing myself in something. My balanced habit of taking risks and mitigating them makes me a more knowledgeable, disciplined, and productive entrepreneur.

What advice would you give your younger self?

If I could give a piece of advice to my younger self it would be not to pressure myself too often and that I should learn to celebrate my successes and learn from my failures. I would advise myself to stick my chin up and work hard despite the number of failures that I’d experience. I’d teach myself to become emotionally and mentally stronger.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

A common misconception people have about sustainability is that it lowers one’s way of living. What people don’t realize is that there’s so much more to sustainability than just reusing clothes and recycling. Food-wise, sustainable options mean opting to go organic which isn’t only good for the environment but is great for one’s overall health as well.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Entering the business world and being your own boss is an appealing idea to just about anyone to the point that they’d invest time and money on a business they don’t have any interest or passion for. What I always recommend to budding entrepreneurs is to specialize in something that you’re interested in because, at the end of a tiring day, the only thing that might keep you going is your love for your work and your business.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

As a blogger, a few of the things I value are visibility and reach which I grew over time by investing in strategies such as quality content creation, guest posting, and sharing my expertise with others. These three things have always proved vital to my business’ growth. By creating informative and one-of-a-kind content, I make sure that I provide a fresh new take on the homebrewing industry. I also make sure to guest post on other sites and respond to queries made by journalists and other entrepreneurs as a way to share my expertise and boost my business’ credibility and standing.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

One failure that I’ve experienced as an entrepreneur is investing too little or too much of my time on a single project. Though this hasn’t caused me huge financial troubles, I must admit that I risked letting go of certain projects before I let them realize their full potential. Thankfully enough I decided to take a step back and consult other entrepreneurs and experts by listening to their podcasts or reading their testimonies. If I hadn’t learned how to do proper research, I wouldn’t be able to overcome the risks that came with faulty business planning.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

A business idea that I’d give to my fellow entrepreneurs is that they should always be prepared and skilled in businesses that the latest trends might affect. For example, two of the recent trends in the business world are healthcare and sustainability. Though not everyone can be a licensed medical professional or environmentalists, they could still ride on this trend by establishing businesses focusing on home-made sustainability trends and holistic health routines. Taking a simple aspect of these trends (which might even be a hobby) and transforming it into a business will open your doors to a wide number of readers and clients.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The best $100 that I recently spent was for my winemaking business which I used to buy wine kits. I consider this as both a personal and professional purchase since I was able to enjoy and gain business insights from using it.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

A web service that has always excited me and made me productive is Help A Reporter Out (HARO) queries. I always get a sense of excitement when I open my inbox and see numerous questions on fields that I’m knowledgeable in. I view these things as a means of interaction and as a challenge to keep myself up-to-date with current issues.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

One book that I’d recommend to the community is Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog. I believe that the book speaks to a lot of budding and struggling entrepreneurs as it freely talks about the challenges that one faces when building a business. I believe that the book is a combination of realism and inspiration which people in business need a small dose of.

What is your favorite quote?

A quote that I live by is Winston Churchill’s ‘Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.’ It’s a quote that I always tell myself when I’m faced with numerous challenges. I wish to share this with my fellow entrepreneurs as a means of comfort and encouragement.

Key Learnings:

• Taking risks and challenging yourself is necessary, but it’s always best to mitigate these risks by being well-researched, well-informed, and well-prepared.
• Invest yourself into something that you’re passionate about.
• In the business world, failures and mistakes are almost synonymous with challenges, but this doesn’t mean that you should give up. Learn to regain your balance and stand back on your feet again and try once more.