a national information resource for value-added agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Resource Center

Personal Fit

Thus far, the AgbizSMART Evaluator® has focused investors' attention on the business. The personal fit category diverts attention to how the investor feels about the business in spite of its attractiveness vis-à-vis management, product/service, market and industry and competitive advantage. The fact that the investor is also a supplier means that there is more at stake than the financial investment. The extent of what is at stake increases with the level of indirect investments that producer-investors have to make to ensure the success of the business. For example, if specific genetics are required, then producer-investors have to cull current genetics and acquire a new one. If the new genetics are specific to the company, then the company's failure may have serious and broader financial impacts for the producer-investor than a non-producer investor.

As a result of the stakes involved with agricultural value-added initiatives that require producers to be investors, it is critical that producers evaluate how well the strategic direction of the company fits their personal strategic direction -vision, mission, and core values. The stronger the fit, the greater the willingness of investors to make the necessary commitments to support the company's long-term competitiveness. Willingness to support the company is very important for a new company because it brings it credibility if credible people are supporting it, a resource that can be leveraged in raising financing, securing partner support and acquiring other intangible organizational resources. If a producer is going to commit production to a value-added business, then it is important for the producer to evaluate how he/she personally feels about the company's durability since investment resources, both cash and production, are limited and committing them one makes them unavailable to others.

 

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