Every day, as entrepreneurs and business owners, we have two focuses. First, we need to take care of day-to-day business to earn money in the present. Second, we need to make sure we have work tomorrow (through business development activities) …
When I launched my catering business in 1997, I was starved for work. While I had a clear mission of the kind of events I wanted to do, I also needed to pay the bills. So when a prospective client …
As entrepreneurs, we’ve come to accept that being our own boss isn’t always peaches and cream. We deal with dreaded tasks and chores (bookkeeping, anyone?), and service difficult clients. With some savvy delegation, we unload onerous chores on others. It’s …
Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur? If you’re anything like me, you probably said no. You’re a farmer, a chef, a food producer. Entrepreneur? Well, maybe. You got into farming or cheffing because you love working outside, with food, …
As you may have read in the paper a few weeks ago, Blood Farms just burned down. Why is this a big deal? They were one of only three slaughterhouses in Massachusetts who service the nearly 100 livestock producers in the area. All of these farmers rely on this limited number of slaughterhouses to process their animals, so the loss of just one facility puts the local meat industry in a tight situation.
Fifteen years ago, my friend Brett quit his restaurant job and bought 100 acres in Southern Maryland to pursue his dream of organic farming. He’s a skilled farmer: growing the most flavorful tomato varieties, breeding winter-hardy greens and creating a …
I’ve been hearing a lot about food hubs lately, but it wasn’t until Iattended a workshop at NESAWG this past February that I fully understood what they are. What I’ve been calling aggregators (companies like Farmers to You and Boston Organics) are, in fact, …
One of the lessons I’m reminded of time and time again is that the skills that make a great entrepreneur in a start-up company are not necessarily the skills needed to grow a business. Starting a business requires a lot …
We’re sick of New Year’s resolutions, too, don’t worry. But January is as good a time as any to take a step back and review your approach to growing your business in the coming year. That empty calendar is just …
This is a PSA for those food entrepreneurs trying to finance their ventures, whether you’re established, starting up, or still dreaming: there’s funding out there, waiting for you to find it.