The American Farmer, the Ultimate Entrepreneur

Posted By Team Latham

ISUAgEI-2014Last Friday a group of Iowa State Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative spent the day visiting three family-owned companies in North Central Iowa: Sukup Manufacturing, Hagie Manufacturing and Latham Hi-Tech Seeds.

These industry tours gave student an opportunity to go “behind the scenes” and meet with owners about what it’s like to start a business and how to strike a balance between work and family life.  Students also asked us to share some best practices for aspiring entrepreneurs.

If only I would’ve known that Harry Stine’s “7 Insights for Entrepreneurs” was going to be published March 28 by Forbes, I could have saved myself some prep time! Many of the insights that Stine shared in this article are similar to my beliefs:

  • Entrepreneurs don’t work traditional hours. Business hours may be posted as 8 AM to 5 PM, but you’re never really “off the clock.”
  • Any industry is constantly changing. You either need to adapt and change or get out of the way.
  • Always be mentally and emotionally prepared to walk away from any deal. Desperation leads to bad decisions.

LoveWhatYouDoWhether you’re engaged in a farming operation or operating a retail outlet, chances are you exhibit these characteristics. You’re doing what you love. You’re a planner. You’re using technology to your advantage. You’re accessible. You’re getting involved. You’re part of a team. You’re making a difference. You’re persistent, and you’re also an eternal optimist.

Sometimes entrepreneurs, including farmers, find themselves working another job in order to support their hopes for the future. If you dream of farming full-time but don’t have the opportunity to do so right now because your resources are limited or the timing isn’t yet right, the team at Latham Hi-Tech Seeds might be able to help you plant seeds for the future!

By operating your own Latham® seeds dealership, you could earn the equivalent of full-time employment. Some benefits of a Latham dealership include:

  • Accessing new seed traits and technology before they’re widely available.
  • Gaining first-hand knowledge of the industry’s broadest, deepest product lineup through product training and hi-tech crop planning / management tools.
  • Belonging to a group of people who share your passion for farming and value honesty, integrity and family.

To learn more about farmer-dealer opportunities available with Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, talk with your local Latham representative or call 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).

Agriculture