The Germinate Podcast

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...

In this solo episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson shares a real time reflection on what he is seeing across the agriculture industry after spending several weeks on the road meeting with companies, attending conferences, and having conversations with leaders across the space. Joe frames this episode as a “state of the union” for agriculture, technology, and business, offering a candid pe...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Kerry Juhl to explore the foundational role that health, fitness, and daily habits play in long term performance and quality of life. Drawing on more than three decades of experience in the health and wellness industry, Kerry shares practical insight into how individuals and organizations can take a more intentional approach to...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with Megan Ratcliff, co-founder of Clarity in Motion Collective, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way businesses operate, market, and make decisions. Megan shares her perspective on AI as more than just a tool. She frames it as a transformation that requires a shift in mindset, not just technology adoption. Wit...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with Dan Schultz, an agricultural marketing strategist known for challenging the way the industry thinks about marketing, sales, and brand building. Dan shares his perspective on why traditional marketing approaches in agriculture are broken and how companies can rethink their go to market strategy to drive real business outcomes. Dra...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, host Joe Sampson sits down with recent graduates Jack O’Brien and Shae Doherty to explore what it feels like to step out of the structured world of college and into the uncertainty of the professional workforce. Their conversation highlights the mix of excitement, anxiety, opportunity, and curiosity that many young professionals experience during this tran...

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, host Joe Sampson sits down with Zac Engler, Chief AI Officer at C4 Tech Services, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the modern workforce and what it means for businesses navigating rapid technological change. Zac works with organizations across industries to develop AI strategies, train teams, and build custom AI solutions that improve pr...

Podcast: The Germinate Podcast Host: Joe Sampson Guest: Chelsea Bodin and David James In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with labor and employment attorneys Chelsea Bodin and David James of Nyland Johnson Lewis to unpack one of the most complex and rapidly evolving areas of business today: the employee employer relationship. What begins as a conversation about HR trend...

Host: Joe Sampson Guest: Roger Murdock In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with longtime industry leader Roger Murdock for a wide ranging conversation about agriculture, innovation, relationships, and what it really takes to stay relevant in a changing world. Roger’s journey into agriculture was anything but conventional. Originally pursuing telecommunications and worki...

Host: Joe Sampson Guest: Jason Walsmith In this unique and deeply reflective episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with longtime Iowa musician and creative entrepreneur Jason Walsmith, best known as one half of the band The Nadas. What begins as a nostalgic look back at the 1990s Iowa music scene quickly becomes a powerful conversation about grit, reinvention, creativity, and the...

In this wide-ranging and deeply insightful episode of  The Germinate Podcast , Joe Sampson sits down with James Shurts of Great Plains Manufacturing for an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, and navigating one of the most challenging periods the ag equipment industry has faced in decades. James brings nearly 30 years of experience across agriculture, manufacturing, product strategy,...

In this forward-looking episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with ag-tech founder and industry thought leader Chris Hunsaker for a wide-ranging conversation about innovation, efficiency, and the future of agricultural equipment. Chris shares his journey from growing up on a farm in southern Idaho to leading a technology-driven company focused on improving how farms manage operat...

Automation is one of the biggest buzzwords in manufacturing — but according to Matt Henley of THG Automation, most companies are asking the  wrong first question. Instead of “How do we automate everything?”, Matt makes the case for a smarter approach: Start simple. Start where you win fast. And stop turning automation into a science project. Joe and Matt dive into the real-world mindset shift comp...

Podcast: The Germinate PodcastHost: Joe SamsonGuest: Jason KiesauLinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-kiesauIn the first episode of 2026, Joe Samson sits down with leadership consultant and social intelligence expert Jason Kiesau for a deeply personal and practical conversation about leadership, behavior, and human connection. Jason shares his powerful personal story, from growing up in...