Alexanders are ‘freakishly entrepreneurial’

Tim Alexander refers to his family as “freakishly entrepreneurial.” Even though they have owned several small businesses, including Avery’s Branch Farms, seldom a week goes by without one or more of them saying, “What about … ?”

Potential entrepreneurs consult them for advice. “Carefully consider your business name,” Tim chuckles. In 2004 they started Sullivan’s Tractor Service, a bushhog mowing company, after their then-3-year-old son Sullivan, who was fascinated by tractors. Tim says that they still get called Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan. Similarly, since starting Avery’s Branch, they are often referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Avery. Tim also remembers advice 30 years ago from a successful businessman who said, “The man who will not try anything, will not succeed in anything. The person who does the most, will mess up the most, but he will do what he has to do.”

Joy tells families that anyone who follows Tim’s “necessary ingredients” can replicate their success. Tim lists these three ingredients in reverse order of importance:

#3. A market: Make sure you have someone to sell to, and many who want to buy your product. You can grow as much as you want, but you can only eat so much, and the rest will go to waste if not sold.

#2. A strong work ethic: Do what is humanly possible as a family. All your kids, even the youngest, can learn responsibility. You can’t do this without the whole family.

#1. The Lord’s blessing: Look for what the Lord is blessing. You often don’t know if you have the Lord’s blessing until you set out in a direction and try it. Without His blessing you can work hard, and have a good market, but have failure after failure after failure. He provides. He is the One Who sends the market. He allows the favor.