When Can I Ditch the Day Job (to Farm Full-time)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- One of my goals is to take my small-scale farm to the next level and make a real living from it. This video is a discussion of my considerations in taking the side-hustle to full-time. One thing I don't discuss (because it's already like 13 minutes) is that balancing the demands of my day job with the needs of my farm is becoming increasingly difficult. At some point, I do need to make the decision to go one way or the other.
If you find these videos useful, there are a few little things you can do to help me out:
Have a look at our Amazon shop: www.amazon.com...
Follow our farm on Instagram: / fraservalleyrosefarm
Like us on Facebook: / fraservalleyrosefarm
Or better yet, subscribe to this TH-cam channel: www.youtube.co...
And for a place to indulge in random garden anarchy: / unrulyrosesociety
i just wish my rose seeds would start. Everyone please pray for brian's rose seeds to start.
CONSIDER DOING CUTTINGS
🤣🤣🤣lmaoo those seeds are so baddy
🙏
I am an atheist. I just promise you that according to science you roses seeds will start growing.
I'm theist , your rose seeds might start growing or might not. Its always %50 chance or even less. Last year i grew roses from seeds . Only 4 out of 10 started growing :')
I'm no expert at all, but I wondered if you have the infrastructure to support the size of business you want or have a plan for getting there? And can you save enough cash to get you through the first year? BTW, I have truly enjoyed your highly instructional videos!!
My thoughts exactly , as usual we all have many questions , as typical though we make plans and god laughs
Thanks. I do have some excess growing space, but we've held off on some of the other important business-building (like hiring part-time staff) because we didn't feel we were ready. Not sales are booming, and we'll have to play a little catch up.
I lost my retail job due to Covid in March 2020 and in the mean time I’ve been on unemployment and also working on an Etsy based side hustle. In the last few months my net profit has been almost as much as my UI, meaning I may soon be ineligible for UI. Certainly I’m not (yet) making as much as I did at my retail job, but the trade off of not being negatively impacted mentally and physically by my income source is so worth it!
So inspiring! It's great to see you adapt to an unplanned change, and make a success of it.
I started my first batch of seeds exactly five years ago. I learned how to propagate, built hoop houses, and slowly grew my business.
Then I realized that by purchasing plants from other growers I could have a wider selection of plants, and attract a wider customer base.
I started spending more time selling rather than growing, and sales volumes increased dramatically.
I focus on three overlapping niches that are not well served.
I have been paying close attention to your videos for years, and have been putting your advice into practice.
Thank you.
Thanks Steven. I'm totally with you on that! I focused so much on propagating my own plants at first, I definitely overlooked some shortcuts to expanding my assortment. Now I see "buying in" plants as a great way to leverage my own efforts. I've locked down a couple more suppliers now, and it'll be interesting to see how the next year plays
One way to look at it is build up enough savings to help you through the first year while income is still building. Also consider a secondary income stream, so when the side hustle becomes your main hustle you still have income elsewhere.
Thanks so much Josiah.
My suggestion: Go on part-time work schedule to give yourself more time to grow your business while still keeping a big enough paycheck to cover your maintenance costs.
I think that might be doable - or it may be possible to work in the industry as a consultant/contractor.
I can't speak from 1st hand experience but I think there is a point you hit where your day job is limiting the growth of your business due to time constraints. If your working full time now (40 hours/week) is there a chance to cut back on the day job by 1 day per week and work 32 hrs. Depending on how much vacation time you have, can you do a trial run where you take 1 day off per week for say 5 weeks in a row. Does that extra day off per week benefit your business? Will your employer work with you as you make the transition? 1 thing that will definitely help is to pay off personal debts like car loans and credit cards as that reduces the minimum income you need to cover expenses and having a cash reserve. Can your family live off the spouse's income so you can expand the business? Lots to think about.
Hello Jason - I wonder if you have any Harrison Yellow rose plants for
sale. If not for the 2021 season, perhaps I could reserve 2 for 2022.
Love your channel; your videos are informative and void of senseless
carnival hooks. You do Canadian gardening proud!
Thanks. No, I lost Harrison's Yellow a while back in a transplant. I do have Hazeldean (which I personally like a lot better) and Harrison's Salmon
In 2005 I started my own company. It was that scariest thing that I have ever done. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage and I was worried about everything. I am like you in some ways because I am cautious, I research everything, and need to be prepared. It is difficult to know what will tip the balance for you and make you decide to go for it. For me it was the best thing I ever did and I don't know why I ever worried. I work hard, but the independence and sense of accomplishment that I have means everything. You will make more money being in business for yourself then you ever will working for someone else. You may want to talk to someone who has done what you want to do. The encouragement they provide might surprise you. Most people do not have anywhere near the experience that you have before starting a business. You are wired to succeed. I can tell from listening to your videos. Best of luck to you!
It's so helpful to hear from others who have made a similar leap. Thank you for your advice
One great thing about having a established career already, is you can always go back if things don't work out. I think it's a giant safety net.
Thanks Casey. That's a great way to look at it
sometimes the path of security ends up being the most risky. it ultimately comes down to if you'll be more upset trying to go solo and failing, or staying at your current job and living with the wonder of what could have been? i mean come on, we're on a floating ball in space, and the odds of being born is 1 in 400 trillion; the fact we even exist is a complete anomaly. so do you really think that having to sell some more plants is actually a risk? i say go for it! and if it doesn't work out, you can always just get another job. security is more of a mindset than it is an objective truth. and expanding your business would be great youtube content! w/e you decide is the right decision. jah bless jason!
Thanks Ben Neb - I love your outlook. And I'd like to make an attempt at it before retirement time.
I don't know how it works there but here in the states, medical insurance would have to be a big consideration. Medical cost can be ridiculous so without insurance could break the bank.
Thanks Dennis. That must make it tough on small entrepreneurs. As a matter of practicality (and not politics) I think that's less of a concern here in Canada
the remainder of my post!
thousands of volunteers lighting fires upwind to try to combat the appallingly low temperatures.
At home, our new plants like the Hydrangeas and Acers and some established ones like the banana trees, cherries, figs and shrubs are on the danger list. But our two vines on a long pagola against the house and totally exposed albeit facing South seem to be OK. How is that?
In July 2013 we suffered a hail storm that smashed everything. Roofs, cars, greenhouses and the leaves and fruit were stripped from trees and many had to be replaced. This is a ten year cycle event here so should be factored into costs and global warming will produce more bizarre weather.
The effect of all this on established businesses is profound but would put any new horticultural business under pressure.
I believe the general rule of thumb is that you need be able to hold out on your savings for 3-5 years after going full time into a business before you can hit your target. That's what I've heard from those who have done it anyway. Not people in the plant business mind you, but they did make the switch from employee to running their own businesses in the field they were working in. You already have a good start, being able to do both. Right now I would be careful going into the plant business full time, since we are in a gardening bubble, it's a trendy thing to get into due to COVID. Thing is, if things change to being more like before that bubble could burst quickly. Then what? It's a question I'm asking myself after working in the industry as an employee/contractor, to doing it fully on my own.
Thanks - and that's a good insight into the "gardening bubble". I see large nurseries taking huge risks to expand their growing capacity, and I hope they can manage if demand slows again
Have been following your channel for awhile now. I would suggest that you go for it. It is difficult to serve two masters.
Thanks for the encouragement. It is definitely getting hard to manage both!
Seems to me that consistency in what you’ve already got will make you comfortable to make the next step. And everyone’s comfort level to take risks is different. What might be “ready” for someone else might not be good enough for you. What’s your financial goal? $160,000? Will that be good enough?
Thanks Becky - you're right I think: I need to put a real number on it. I could always be *more* prepared (with savings, etc) but I have to get a clear idea of where "good enough" is
Thank you so much for your honest and open videos. They are great to watch. My partner and I are going to start our own side hustle nursery here is South Africa. Our main jobs are bringing an income and we will keep those for as long as we need to but our dream is to move over to this permanently, that is the 5 year plan.
Thanks - and great idea to make a plan and set a timeline. I wish you success!
Are you able to cut your day job by one day every 6 to 12 months? Do you have that option with your employer.
My gut tells me that when you quit your day job..you will love your new challenge.
Thanks for the suggestion Trish. I've recently talked to the owner, and he seems receptive to me stepping down my days of work. I have some people to train and some planning to do, but it looks promising that I can do this over a length of months
My long comment just disappeared! Briefly - I was a pro muralist and seamlessly returned to nursing once I injured my leg and couldn't clamber up on the scaffolding - 3 young kids at that time. I think being risk averse is not a bad thing and yet I believe you could return to working for The Man as well. My favorite ideas are: Consult, hire an excellent employee part time, become a pro presenter (like Paul Zimmerman working for a huge corporation OR- what's the Canadian version of Britain's Gardener's World I wonder) ...then the book will sell itself. I noticed that the advertising that you've mentioned so far is free - I wonder what your cost/benefit would be on advertising.
You make great decisions.
Warmest regards
Jennie
Thanks Jennie. I feel like I'm in good company with of people who are making similar decisions in their lives. I've had a lot of valuable feedback from this video, and your suggestions are good ones. I do have to open myself up to opportunities outside my "comfort zone".
Hi, I am actually new to your channel and I just subscribed. I'm going to attend a University in Missouri to obtain a Bachelor's in Horticulture. Do you have any advice for someone like me who intends on pursuing college level education within this industry?
Hi Eli. I'm so excited for you! I know this advice could apply to pretty much any field - but from what I've seen in the industry, it's the "soft skills" that really make a difference to your success. What I mean is that your studies will give you a good foundation on the "hard skills" (plant biology, pests, fertilizer, climate control), but if you choose production horticulture, it'll be your work ethic, coping skills, adaptability, relationship building, time management that determine your success. Since you'll be spending some time and effort developing your hard skills, maybe think of ways you can further sharpen your soft skills at the same time. Just my .02c
Hi Jason,
Great questions! I’m a hobby gardener and really enjoy your perspective on gardening, and nursery practices. I appreciate how genuine, thoughtful, and well reasoned your videos are. Here are some additional considerations for you in the "all in" self employment realm.
How much can you tighten your belt? Can you subtract anything from your current daily life and business that may be superfluous? Do you buy coffee from a shop, or make it from home? Almost everyone has a luxury that they can live without. Those small reductions in your cost of living can add up very quickly. This may give you some significant room to lower the earnings bar (number) that you've set. This can be applied to your business as well. I recall you buy pre-mixed soil from a local company. Would you have enough time that you could buy materials in larger quantities and mix your own soil at less cost? What does that savings figure look like if you mix your own soil?
Speaking of savings... What does your financial savings look like? That can provide a small buffer during a difficult time and is a factor. Do not use it as startup capital, but rather... Can it sustain you in an emergency for enough time (3-6 months) to find the additional business revenue, or a part time job?
How many hours per week are you working as an employee? You'll be able to spend 100% of that time on your own business now. If you're working 40 hours per week, that's going to yield more time for you to invest in your business. How will you be spending it? You may even have to spend more time than you're gaining by leaving your employer. Perhaps you will need to add 50 hours per week to your own business. Is this something you're ready for?
When I switched from an employee to full time self-employment, I asked my employer if I could return to my employment there if I took the leap, and it didn’t work out as I planned. They immediately agreed! It's worth asking once you've decided to take the leap. I suspect that may be an option for you.
Now that you would have more time to devote to your own business, you can diversify and increase the in-person markets that you currently attend. You'll be able to attend more events, and expand to different shows and annual festivals. You can take time to diversify your online marketplaces too. Consider selling on eBay, and/or Etsy in addition to your own website, and be sure to mark your product up, and direct people to your website. Some folks will still buy via those outlets for peace of mind and recourse. Do you sell wholesale? What would that take to carve out a small niche in a local boutique retail nursery? You can potentially diversify your income using TH-cam also. Grow your online channel while you grow your business. NOBODY is doing that right now that has your kind of clear concise reasoning and transparency.
Lastly, there will always be a "leap" involved. If you're as driven as I suspect you are, and bold enough to make a video on the subject, you're probably closer to the leap than you think, if not standing on the very precipice and looking down. I would be happy to answer any further questions you may have on the subject. TAKE THE LEAP!
I think I will sink if I take the leap full time. I do it on the side and sell on market place, but if I totally stop my day job, I am not sure when the seasons change, if they will still be buying plants. That will make me crash hard. I am to scared.
Thanks so much. Lots of good points to consider. TH-cam has been a surprise for me - I had heard that there's "no money in it", but it's been a strong contributor to the farm budget. I try not to count on it, because everyone also tells me that there's a "TH-camr Life Cycle" (best explanation here: th-cam.com/video/fHsa9DqmId8/w-d-xo.html). I may approach my employer with the same question you did - and what's the harm in asking!
Thanks Christina. I definitely share your concern about seasonality
These are not normal times. If it were me I would continue my day job and my youtube job till there was zero chance of losing my families home and security. You are young, no hurry.
Thanks Hollar Girl. I appreciate all the advice.
I think a lot of this depends on a person, their circumstances, and their risk threshold. Listening to you, it seems like your risk threshold is not very high. My recommendation would be to have in savings enough to cover six times your current spending (household and farm expenses, plus any extras like entertainment, etc.); enough in savings to cover the cost of fixing or replacing the most expensive thing in your house or farm; and diversifying your business to include things that don't rely on plant sales such as speaking engagements and writing books (which you seriously need to consider at this point). Based on the comments in your videos, I think it's also clear there is a market for shipping bare root roses to the US, so the sooner you prove that process the better. I hope that gives you some things to analyze in your decision making. Ultimately, you are the one who has decide what your risk threshold is. I think it might be a good idea to get input from your family to get a sense of what their thoughts are and to see if their risk threshold is near your own. Good luck.
Hi Roderick. You know, I wouldn't generally think of myself as risk-averse - and then I listen to myself, and yeah, I'm definitely on the cautious side. I've made some progress on savings, but probably have more work to do on diversifying my income. Thanks so much for your advice!
Excellent video! I applaud you for your vulnerability.
You said the word several times - faith. Not a real firm answer for me. I have come across situations several times in my life where the choice was made for me. One option is, in my opinion, to pray about it and listen. In my case, the answer always shows up.
If you just are looking for a way to quantify when, I would suggest looking at how much you are making per dollar of your time now, with what you are putting in to your ‘part-time’ gig, then extend that return to the additional 40 hours or so you would walk away from. See if that would allow you to pay all the additional expenses you’d incur. If not, time’s not right.
You are an excellent gardener. I learn a lot from you. The cool thing is if you ever HAD to make a living off your home gig, I bet you’d make it look easy.
Hello Jason, I learn a lot from your videos, thank you. I send you a message after watching your video "Growing roses on Pots". I hope you don´t mind if I paste it here, as I am worried about the rose I transplanted
Do you have Eden climbing Rose
Yes, I have a couple. We'll begin selling (locally) a bit later in the month.
Your way of handling those roots is so confident (in a good way) - but it also making me so nervous lol. Newbie like me would have treat it like a crystal ball lol.
Not sure if this is feasible but I think it would be great if you partnered with a small grower or had a second home here in the states so that we could also buy your roses and other plants!
Great idea!
Yes, that is a fantastic idea!!! We would LOVE, LOVE to buy your roses in the States. Also (I am just a newbie), how the heck is Heirloom Roses able to price their roses so much higher than other sellers? And yes indeed, I have purchased many roses from them, and I am super happy with their products. Clearly I know this is a controversial subject to bring up here! ... We, the buyers, do not want to pay much. And sellers do want to charge as much as the market can bear. And I personally do believe that the market might be able to bear a lot more than you might think -- and we would love you to grow and expand. How does Heirloom get away with charging big $$$ for their roses and succeed? My little takeway here: (1) raise the prices, (2) expand and scale up => more greenhouses (hire some help). We want you to succeed!
Like having a baby; never fully ready.
Great analogy. And I still hear that advice "wait until you're ready" about having kids, but it seems so nonsensical.
Are investors welcome to your business?
Hmmm. Interesting idea. I feel like we're not ready for outside investment
Hi, I just saw this video u posted 3 months ago. May be you’ve already done so - I do agree with some viewers that you need to hire some part-time helpers to build the business while u keep your day job. That would provide the flexibility & safety net, labor wise. Plus, give u more time to manage the business.
Separately, about pricing - here in the Northeast of U.S., I’ve been paying $30 for a 2-gallon, 1.5’ tall rose plants with leaves & buds from a local nursery.
In early spring, I paid up to $45 for a 2-gallon bare-root rose from local hardware store. (Just desperate to start planting after a long winter.)
We’ll, best wishes for your business endeavors!
Thanks so much for the advice. I'm still at the day job now, but I'm trying to plan my escape for the coming spring. Yes, a price review is in order as I turn it into a full-time venture.
I love gardening; growing things and the occasional swapping/selling/giving away of stuff. However, I don't think I'd EVER quit my day job to go fulltime into plant growing; ornamental or produce; no matter how passionate I am or how important it is to me.
"Do what you love doing and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
Well that 'might' be true, but as soon as I MUST/HAVE TO do something, it's no longer fun or interesting for me and I resent whatever it is I'm doing. For gardening sadly that's also the case. I absolutely don't mind clipping hedges if in that moment that's what I decided to do. But if someone TELLS ME to clip hedges - no matter if other factors stay the same - I just don't feel like it anymore.
If I no longer have the freedom to make my own decisons (what, when, where, for how long etc) I just don't care for it. I don't like being told what to do; I'd rather be my own boss.
But turning my gardening passion into a business would also mean there are suddenly too many HAVE TO's in order to keep that business afloat. Otherwise you'll never be succesfull because things don't get done and you'll eventually pay the price. And so you end up doing menial things for hours a day, grinding away your life just like in any 'other old job'.
Kuddos to you if you ever decide to make the jump, but (at this moment; who knows if my opinion ever changes) I'd rather spend 1/3 of my life resenting something I wasn't passionate about in the first place than the thing I AM passionate about.
In my eyes, your own business doesn't really get 'fun' unless you can make money by doing absolutely nothing.
Thanks Lee-Roy. Well said. I spent this entire weekend (except for making a video) shipping roses, because I "have to" get the orders out as promised. It was long, difficult work, and by the end I was pretty tired and frustrated. I probably have to keep a realistic view that even my own business can be stressful and menial at times.
Not related to this video but I wanted to say Thank You for giving me the confidence to prune my roses.
Years of dos and don't that created a certain timidness in dealing with roses have been replaced with a little more confidence and my roses are better for it.
Again Thank You.
I'm so happy to hear it! Have a great gardening season
The recent frosts here in Southern France show just how precarious a new horticultural business is without considerable resources to call on to tied over an unplanned critical period. Yes, there will be Government aid (thus the need to register the business) but money will not replace the buds setting on the vines or the cherry and apricot blossom nor the shoots on the figs. Many of the vines need replacing so that will affect the wine itself for some time. Some of the vineyards were wealthy enough to be able to use helicopters to try and force the warm air from fires set among the vines but the vast majority depended on thousands
Thanks for your insight. Tough circumstance for small growers!
For me, the choice was made for me. I bought a small tree farm, only 5 acres are really saleable and it was to be a good sideline to cover the mortgage. Then after signing the papers, the covid lockdowns hit and I was out of work. So now with not even a full year of sales under my belt - it has to be my full time work since there is nothing else.
You are very fortunate to have your full time work still to make the transition.
Personally I would in your situation, see if your boss would consider reducing your hours, even if its just 1 day a week, and ask him if there is anyone they think may be ready to start learning your role and offer to take them under your wing and help train them up.
Hi Robert. I'm definitely grateful for remaining (more than) fully employed during unpredictable times. That was tough timing for you - into the deep end you go! Thanks for your thoughtful reply
Hi,
I think there are a few thinks to take into account, if you have a product that people need to buy like vegetables you can be less carefull then luxery goods like roses.
seccond you need to be aware of the economic swings. At the moment we are near the top of the world economic cycle and the only way is down and probably more down than it would be without covid, it is not a good moment to quit your dayjob.
third and most important you need to have enough savings so you can ride out 2 years with the income your farm is making now. And really mean savings and not the ability to loan the differents in income for the first two years.
I am also a cautios person and that is what I did when I set up my little company.
(and if your wife and kids are willing they might put in some hours so your farm reaches it potential much sooner)
Thanks so much Eddy. I've made some progress on the savings. I'll get lots of help from my wife. The kids may be a little less willing...
My suggestion would be that you should switch when you know it wouldn't break the bank if you had to hire two helpers for three months at least. This is because you need to allow for the uncertainties of life, and the possibility that you, or someone near you, may need (for example) medical care at home for that long. I mention this thinking of how my husband's back 'went out' and he had to remain lying down for three months as the only way to avoid having surgery.
Thanks Di. I think I really have to work on hiring some people, even if on a more casual basis at first. We've been reluctant in the past, but if I want to make a real business out of it, I shouldn't rely on just me and Lisa.
I want to start my own carnivorous plant farm, but just starting out growing and propagating and rehabbing sad plants I bought inside and outside of my apartment. It is addicting and I’m glad you made videos that cover business and plant nursery topics together
Thanks - and that sounds like a wonderful specialty!
Necessity is the mother of invention. You will do it when you feel you are ready. Or you won’t. But when/if you do, you will make it work, because you have to and you want to
Thanks so much for the encouragement!
Greetings to Fraser Valley Rose Farm, listening to your video is really useful. Thank you for the informatin
both topics very engaging and so is switching between them. great content!
Thank you!
You're just awesome. Love your videos. I've learned so much from you. 1000 times Tx!
BTW are you on TikTok? I find that platfrom easier to follow people.
Thanks Stefan!
Not yet - I hear it's worthwhile, but I haven't spent any time on it.
What drip irrigation do you use?
I have something new being set up now, and I'll put it on my list to make a video.
Do you do shipping to the USA?
Sorry Christina. Still trying to meet the requirements. Not this season.
From where you get your roses 🌹
The one in this video he said is from David Austen
I propagate many roses myself, but this batch came from David Austin