Business Advisor Services

 

The Carrot Project hires independent contractors to work with our clients when the support is designed to lead to start-up, stabilization, growth, and/or financing. Our typical clients are small and midsized farm and food-system businesses and often low income. We seek funding to help cover the costs of services and pay advisors directly for client work.

 

Our business advisors deliver one-on-one (1:1) business assistance. The desired outcome of this work is for farmers and food business owners to implement business management practices that contribute to their long-term economic viability.

 

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Overall Roles and Responsibilities of Business Advisors
  • Work with Carrot staff to develop a Scope of Work based in client needs.
  • Collect required demographic and other information to document work – both for reporting purposes and to better understand the population(s) that we serve.
  • Provide appropriate techncial assistance.
  • Submit invoices and interim reports on services on a bi-weekly, monthly, or at least quarterly basis.
  • Provide a final report to The Carrot Project with all relevant documentation and work product from client(s).

 

Types of Business Assistance Offered

Business Planning and Analysis (Forward Looking)

  • Business plan review
  • Enterprise planning, including the development of financial projections
  • Scenario planning

 

Financial and Business Analysis (Current/Historical)

  • Creating and analyzing financial statements
  • Review of current financial statements
  • Cash-flow budgeting
  • Support with competitive analysis

 

Setting Up Bookkeeping Systems

  • Setting up financial tracking systems (such as QuickBooks)
  • Optimizing financial tracking systems to assist with business decision making
  • Training in using financial tracking systems

 

Access to Capital

  • Developing financial and other statements for loan packaging or accessing financing
  • Pre- and post-loan technical assistance
Client Referrals

The Carrot Project will connect you with clients based on our assessment of clients’ needs, your skill sets, geographic proximity, and our understanding of your capacity.  We will provide you with our understanding of their request for support.  If you wish to explore providing support, you will have a conversation of about one hour to assess fit, which will be compensated. If you wish to move forward, you will work with Jeff Cole to draft a scope of work.

 

We welcome and solicit your referrals to clients in our geographic service area (MA, CT, RI, NH, and ME)

  • If you would like to work with them, but they cannot afford your services without financial assistance.
  • If you would like to work with them, but they require additional support to make your work effective.
  • If you do not have the time, expertise, or interest.
  • Other

 

You can refer them directly to Jeff; or talk with Jeff to see if they are a fit for The Carrot Project’s support at jcole@thecarrotproject.org, or by phone at 617-674-2371, Ext. 9.

Interested in working with The Carrot Project?

Contact Jeff Cole to learn more about The Carrot Project and how you can become a business advisor. Contact Jeff by email jcole@thecarrotproject.org, or by phone: 617-674-2371, Ext. 9.