The no-nonsense, practical guide for farm-preneurs to grow a successful farm business – completely revised and updated
You launched your farm-business because you love working the land and producing food. Yet to succeed you also need to think like an entrepreneur. The Farmer’s Office, Second Edition is your must-have toolkit for starting and growing a sustainable agricultural business.
Written by a consultant and entrepreneur who has supported hundreds of farm-preneurs, this essential resource is fully revised and updated to empower readers to make sound decisions and manage their farm business for success. Topics include:
- How to write a business plan for a new or growing venture
- Detailed descriptions of accounting and business concepts
- Setting up and using QuickBooks for day-to-day sales and expense tracking, as well as for more complex tasks such as budgeting, cash flow analysis, cost accounting; reading financial statements
- Leveraging financial information to refine operations, improve profits, and develop strategies for growth
- Accessing financing and managing debt Adapting to external shocks and learning to pivot
- Planning for business growth and expansion
- Understanding mental blocks that can limit an entrepreneur’s success.
Enhanced with detailed case studies of real farm businesses, The Farmer’s Office, Second Edition is your personal business coach, providing guidance for all the business skills needed to succeed as a businessperson in a competitive and rapidly changing world.
A practical, how-to guide for farmers who want to achieve and maintain financial sustainability in their businesses
When you decided to become a farmer, you also became an entrepreneur and business person. In order to be ecologically and financially sustainable, you must understand the basics of accounting and bookkeeping, and learn how to manage a growing business.
Author Julia Shanks distills years of teaching and business consulting with farmers into this comprehensive, accessible guide. She covers all aspects of launching, running and growing a successful farm business through effective bookkeeping and business management, providing tools to make managerial decisions, apply for a loan or other financing, and offering general business and strategy advice for growing a business.
Whether you’ve been farming for many years or just getting started, The Farmer’s Office gives you the tools needed to think like an entrepreneur and thoughtfully manage your business for success.