10 Critical Skills Successful Farmers Have (They're Not What You Think)
Anyone can grow a few zinnias in their backyard - but it’s not the same as running a profitable farm. Same goes for any business. For example, anyone can bake a cake. But baking a few cakes and running a bakery that supports you and your family financially are two completely different things, which require completely different skillsets.
I am not saying that hobby gardeners are incapable of becoming profitable farm owners- in fact, anyone can learn as long as they have developed the right skills and know what they are doing.
Having a strong skillset in business-minded areas is what will pay the bills and make your farm profitable. If you are an unskilled grower, you obviously won’t produce quality flowers that people will want to buy. Similarly, if you are an unskilled business person, you won’t be able to manage, market, or sell your business in a way that makes people want to buy (and thus, will leave your farm unprofitable and unsuccessful). Remember this:
SKILLS PAY THE BILLS.
To run a successful farm operation, there is a very simple path you must follow. All you have to do is develop key critical business skills (besides growing commercially, which is a given). 10 critical business skill you must develop in order to have a successful and profitable farm include:
Marketing
Sales
Business planning
Profit planning
Brand positioning
Customer service & experience
Production planning
Critical thinking/analytical problem solving
Time management & efficiency
Business analysis and profit evaluation
If you’re lacking in the above areas, you’re likely not raking in the dough (yet) or running a thriving farm. However, the good news is anyone can develop these skills through education and practice. In our six figure farming workshops (both in person and virtual), I teach easily-to-implement, actionable steps to develop these critical skills. These skills fast-track growers to success. The stronger the skillsets you have in both growing and business, the more successful you will be in increasing your profits AND your quality of life.
…remember, skills pay the bills!
If you’re interested in developing these skills that will lead to growing a profitable, small-scale flower farm, join me in July for our six-figure farming workshop. At the workshop you’ll learn a proven system that teaches you how to implement these skills and make money doing something you love. Learn more HERE.