Other Websites
- Evaluating Your Resources
- Planning and Developing a Nature Tourism Enterprise
- Nature Tourism Program: Business Planning
- Alternative Enterprise and Agritourism Resource Evaluation Guide
- Mississippi Small Business Guide
- Small Business Administration
- Mississippi Small Business Development Centers Workshops
- Mississippi Small Business Development Centers
- MUW Center for Creative Entrepreneurship
- MSU Small Business Development Center
Inventory Your Land
Before you begin planning for your business, you need to know what resources are readily available to you as well as what you will need to run the business. These include
- Wildlife habitat
- Wildlife populations
- Domestic animals
- Buildings
- Equipment
- Machinery
- Acres of land
- Ponds or lakes
- Existing hazards
- Adjacent land use
Inventorying these resources will help you determine whether or not you can run a business on your land and what type of business types you can consider. It will help you determine not only what is lacking, but also what is underused on your land. Read "Business Considerations for Private Landowners" for more information.
Financial and Labor Resource Inventory
Financial and labor resources needed to run the business must also be considered. When considering your labor needs, ask yourself the following questions:
- How many employees will I need to operate the business effectively and efficiently?
- What types of employees do I need?
- What labor laws apply to my business?
- Will I need manual laborers, such as for landscape maintenance?
- Will my business need guides for tours and hunts or other customized personal service?
- Will I need employees with managerial, clerical, and bookkeeping skills?
- How easy/hard will it be to find the employees I am looking for in my area?
- What other businesses in the area my compete with me for employees or customers?
When considering labor resources, don't forget to include yourself and any family members that may be involved in the business.
An inventory of the financial resources should include
- available capital
- outstanding loans on physical assets to be used in the business (land, buildings, equipment, etc.)
- opportunity costs (revenue you could have earned if you used the property for something else such as crops, timber production, or livestock)
- input costs
- risks costs
- cost of liability insurance (if needed)
Each inventory (physical, labor, and financial) should be included in your overall business plan. Read "Business Considerations for Private Landowners" for more information.
Mississippi State University Publications
Business Considerations for Private Landowners (PDF)
Mississippi State University Extension Service
Mississippi State University Extension Service. The first step to planning a natural resource enterprise is writing up a business plan to determine if the business is realistic. Next, determine what physical, financial and labor recourses are available. Marketing, organizational and financial plans are necessary to determine if the business will succeed.
A Checklist of Considerations for Landowners (PDF)
Mississippi State University Extension Service
This is a list of things to consider before starting a natural resource enterprise. It includes the determining what resources are available, such as land and buildings and wildlife populations, determining if the land’s natural resources can be used for more than one purpose and if a sufficient labor force is available, liability insurance, how long the enterprise will last, the willingness of the family to participate in the enterprise, finding customers, the location of the business and how easy it is to access, and creating a business plan. A worksheet is provided to help evaluate the success of a potential natural resource enterprise.
Other Publications
This publication was prepared in response to requests from local advisors, farmers, and ranchers for a simple guide to the first step in identifying alternative income-producing agricultural enterprises and agritourism opportunities. The requests stipulated that the guide be useful in developing business and marketing plans to help entrepreneurs reduce risk through diversification of farm and ranch enterprises.
Nature-Based Tourism Enterprises: Guidelines for Success (PDF)
Clemson University
This publication takes you through the steps of considering and setting up a nature-based tourism business. These include hiking, backpacking, camping, canoeing, fishing, hunting ,wildlife watching, and much more. Topics covered include planning and development, administration, operations, and marketing. Additional resources are listed at the end.
Nature Tourism: A Guidebook for Evaluating Enterprise Opportunities (PDF)
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
This 88-page booklet covers getting started in a nature tourism, agritourism, or outdoor recreation business, selecting a business or developing a product, creating a financial plan, and developing a marketing plan. It also provides some worksheets and an appendix which includes a business plan.
Checklist for Starting a Value-Added Agriculture Enterprise (PDF)
NC State University
This checklist covers the areas to consider when researching the possibility of undertaking a value-added agricultural enterprise.
Starting or Diversifying an Agricultural Business (PDF)
Pennsylvania State University
When considering starting a new business, you should consider what you enjoy doing, researching all of the aspects of the business, how to obtain the funding, the time requirements involved, and researching available markets. This publications takes you through the steps you should take when starting or diversifying your business.
Decision Making and Business Planning Resources (PDF)
Natural Resources Conservation Service
A lengthy listing of available resources for decision making and business planning.
Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism Resources (PDF)
Natural Resources Conservation Service
A lengthy listing of available resources discussing alternative enterprises and agritourism businesses and how to start, manage, and operate them. Includes articles entitled "Alternative Enterprises: For Higher Profits, Healthier Lands," "Agritourism Alternative Enterprises, Conservation, Sustainability, and Partnerships for Farms, Ranches and Rural Communities," "Choosing Your Enterprise: A Checklist," "Tips for Staying On Track and Getting Started," and a Small Farm Resource Guide..
Evaluating a Rural Enterprise (PDF)
ATTRA
Evaluating an enterprise boils down to asking a series of good questions. Among these questions are: Do I
have the resources to do this? Do I really want to do this? Do I have the experience and information to do this? How
much profit can I make? How will I market the products? This publication seeks to provide enough information to help
you judge whether a new enterprise is right for your operation. Additionally, we provide a resource section of additional
information on relevant topics.