Dr Ben Wills Consulting

Practical, realistic business advice for aspiring tree-changers — small farms, artisan food, and regenerative enterprises that actually pay

Turn Your Ideas into a Viable Farm or Food Business

Ben can help you move from an idea to a financially sustainable small-scale farm or artisan food business. Whether you have a green thumb and aspire to a horticultural business; love animals and want to raise livestock; or build a quality focused food brand, Ben provides guidance that combines hands-on farming experience with academic and business expertise.

Who You’ll Work With

Ben combines a PhD on small-scale food systems with years of practical farm building. He has founded multiple food and farming businesses in the UK and Australia and now runs Forest Hill Farm, a 5-acre regenerative berry and garlic property. Ben has also led innovative food-hub projects, taught in universities, and coached aspiring farmers.

His approach blends theory with practical know-how. You’ll receive advice grounded in what works on small properties, based on his experience building a financially viable farm and artisan food business from scratch.

Why This Helps

Turn your aspirations into tested, realistic business models.
Get a clear financial picture for small-acreage enterprises.
Design seasonal workflows that balance your workload across the year.
Structure value-adding activities (jams, chutneys, farm experiences) for year-round income.

Sample Deep Dive Session Outline

Vision — Clarify your goals, constraints, and what success looks like.
Business Model Mapping — Market channels, product mix, pricing, and value-add opportunities.
Seasonal Workflow & Resourcing — Planting, harvest, processing, and staffing options.
Financial Sketch — Simple cashflow and scenario testing for different scales.
Next Steps — A 6–18 month roadmap with concrete actions.

Services & Pricing

Initial Consult — 1 hour
A focused session to test your idea’s feasibility, identify risks, and set immediate next steps.
Price: $200

Deep Dive & Strategic Direction — 3 hours
An in-depth session (in-person at the farm or online) using business modelling tools and a tailored farm development framework to create a 6–18 month plan. Includes a follow-up summary with recommended next steps.
Price: $500

Contact

Dr Ben Wills Consulting
Forest Hill Farm, Newlyn (near Ballarat), VIC
Phone: 0427 502 432
Email: hello@foresthillfarm.com.au