Assess Competitors

Prior to launching a farm within your community, it's worthwhile to find out how many competitors you have. Use the link below to find competitors in your city. After following the link, enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of farms in your area.

• Get a List of Nearby Farms

How tough is the competition in the market you are considering? If the competition is too tough, you may need to think about starting the business in a different area or even start a completely different business instead.

Studying the Market

If you are interested in starting a farm, it's essential that you have a conversation with someone who is in the business. Local competitors are not going to give you the time of day, mind you. Why would they want to educate a future competitor?

However, a fellow entrepreneur who has started a farm on the other side of the country can be a great learning resource for you, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. In fact, they are often very willing to share startup advice with you. It can take a while to find an entrepreneur who is willing to talk, but it's well worth the effort.

Where can you find a farm owner in a different locale who can assist you?

Here's one way to do it. Just use our link below, find somebody and call them.

• Find an Experienced Farm Entrepreneur

Don't Rule Out Franchising

Your odds of doing well in business are substantially improved if you buy a franchise rather than going it alone.

If you planning on starting a farm, it's worthwhile to check out whether buying a franchise could make sense for you.

The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.

• How to Own a Franchise