Profitable Farmer

At Farm Owners Academy, we are big believers that our mental well-being is closely linked to our physical health AND positive social interactions.    I am delighted to interview Active Farmer Founder and Director Ginny Stevens in this episode. Over eight years, Active Farmers has grown from an idea and one weekly fitness class in Mangoplah, NSW, to a significant and important national charity supp...

One of the best bits about being part of Farm Owners Academy is the life-long friendships we see being fostered across our incredible and growing community.   One of the greatest privileges of being a Coach is supporting great people to make meaningful and lasting changes in their personal and business development journeys.   Our members achieve huge amounts in their 3-year Platinum Mastermind jou...

Often, it is my observation that succession is made to be a bigger and more complex issue than it needs to be. Often, in my opinion, good business practice applied to family business can be the key to aligning a family to a common goal and plan; creating meaningful, regular and proactive communications; providing financial clarity and control for all parties; delivering structures and systems to s...

Farmers can be a humble bunch, perhaps in part a function of a certain ‘tall poppy syndrome’ that exists across our landscape. As a result, as well as the fact that most of us are production-focused and not necessarily marketing-trained, we are not always great at telling our unique stories or promoting our own business ‘brand.’   Taking this further, globally, there seems to be an ever-increasing...

We find ourselves in an economic environment very different to 12 months ago - now characterised by high inflation, rising interest rates and an uplift in unemployment in most of our trading nations across the globe.    On the back of a compelling quarterly economic review to our Members, I have invited Terry Tran – Freedom Trader – to join me again to make sense of it all. To give us a no BS take...

What does moving from a ‘start-up’ to ‘significance’ as an entrepreneur take? Let’s find out. In this episode, I am delighted to reconnect with my past business coaching client, now successful entrepreneur Steven Mirtschin. Leaving a successful banking career to back himself in business, Steven now leads over 13 businesses and a team of over 150. Over 15 years, Steven has successfully scaled a com...

You don’t achieve greatness without first being a very special individual.   In this episode, I am pleased to introduce to you Aussie sporting icon Trevor Hendy, renowned as the greatest ironman on earth.   A former professional athlete having won six Australian Open Ironman titles and four consecutive World Ironman titles, Trevor has become a coach, role model, teacher and mentor to sporting and...

We all now know that safety on-farm is an important issue. We also know that most farm businesses have more to do in this area, and it is pleasing to see so many farming families prioritising farm safety as a core part of the business improvement strategies.   SafeAg System is presently leading the way in helping farming families create safer and more professional workplaces; their App & offer...

I have always been intrigued by Rabobank as a business.   A 120-year-old Dutch cooperative founded by farmers for farmers, now a global sensation specialising in agribusiness lending from over 1,000 offices across 38 countries, serving over 9 million customers... I think their Australasian Team are to be commended on the passion, dedication and quality support they provide to farming families acro...

For many, the last few years have been unique and positive – resulting from low inflation, low-interest rates, above-average commodity prices and above-average production.   Now, our current reality is very different.   We will likely see an extended period of increased inflation, increasing interest rates and softening commodity prices. In addition, from a production standpoint, there is talk of...

At Farm Owners Academy, we help farming families create FREEDOM FARMS – that is a highly profitable business with the systems, structures, team AND performance to be able to work without dependence on you! As a team, we feel proud of the results that hundreds of farming families are achieving in their pursuit of this reality. Over the coming months, I will share some of these outstanding stories w...

In life, we have the opportunity to meet some remarkable people. Those individuals are often quietly determined to serve others and make a meaningful impact.   I met Mike Stephens, Founder, Director and Lead Consultant of Meridian Agriculture, as an overly enthusiastic and bullish 25-year-old. I have regarded him as a role model and mentor ever since.   One of Australian agriculture’s truly great...

So many farming families I meet feel completely REACTIVE in managing their farms. On so many levels, we often are left feeling like the business is running you, not you it. With all that is going on in a typical week, the long list of improvements to make, the complexities of programs and rotations, the changes of the season… for me, it is easy to see why so many arrive here.   One of my favourite...

Technology can be pretty incredible. With its exponential advancement, there is no doubt we are on the cusp of unprecedented change on-farm and across our industry.   Our game is rapidly changing, allowing us to achieve much more with much less.   For me, our future is very exciting. In this episode, I invite you to join me and an audience of 350 progressive, growth-oriented and passionate farmers...

Throughout each year, I value the opportunity to invite our Investment Specialist Terry Tran to join us on Profitable Farmer.   With rising inflation, increasing interest rates, ongoing supply issues and softening commodity prices we are potentially entering a new agri-economic landscape, different from all we have experienced in recent years.   In this podcast we explore how Terry sees the invest...

It is so easy in this game to constantly put in massive hours, ensure everyone around you has what they need, and focus intently on getting the job done. An extended finish, a challenging season and ALREADY the urgent requirement to get set to ‘go again’… I hear of many farming families feeling they must sacrifice their holiday plans to stay on top of production imperatives. Right now, it is criti...

So often in this game, we attend only the training put on by the R&D extension agencies or free events by our advisers. So often, we wait for a grant to become available before we commit to a course, or we focus on improving our skills ONLY when there is a subsidy or sponsorship toward the funding of it.  My point is: So many farmers don’t invest enough in themselves! In this episode, Andrew ‘...

There are some genuinely impressive Australian stories of entrepreneurial success in our industry — true, unsung, modern examples of courage, initiative, determination and pioneering.   For me, Dwain Duxson and the Farm Tender story is one of those.   Founded in March 2012, Farm Tender is Australia’s pre-eminent online buying and selling marketplace for farmers and associated agricultural companie...

We are excited to be kicking off our first podcast of 2023, we hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year break. May 2023 be your best year yet!   One of the great things about this time of year is friends dropping in on their holiday travels.   There truly is nothing like old friendships. Whilst visiting us, I am delighted to once again welcome great mate James Kelly to our podcast. As...

Business can be a very lonely place. Farming can be isolating.    Sometimes… no, often… we can feel like we are ‘going it alone’.    Our challenges, failings, and issues can feel unique to us.    In my experience, when you commit to joining a Mastermind Group, everything can change. There is much wisdom to call on from those around us, and we quickly realise we are not alone and our issues are not...

It has once again been a unique farming season - perhaps one like no other!   In this episode, and once again, I call on Brett Stevenson, Managing Director & Founder of Market Check – the most influential, independent grain marketing and education service for Australian farmers.   Together we explore: an assessment of the current season; advice on the importance of proactive grain marketing at...

Right now, there are many farming families facing real challenges. Extended rains, widespread flooding, the prospect of failed crops, wet paddocks and the complexities all this brings for hay carting, harvest and the end of our season.   A season that promised so much.   A cost-base inflated by the aftermath of a global pandemic.   Seven years ago, Platinum Mastermind members Troy and Nette Fisher...

Dave ‘Westy’ Westbrook here – and I have hijacked this episode of the Profitable Farmer Podcast!   For me, true wealth is about the inner success or the ‘inner hero’ that we all have inside us, and, at the end of the day, our farming businesses are tools to help us create the life we desire.   I am so incredibly excited to welcome three special guests to the podcast - Ironman world champion Trevor...

As Part III on the important topic of RESILIENCE, I speak with the incredible Maria Ruberto – specialist in the neuroscience and deep psychology of human resilience.   Her official definition: Advancing despite adversity.   Love this.   I find how our mind works so fascinating. Recent advances in neuroscience continue to help us more deeply understand this area and seem to favour the more innate a...

To speak plainly, family relationships need to be resilient in family business.   To be honest - so often, behind closed doors, simply, they are not.   As Part II on the topic of RESILIENCE, I speak with Farm Owners Academy Director and Soul Pleaser Program Founder , Tracy Secombe – our resident authority on this topic.   In this episode, Tracy & I more deeply explore: how families can comprom...