Do You Crave To Turn Your Passion into Profit? 5 Must-Do Steps

In case you didn't know women of color are changing the face of small business. The number of companies owned by women of color has skyrocketed over the past decade making them the nation's fastest-growing segment of all privately held firms, recent studies show.

The report by the Center for Women's Business Research shows that businesses owned by Latinas and Black and Asian women are growing at a faster rate than all U.S. firms in terms of growth of revenues and number of employees.

It's that kind of can-do spirit among women of color that inspired me to write "The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit," as an entrepreneurship guide specifically for women of color.

Since then, I'm often sharing my story of leaving my successful journalism career to build Mocha Manual into a multi-media brand for mothers of color. And when I talk to women about chasing their passions and turning them into money-making enterprises, I share these 5 tips to successfully creating a passion-centered life. Are you craving one of those? Here's what you'll need:

1. Embrace the uncertainty: Learn to let go of your need to know. View life with a sense of curiosity and adventure instead of fear and anxiety.

2. Be adaptable. Trust me, things happen. Plans fall apart. When circumstances change, be it personal, financial, or in your industry (and trust me, they will), be willing to readjust your plan.

3. Have boundless energy. This ain't easy. Don't think that enrepreneurship is a life of leisurely lunches and sleeping in. You will likely work harder than you ever have in your life, especially in the early days. You need energy and devotion to make it work. Without endurance, no business can succeed.

4. Be resourceful. Can you make a dollar out of fifteen cents? Ever made a satisfying meal out of damn near nothing in the fridge? Well, business success also comes from drawing on all of your resources, thinking outside the box and being willing to use your know-how to make something out of nothing.

5. Have amazing networking skills. Are you a natural connector? No man (or woman) is an island, especially if that woman is building a business. You will need to connect with others to make your dream grow. Can you do that?

6. Realize the only thing stopping you is YOU! When you think big and dream big and follow through with sacrifice and dogged determination, there is nothing you can't do. Just create a plan, get out of your own way, quiet that annoying voice in your head that says you can't, and go for it!