Ranchonomics

When should you sell your cattle, and how do you know if it’s the right move? In this episode, host John Haskell sits down with Wally Olson, longtime rancher and sell/buy marketer, to dig into the mechanics and mindset behind selling cattle well. From recognizing when your cattle are overvalued to choosing between selling in the country, through the sale barn, or on a video auction, Wally breaks d...

Insurance might not be the most exciting part of running a ranch, but it can make or break your operation when things go wrong. In this episode, host John Haskell sits down with Julie Davidson, resident insurance expert, to unpack smart insurance moves and what every rancher should know about coverage, deductibles, and managing risk in a shifting market. Julie explains how rethinking your deductib...

Host John Haskell welcomes Julie Davidson to the podcast today to discuss trends in the insurance industry and how to avoid common insurance pitfalls. They discuss changes to underwriting and the increased use of drone technology, when to use insurance apps (and when not to), and what to consider before making an insurance claim. Julie also highlights the importance of understanding deductibles, e...

Ryan White is back on the podcast today to discuss the importance of land monitoring in ranching operations. He shares several SnapLand case studies that highlight the solutions provided by his ecosystem services company for businesses and landowners. These cases really show how different businesses and their leadership are taking some of the best feedback and natural resource accounting and turni...

SnapLands founder Ryan White joins host John Haskell on the podcast to discuss how their ecosystem services help people manage their land by creating efficient feedback loops between their land and businesses. With Ryan's background in land restoration, he shares why it's important to have a holistic approach to land management by creating a continuous improvement system for natural resources. Rya...

Julie Davidson, an experienced insurance professional, joins host John Haskell on the podcast today to share her farm and ranch insurance insights and considerations for how to protect your ranch. Key insights include the importance of regular policy reviews, the pitfalls of outdated coverage, and the critical role of insurance scores in setting premiums. Julie also emphasizes the need for adequat...

Alex McKiernan and John Locke are back with host John Haskell in this episode of the Ranchonomics podcast to discuss the concept of legacy in ranching. Building on the discussion from last week's episode about mission and vision, John Locke stresses that legacy begins with a vision and can be either a blessing or a burden, depending on how it's understood and managed. They share stories that illus...

Host John Haskell and co-host Alex McKiernan welcome back John Locke to discuss the distinctions between mission, vision, and purpose in both business and personal life to define your ranch legacy. They emphasize the importance of shared vision in driving decisions and actions, highlighting the ICA process, a four-step tool for defining and achieving vision, and stress the significance of emotiona...

John Haskell and co-host Alex McKiernan welcome John Locke, a sixth-generation rancher and instructor at Ranching for Profit, to the podcast today to discuss mindset and emotional barriers to succession in ranching. John highlights the importance of understanding emotions and effective communication, citing the need for extreme ownership and intentional listening. He shares his personal experience...

Nic De Castro, Founder and CEO of LandTrust, is back on the podcast today with host John Haskell to talk all about LandTrust, a marketplace for outdoor recreation on private land. Nic shares who it's for, the symbiotic relationship between LandTrust and landowners, and the low-touch, high-control nature of the business and its potential to provide extra income. They also discuss the types of activ...

John Haskell hosts Nic De Castro from LandTrust in a discussion about entrepreneurship. Nic shares his unique background in technology, his early startup experiences, and his transition from New York City to Bozeman, Montana. He discusses his philosophy on what makes a business successful and the concept of hypotheses in business. Nic also highlights the challenges and opportunities in working wit...

Bob Metzger is back on the podcast to discuss social dynamics, the challenges and opportunities in America, and the importance of deferred gratification and realistic expectations with host John Haskell. They talk about how, despite economic ups and downs, opportunities are abundant for those willing to work hard and manage their finances. Bob highlights the resilience of previous generations who...

In this episode of Ranchonomics, host John Haskell sits down with expert Bob Metzger to delve into the critical concept of opportunity cost in relation to both short-term and long-term investments. They explore the importance of factoring in interest payments when making financial decisions, as well as the power of compounding interest in maximizing returns. Metzger emphasizes that adopting a long...

Dr. David Kohl again joins host John Haskell to discuss the importance of a management mindset in farming and ranching operations. They discuss why, as a non-financial factor, having a strong management mindset matters and some tools you can apply to improve the various aspects of your business. Dr. Kohl highlights the significance of having a written business plan, setting specific, measurable, a...

Dr. David Kohl is back on the podcast today to discuss key financial metrics for ranch operations. With his background in agriculture, finance, and entrepreneurship, Dr. Kohl shares why you should be paying attention to your net profit margin, debt coverage ratio, net operating income, working capital, operating expense revenue, and debt-to-asset ratio. Dr. Kohl and host John Haskell break down wh...

Virginia Tech academic Dr. David Kohl joins host John Haskell on the podcast today to discuss key factors and commonalities for successful farmers and ranchers. He emphasizes the importance of developing a monthly or quarterly cash flow plan, which he refers to as the REM factor (respond, execute, monitor), as well as regenerative practices for both resources and personal well-being. He highlights...

Dallas Mount returns to the podcast to discuss the trend of over-specialization in ranching, highlighting the challenges and pitfalls of diversifying too much, too quickly. Dallas and host John Haskell emphasize the importance of focusing on a few core businesses that operate at scale and are profitable when talking about management experience and competence. Dallas notes that businesses with one,...

John Haskell welcomes Dallas Mount back to the podcast to discuss how to think about the future while ignoring the past. Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation we don't want to be in, and we want to reset and start over. Dallas walks us through an exercise he covered in a recent presentation to help us reconsider all of our assets on paper. He shares how to reevaluate and optimize assets on fa...

Host John Haskell welcomes back Stan and Eileen from Ramstead Ranch in part 2 of their conversation, discussing business processes and the operational improvements that have doubled their team's efficiency. They share the simple yet effective changes they implemented that led to a significant increase in package volume while maintaining error-free operations. The Ramsteads also emphasize the impor...

Stan and Eileen from Ramstead Ranch in Washington State sit down with host John Haskell to discuss the challenges of scaling a direct-to-consumer business, particularly in fulfillment. In part 1 of this conversation, they share how, after doubling their budget for paid advertising, they increased sales from $600,000 to $1.2 million within a year, leading to a fulfillment bottleneck. Faced with tea...

In this episode, host John Haskell and guest Travis Krause discuss the relationship between gross product and grazing management. Travis is a new member of the Ranch Right team helping out on the consulting side, and he's here to talk about how whole ranch profitability ultimately ties back to some of those first decisions you make about running your cows. John and Travis define gross product as t...

In today’s episode, host John Haskell welcomes Micayla Giffin, a new member of the Ranch Right team, to the Ranchonomics podcast to discuss the importance of financial literacy in agriculture. Her unique skill set combining finance and farming knowledge and her experience in communicating financial concepts to farmers make her the perfect addition to our team and this conversation. Micayla shares...

In today’s episode, host John Haskell welcomes back Charlotte Smith for conversation about the powerful connections between mindset and marketing for farm businesses. They discuss how thoughts like “I should be further along” can sabotage personal and business success, as well as practical tools for shifting to more supportive mindsets that drive action and growth. They also dive into the importan...

In this episode, host John Haskell reconnects with marketing and mindset coach Charlotte Smith to explore how our thoughts and beliefs shape business outcomes, especially in marketing. They discuss how our default thoughts and beliefs shape business outcomes and the importance of being intentional with our mindset and how it can impact our actions. John and Charlotte also discuss how the words we...

Host John Haskell welcomes back Logan Pribbeno to the Ranchonomics podcast to dive into the complexities of market timing strategies for cow herd management and the significant impact drought has on stocking decisions. They also discuss the challenges and lessons learned from missed market cycles, as well as practical approaches to surviving multi-year droughts, including the use of irrigated corn...