The Pacesetter Pod

Show Highlights: Do 70–90% of M&A deals fail to deliver or destroy value? [01:36] The origin of the M&A value destruction stat. [04:53] Historical context and contemporary relevance of stats. [07:44] The sample and methodology of the 1999 KPMG study. [08:36] The late-1990s macroeconomic context of the U.S. [11:29] Asian and Russian economic volatility during the study. [14:37] Do the late-90s econ...

Show Highlights: The unvarnished journey of Livestock Nutrition Centers. [04:56] What custom bulk feed blends solve for pre-feedlot beef cattle. [08:57] Why custom feed mixes are superior to big brand pellets. [12:15] Successfully counter-positioning in livestock nutrition. [16:26] Maturing from competing on price to selling value as ag suppliers. [27:06] Customization vs. efficiency trade-offs. [...

Show Highlights: Overview of Mark Waschek's career and Ag1Source. [05:07] Is agribusiness in a talent surplus or deficit currently? [09:05] Impacts of prioritizing structural assets over employee training in ag. [14:01] Is growing and promoting talent internally better for ag? [17:25] Why ag companies must pre-qualify leadership pipelines early. [19:19] The "Four Pillars" process for future leader...

Show Highlights: Glen Franzluebbers' life in ag and No Limit Ag's focus. [05:32] The need for synergy over size in the current co-op M&A wave. [12:05] Make co-op scaling objectives and strategy explicit pre-deal. [18:05] Problem-first strategic steps for precision ag and AI use. [24:32] Signs of the problem-first approach done unproductively. [29:16] Discover the "Success Triangle" for testing new...

Show Highlights: Agribusiness strategic commercialization focus. [06:16] The need for cross-functional collaboration when assessing risk. [14:18] Ensure rigor with reciprocal quantitative and qualitative data. [17:06] Why opportunistic M&A must be rooted in a preexisting strategy. [21:36] How Apeel scales edible coatings to reduce food waste. [27:46] Is de-risking farming the real mission of agtec...

Show Highlights: Meet Jay Shabat, industry analyst and Railroad Weekly author. [04:25] Overview of Class I railroads and their market power. [08:01] Lessons from the pros and cons of the CPKC merger. [13:48] What's driving Union Pacific's acquisition of NS? [18:29] Why Norfolk Southern is open to a strategic merger with UP. [24:39] Potential impacts of the UP–NS merger on ag shippers. [31:31] The...

Show Highlights: Cascadia Capital's services, its ag practice and ag client profiles. [03:55] The impact of net farm income on ag market dynamics. [08:04] What are the drivers of supply–demand imbalance in ag? [09:50] M&A as an exit in downturns, and qualities of winning companies. [14:17] Crucial strategic considerations for opportunistic M&As. [20:21] The paradox of market recovery and producer...

Show Highlights: Discover full-service design-build Keen Project Solutions. [06:22] Serving clients of all sizes in the agribusiness spectrum. [11:28] How to facilitate project-objective clarity with clients. [15:52] Why slow front-end planning matters for fast execution. [20:16] The "must-do" list for successful CapEx projects in ag. [27:54] The importance of appointing a dedicated project lead....

Show Highlights: What's captive insurance, and how does it work? [05:13] Control over risk attracting agribusinesses to captives. [07:18] How captives offer an underwriting income opportunity. [08:58] Financial and tax benefits in captives compared to self-insurance. [12:54] Get to know TrueNorth Companies and their unique strengths. [16:43] Rural risk factors in ag and insurance market challenges...

Show Highlights: Defining and fostering innovation at Beck's Hybrids. [04:32] Balancing skunkworks for future lines within R&D. [08:37] Bridging the gap between internal innovation and the farm gate. [12:44] Why does Beck partner with startups as a customer, avoiding a CVC model? [16:26] Hard lessons from rejected ideas and organizational resistance. [23:22] The power of relationships in driving i...

Show Highlights: USSEC's formation, role, and three strategic objectives. [06:05] Why countries import soy, and its unique global demand growth. [14:10] How past U.S. trade tensions led to Brazil's soy export boom. [16:12] A timeline of U.S.–China soybean trade from 1995 to the 2020 "Phase One" deal. [21:03] Benefits of reducing export risk by diversifying markets. [25:53] The future of U.S. soy i...

Show Highlights: Spotlight on Platinum Crush in soybean mainstay Iowa. [05:06] Erik Lightner's reverse-trajectory from ADM and Haskell to startup leader. [11:36] Lessons in pacing business building and asset readiness. [15:48] Four strategic allocation categories for capital. [22:50] What are "must-haves" vs. "wants" in a $400M startup? [27:33] How regional crushers can compete with industry giant...

Show Highlights: Field to Market's unique positioning in the ag value chain. [04:51] Why equal voices matter in a cross-sector coalition. [06:26] What are Field to Market's core functions and tools? [07:57] The value of real ag sector experience for coalition leadership. [10:42] Sustainability insights by agribusinesses from Field to Market's Annual Meeting. [15:00] M&A lessons from harnessing div...

Show Highlights: Understand the efficiency preoccupation in agriculture. [05:31] Facing the truth of bulk commodity vs. food production. [07:58] Uncover the true cost stack of food with bread pricing. [10:11] Capturing additive value and providing food solutions as producers. [13:15] Why ag innovation must focus on end-user food needs. [18:31] Explore the economics and benefits of shifting product...

Show Highlights: Revisiting Ep. 111: Ag's Asset Problem and Rural Blight [00:38] How your feedback improves thinking and learning. [04:13] Outpaced, misaligned small country elevator challenges. [06:42] Hyper-local solutions to make antiquated assets work. [10:26] Discover a novel entrepreneurial use of defunct truck houses. [14:00] Explore a listener's elevator "checkoff" fund proposal. [15:13] A...

Show Highlights: Ernie Chappell's background and the EFC Systems story. [04:54] The importance of prioritizing longevity and buyer needs over rapid growth. [08:00] Early signs of board misalignment and ways to resolve it. [19:11] How to communicate a vision to a board in a risk appetite mismatch. [23:00] The benefits of a people-first attitude in leadership. [29:55] Does the pain point you solve g...

Show Highlights: Laying M&A de-risking foundations in agribusiness. [00:40] Understand M&A as a process, not an event. [4:56] The pitfalls that lead M&A deals to disappoint. [06:36] The real challenge of post-deal integration. [10:53] How does M&A integration put pressure on a business? [11:35] Why a deal-objectives-derived integration plan matters. [17:29] The value of managing deferred decisions...

Show Highlights: What sets Horizon Resources apart. [03:54] North Dakota's ag co-op merger aversion [06:05] The ag co-op business model amid the Bakken oil boom and bust. [09:54] The power of scaling known capabilities in a time of rapid growth. [16:21] Grain origination and managing unhedgeable flat-price risk. [22:34] Buyer concentration, no-bid decisions, and hyperlocal market dynamics. [30:19]...

Show Highlights: Definition of diversification. [02:28] Is diversification always objectively valuable in ag? [03:10] The diversification misnomer in the context of co-ops. [04:29] Perceived vs. real diversification. [08:27] Three critical risks of attempting true diversification. [13:01] What problems do we seek to resolve by diversification? [17:29] The fallacy that diversifying adds member valu...

Show Highlights: BulkLoads' origin story and company overview. [03:31] Opportunities and challenges ag bulk freight creates. [07:39] Service innovation with factoring and TMS solutions. [21:24] Insights on broad appeal and pain points beyond load matching. [26:26] The benefits of digitization in trucking and freight. [28:47] Explore the uses and trends of AI robotics in trucking. [36:20] The futur...

Show Highlights: Taking a collective approach to agtech advisory needs. [06:13] The Collective's service offerings and expertise. [10:37] Core forms of AI in ag with compelling examples. [17:46] Why a digital strategy is essential for every agribusiness. [25:45] Factors hindering AI adoption away from Excel and ERPs. [26:09] How does AI enhance operational efficiencies for farmers, dealers, and ag...

Show Highlights: Understand the centrality of customer retention in M&A success. [00:47] The importance of defining retention goals as explicit data-driven targets. [02:43] How to identify the customers to prioritize in retention strategies. [04:18] Why first-year post-deal retention is not predictive. [05:57] Growth and retention as "both/and" objectives explained with M&A math. [11:49] The value...

Show Highlights: Learn about Michigan-based AgroLiquid 40+ years strong in crop fertility. [03:15] Why AgroLiquid chose M&A for growth after decades of organic expansion. [05:55] The five-key disciplined framework that led to acquiring Monty's Plant Food. [06:47] Understand the post-deal realities of integration. [15:28] Is your agribusiness sellable, though you may never sell? [21:07] Explore the...

Show Highlights: How Compeer Financial positions its identity and impact in agribusiness. [03:40] Multilateral collaboration as an ag innovation accelerator. [07:29] How an abundance mindset, not zero-sum thinking, benefits ag. [12:20] Why long-term rural community development matters for true sustainability in ag. [16:36] Defining a strong organizational culture and articulating its essence as a...

Show Highlights: Discover the origins and key role of NOPA in oilseeds. [05:04] The latest science vs. sentiment conversation on seed oils in food. [09:01] Are seed oils ultra-processed as the MAHA Commission asserts? [11:12] Why clear policy signals from RVOs and 45Z tax credits are critical. [18:54] How 45Z policy changes will directly benefit domestic farmers and producers. [21:38] Will the 45Z...