As I read the e-mail for an order of 15 of my purses from a small store in Michigan, adrenaline surged through my body, like I had just hit a game-winning home run. I couldn't believe a store owner had found my Web site and wanted to sell my creations in her boutique. Although I probably will never hit a run or even hit a foul, I've found I'm quite capable of making money selling my handmade purses and accessories. I was shocked to learn how easily I could earn cash by doing something I already enjoy. After discovering a solid idea and a few tricks to setting up shop, I stopped dreaming- and you can, too-about the day I put "business owner" on my resume.

I started Lucky Duct Designs in eighth grade after discovering the hidden possibilities of duct tape. I caught wind of the craft of making purses out of the versatile adhesive and taught myself how to do it. As my product matured beyond simple duct tape designs to intricate structures involving recycled materials and friends began placing requests for Rachel Pfeffer originals, I knew what I had to do: Charge them.

Once bitten by the business starting bug, I quickly became addicted. The summer of 2005 I opened a soft serve store called Feff's Freezer and had six of my friends work for me, even though it meant just barely breaking even. And a placemat business, Mat-Mat industries, has been brewing on the back burners for a while now. These are just examples of how you can make basically any of your passions into a profitable situation.

So if you can't find a job on campus and believe you have the moxie to start a business, follow my sage advice and you, too, could be the next winner of the National Federation of Independent Businesses Award, like yours truly. It can be as easy as the pie you bake and sell for your potential pie-baking biz.

First, decide on a product or service, preferably one that is not easily available on or near campus. My expertise lies in selling items, as opposed to providing a service, but the general business strategy is the same-whether you sell hand-knit scarves or start an inexpensive flyering service (we all hate to flyer for our own clubs, so why not throw someone a few bucks to do it for you?).

The key is finding a catchy name (preferably one involving a pun), advertising and promoting like no other and providing a quality product that will continue to generate business. I'm a huge fan of amusing names because there's nothing better than having someone smile at your business before they know anything about it. For example, if you start that brilliant flyering business, you might call it Frequent Flyer Miles, or Fire Flyer. If you have a charming name, people will be more inclined to see what you have to offer.

Once you have a polished brand identity and a salable product, you should probably make a Web site. If you lack the Web gene, which many of us do, solicit help from a technology-minded friend, sibling, neighbor or stranger. If you don't want to pay, try calling the position an "unpaid internship." We're all going to have to do it at some point, so why not take advantage of your own peers and have them do free labor? Just remind your webmaster that the task contributes to his portfolio, and you can write a stellar recommendation for his next job.

Or, if you prefer to do it yourself, you can try out a service like Geocities.com, or tripod.lycos.com. I started off using a free service and eventually taught myself to use the Web site-building program Dreamweaver. With the help of my computer-savvy brother, I made my product available to anyone with Internet access. I began contacting boutiques I found online and sent them my link to test their interest in my bags; other individuals and store owners from California to the New York Islands contacted me after finding my site on their own.

Make sure to exchange your link with sites that attract the same clientele; it's an easy and free way to give your business more exposure. Locate pertinent message boards to sneak in a shameless plug; make some eye-catching stickers and slap them (illegally) around Boston. Posting flyers around campus doesn't hurt either (Don't forget about your buddies at Frequent Flyer Miles!) I also sought out opportunities to sell bags at local craft fairs. Despite the occasional late-night duct tape frenzy induced by too-close-for-comfort deadlines, the satisfaction of seeing a stranger carrying my purse made it worth all the blisters, not to mention the perennial stench of duct tape on my clothing.

With a little business savvy, and a whole lot of gumption, you might find yourself a seat right up there with the likes of Trump and Gates-or at the very least, be able to hand out a handsome business card to everyone you make eye contact with. (Vistaprint.com for free business cards!)