On tomorrow’s Ag Business Episode I am interviewing a gentleman with a livestock care business that includes shearing llamas.  That interview has a quite a twist that you are going to want to hear about.  For today’s re-cap episode I decided to go back to the interview I did with Mike Huffman in 2015 in which we talked all about his llama care business.

The original show notes are below:

SHOW NOTES

If you are interested in this business you will need to start with some shears!

KEY IDEAS:

ADVICE FROM MIKE HUFFMAN:

KNOW YOUR ANIMAL:  Mike highly recommends that you know about the animals you are working with.  This might seem like common sense, but it could be very easy for an business owner who knows llamas to take a job shearing sheep because they need the business.  But if you do not know sheep, this might turn into a disaster.  Mike recommends taking classes from your local extension service, doing an apprenticeship or going to field days put on by llama associations to get the necessary knowledge.

FIBER FAIRS: Mike brought this event to my attention, which I had never heard of before.  He said that “fiber fairs” are a great place to meet potential customers.

MIKE HUFFMAN’S PERSONAL HABIT THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO HIS SUCCESS:

PROFESSIONALISM: Mike states that he makes a strict habit of calling people back and keeping his appointments.  He noted how rare it was for people in service businesses like his to maintain this level of professionalism (I 100% agree with him).  He stands out by making sure to take care of the customer and respecting their time.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE THAT MIKE HUFFMAN HAS RECEIVED:

HONESTY: Mike told me that the best business advice that he has received is to be honest and do the best job you can.  Basically, you may lose some business some times because you tell somebody that you do not have a lot of experience in a certain area.  It is better to lose that business than to lie about your expertise and mess the job up or build a bad reputation.  Once somebody decides to bring you on in spite of your lack of experience in a certain area, make sure to do the absolute best job that you can.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

In lieu of a book recommendation Mike suggested checking into your local Agricultural Extension Office for classes related to what you want to pursue.  This was a them that came up multiple times in the interview, and Mike has taken full advantage of this educational resource that is out there for all of us.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Mike Huffman’s Telephone #: 417-414-1054