On tomorrow’s ag business episode I am catching up with Jenn and Phil Tompkins of “Rent The Chicken”.  They first appeared on the show in 2015 on episode #30.  Their business is still going strong, and they are both full-time entrepreneurs in agriculture.

For today’s re-cap episode I wanted to provide you with their very appearance on the show.  Below are the original show notes.

SHOW NOTES

 If you are interested in this business why not get started with your first coop!

KEY IDEAS:

In this episode I wanted to introduce you to the idea of affiliate marketing.  In other words, using a system set up by somebody else to create supplemental income.  Phil and Jenn Tomkins of Rent The Chicken (otherwise known as Homestead Phil and Homestead Jenn) have created this affiliate for you.  The provide a great example of how this works, as well as an agricultural affiliate opportunity with very low barriers to entry.

I want to be very clear that Rent The Chicken is not a franchise.  Jenn and Phil were very clear about that.  However, they have created a business model and marketing strategy to assist you in being successful with this business.

When I started Idaho Gopher Control I had to do everything:

• I bought the equipment and learned how to use it
• I researched and taught myself about gophers, ground squirrels and voles
• I researched and taught myself about marketing
• I figured out a business name (harder than it sounds)
• I started marketing my business
• I started taking calls and scheduling
• I started going out and doing the work
• I started invoicing customers
• I started doing monthly, quarterly and annual financial analysis
• I started paying taxes

All of these factors can be significant barriers to entry when you are working full time and trying get something started on the side.  The benefit of an affiliate type of business or a franchise (which Rent The Chicken is not) is that a lot of this is already done for you.

In this situation you do not have to come up with a business name, you do not have to market your business, you do not have to take telephone calls – you can simply concentrate on doing the work and exceeding your customer’s expectations.

There really are no excuses to not follow your dream of starting your own business, farming or moving to a rural area.  So often people will look at the list I have above and use that as a reason that they cannot start – they just don’t have the time.  But, that is really nothing more than fear creeping in or procrastination.  As Steven Pressfield would say, it is just one form of “resistance.”

Don’t allow those emotions to stop you.  Find a way to accomplish what you want to do.  If you cannot find the time to knock out that list above, find somebody like Rent The Chicken to help you kick start your business.

More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald: