The goat grazing industry is still young, and still sorting itself out when it comes to the best business models and the most prominent players. Obviously, we think Goats On The Go® is at the forefront on both counts, but there is value in checking in with other service providers on occasion to eliminate blind spots and sharpen our edge.
Star Creek Land Stewards out of California, while technically a competitor to Goats On The Go®, operates at a scale that none of our affiliates currently do, serving very large properties primarily for wildfire control. If one of our local affiliates is the neighborhood coffee shop, Star Creek is Starbucks. Big doesn’t necessarily mean profitable, nor does it automatically demand admiration. But Star Creek has been in business since 2014 while managing some pretty difficult logistics, and I (Aaron) have come to respect the company while watching them from afar. When they have something to say, I listen.
Check out this podcast interview with Star Creek’s owners on the Herd Quitter podcast, and listen for these themes:
Techniques for grazing at scale, and the importance of stock density and paddock size regardless of overall project size
The importance of understanding the customer’s needs and applying expertise to fill them
The need for the targeted grazing business owner to embrace being a service provider, not just a livestock manager
I was encouraged to hear that, despite the project scale difference, Star Creek’s approach might as well have been plucked right out of Goats On The Go®’s training. Goats On The Go® affiliates will continue to have a real advantage in the marketplace so long as they keep applying real expertise, understanding their customers, and providing a professional service. Why? Because so few of our competitors are able to recognize that simple formula and execute on it — but you can!