The Germinate Podcast

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Clayton Lind, founder of Atlas Media Group , along with Jeremy, for a candid conversation about one of the biggest questions facing American agriculture: Has the industry become too dependent on corn and soybeans, and what would it actually take to change the system? Clayton brings a unique perspective to the conversation. Origi...

In this solo episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson steps behind the mic to unpack a question that has been on his mind after attending the Farm Progress Show and watching a recent LinkedIn article spark a much bigger conversation: Has American agriculture become too dependent on the corn-and-soybean system? Joe starts with what he saw on the ground during farm show season. After several d...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Jeremy Bess and Patrick Luce, Principal/Senior Economists at Stantec , to make sense of an economy that can often feel anything but predictable. Ahead of their appearance at the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association conference in New Orleans, Jeremy and Patrick break down the economic signals businesses should actually be wat...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Harman Sangha, assistant professor at Auburn University, for a conversation about artificial intelligence, automation, agricultural engineering, and what the next generation of farm technology could look like. Harman brings a unique perspective shaped by work in both India and the United States, with experience ranging from smal...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Lon Stroschein for a deeply personal conversation about career success, identity, purpose, and what happens when the life you’ve worked so hard to build no longer feels like the life you’re supposed to be living. Lon speaks directly to professionals who appear to have everything they once wanted. They have successful careers, fi...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Casey Niemann, founder of AgriSync and former Microsoft and John Deere leader, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, agricultural technology, customer experience, and what it really takes to build a company from the ground up. Casey’s story begins on a Kansas farm, takes him through a 15-year career at Microsoft, and eventu...

This episode is a recording of The Momentum Network Webinar, originally recorded on July 31, 2026, and has been repurposed for The Germinate Podcast . In this special episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson and Jeremy Groeteke welcome Daniel Schultz, founder of Schultz Collaborative, for a conversation about challenging conventional thinking in agriculture and why the industry may need more...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Chris Jones, an Iowa scientist, author, and candidate for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, for a wide-ranging conversation about water quality, the changing economics of farming, agricultural policy, and what the future of Iowa agriculture could look like. With a background in chemistry and contaminant hydrology, Chris has spent m...

In this special episode of The Germinate Podcast , hosts Joe Sampson and Jeremy Groeteke welcome Drew Jensen, co-founder of Tredas, for a conversation focused on one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today: managing risk in an increasingly unpredictable marketplace. As margins tighten and market volatility becomes the norm, the discussion explores how farmers can make more confident, co...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Pete Casamento, owner of GBGI, and Mark Adams, Vice President of Sales, for a conversation about American manufacturing, agricultural innovation, customer relationships, and what it takes to build a resilient business in today’s rapidly changing economy. Recorded on-site at GBGI’s headquarters in Chardon, Ohio, the discussion of...

In this special episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson and Jeremy Groeteke bring listeners a recording from The Momentum Network Webinar , featuring Alexandra Russomagno, who leads AGCO Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of AGCO. This conversation explores the future of agricultural innovation, venture investment, artificial intelligence, and what manufacturers, startups, and ag l...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Lauren Goodell, entrepreneur, AI sales strategist, and former top-performing sales executive at Microsoft and Salesforce, for an insightful conversation about sales, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, personal branding, and the future of work. What begins as a discussion about Lauren’s impressive career journey quickly e...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Jennifer Edney, fourth-generation leader and CEO of Edney Distributing Company, for a thoughtful conversation about family business, leadership, succession planning, innovation, and preparing organizations for the future. What begins as a discussion about Edney Distributing’s 75-year history quickly becomes a broader conversatio...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Craig Scholz of Southern Marketing Affiliates for a conversation about agriculture, aftermarket parts, customer service, leadership, and the importance of investing in the next generation. Craig shares his journey from growing up around agriculture to studying agribusiness and animal science at the University of Wisconsin-Platte...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with Kyle Bennett for an in-depth conversation about agricultural innovation, spray efficiency, dealer relationships, and why the future of farming may depend less on increasing yields and more on optimizing every input. What begins as a discussion about new technology quickly evolves into a broader conversation about sustainability,...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson welcomes back longtime friend and Justin Brown for a candid conversation about leadership, personal growth, family, loss, and the impact we leave on others. What begins as a discussion about entrepreneurship and busy calendars quickly evolves into a much deeper reflection on purpose, perspective, and the responsibility that comes with leading...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Mikayla Mooney for a conversation about entrepreneurship, innovation, venture capital, and the future of agricultural technology. What begins as a discussion about Mikayla’s startup journey quickly evolves into a broader conversation about problem-solving, customer obsession, startup ecosystems, and what it takes to build succes...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Jared Gibson for a conversation about personal branding, social media, sales, leadership, and the rapidly evolving relationship between technology and trust. What begins as a discussion about content creation quickly becomes a broader conversation about authenticity, human connection, and why people still buy from people in an i...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Greg Kay of WSD Wheel Systems for a wide-ranging conversation about sales, competition, artificial intelligence, family business, and the evolving future of manufacturing and agriculture. Greg shares his journey from working in the fast-paced world of enterprise software sales to joining his family’s business in the agricultural...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with his daughter, Emery Sampson, just hours after her high school graduation for a heartfelt conversation about growing up, stepping into adulthood, and navigating the uncertainty of what comes next. What begins as a reflection on graduation day quickly turns into a deeper discussion about purpose, pressure, faith, technology, and t...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Rodney Hake of Great Plains Manufacturing for an in depth conversation on the evolution of tillage, the rise of vertical tillage, and how innovation reshaped modern farming practices over the last two decades. What starts as a conversation about equipment history quickly becomes a broader discussion about soil health, crop emerg...

In this special onsite episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson travels to WorkSaver in Litchfield, Illinois, for a behind the scenes look at American manufacturing and the realities of building agricultural equipment in today’s economy. Joined by company leaders Tim Burenga and Mike Kloster, the conversation explores the challenges, opportunities, and evolution of manufacturing in the Unite...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Jonathan Coppess for a wide ranging and deeply insightful conversation on agriculture, policy, and the realities shaping today’s farming landscape. Drawing from his extensive experience in Washington D.C., including work on multiple farm bills and time spent with the USDA and Senate Agriculture Committee, Jonathan offers a uniqu...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Stephanie Wedryk, founder of Wedryk Ag LLC, for a wide ranging conversation on innovation, agriculture, and the evolving future of work. What begins as a discussion on product development quickly expands into a deeper look at how the industry is navigating change, uncertainty, and opportunity. Stephanie shares her journey into a...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Emily and Avery Elsing of New Age Custom Farming to explore how modern farmers are blending tradition, entrepreneurship, and digital storytelling to build both a business and a brand. What started as a simple idea to document daily life on the farm has grown into a thriving YouTube channel with tens of thousands of followers and...