Starting business part-time, before leaving paid employment is best (though it did NOT work for me). However, this safer approach has its own challenges. Your “employee duties” can deny you time to properly investigate the prospects of a venture you’re considering.
Sometimes, even if you can make out time, you may lack the training/skill and exposure to competently assess the feasibility of the venture.
Or even to decide how to get started. As a result you’re forced to depend heavily (or exclusively) on a consultant – for a professional fee.
Now, as long as the expert is not lazy, incompetent or even dishonest, depending on a consultant should yield useful returns.
However, in these days of elaborate get-rich-quick schemes, phoney-experts offering attractively packaged farm business training and start-up packages, promising heaven and earth, abound out here.
Many aspiring farm business owners have been duped, with some left with nothing to show!
Recent enquiries from my website have come from persons in paid employment looking to start smallholder farm businesses on the side.
A number of my clients actually work 9 to 5 jobs, and run their small (mainly livestock) farm businesses in their free time.
This is why I offer what I call “Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas” for farm business enthusiasts.
As an extension professional, my priority is to provide information, education and advice, to give you a better chance of getting the results you want.
Since I cannot possibly offer hands-on expertise in every area of farm business, I make it a duty to actively explore alliances, and collaborations with farm industry stakeholders wherever possible.
From policy makers and extension professionals, to farm owners and feed manufacturers – I continue to build the relationships.
The idea is to have a network of authentic and competent experts to tap into, on behalf of those I serve.
That way, if/when anyone needs help that I am unable to sufficiently address, I can usually refer him/her to relevant others.
Ultimately, the purpose is to facilitate the establishment and long term profitable operation of as many farm businesses as possible – by playing the role of a catalyst.
Since January 2006, when I launched my Farm Business Best Practice Support Service Website, I’ve made slow but steady progress. And recognition for my work is growing.
My One Page Mind Map on Practical Considerations for Starting a Fish Farm
It is with regard to the above defined purpose that I created (back in 2008) the one page mind map below.
It provides bullet-point descriptions of key issues you need to consider UPFRONT in setting up your fish pond, to ensure you get it right as cost-effectively and efficiently as possible.
I believe it can give you a practical idea of what to look out for, and even what to ask your consultant (!), as the project takes off.
Knowing them upfront gives you a better chance of making needed changes/actions to cater for them, so they do not later cause problems that affect the farm negatively.
Remember that effective farm planning is crucial to long-term success of the enterprise.
The Importance of Adopting Best Practices for Continuous Improvement in Your Farm Business
I created this Mind-Map as an educational commercial about an aspect of the Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS™), which I can help you setup for your farm business.
In the BOPMS™, major emphasis is placed on the need to streamline operations (via Best Practice Continuous Improvement Initiatives). This will allows easy integration of PC automation to reduce time, effort and resources needed to make the farm business becomes MORE profitable, for the long term.
Click here to watch a Mind Map based video explanation of the components of a BOPMS™.
Final Words: A Practical Tool for Fish Farmers and Teachers of Fish Farming!
It goes without saying different individuals will have different needs.
For instance, you may may have chosen to build concrete ponds – and not earthen ones featured in the mind map.
Indeed, today’s technology even allows use of mobile tanks for high output catfish farming…
Such differences notwithstanding, this mind map still offers potential benefits, as it highlights key aspects you may wish to consider in starting up your fish farming enterprise.
That’s why I believe it will not only prove handy for farm owners, but also be a valuable instrument for use by persons who teach in this area!
In the latter case, all that is required is a little creative thinking, to apply it in teaching situations (For instance, copies can be handed out and then the contents used as a basis for discussion etc).
Click here to download and study, the one page mind map for Fish Farmers and Teachers of Fish Farming.
PS: You Can Get the MS Excel Source File, and Customize for Your Use…
If you would live to make modifications to the mind map, to suit the situation you are in, shoot me an email via tayo at tksola dot com, to find out how you can get a copy of the MS Excel source file I used.