Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zaman Agha, president, and owner of Milk Barn LLC., located in Hagerstown, MD, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
You probably look at your food more than the generation before you and wonder, where did it come from? Is it good for me? Should I eat something else? As a company that deals directly with dairy farmers, we get to provide them with resources to help them pursue their goals for cow comfort, milk quality, cleanliness, and many other things! We truly work with salt of the early folks that work hard to harvest crops and nutritious milk. Doing it better is what keeps us going forward so we, as an industry, can improve - not only the product but also our relationship with you. So, next time you pick up a glass of milk or enjoy a sliver of cheese, you can grow confident in what takes place to make it safe and healthy for the environment and tasty to you and your family!
Tell us about yourself
I wasn‘t always in the world. I grew up as an immigrant with a German and Pakistani mother and father. My siblings and I had a lot of interesting experiences along the way that shaped us for today. One of the biggest turns in life was when we moved to a dairy farm in Maryland. The owner took my brothers and me under his wing as his own sons. That was our school of hard knocks! Early mornings, home-schooling, and so much more. The experience was priceless. Now, about 20 years later, the roots run deeper, and there are a few more rings on the tree. Having seen the hard work and perseverance that goes into being a farmer, I learned a valuable lesson - we need to support our farmers and ensure our food supply for generations to come. What better way to do that than to apply the skills I was taught and keep working in the industry. Today, that’s running a business with other skilled folks that each have a story. We work together to help our local farms reach their quality and comfort goals for their cows and farms! That’s what excites and motivates us!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It’s easy to get lost in numbers or meet sales goals, but the real win is with people. Everything we do involves people! Every time we can work through a tough situation with an employee, customer, or vendor, that thrills me. I am by no means an exemplary leader, but I know that I want to be, and working towards that daily is probably my greatest accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Boy, where should I start? It is hard. Let’s face it! I think saying it out loud actually feels good (don’t go crazy doing it now). Life, work, parenting - it’s all hard! Our job is figuring out how to make it less hard. It’s not going to be perfect other than our own perception of what we want it to be realistically. Now, the tough part of this, if you want it to work, you can’t quit. You MUST keep driving forward in pursuit of that goal! Don’t give up!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I’m hardly a standard, but I do believe I’ve had some great lessons that I can pass on.
1.) Get a mentor or coach or join a think tank. You’re going to need a place to bounce ideas off of and vent your frustrations to, and it has to be someone not emotionally attached - a 3rd set of eyes. Be honest within this and make sure they are honest with you. It sums up to accountability! I personally have benefited greatly from EntreLeadership (honest plug) from Ramsey.
2.) The world is very digital but don’t be afraid to do some organic note-taking and planning. I have been using a planner (Full Focus Planner), and it’s a game-changer for me. I still use outlook etc., but part of the juice comes from making intentional blocks of time. You go through a daily routine of thinking ahead, jotting things down, and establishing your goals clearly. Where there is no vision, the people perish!
3.) Be humble. I’d be lying if I said I was humble and contradicting it too! I’m not. But, I know I can work at employing humility. Why? Well, arrogance is confidence’s nasty cousin. Make sure you know the difference. Your team will if you don’t, and you’ll not be able to grow them if your big head is in the way - there just isn’t room for that!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Make sure to celebrate wins and acknowledge failures. Process problems as opportunities to learn and realize that you can’t grow if you aren’t stretching or challenging yourself (and your team) in some way (careful not to overdo this too). Lastly, remember that you can’t put more into your team than you are putting into yourself. In other words, schedule time to refuel, and don’t be ashamed of telling your team that you are doing so. Come back with better ideas, more energy, and a positive disposition to the next chapter or quarter or whatever it is that’s next! Do it intentionally!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.gomilkbarn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thezamanagha2
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaman_from_milkbarn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DairyZaman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zamanagha/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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