Help your food and farm clients…
📈 Optimize their business model for profitability 📈
📈 Develop a financial plan and capital structure to support growth 📈
📈 Navigate the process of raising debt, investments, and equity 📈
📈 Leverage their network to support the fundraising process 📈
What can I expect from Consultant Training?
- Level 1: Business Model Optimization
An in-depth look at what food, beverage, and value-added farm businesses need to do to optimize their business model and capital structure for profitability. This includes a discussion of current market trends in the sector, the basics of conducting market research, various business models in food and farm (and their accompanying metrics/capital structure), as well as in-depth case studies of business model optimization with one or more of the business models presented. - Level 2: Financial Packaging
Builds on Level 1 by helping participants navigate the process of raising appropriate debt, strategic investments, and equity. This includes a discussion of the legal, financial, and governance prerequisites to raising equity, as well as a process for putting financial packages together to raise money. Participants also learn to coach entrepreneurs using their strengths, networks, and community resources to support fundraising.
This is right for you if…
You work with food or farm businesses that need to increase profits and raise money
You need to quickly get up to speed on finance consulting for food and farm businesses
You want to distinguish yourself as a consultant with finance expertise
You want to join a collaborative network of food-focused consultants
Participants Say …
“The FFI training was the main contributor to positioning this group of collaborative companies to work more deliberately and confidently with financial viability as a central theme. We are moving forward in a way where financial viability has become a significant driver of the work. As a group, FFI has given us a common language and a common target to weave into our value-driven approach to growing the local food market channels and distribution infrastructure.”
— Patti Miller,
Chesapeake Foodshed Network
Certification & Visibility
All participants who complete Consultant Training will receive a certificate of participation from the University of Wisconsin’s Food Finance Institute and Office of Business and Entrepreneurship. They will also be featured on our website and become part of our Consultant Network, gaining access to exclusive learning and networking opportunities.
Included in the Training:
- 4 days of content delivery and work time
- Access to financial tools and templates to use with your food and farm clients
- Certificate of Participation upon completion
- Inclusion in additional learning and networking opportunities through FFI’s Consultant Network
Training Overview
Learning Topics
- Food industry market trends
- Conducting market research
- Food business model benchmarks and metrics
- Case studies and business model optimization
Outcomes
- Understanding of current market trends and consumer preferences that drive and shape food, beverage, and value-added farm businesses
- Understanding of how to analyze and rework your clients’ business model to ensure long-term profitability (a.k.a. Business Model Optimization)
- Knowledge of where to access industry information to best inform client advising
Learning Topics
- Financial statements and food business financial metrics
- The Proforma: putting client financial packages together to aid in raising money
- Case studies to demonstrate what funding requests could look like across various business models
- Sources and uses of capital
Outcomes
- Understanding of financial statements and food business financial metrics
- Understanding of how to create financial packages for your clients
- Knowledge of potential funding paths available to various food business models
- Understanding of how to optimize your client’s capital structure for profitability
Meet Your Trainer: Tera Johnson
Tera Johnson is a serial entrepreneur whose mission is to create the next generation of environmentally and economically resilient food and farming businesses. The founder of teraswhey®, the Food Finance Institute, and the Edible-Alpha® podcast, Tera has personal experience in being an entrepreneur, raising money, launching a national brand and selling a company. Recipient of the UW-Extension Chancellor’s 2017 Wisconsin Idea Award, Tera is a frequent speaker, teacher and financial consultant to sustainable food and farming businesses, communities and economic development organizations, as well as social venture funds and investors.
Scholarship opportunities are available, learn more.