Many people like the idea of an "olive oil lifestyle". They underestimate the hard work and the amount of capital needed to have a successful olive oil business. There is a joke in the olive-making community, stolen from the wine business, that is all too often true.

"What does it take to make a small fortune in the olive oil business? A big fortune to start with."

When you look at the retail prices of some extra virgin olive oils on the shelf, it is easy to think that there is a fortune to be made easily. We strongly encourage you to create a solid business plan to evaluate the reality of what you dream about. The basics about an olive oil business plan and some sample costs are described in the chapters below:

• Business Plan
• Sample Costs