There is a lot going on in society. We are already noticing it with corona, how much it affects our daily lives. Much more than I could have imagined, March last year…

It will be no different with making society and the economy more sustainable. This morning it was reported in the news that the climate is warming much faster than previously predicted and that investments in sustainability must be increased tenfold to achieve the targets.

That is why it is important as an entrepreneur to look in which direction the company must be developed in order to continue to exist in the future. Because the main goals of a family business are to generate an income for the current generation and to be developed viable and successfully transferred to the next generation.

A lot of dairy farms are family businesses, where business development and preparation for the future often take place in a specific way.

By this I mean the provision of information that forms the basis of the business development and the management structure.

There is a chance that the development of the company will be based mainly on agricultural information, with too little breadth in the information available on, for example, market developments, area development and social trends. But it is also important in this phase to look at the wishes you have yourself and the other people involved in the family.

How much time do you want to spend working? Does your partner want to work outside the home to get around more people? Do the children like to help, is there a successor?

Make a timeline when, for example, the parents will leave the company. A very good question is; ”where do you want to be in 3 years and where do you want to be in 5 years”? That question points to the relativity of life, the fact that every second that ticks away is lost forever.

It is also important that the successor is given the space and confidence to develop the company so that it is future-proof and that the older generation does not put the brakes on but contributes positively to that development. A division of tasks in the work can also make a positive contribution.

To prevent tunnel vision, it is wise as an entrepreneur to orientate yourself broadly enough and also to take the time for that orientation phase. It is very important to determine which interests your discussion partner serves.

I myself have been surprised several times by the vision of people from outside the sector, which made me think, so that decisions turned out differently.

The big advantage is that they are not hindered by daily perils that do keep us busy. They have a “clear view” and a better overview of social issues.

So in that respect too, it is good to have other interests and to meet others from outside the agricultural sector.

 

Good luck!

Ado Bloemendal