As they say, \"If you don\'t know
where you\'re going, any road will take you there.\" Be sure you
know where you\'re going: set goals, create a plan to achieve your
goals, implement your plan, evaluate your progress and adjust your
plan if necessary. Then take a deep breath and set new goals!

Your alpaca
business plan should include a clear statement of what your
breeding goals are, how you will capitalize your business, and how
you will pay operating expenses until you become profitable. It
should spell out exactly how you will manage your farm and take care
of your alpacas.

If done
properly, a business plan takes a lot of work. The effort pays off,
though, because it “forces” you to think through the various
aspects of running a business (especially if it is one with which you
are unfamiliar). You probably don’t need to pay anyone to do it for
you (after all, you will be supplying all the information, so you
might as well write it yourself). It might help to have an example or
a template to go by, so find one you like on the Internet and tailor
it to your circumstances.

Your alpaca
business plan should include an overview of the marketplace and where
you fit into it. Such an overview should identify your customers,
your competition, your suppliers, industry trends and other
factors—internal and external—that might impact your ability to
meet goals.

The plan should
be specific about the resources required to run your business: Will
you have to hire employees or occasional help to manage your alpaca
farm? Where will you purchase your hay? How many alpacas do you
plan to maintain in your herd? Will you use herd software to keep
records on your animals or a paper system? How will you track
financial information? Do you understand the basics of good animal
husbandry? Do you plan to enter your alpacas and/or their fleece in
shows? How will you transport them? How will you market your animals?
Will you have a website? Will you advertise?

It is very
important to make sure that your alpaca business plan includes a
realistic proforma financial statement. This means you’ll have to
think through all the costs associated with starting and operating an
alpaca farm. This will take a lot of digging, but it will help you
avoid unpleasant surprises. It will also give you a realistic target
of when you might expect your farm to turn a profit and how much that
profit will be. Don’t kid yourself and don’t sugarcoat your
numbers. Wishful thinking won’t help if you miss your projections.

Another thing
“they” like to say is, “Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan.”
It’s good advice. Develop a realistic alpaca business plan, then
enjoy the satisfaction of reaching your goals. You’ll be glad you
did.