What are your aims?

Understand your aims for a collaboration, and define your goals for a successful agreement.

For a business collaboration to succeed all parties must be satisfied with the resulting outcomes. You should consider not only what you’d like to achieve but also what your perspective business partner may wish to gain. Ensuring balance is achieved is the safest way to ensure the long-term success of the arrangement, including a potential plan for winding down or ending the arrangement.

Questions to ask

	If you’re a landowner	If you’re a farming entrepreneur
Motivations	Is this about building up a farm business or scaling back your commitment? Are you looking for someone to develop a particular business opportunity, or are you open to suggestions? Is this part of a vision for the whole farm or a solution for one parcel of land? How hands-on or hands-off do you want to be?	Is this a foot in the door, a stepping stone to something else or a long-term commitment? Do you have a precise vision for a type of farm or business? Is this to build a business, earn a living, a way of life or to change the world? Are you aiming for independence or do you want a close business partnership?
Assets/Skills	What land, buildings and equipment might you wish to make available? What other business interests do you have that might complement a new one? What markets can you give access to? What skills and experience might you be willing to offer? Is there any infrastructure that you will need to develop or upgrade before you can offer land?	What skills can you bring to the new business? Do they just relate to farming, or do they include retail, marketing, communication or business development? Do you have equipment or livestock? How much capital do you have access to? What’s your business idea and what research have you done? Are there any skills or plans you need to develop? Do you have other land already that you will continue with?
Requirements	Do you need the new business to provide a particular service (straw, muck, energy, environmental delivery…)? Is there a financial benchmark you need to match? What absolute red lines do you have? For example, these might relate to contractual commitments, grant or tax pitfalls (selecting a legal framework), or personal preferences	Does this have to provide you with an income? Do you need a house/accommodation? How much land/property do you need to get started? And further down the line? What infrastructure will you need? Are you absolutely fixed on one business idea? Is your location preference flexible, or fairly fixed (if needing to incorporate factors such as family commitments for example)?

Dreamstime

Sectors:

Beef & Lamb Cereals & Oilseeds Dairy Pork