Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kerry McCann, Co-Founder of Laughing Crow Organics, located in Pemberton, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Laughing Crow Organics is a certified organic vegetable and flower farm located on the Traditional and Unceded territory of the Statmic and Lil'wat Nations in the beautiful Pemberton Valley in BC. The farm operates on 15 acres of leased land owned by our friends, the Millers, who own The Beer Farmers & Across The Creek Organics. We started migrating to this property from our smaller site in 2018. We grow vegetables and flowers on this land for our 200 + member CSA Vegetable Box Delivery Program, Farm Stand, and two Farmers' Markets in our community. Currently, we have 10 acres of vegetables and flowers in cultivation as well as approximately 5 acres growing for Agritourism (sunflower maze and u-pick pumpkins).
Tell us about yourself
I have always loved the natural world, forests, plants, and wildlife. I dreamed of running a small farm when I was younger but felt it was financially impossible, so I pursued a career in another passion, Bodywork(Cranial sacral therapy, Manual therapy). It wasn't until I relocated to the west coast and met my Current Business partner that I saw an opportunity to farm and build a farm business on leased land. I consider myself lucky to have been able to create a livelihood working closely with plants and food. I strive to live and create a life that upholds my values and creates a positive footprint in the world. Farming has been the vessel for this intersection of values-driven living and livelihood. I love complex systems, working outside, and the connection of our business to the community we serve. I am very driven. I am happiest when the farm is exploding, the workload is large, and the harvests are abundant. I love being busy, and the farm provided endless opportunities for new projects, learning, or refining existing systems.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Creating a business that, although still young (we're in our 10th year), can support myself and my business partner as well as our staff.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
A perennial challenge is taking enough time away from the business, aka Rest. As farmers, there is a different sense of urgency to accomplish everything as our business is built on living plants! The repercussions of failing to properly manage time and take care of the farm are broad and can potentially be devastating in labor costs or potential revenue for a season. Planning and exciting days off and quitting times have been and are one of our biggest challenges, but they are essential.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your market thoroughly, the need, and the competition. Be realistic about the potential of success and what that looks like in a 1,3-5 year trajectory. have the plan to evaluate this and be open to adjustments in the vision.
- In the beginning, know your limitations, don't overcommit or promise more than you are 100% confident you can deliver.
- Understand what your labour requirements will be as an employer. Will you be able to easily fill your needs? What are competitive wages in comparable business models? What is the housing situation like in your area, i.e., would your future employees be able to afford a quality of life that would keep them with you and engaged? Having a strong team of capable, engaged humans is worth the cost.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.laughingcroworganics.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaughingCrowOrganics
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laughingcroworganics/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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