You Don’t Need to Find Your Niche, You’re Probably Already Living It

Turn what you already love doing into a simple online income stream

Doing what I love! Heading to distant lands…

If you’re over 50 and trying to figure out what to do online, stop looking for something outside yourself. The clues are already in your day-to-day life.

This post is for you if:

• You’re itching to start a side hustle or online business but feel like you don’t have a niche.

• You’ve tried courses, brainstorms, personality tests… and still feel stuck.

• You want to create income that funds a lifestyle you actually enjoy — not one that eats your time and energy.

This is the post I wish I’d read years ago.

Because I spent far too long overthinking this.

I filled notebooks. Built Venn diagrams. Bought courses with names like “Find Your Profitable Niche.” I was convinced there was some perfect combo of skills, experience, and market demand that would unlock my magic business idea.

Meanwhile, I was already doing it.

I was travelling the world. Building scrappy little online projects to pay for beachside apartments and Prosecco with a view. I wasn’t trying to be anyone else. I just wanted to live well, see the world, and make enough to keep going.

That was my niche.

Right under my nose the whole time.

Since I launched The Working Traveller, everything’s clicked into place. I’m more energised than I’ve been in years. I’m creating faster, having more fun, and writing this very post from a hot tub (true story, mildly damp laptop 😉).

So here’s what I know now:

You don’t need a niche. You need to start where you already are.

If you’re in your 50s & beyond with no desire to become the next Steve Jobs, but instead chasing freedom, simplicity, and a life that feels good, your passion is more than enough.

And it starts by turning what lights you up into something that funds your life.

Following Your Passion is The Fastest Way to Stay Broke

What a load of codswallop (with a caveat).

Mainly a scare tactic for young bucks trying to build billion dollar tech businesses is my theory. And to be honest probably partly true if you’re 22, trying to raise millions in venture capital and your goal is more money based than meaningful.

In that scenario, passion alone probably won’t cut it. You’ll need spreadsheets, funding decks, and a tolerance for 100-hour weeks.

But most of us at this stage of life aren’t chasing unicorns. We’re chasing lifestyle.

We want to feel useful, energised, and free, not shackled to someone else’s goals or stuck in a business that drains the joy out of us.

And the good news is the landscape has changed dramatically!

It has never been easier to turn a passion into income. Truly.

You can:

• Start a YouTube channel showing people how to do the thing

• Write a newsletter about it on Substack

• Launch a podcast and chat about it

• Sell digital products or guides using AI

• Self-publish a book on Amazon

• Teach it, talk about it, or simply document your journey

The tools are all here. The gatekeepers are gone. And if the tech gods have given us anything useful, it’s the ability to turn what we love into a portable income stream without a 5-year plan or an MBA.

So if you’ve been told not to follow your passion — I’d say ignore that.

Because for our generation, doing something you actually care about is the smartest way to build a business that fits and enhances your lifestyle.

Why Passion Is the Perfect Place to Start

Here’s the great news about following your passion.

You don’t need to be an “expert.” You don’t need to be wildly original. You don’t even need a ten-step business plan.

You need something you care about, and a way to share or sell it that feels natural.

Here’s why starting with what you love makes sense:

• You’re more likely to stick with it

• You already know the space — the lingo, the struggles, the people

• You don’t need to be an expert — just one step ahead of someone else

• It doesn’t feel like “work” (most days)

• It slots into your lifestyle instead of competing with it

Freedom isn’t just about where you go, it’s about how you feel as you earn along the way.

And passion-based income feels pretty damn good!

5 Questions to Uncover Your Monetisable Passions

Still not sure what your “thing” is?

Grab a notebook and jot down your answers to these five questions:

1. What do you love to do in your free time?
   What are you doing when you completely lose track of time?

2. What do people ask you for help with?
   Think advice, feedback, support. What do they trust you with?

3. What kind of content do you consume most?
   YouTube channels, podcasts, Substacks, books — what themes repeat?

4. What could you talk about for 30 minutes without notes?
   The stuff you geek out on. Your favourite rabbit holes.

5. What have you spent money learning or doing — just for fun?
   Hobbies, courses, gear. What were you happy to invest in?

Now look at your answers. I bet a few patterns are already emerging.

You might see:

• Travel

• Art

• Wellness

• Organisation

• Pets

• Languages

• Teaching

• Writing

• Fitness

• Simplicity

• Creativity

You know what lights you up. You’ve just been taught from an early age to ignore it (‘Stop daydreaming in class and concentrate!)

What did you love to do as child and still daydream about today?

It’s not as silly as it sounds.

When I as a kid I used to write plays for my friends & I to act out in the garden, and they were invariably about secret distant lands!

My favourite TV show was Mr Benn where he’d go into a fancy dress shop, change into a costume and leave the shop through a magic door which would take him to the world that matched the costume!

Writing, distant lands, adventures in different countries… Hmmm.

How to Turn Your Passion into Pay (Without Making It a Chore)

Once you’ve spotted your passion, here’s how to turn it into income that funds your adventures.

A. Teach It

If you can explain it, guide it, or coach it, you can teach it.

• Run a beginner’s workshop on Zoom

• Sell a digital guide or “starter pack”

• Host a one-hour consult to help someone get started

Examples:

• An artist teaching watercolour basics to total beginners.

• A dog-lover creating a checklist for new rescue owners..

• A tech-savvy grandparent teaching “How to use your iPhone without crying.”

B. Document It

If you love sharing your experiences, this is gold.

• Start a Substack, blog, or YouTube channel

• Share how-tos, reviews, behind-the-scenes

• Monetize later through affiliate links, products, or paid tiers

Examples:

• A solo traveller documenting their journey through Latin America.

• A productivity nerd sharing their favourite tools and hacks.

• A curious 50-something documenting their journey learning AI. Tools, tips, and tech without the jargon.

C. Sell Products Around It

You don’t have to teach or talk — you can make.

• Design printables, journals, templates

• Sell merch or travel kits

• Create physical or digital items on Etsy, Shopify, or Gumroad

Examples:

• A creative soul selling printable art for Airbnbs.

• A balcony gardener selling printable planting guides and planner pages.

• Someone (ahem, me) creating smart, stylish travel gear for grown-up nomads.

D. Offer a Service Related to It

If you like doing — not teaching — this one’s for you.

• Offer done-for-you services

• Become a VA or content creator in a niche you love

• Help someone else grow their business from behind the scenes

Examples:

• A social media fan offering Reels editing to wellness brands.

• A former teacher tutoring English online.

• A systems whizz helping solopreneurs get organised with Notion. (Call me! 😉)

Finding Your Angle: Who You Are, Who You Help, and How You Show Up

If you’re still unsure what shape your business could take, whether teaching, documenting, selling or serving, start here. This is about clarity, not perfection.

Grab a notepad and jot down these three prompts:

1. What kind of creator are you?

This is about how you naturally like to share or work.

• Do you love explaining things clearly? You’re probably a teacher.

• Prefer sharing your own journey? You’re a documenter.

• Like making or curating things? You’re a product creator.

• Love helping behind the scenes? You’re a service provider.

Circle the one that feels most you — it’s the quickest route to traction.

2. Who do you want to help?

Don’t overthink it, just write down a few types of people you feel drawn to support.

• New pet owners

• Midlife women starting over

• Busy mums trying to simplify

• Creative hobbyists

• Tech-shy entrepreneurs

• Retirees with big dreams and small tech skills

Your audience is often a past version of you. Someone walking a path you’ve already started.

3. What do you know, love, or use that could help them?

Think practical, not perfect.

• Systems that helped you stay organised

• Wellness practices that actually worked

• Tools you’ve figured out through trial and error

• Simple ways you saved money, time, energy

You don’t need decades of experience. You just need to be a few steps ahead and willing to share.

Once you’ve answered those three prompts, you’ve got the bones of a lightweight, lifestyle-first business.

You’re not trying to impress investors. You’re building something that works for you, and helps others along the way.

Final Thoughts: The Lifestyle-First Business Model

At this stage in life, most of us aren’t chasing 80-hour hustle weeks or building empires from a laptop at 2am.

We’re chasing something quieter. More time with the people we love, more meaningful work, more experiences in places that fill us up, and enough income to feel secure while we do it.

The simplest way to get there is to build a lifestyle-led business around something you genuinely enjoy.

So whether your thing is hiking, sketching, decluttering, baking, or just helping others find their groove, don’t write it off as “just a hobby.”

That quiet passion might be the very thing that funds your freedom.

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Ready to Start Your Nomadic Lifestyle? Here’s How I Can Help You:

1. Download my FREE guide ‘How to Become a Digital Nomad in Your 50s & Beyond’ and kick off your 90-day plan to freedom, fun, and world travel today! ✈️🌍

2. Join my FREE Facebook Group, 50+ Nomads! Connect with 20k+ like-minded travellers, share experiences, ask questions, and get inspired by others living the nomadic lifestyle. It’s a supportive space for anyone over 50 looking to explore the world. 🗺️🌍

3. Explore my blog, The Working Traveller
   Your go-to resource for nomadic travel tips, destination inspiration, and practical advice on making money on the road. 👩🏻‍💻