Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jason Biddle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jason thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

The hemp industry is often compared to the Wild West. There are lots of people with lots of answer, but finding the correct one can be tricky. I’d say the biggest challenge to profitability in the hemp industry is building a team you can trust. On the input side, you need someone that knows their seed genetics. This is the most important part to modern farming besides your soil. Lastly, you need someone that can help your market your final product.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in Northern Illinois and studied agriculture at a local college and then started working for our family farm in my 20’s. We raise corn, soybeans, and beef and I feel very fortunate to be apart of this family operation. In my free time, I picked up bee keeping and started my own apiary then began practicing growing hemp on small plots. Now, besides working for my family farm, I also formed my own small business selling honey and CBD products all raised on my farm. Now this year, I’m looking to add hemp grown for fiber to my resume.

If I had to choose the thing I most proud of, I’d have to say my family. My dad and his brothers built a small 40 acre farm in the 60’s into an operation that covers thousands now of acres. I owe every opportunity to them and I am humbled by their success.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Currently I manufacture some of my products and outsource the rest, but when I started my small business, I made everything start to finish. From growing the hemp to ensuring the correct quality tincture in each bottle and the many steps in between. I have since found a great company that now manufactures some of my products in a certified kitchen. In my operation, I had to manufacture my products myself to keep costs low, but as my business grew, I was able to spend a little more to free up some of my time. So now, I can spend more time perfecting my growing without slowing production.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

All of my initial capital came from my job on my family farm that takes a priority to my small business. I would not have been able to do it without this source of income. I think most entrepreneurs would agree, that continuing your work while pursuing your dream is a must, especially in the beginning. As your business grows and proves itself, you can look to investors to raise capital. Make sure you keep your debt to asset ratio in a variable parameter.

Contact Info:

• Website: Apiaryacres.com
• Facebook: Facebook.com/apiaryacres