Sunday Solopreneur

Read on my website – Read Time: 6-7 Minutes

Hey Reader!

Last week’s chicken video (See it Here) stirred up quite the conversation. After breaking down the numbers on raising 100 chickens, many of you commented:

“Just divide your leftover profit by hours worked – that’s your hourly wage!”

I get it. As farmers, we do most of the work ourselves. So naturally, we see ourselves as the employee getting paid for our labor.

But here’s the problem: When you only think like an employee, you miss out on better opportunities for your money.

You might stick with a farm enterprise that “pays you $10/hour” when that same money could be working harder for you somewhere else.

That’s employee thinking, not business owner thinking. And if you want your farm to truly succeed, you need to understand both.

The Employee Way of Thinking

When you work at a job, you get paid by the hour. Work 8 hours, get paid for 8 hours. That’s it.

A lot of you looked at my chicken numbers this way (using different numbers for simplicity):

• Made $300 profit
• Worked 30 hours
• That’s $10 per hour

And you thought: “That’s decent pay!” (or maybe not)

I get it. But that’s only half the story…

The Business Owner Way of Thinking

Business owners ask a different question. Instead of “How much per hour did I make?” they ask: “Did my money work harder than it would somewhere else?”

Here’s what I mean:

I put $1,000 into chickens. I got back $1300. I made $300 profit.

That means my $1,000 grew by $300. My money grew by 30%.

In business terms, that’s called “return on investment” or ROI. It’s just a fancy way of saying: “For every dollar I put in, how much extra did I get back?”

Here’s Where It Gets Interesting

If I put that same $1,000 in the stock market, history shows it would grow by about $70 (that’s 7% return on investment). And I wouldn’t have to do any work at all.

But my chickens made $300. That’s $230 MORE than the stock market gave me.

So the real question becomes: “Is that extra $230 worth 30 hours of my work?”

Some of you will say yes. Some will say no. Both answers are right – it depends on how you value your time.

But here’s what changes everything…

The Big Picture Question

Here’s where most people get confused: Your labor IS an expense, just like feed or supplies.

Smart business owners think: “What if I hired someone else to do this work?”

Let’s say you could pay someone $10 per hour to raise those chickens. That’s $300 for 30 hours of work. Now we’re putting our money to work.

Now let’s do the real business math:

• Revenue minus ALL expenses (including that $300 labor cost)
• $300 profit – $300 labor = $0 profit
• Your return on investment becomes 0%

Compare that to the stock market’s 7% return with zero work, and suddenly chickens don’t look so good.

But here’s the key insight: If you DON’T count your labor as a real expense, you’re lying to yourself about whether your farm business actually makes money.

Why This Matters for Your Farm

When you treat your labor as a real expense, you start asking the right questions:

• Should I raise cattle instead of chickens? (Maybe the numbers work better after labor costs)
• What about pigs? (Higher profits might cover labor expenses)
• Could I make more teaching workshops? (Less labor, same investment)
• What farm enterprises actually make money when I pay myself fairly?

You’re not just creating a job for yourself – you’re building something that makes money even when you account for ALL the costs, including your time.

The Simple Truth

Employee thinking: “I worked 30 hours for $10/hour. That’s decent!” (But this ignores that your labor should be counted as a business expense)

Business owner thinking: “After paying ALL expenses – including labor at $10/hour – do I still beat the stock market’s 7% return?”

You need to know both. But only business owner thinking shows you if your farm actually makes money.

Only business owner thinking gives you choices.

Only business owner thinking lets you build something bigger than a job.

Your Action Step This Week

Pick one farm enterprise you’re considering (or currently doing). Run the numbers BOTH ways:

1. Employee mindset: Profit ÷ Hours = Hourly wage
2. Business owner mindset: Profit ÷ Investment = ROI%

Then ask: “Could I pay someone $X/hour to do this work and still beat the stock market?”

Reply to this email and let me know what you come up with. I’d love to see what you discover!

Speaking of Business Owner Thinking…

If you don’t have a website yet, think of it this way: A professional website is like having a 24/7 employee working for you.

We Can Help Here

While you’re sleeping, it’s showcasing your products, capturing leads, and building relationships with potential customers. That’s business owner mindset in action.

Remember: You’re not just farming. You’re building a business. Think like it.

Until next Sunday,

with my appreciation,

Jason

Aka: The Part-Time Farmer​

​homegrownhosting.com​

​​​​​
​

Your Farm Deserves a Website That Works as Hard as You Do

If you’re like most farmers, you know a website could help you grow your farm — but figuring it all out feels overwhelming.

That’s where Homegrown Hosting comes in.
Built by a farmer (me) for farmers like you, we’ll give you a website that’s simple, powerful, and designed to help you sell more and connect better with your customers.

Here’s how we make it easy:

• Custom Site, Built for You: Your farm’s style, your photos — we bring it to life.
• Professional Copywriting: No stressing over what to say — we’ll help tell your story.
• Email List Setup: So you can stay in touch and turn visitors into customers.
• Marketing Guidance: Practical tips to help your website drive real growth.

👉 Ready to turn your farm website into one of your best tools for success?

Tell Me More!
​

Valuable Farm Marketing Insights at Your Fingertips

Missed a newsletter? Don’t worry! Access all past issues packed with practical tips and strategies to grow your farm business.

See Them All Here!
​

Affiliate Links: This email may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we’ve personally used, tested, and truly believe in.

​

AI Disclosure: Every idea and opinion here is 100% human. I sometimes use AI to help with formatting, editing, or trimming things down—but the message is fully mine.

​