The document discusses the Rural Entrepreneurial Leaders Network (RELN) and its connection with the School of Business and Entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship in rural areas. It covers personal stories from various educators who emphasize skills, adaptability, and the benefits of diversification in farming, while also addressing barriers to farm entrepreneurship. Additionally, it promotes the importance of storytelling and community involvement in nurturing rural entrepreneurship for economic and environmental regeneration.

1. Rural Entrepreneurial Leaders
Network
RELN
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13679729/
School of Business and Entrepreneurship
in partnership with Farm491

2. Entrepreneurial Stories - The Roller
Coaster Narrative
Tue, 16 Apr 2019 17:30 - 18:30 BST
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13679729/

3. Four Schools
• Business and Entrepreneurship
• Agriculture, Food and Environment
• Real Estate and Land Management
• Equine Management and Science
Plus
• Cultural Heritage Institute (Swindon)
DB

4. School of Business and Entrepreneurship
• A centre of excellence developing enterprising leaders of tomorrow
• A focus on the rural economy, built environment and food chains
• Thought leadership regionally, nationally and internationally
• Education, research and knowledge exchange activities DB

5. School Staff Members – Dr David Bozward
Head of School
Principal Lecturer in Entrepreneurship
• BEng (Hons) Communication Engineering
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
David is a technology entrepreneur, educator, researcher and authority on
international youth entrepreneurship and education with over 20 years
entrepreneurial business experience.
DB

6. School Staff Members – Jonathan Brunyee
MSc Programme Manager
Senior Lecturer in Farm Business Management
• BSc (Hons) Rural Resource Management (Seale Hayne)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management
for Business & Commerce (Sheffield Hallam)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice (Glos)
• Nuffield Farming Scholar 2015
Jonathan has over 20 years’ consultancy and advisory experience in the agri-
business and environmental sector working on a unique range of projects
with farmers, government departments and national organisations. He also
runs his own diversified farming business in Cotswolds
JB

7. School Staff Members – Yaqub Murray
Senior Lecturer in Organisation Studies
[Ethical Leadership and Coaching]
• MPhil by Thesis (University of Bath) Living
Educational Theory Narrative
• PGDip Counselling (Bristol),
YM
Yaqub founded his own consultancy practice in 1989 working in loose partnerships with like minded
practitioners in areas of strategy, leadership, effective teams and coaching. His commitment to narrative
research and story-telling as knowledge has supported students at the RAU in telling their own stories ranging
from family farm narratives in UK, Zimbabwe and South Africa, to stories of the relational, and change
dynamics associated with success and thriving whether starting up or entering established family businesses.

8. David’s Story
• 1998 - Select your co-founders very wisely
• 2002 - Always know how to exit
• 2004 - Play to your strengths
• 2006 - Leadership and Management are different skills
• As an entrepreneur, the number one task when starting a
business is:
Develop the core processes which will be geared to the
refinement of a scalable, repeatable and profitable
business model.
DB

9. Jonty’s Story
• Farming roots - a typical farming family (not entrepreneurial).
• Followed my passion for doing things differently - natural capital, public
goods, the multi-functionality of land and the wider rural economy.
• Adviser/consultant – food, farming and the environment….joining the
dots and promoting diversification/eco-entrepreneurship.
• Took a risk in 2004 – got my own farm tenancy in 2004 in the Cotswolds
• Love telling stories – led to lecturing and working with young rural
entrepreneurs at the RAU since 2014.

11. Most farming systems are not viable without EU + CAP support AND
diversification income
(Defra 2018)
Over 64% of farm
businesses have
already
diversified…very
competitive!
But more is needed
as ‘subsidy’ is cut in
the next few years

12. Business benefits of rural entrepreneurship…at farm level
1. Increase income - and hopefully profit, asset value etc
2. Utilise under used assets - buildings, land, products, cash, time, skills….
3. Reduce risk - mixed enterprises can be more resilient
4. Security - financial, family business, cohesion
5. Tradition - support of traditional (maybe less profitable parts of the business)
that are socially and culturally valuable
Other personal benefits…..
1. Increase adaptability - ability to change, grow, respond to opportunity (mindset)
2. Develop new skills and self confidence - useful for the future
3. Networking - expand your business contacts
4. It’s fun - often overlooked….personal resilience

13. Rural entrepreneurship should benefit (regenerate) the local
economy, environment and community….if done right!

14. Key barriers to farm entrepreneurship:
You might have lots of ideas ….. but lack the skills, energy, passion, determination,
attitude to risk, will to work with others etc. to make it happen….you must
understand yourself and seek to grow.
access to finance
tenancy issues
validity of market research
incapacity to develop a considered business case
quality of business skills and training … particularly marketing
availability of appropriately skilled personnel
regulatory controls (including but not limited to planning)
lack of access to broadband
lack of specialist business advice
Adapted from Barriers to Farm Diversification (Defra 2007)

15. Nuffield Farming Scholar 2014-16
‘Leading positive change in agriculture’
NUFFIELD is an organisation that awards individuals with life changing
opportunities that span their personal and professional lives, with a view to
developing agricultural sector leaders and innovators of the future.
My Study: Building a Sustainable Farm Business
http://www.nuffieldscholar.org/news/jonathan-brunyee-report-published

16. To build a sustainable farm business and industry we must:
• Put soil health/natural capital first
• Celebrate the role of small farmers
• Nurture people
• Seek outcomes not output, effectiveness not efficiency
• Build diversity and complexity
• Seek regenerative agricultural systems
• Move to a true cost paradigm
• Tell our story and celebrate our industry
• And be entrepreneurial (and develop policies/programmes that foster this)

17. Yaqub’s Story
• The power of storytelling for change, growth and development
• Story and Family Conflict (Lisa’s story)
• Story and Personal Change (Mark’s story)
• Story and Political & Public Policy Change
• Narratives of Resilience and Hope (Gail’s story and New Zealand)
• Your Story as a Living Theory of a Farming Life
• Stories of farming families – Farmer’s Narrative Research studies
established by Yaqub at the RAU

18. Rural Entrepreneurial Leaders Network
RELN
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13679729/
Q & A

19. The Power of Coaching for Personal and
Professional Resilience
Tue, 30 Apr 2019 17:30 - 18:00 BST
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/211259661
Next Time