Unity, drive, talent, grit, asset growth and future planning are key areas to focus on to sustain the family business through the next generation. Written for Progressive Dairy and originally published March 13, 2025 here. I'm sure you have heard the adage that the third generation loses the farm. This is not unique to America, and this saying has existed in almost all cultures over hundreds of years. Sustainability is a buzzword we often hear, but what about the sustainability of the family farm? What does it take for a farm to sustain itself generation after generation? Why does it...
Category: Business Growth Strategy
Business Growth Strategy
The Secret Sauce of Successful Farms
Common characteristics among top-tier farms include having a shared vision and set of values, staying focused on goals, practicing accountability, avoiding procrastination, building trust within their team and effectively managing data to make management decisions. Written for Progressive Dairy and originally published 1/19/2025 in Issue 2. As I write this article, there are about 90 pounds of ribs on my barbecue, slow cooking to fall-off-the-bone juiciness. My barbecue technique, process and sauce have been tweaked many times over the years. Today, there are fewer tweaks, and the results are consistent. Sometimes, people ask me if I buy special ribs...
Business Growth Strategy
Time is valuable – Tips for doing what matters most
Do you get everything you want done in a day, a week, or a month? Written for Farm Futures and originally published in their Nov/Dec 2024 issue. As we work with our clients, we see recurring themes that are key for farms to accelerate their growth. Time management of the owners and key employees is a key differentiator for scaling farms up. Stephen Covey, author of the popular book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," created a time matrix to sort tasks by importance and urgency. We have used his concepts in our coaching and can attest it's...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning, Uncategorized
Keep the Peace: Farm business vs. farm life
As farms become larger, many families conclude that perks must be limited and keep business more separate from personal life. Written for Farm Futures and published in the February 2024 issue. Most families get along great and, on most days, enjoy working together. This can lead the family to believe they are in alignment on essential issues. But, often, there is enough differences between some fundamental principles that someday will cause friction. Alignment around these principles falls under an underused area of transition planning called family governance. They are critical in keeping the peace and creating a strong family farm. ...
Business Growth Strategy
Get a Better ROT (Return-On-Time)
There is a direct correlation between solid meetings and ROT. Written for MILK and originally published in the Nov. 2023 quarterly issue. The meeting room was quiet as the owners and the next generation entered. The meeting was supposed to start about fifteen minutes ago, but folks were slow coming in. No one was entirely comfortable. Everyone was thinking about something else outside, but one of the owners had called a meeting, so they all came. It was unclear what the meeting was about, but each person had an idea in their mind what it SHOULD be about. The last...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning
Two Habits of Successful Business Families
The natural way of a family business is a decline over time. So, successful family businesses must take actions to counteract the decline. Written for Farm Futures Dec 2023. You have heard the adage. "The first generation builds it, the second generation maintains it, and the third generation loses it." This is not just an American problem; it is an international phenomenon. The decline of family farms is due to tendencies that repeat themselves. The natural way of a family business is a decline over time. So, successful family businesses must take unnatural or unorthodox actions to counteract the...
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Essential Skills for Leaders: Skill 1- STRATEGIC THINKING
There are 3 essential skills, beyond being great at on the technical side of things. Skill 1: Strategic Thinking Written for Progressive Dairy and originally published Nov/Dec 2023 Scaling up or even surviving in dairy requires three essential skills beyond being great at the technical parts of dairy farming, such as nutrition, breeding, etc. I will discuss the first skill - strategic thinking - now and expand on the other two in future articles. Dairymen and dairywomen might shy away from the word "leader." Few in the industry wake up, look in the mirror and think of themselves as leaders....
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Move from Vision to Reality – Strategic Planning part 3
Is everyone pulling in the same direction? Written for Farm Futures and originally published Nov/Dec 2023 "We're family, and we work together every day. We know what each other wants." This is often the unspoken thought for many farmers, and it's logical reasoning. However, this logic makes several assumptions that can lead to misaligned priorities, confused employees, and sometimes conflict. The problem arises not from what's talked about but what isn't. Specifically the vision for the future of the farm. We all know it's impossible to foresee the future, so why even try? It is more common than...
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Complacency can Kill a Family Farm
Disbelief and Inaction can result in disaster. Written for Farm Futures and originally published Oct 2023 The high-performance aircraft engine ran smoothly above the Rocky Mountains on a trans-mountain flight, and the weather was sunny and calm. Life was good. The pilot scanned the engine monitor, and it showed the #3 cylinder was a little hotter than usual, but not by much. After some adjustments to the engine, the cylinder was still running warm. Was the pilot imagining things? Perhaps the cylinder always ran this hot? The pilot told himself everything else looked good, so this little thing must not...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning, Uncategorized
Why do People Resist Change – Part 2
Three types of Resistance to Change I don't like it. I don't understand it. I don't trust you. Written for MILK magazine and originally published Aug. 2023 The entire dairy industry is going through massive restructuring and change. These changes are forcing dairies to scale up to remain competitive, working with suppliers, finding labor, and finding a market for the milk. The changes are also coming from within as many dairies transition the business to the next generation. These changes are profound, and change is hard. Not every dairy will make the transition to the new dairy economy. While sad,...