The Pacesetter Pod

In today's episode, Joe uncovers the secrets to agribusiness success in the new year. Discover how to enhance your metrics and redefine success with five powerful strategies that will revolutionize the way you measure performance.  From breaking free of traditional performance models to aligning metrics with your business strategy, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice...

In this episode, join host Joe Mosher as he takes a closer look into the world of agribusiness performance assessment. Discover the secrets to unlocking a comprehensive view of your company's trajectory, uncovering unexpected surprises, and assessing the transformative changes your business has undergone. Joe's insightful guidance will empower you to navigate the complexities of agribusiness with...

Join us as we discuss the forces driving consolidation in agriculture, from financial strategies to technological investments. We take a closer look at the impact of recent supply-chain disruptions and how it's influencing the push for domestic supply control. Our expert guest, Jim Byrum, shares insights on how private equity is transforming the landscape and why expertise in the field can make or...

In this episode, Joe discusses portfolio management, a practice often overlooked in agribusiness despite its widespread success in other industries. Joe explores the definition, key benefits, and common areas where portfolio management can be applied. He also addresses the barriers to adopting this practice and highlights its potential for driving strategy execution and improving business performa...

On today's episode, Joe is chatting with Colin Steen, CEO of Legacy AgriPartners.  He shares some great insights on the challenges and complexities often encountered during M&A integration and strategies to overcome them. Colin will guide us through the crucial aspects of strategic alignment, effective go-to-market strategies, and the importance of considering the perspectives of frontline employe...

In this episode, Joe discusses the conditions or nutrients that make up the 'healthy soil' needed for growing your company in a competitive market. Join us as we explore the perspectives, motives, and insights for successful mergers and acquisitions and reveal the three key conditions contributing to effective strategy execution. From having a clear point of view to the importance of avoiding abso...

In this week's episode, our guest is Tanner Ehmke from Cobank, which is one of the leading members of the farm Credit system and the largest agricultural lender in the United States.   Joe and Tanner discuss global growth patterns, focusing on China's decelerating growth, and how it impacts agricultural businesses. They will explore how the industry shifts to the opportunities in Southeast Asia an...

In this episode, Joe explores a fundamental question that often arises for businesses considering M&A: Is it the right move for your company?  Join us as we break down the key factors to consider and provide insights that will help you determine if M&A is the right strategy for your business.  From economic conditions and industry trends to innovation and investment, we'll guide you through the de...

In today's episode, Joe will be diving into the fascinating world of energy. Often overlooked but essential to our daily lives, energy plays a critical role in powering our society and economy.  Today, Joe is joined by special guest Brad Morrill, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Crystal Flash.  They explore the crucial connection between strategy and execution within companies and how it impac...

In this episode, join us as we explore the pressing issue of succession planning and its far-reaching impact on companies of all sizes. From struggling through the complexities of leadership transitions to overcoming barriers and pitfalls, Joe brings you the expert advice and strategies you need to succeed.  Discover how succession planning can bring stability and continuity to your business, whil...

Navigating big business choices is like playing a grand game of chess. Every move affects your company, customers, and stakeholders. But... have you noticed that shadow lurking on the board? It's the 'Hidden Tax' of decision-making… Imagine this: You decide to expand your product line in market A, but by doing so, you unintentionally cut off access to the more profitable market B, resulting in a p...

Most leaders don't do well with M&A integrations. They get so caught up in trying to finish tasks that they forget about the bigger picture. This can lead to losing the trust of external stakeholders, customers and suppliers. Or in other words: Shooting for failure. So, what should you do instead to avoid this? In this episode, I reveal some of the common mistakes leaders make after integrating co...

Jumping into new markets is quite difficult… It's like walking in a dark, abandoned cave, not knowing what scary thing will pop up next. So it's crucial that you have someone that can guide you through the unknown path… Someone that knows the ins and outs of the market. Otherwise you're left to figure things out on your own wasting valuable years. Not only having someone guide you makes the whole...

As a leader, you must make decisions. The problem is you need to make the decisions before you have all the necessary information.  Delaying your decision makes your team question your leadership skills. But deciding too quickly can cause irreversible damage to your agribusiness, your team, and even your family.  So, how do you make smarter decisions when they're soaked in elevated risk?  In today...

Agribusiness was about being the best supplier of calories in the past. But with the global supply of food getting much more competitive, you either have to enter a price war or distinguish your offer to cater to different types of consumers. And while the other sectors in the economy have become experts in meeting specific demands in the market, the agribusiness space still lags far behind. On th...

The difference between a successful M&A that excites your team, grows your revenue, and creates a better experience for your customers… And a failed one where you invest tons of capital and time and energy for nothing comes down to asking 3 simple questions.  Why? Because M&As are exciting for your team. But this excitement, while healthy in doses, can become lethal if it's unjustified.  Asking th...

No plan survives first contact with the enemy. While this saying has its roots in the military, it applies perfectly to your business. As a business leader, you may be well prepared if a plan doesn't work, and have alternative ideas you can implement. But it's easy to lose track of the decisions other people in your business make. And if they can't get your opinion before they act, mistakes are un...

The most popular definition of leadership alignment is a fine line between productive dissent and aiding your team to operate as a group. But like it is with most "soft" skills, no one will come to you and brief you on the state of your leadership alignment, and whether you need to change something. Unresolved differences within your group may lead to competitiveness and people pointing their fing...

The best company you can acquire is often not the most successful. Instead, it's more important to assess how well the seller prepares the exit. This may sound obvious, but most M&A integrations fail because the buyer or the seller underestimate what it takes to mold a business, so it fits into the new ecosystem. No transition will be seamless, but there are many factors that influence the success...

An M&A integration may fail if you ignore the culture of the company you acquire. A business may have a similar offer in the same market as you, which makes them an excellent candidate to integrate into your organization. But they might've got successful in a different way than you. And not figuring out these differences may draw out the integration process, increasing the risk of failure. On the...

One of the fatal mistakes agribusinesses make is focusing their strategy around their margins. Yes, it's true that your business depends on the value it creates in the economy. But some of the best strategic decisions you can make may stunt your short-term earnings. That's okay, because they lay the foundation for much higher returns right after that. How? By giving the people in your business mor...

M&A integration is a process where nothing may happen for a long time. And then everything happens at once. But this can go 2 ways. Either you enter a lucrative market, or you can scare your customers away into the arms of your competitors. The reason? During major change, your teammates have to take more responsibility  because you need to focus less on the day-to-day, and more on the integration...

No matter how well you run a farm, working with the wrong middleman can diminish your margins. And the process of buying, storing and selling agricultural commodities is one if the least understood. This is a threat to every agribusiness, since there are many middlemen who can't meet the needs of either side of their customers. Fortunately, what makes a good middleman is obvious once you know it....

Imagine you close an M&A deal that will skyrocket your business. But your top personnel leaves for the competition, before the integration process even starts. If you haven't acquired a company yet, it will surprise you that this is a bitter reality for many CEOs. Losing the team members you count on to your rivals may seem unfair. But you can do a lot to make sure they realize that staying is bet...

One of the most common misconceptions about M&A integration is that it's a strategy. This is a fatal mistake. Because you can acquire a company without having any sort of strategy. And, if you try to wrap your strategy around a merge, it will most likely fail. Why? Because it's important to walk away from an M&A plan when it won't help your business grow.  When you think you need an M&A integratio...