Brian Carr recognized the agricultural community's need to enhance resource utilization and profitability by offering tailored drone-based solutions for increasing crop yields and reducing expenses.
Challenge: Brian first contacted the SBDC in October 2023 to determine the feasibility of starting an agricultural drone business, the regulations and licensing required, and financing.
How Illinois SBDC helped: Business advisor Pam Clodfelter assisted Brian by providing information on registering the business with the state and resources such as market research and business planning. They also discussed various business structures and financing options to ensure a well-informed decision-making process. With Pam's help, Brian developed a business plan to determine the profitability potential and focus on his business model. Brian shared his experience with the SBDC: “With the invaluable support of the SBDC, launching Brian's Precision Ag LLC would have been a daunting task. Their staff played a crucial role in helping me navigate the many challenges of starting a small business.”
Result: In April 2024, Brian received financing approval and support from the Advantage Illinois program. This allowed him to proceed with obtaining drone licensing and implementing his plans. Since agricultural spraying is seasonal and weather-dependent, the company successfully sprayed its first fields in June and continued as weather permitted.
Learn More: To learn more about Brian's Precision Ag and their other services, find them on Facebook or their website: https://www.briansprecisionag.com/.