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When we talk to people about diversifying their farm, time and time again we find that they are distinctly lacking a holistic vision. What do we mean by a vision? Why are they important to the ongoing strategy and development of your rural business? Read on to find out!
You can begin your journey towards creating a vision for your farm by using our Diversification Discovery Assistant which will help you understand opportunities available personally to you.
Creating a clear end vision for your business can be difficult. Contact us today and we’ll gladly help guide you towards establishing your own business vision to get excited about. Not only this, but we can help clarify an ongoing and workable strategy to get there!
What is a Vision?
A “vision”, is a clear and vivid image in your mind of what and where you want your rural business to be in the future. It should be informed by your personal goals and aspirations and perhaps, those close to you also involved in the business.
What Does a Vision Do?
A vision doesn’t necessarily mean you must have every detail nailed down with regards to enterprises and the minutiae of “how” its done. What it does mean however, is that you must decide ultimately where you want your rural business to be five, ten or twenty years time. This will allow you to create a pathway towards your aspirations with regards to farm business diversification, whereby progress and milestones can be clearly measured. Not only does this ensure you minimalise the misfortune of hindsight due to lack of a clear goal, but it will also increase the sense of satisfaction and happiness every step of the journey.
Whats the Difference Between a Vision and a Plan?
At a glance, a vision appears to be a plan, or a strategy. However, a vision is different to both. Your vision should be rooted in your mind, whereas the strategy or plan is how you get to the vision. Strategies and plans are ever evolving due to oversights, unforeseeable circumstances and more. Don’t worry about how you’ll get to your ideal diversified business, just worry about what it will be to begin with! You can always leave the “how” to us!
An Example
To emphasise the importance of a clear and purposeful vision, here is an example:
You have existing, traditional farm buildings including a farmhouse. Your farming operation warrants the installation of a new, steel framed farm building. This renders the traditional farm buildings unfit for purpose and therefore, obsolete.
You decide the most logical thing is to convert one building into a commercial let and the other into a residential dwelling to sell. It soon transpires that the new owner of the residential dwelling objects to the noise and commercial traffic and begins to complain. The commercial tenant also begins to complain due to conflict caused by the resident interrupting works.
You’ve always had a burning desire to start your own farm shop. You have no buildings left to convert so you have to erect a new structure and undergo more complex planning procedures.
Unfortunately your planning permission is rejected, due to objections from the local resident and a highways assessment failure due to commercial traffic.
Suddenly, hindsight steps in and you realise you’ve hindered your future aspirations, through lack of a clear vision. You are now left with a local resident who you dislike and a commercial environment that reminds you every day of your poor planning!
Have a clear vision, but not sure how it aligns with your farm and values? Perhaps you’re still in the idea generation stage on your farm diversification journey, and don’t know what venture is right for you? Use our free diversification discovery assistant. Simply fill out the short questionnaire and receive a free review of what diversifications will suit you and your business.
Having a clear vision of exactly what you want is the best place to start when it comes to a diversification. It can be hard to sit down and form a thorough business vision that aligns with your values. Contact us today for a no obligation consultation, to see how we can help guide you to understanding your end goals and better yet… make them a reality!