OFI 294: How To Run A Mobile Chicken Processing Business And More | Mike Badger | Badger’s Millside Farm

 SHOW NOTES

KEY IDEAS: 

There is a lot of content in today’s interview.  I was first drawn to this guest because of a referral by one of our listeners, Dave Lehman, because our guest was selling products to assist people with raising and processing chickens.  However, during the interview I found out a lot more about this guest.

Mike Badger has worked in corporate America, and he grew up believing that was the way that life worked.  However, he later decided that it did not have to be that way.  He and his wife decided to farm right then and there.

As a beginning farmer Mike was interested in chickens and processing chickens.  He was inspired by Joel Salatin’s model of raising, processing and selling chickens that he presents in You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise as well as Pastured Poultry Profit$.  As he was building his business that quickly morphed into mobile processing of chickens.  Mike started out wanting to rent out his equipment to people who wanted to process their own chickens.  However, he quickly realized that most people wanted more than just the equipment.  They wanted the help with the process as well.

As Mike’s business developed he found himself stepping away from custom processing of chickens and leaning towards different models.  This led to him selling the equipment other chicken farmers need to farm effectively.  This eventually led to him becoming the executive director of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association and starting his own podcast “Pastured Poultry Talk“.

I hope you find very valuable advice from this episode and from Mike.  And I hope you will tune into “Pastured Poultry Talk” for even more information on raising pastured poultry.

ADVICE FROM MIKE:

NICHE: Make sure to keep your focus very specific.  If you want to be successful at an endeavor, stay focused and become the best.

RELATIONSHIPS: As you build and develop your business develop relationships with people in the industry.  These will be people who you will trade ideas and business with as you grow.

PRICE: This is a recurring theme on this show, but pricing matters.  And, you need to make sure that you do not price your products or services too low.  This is the tendency of new business owners.  Fight against this desire, and set your price point where it will allow you to sustain your business and a good lifestyle.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE MIKE HAS RECEIVED:

EQUILIBRIUM: There is no equilibrium in business.  Your business is either growing or shrinking.  Make sure that you understand this and that you are steering your business in the direction you want it to go.

PERSONAL HABIT THAT HELPS MIKE SUCCEED:

RESEARCH: When other people might be indulging in a fictional novel or television show in the evening hours, Mike is reading research on his industry.  He is constantly looking at ways to get better, be more efficient or solve problems.

RESOURCES:

Mike recommends the book The Mobile Poultry Slaughterhouse: Building a Humane Chicken-Processing Unit to Strengthen Your Local Food System if you are going to start this business or are interested in doing this yourself.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Mike’s Telephone #: (570) 713-9282

Badger’s Millside Farm Website (click on the image):

Other Places You Can Listen To Us:

Check us out on the D&B Supply Show where we get to focus in on very specific farming issues like tank heaters, fencing, regulations, etc.

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