Profitable Farmer

“You’re doing better than you think.” It’s the simple, powerful reminder that Tim and Cheryl Freak leave behind after every farm visit.   In this episode, I sit down with two of our long-time FOA members and coaches, Tim and Cheryl, who have spent the past three years deeply embedded in our community, supporting hundreds of farm businesses across Australia. This year alone, they’ve completed more...

Australia’s wool sector is still feeling the pinch. There’s no doubt the last couple of years have been challenging, with recent decile two and three prices making it hard for many businesses to stay afloat. But despite these obstacles, the Swales of Woodlands set an example of resilience. They’re carrying 150 years of family heritage into the future, proving that even in the face of adversity, th...

After more than 15 years of focused breeding, data collection, and persistence, Tom Bull and his team at LAMBPRO have achieved what many thought was impossible: the creation of KS7, a Marble Score 7 lamb, developed in partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia, Endeavour Meats, and chef Matt Moran.    This high-marbling lamb delivers the same eating quality, juiciness, and tenderness that con...

Australian cattle and lamb markets are at a tipping point. Prices have surged to record highs, but according to leading analyst Simon Quilty, we’re about to hit what he calls “unsustainable pricing.”    Bringing over 30 years of hard-won market insight to the table, Simon Quilty has worked with top firms including Louis Dreyfus, ConAgra, DR Johnston, and FC Stone. Today, he helps large financial i...

At just two years old, Terry Tran fled Vietnam by boat with his parents, was rescued after days lost at sea, and spent months on a Malaysian refugee island. It was there, on Christmas Eve, that a storm claimed his father’s life, leaving his 21-year-old mother widowed with a toddler to raise.    From those humble beginnings, Terry has built a life of financial freedom, not through shortcuts but thr...

In recent years grain growers nationally have enjoyed an extended period of strong prices and favourable market conditions.  According to grain industry authority, Brett Stevenson, Managing Director of Market Check, this may well be all about to change.  Of the back of last month’s Australian Grains Industry Conference (AGIC), I invite Brett to once again join me to give us his expert insights to...

From growing up on a dairy farm in western Victoria with 12 siblings to the frontlines of one of the toughest fights in medical research, Sam McGuane’s story is one of resilience, service, and hope. As the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of The Brain Cancer Centre, and a key leader behind Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, Sam is on a mission to transform the future of brain cancer research.  In...

When you wear as many hats as our farming families do, time is one thing you never have enough of.    From the kitchen table to the paddock, we’re constantly making decisions, solving problems, and figuring out how to do more with less. What if there was a way to take some of that pressure off, without handing over the reins?    In this episode, I sit down with Dimity Smith, agri-business innovato...

I really values the constructs that: ‘you cannot solve the problem you have created in the environment in which you created it’… and ‘many minds make for smarter work’. What could you see more clearly if you took time with key decision-makers away from your farm? How many more options and insights might you access if you more actively called on the collective wisdom of other high-performing farm o...

What if the future isn’t something to fear but something we can prepare for, shape, and lead into with confidence?  For Simon Kuestenmacher, understanding what’s ahead isn’t guesswork. It’s grounded in data, demography and deep thinking. As co-founder of The Demographics Group , Simon helps leaders across the country make sense of the big forces shaping our communities, our economies and our busin...

What if we treated safety not as a box to tick, but as a culture to lead?    For Rebecca Fing, this isn’t a theoretical question — it’s the heart of her life’s work. From her base in Goondiwindi, Rebecca and her team at House Paddock Training & Consulting have spent two decades helping farm families lift their game in HR, business strategy, and importantly — work health and safety.    This epi...

  Every great innovation starts with a question — Could this be done better?    For Wayne Perkins, that question came in a wool shed, with a busted back, and a view of shearing that hadn’t changed in a century. He wasn’t looking to build a business. He was looking to fix a problem.    And in true agri-entrepreneur fashion, what followed was part invention, part persistence — and one heck of a stor...

Succession isn’t just a plan on paper — it’s a living, breathing conversation about legacy, leadership, and what we’re really passing on. And when it’s done well, it can strengthen not just the business, but the family behind it.  This episode is a testament to that. Rob and Ainsley McArthur aren’t just managing a successful beef operation in central Queensland — they’re guiding a generational tra...

Now and then, you get the chance to pause, look back, and really take stock. And when that moment rolls around, it can be quietly powerful.    That’s exactly what this episode is. A milestone. A moment. A celebration.    This year marks 10 years of Farm Owners Academy, and I wanted to sit down with two people who’ve been there from the start — FOA founder Greg Johnsson and our CEO Sam Johnsson — a...

The markets are rattled. The headlines are loud. And for farmers trying to plan ahead, it’s starting to feel a bit like trying to build a fence in shifting sand. That’s exactly why, in this episode of Profitable Farmer, I’ve invited back our trusted investment specialist, Terry Tran from Freedom Trader - because when the world gets noisy, Terry brings sharp thinking and clear-eyed strategy.   At p...

Let’s be honest - running a farm can feel like a never-ending list of things to do. The sun comes up, and we’re off… chasing the day, solving problems, making it all happen. But here’s the question we’re leaning into on this episode: What if the biggest breakthrough for your business isn’t out there in the paddock… but in here, inside you?  At Farm Owners Academy, we’ve learned time and again that...

As we reset for 2025, many are feeling the weight of a brutal 2024. And to be completely honest — when you're staring down a decile one year, it’s hard to know where to start.     How do you budget with confidence? How do you front up to your bank when the season doesn’t go your way?    So here is the truth: waiting it out isn’t a strategy. Hope isn’t a business plan. And if you want to lead your...

Where have you learned leadership?  On the farm? In a day job? Inherited perhaps?  For most, NONE have learned the vital art and science of leadership.  It is a learned skill. One we can all commit to and master.   One we all need to be successful in life and business, and in succeeding in the pursuit of a family farm that can transcend generations…  It is a privilege to introduce Paul Ainsworth,...

Running a farm comes with its fair share of challenges, and it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day. But some of the biggest opportunities for growth come from stepping outside our own operations, connecting with others, and learning from those facing similar challenges. Stronger businesses, smarter decisions, and a more resilient industry all start with farmers coming together and sharing kn...

If something happened to you tomorrow, would your farm keep running? Would your team know what to do? Would your business continue to operate, or does it all rely on you? It’s one of those things we don’t like to think about, but it’s critical — not just for succession planning or long-term growth, but for building a farm business that’s resilient and can operate without you. Today, I have the ple...

Farming is a beautiful and rewarding way of life, but as we know, it comes with its fair share of risks—some that we prepare for and others that shake us to the core.     In this episode, we dive into an extraordinary story of resilience, resourcefulness, and reinvention as we sit down with Matt and Hayley Watson, first-generation farmers who built a thriving free-range egg business, faced devasta...

Today, we’re diving into a cracker of a conversation with three of our incredible FOA business coaches—Rick Morris, Marina Gregor, and Jack Owen. They not only run their own successful farming enterprises but also help guide others in our FOA community to achieve remarkable results.    In this episode, we reflect on the wins, challenges, and insights that shaped 2024. You’ll hear how these coaches...

As we near the end of another whirlwind year, it’s a chance to reflect, reset, and recharge. The festive season brings its own flurry of busyness, but before we all step into some well-deserved downtime, I wanted to bring you a conversation packed with insight and inspiration to help you wrap up 2024 with purpose and head into 2025 with clarity.    In this episode, I’m joined by Farm Owners Academ...

Today’s conversation is one of those deep dives into leadership, resilience, and navigating the complexities of life—whether that’s on the farm, in the boardroom, or out on the footy field.    Joining me is Cameron Schwab, a man who, at just 24, stepped into the CEO role of an elite AFL club, and over the years has learned not only what leadership demands of us but how it shapes us.    Cameron is...

Often, the journey of personal development can be misunderstood or even dismissed- many might view it as unnecessary or even indulgent. As we explore in this episode, it is not about ‘fixing’ yourself or chasing perfection… it’s about choosing who you want to become, letting go of old stories, and moving towards a more authentic, abundant version of yourself.     In this episode, I am delighted to...