My Self Employment Placement At Bangor Business School

So this week I decided to read some articles that could help me develop my business. I started by researching any tips on starting an alpaca farm from people who have been in similar circumstances. This helped me to find out how much land I actually need for a small herd and what kind of plants need to be removed that are poisonous to the alpacas. This article also helped me to establish how to build shelter that will be compatible with the needs of the alpacas and the British weather. This includes no metal roof to stop overheating and something secure from rain to stop fleece damage. I also found that the taxation process involved with running a business and how being an owner that participates in the active running of the business can benefit greatly from tax benefits! I also researched what Veterinary care alpacas needed and what could be administered through the staff at my farm. These include worming, vitamin supplements to combat lack of sunlight in winter, the halter traini...

So when I was researching other Alpaca experiences that were on offer, I stumbled across an experience I'd never heard of called Alpaca Therapy. I had no idea what this was so decided to do some research and focus on what this was and could I provide it for my own business. Alpaca Therapy is provided by almost every company I researched bar Harefields Alpaca Coffee Barn. This primarily offers a different experience to the walks and treks as it is targeted to those who suffer from mental illness, ADHD or autism. The Alpaca Therapy aims to provide a calming experience and has the same effect as therapy dogs that are often provided by schools and businesses to calm students or workers. Alpaca Therapy can also be used for interaction at care homes, where many companies take the alpacas to the care homes to interact with the elderly and aim to boost morale and decrease loneliness. Once I understood the concept of the alpaca therapy I looked into what the requirements were to have an ...

So this week, for my self employment placement, I decided to go out into the field... not literally. I visited Hare-field Alpaca Coffee Barn, which is a cafe, that offers views of alpacas while you eat and sells alpaca wool derived products, like hats and scarves! I learnt a lot from my visit, the quality of the wool, the 'approved' alpaca wool colours and even the fact there are competitions for the highest quality alpaca wool!I also assessed the quality of the food and menu and the changes I would make to my own company, the main being ensuring all produce was sourced from local farms. This research led to me looking into products that could be sold that weren't present in any of the alpaca centres I'd researched and I also researched the commercial value of raw alpaca wool, alongside the average price for certain items. It also assisted me in further research into developing a cafe, through what kind of food I would want to offer and how it should be presented. ...