Advertorial: Success isn’t something you inherit

Date: 23.10.2013

You can see it in the way Wilkins Farming is constantly evolving.

Success isn’t something you inherit

Mike Wilkins is part of an innovative generation that's focused on growing successful businesses, rather than waiting to inherit them. He and the Wilkins family have transformed their extensive family property, which allows them to actively farm sheep, beef, deer, dairy, cropping and trading stock, as well as offering grazing and running a transport business. It's a level of diversity that's rare to see in an agricultural business.

With so many different facets to the farm, it's a huge amount for anyone to stay on top of, but the Wilkins family are as level headed as they come. For them it's about integrity. They're creating win-win relationships with other farming enterprises, mitigating risk and losses, rather than maximising trading profits at anyone else's expense.

The scale at which the business operates has also helped shaped their success. The sheer size and breath of what Wilkins Faming covers puts them in touch with major players in the industry, and allows the highs and lows of various enterprises to balance each other out. So if lamb export prices aren't favourable, sheep grazing can be put to the back burner, while they shift the focus to a more lucrative area.

Touching so many different aspects of the agriculture industry also cultivates strong client and supplier relationships. Wilkins Farming is continually exposed to market issues, giving them insights into new opportunities. The short of it is, if they can address someone else's market problem with a solution from their own portfolio, they'll have a crack at it.

Of course having the right backing is critical here. The family continually adjust plans and reassess land usage, and hold regular planning sessions to keep the bank in the loop when amending forecasts and setting new targets.

They've also found the in-depth understanding of agriculture has made BNZ a good fit for them. The family can talk about investing new capital, or systems for new ventures and it feels like a discussion between partners, rather than a meeting with a bank. They're free to concentrate on what they do best. And with their genuine belief that success is something you should grow, rather than wait passively for, you can bet Wilkins Farming is a company we'll keep hearing from.

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