Agrinews March 2018 by Robin Morris

AgriNews March 2018 Page 08_Layout 1 18-02-22 3:01 PM Page 1

Page 8 The AgriNews March, 2018

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Farmers, women need to get organized, gain confidence by Tom Van Dusen AgriNews Staff Writer LEXANDRIA – FARmERs ARE “AwFuL” At uNDER-

stANDINg how much moNEy thEy’LL NEED IN REtIREmENt bEcAusE ALL oF thEIR EXpENsEs ARE LumpED uNDER “thE

FARm”.

That observation from accountant Theresa Wever came during the second Sprouting New Connections workshop held Feb. 1, at North Glengarry Community Centre in Alexandria. With offices in Russell and Vankleek Hill, Wever was one of the main speakers at the successful event intended to help small rural businesses gain financial traction in an era when customers are looking at what’s available closer to home. The most successful farm transfers occur when owners have off-farm income, Wever emphasized; the farm business has to bring in enough money to cover expenses while buying out the retiring owners. Of 78 per cent of small business owners who plan to sell only 30 per cent have a plan, she stated. She encouraged farm owners contemplating retirement to develop a detailed plan of action during slower times such as the winter months. She pointed out that farm transfers become less successful through the generations. Wever underscored three key areas of transfer – ownership, management and labour – emphasizing that family dynamics must be sorted through. She also called for an estate plan and a will to help make the process that much easier. Regional food and agriculture development officer Gina Dragone said the second Sprouting New Connections event was enough of a success to warrant a third edition this spring. The workshops are organized by the Food and Agriculture Advisory Council for Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, and the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne. About 50 people attended the halfday speaker and panel series which ended with a kale salad and pork sandwich lunch catered by the local Quirky Carrot Café. Other speakers on the roster included Doreen Ashton Wagner, Rose

D’Amato, senior account manager with the Business Development Bank of Canada, and Candy Pollard, consultant with the Cornwall Business Centre. Operator of locally based Forloveandbusiness.com which counsels female entrepreneurs; it was Ashton Wagner who caused the biggest stir. If you’re a female entrepreneur, love has a lot do to with your business, she stated. As traditional caregivers, love is part of a women’s DNA, even their business DNA. “It’s the love-versusbusiness-trap that keeps us frustrated and stressed. While our caring nature makes us great collaborators and community-builders, it can hold us back. It makes us hang on to toxic clients, prevents us from firing bad employees, stops us from charging the fees we deserve, keeps us saying yes when we should be saying no, and pushes us to the brink of burnout.” She cited statistics indicating that women fall behind men both in confidence levels and risk-taking ability. That tendency, she said, should be recognized, for example, when parents are handing down the farm to a daughter who might not have the same level of confidence as a son. She underscored what she called the “impostor syndrome” which “messes with the mind”, causing female entrepreneurs to “lose their mojo” by questioning that they actually belong in a competitive environment. Her comments brought a challenge from one woman who suggested times have changed and Ashton Wagner’s view is obsolete. Another participant, Lianne Acres-Hanna, event MC, entrepreneur, and dairy farm partner, said later that she, for one, had never felt like an impostor or suffered from a lack of confidence. Times are changing, Ashton-Wagner agreed. In fact, according to a 2015 study, women are now choosing self-employment and launching businesses at a rate 1.5 times faster than men. But there’s still a way to go until women catch up in the business world. “This isn’t about ‘growing balls’ or denying our feminine approach. It’s about establishing healthy boundaries. It’s about hon-

ouring our natural inclinations so we can lead happy fulfilled lives.” From left, Theresa Wever, Candy Pollard, Rose D'Amato, and Doreen Ashton Wagner are pictured at the second Sprouting New Connections workshop held Feb. 1, at North Glengarry Community Centre in Alexandria. Van Dusen photo

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