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Episodes
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
So much of our focus AND the advice we receive is centred around optimising our Farm Businesses.
When we think about off-farm investing, we look to shares and real estate as our primary options.
Remember the small business. Often, the small business we run as a ‘side-hustle’ beside our farms get little attention and are often left to play ‘second fiddle’.
In this podcast, I propose that perhaps our greatest opportunity is in the small business that sits beside our farm business – perhaps there is MORE value to create there? Perhaps your small business may hold the key to helping you achieve expansion, bolster cash flow and move you to the next level!
Do not underestimate the importance and power of a cash-rich business that complements the farm business you have. AND, as farmers, don’t underestimate your business acumen and your entrepreneurial ability.
The business principles and entrepreneurial skills we teach at Farm Owners Academy – when applied to your farm AND non-farm businesses – can together be the perfect combination to set you free! I suggest it just takes a shift in thinking, focus, and a stronger strategic plan to make this happen and THRIVE.
I see so many great examples of this in David & Bianca from ‘Our Cow’, Tom & Phoebe from LambPro, Neil & Coral from the Junee Licorice Factory, Juliet & Huw from the Long Track Pantry, and Sam & Prue from Holbrook Paddock Eggs (just to name but a few)! They have found a way to SCALE with a focus on BUSINESS just as much as FARMING.
If they can do it, why not you?
Remember, TIME is our greatest asset. So if you are squandering time and focusing on low-value activities, I encourage you to STOP, RESET and FIND A WAY to allocate one day per week to working ON YOUR BUSINESS, not in your business… this could be the thing that makes all the difference for you.
I hope this challenges your thinking and offers you some different and BETTER questions over the Christmas and festive season to turn your mind to.
Here’s to the importance of good business practice – applied both ON and OFF farm!
Keep winning!
Hutch & the FOA Team
P.S. To speak with us about how we can help you scale your non-farm business… book a ‘let’s have a yarn’ call with Westy by clicking HERE.
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
In this episode, I welcome Andrew Roberts back for an interview he coordinated with Bianca & David McGiveron, Founders of ‘Our Cow’.This is a genuinely inspiring Australian success story.Just three years ago, David and Bianca were engulfed by prolonged droughts AND wiped out by fires. They were broke, tired, and forced to do something else… to think ‘outside the box’. They asked themselves: how can we re-invent to make our small farm viable long-term? And from a standing start… ‘Our Cow’ was born.Just three years on, Dave & Bianca now employ over 25 people in Casino, in a business currently grossing $8m plus per year. Last month, they delivered over 2,800 boxes to almost every part of Australia. Their monthly recurring revenue for their meat subscription alone is now over $650k per month.Their passion now is to scale, and for ‘Our Cow’ to see hard-working Aussie Farmers get a fair and stable price for their livestock.Remember: doing the same thing over and again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.How are you innovating and pioneering to create a business model with the capacity to scale?We hope this episode inspires and motivates you, and we can’t wait to see what is next for our friends at Our Cow.Hutch, Robbo & TeamP.S. If you want more information about investing in the ‘Our Cow’ journey, click here, and they will send you more information. If you want to supply to Our Cow (meat), then send them an email at admin@ourcow.com.auP.P.S. Our Take Control program is where Our Cow first started their journey! Click here to learn more information about this program.
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Land Prices are through the roof, bank lending policies continue to tighten, and the red tape is getting thicker for all across our industry.
If we are serious about farm expansion, inter-generational transition and driving new & improved operating performance, we need to be looking and thinking ‘outside the box’ now more than ever.
With these realities in mind, I call on Collaborative Farming Expert, Jeff McDonald, to explore the benefits of this Farming option.
Jeff is the Founder & Managing Director of Riverland Lending Services and Collaborative Farming Australia. He is also the Chair of many highly successful collaborative farming ventures across Australia – including Bulla Burra, Sherwood Estate and River Wine Collaboratives.
In this discussion, I expected to explore what underpins successful collaborative farming; to learn about some compelling case studies of farming families doing it well and the benefits of this approach to farming... what I didn’t expect, and thoroughly appreciate, is Jeff’s candour and willingness to explore in detail his comment that:
“Good business governance is critical to collaborative and family farming equally. If you are not full bottle on this, you are already on your way out of farming.”
You might not like all that Jeff has to say. You might find it challenging. But in reality, he speaks a truth that farm owners can no longer deny – be professional or perish.
Jeff, thank you for your openness, straight-talk, and insightful explanation of how a collaborative approach to farm business expansion can see everyone involved achieve more.
Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I have.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Hutchings
Managing Director, Farm Owners Academy
P.S. If you would like to explore this topic further, you can get in contact with Jeff directly (E) jeff@rls.net.au
When you’re ready to take the next step and work with us, here are three things you can do:
1. Subscribe to our ‘Profitable Farmer’ podcast This free audio podcast delivers ideas to help you run a great business – leading to more profit, control and freedom – Click here.
2. Join the Farm Owner Academy’s closed Facebook group ‘Profitable Farmer’ Our new Facebook community is where smart farm owners learn how to get more profit, control and freedom, and you can connect with like-minded farm owners – Click here to join.
3. Work with us privately If you’d like our team to help you scale up your farming business or create a ‘freedom farm’ just email us at support@farmownersacademy.com and put “Private” in the subject line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to improve and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
And so, I continue my series of interviews with remarkable rural Australian women.
Ladies & gentlemen, meet Lyn Sykes.
Spending some time in nursing and counselling in her early career, Lyn found herself invited to help a group of farmers better manage family communication… and the rest, as they say, is history!
Thirty years plus and a highly successful career later, Lyn has become an icon in our industry on all things family alignment, communication and succession.
Having studied with Lyn over 20 years ago as a ‘whipper-snapper’ farm consultant, it is with great pleasure that I re-connect with her to discuss a host of critical family farming topics, including:
where and why farm succession goes wrong;
how communication can fall apart;
what helps make it right;
Lyn’s process for fostering good outcomes; and
the role you best play as the mother, father, son, daughter, in-law or out-law to each succession conversation!
As you will glean, I have a lot of respect for Lyn. I see her as a true pioneer of this space and someone who has had a significant and understated contribution to our industry.
I hope that this podcast does her career justice whilst helping you check in and make improvements to how you are navigating this important conversation.
Thank you, Lyn - enjoy all, and keep winning!
Jeremy Hutchings
When you’re ready to take the next step and work with us, here are three things you can do:
1. Subscribe to our ‘Profitable Farmer’ podcastThis free audio podcast delivers ideas to help you run a great business – leading to more profit, control and freedom – Click here.2. Join the Farm Owner Academy’s closed Facebook group ‘Profitable Farmer’Our new Facebook community is where smart farm owners learn how to get more profit, control and freedom, and you can connect with like-minded farm owners – Click here to join.3. Work with us privatelyIf you’d like our team to help you scale up your farming business or create a ‘freedom farm’ just email us at support@farmownersacademy.comand put “Private” in the subject line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to improve and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!
Monday Oct 18, 2021
Monday Oct 18, 2021
Strong Commodity Prices, a favourable season (for many!), low interest rates and strong capital gains… have you EVER seen such optimism?
In Greg Johnsson’s opinion – this is (for most!) about as good as it gets.
And he is right – if you are not making solid profits now, there could be something wrong in your farm business.
In this Podcast, I call on FOA Founder and fellow Director Greg Johnsson to answer three key questions:
What do we do to make the most of the optimism we are experiencing?
How can we justify an expansion step given the current land values?
What are the key financial metrics I need to be monitoring to make the best on-farm decisions at this time?
Greg is second to none in the on-farm analysis space and shares the importance of knowing your numbers, benchmarking, and making robust, confident decisions based on the numbers in front of us.
Importantly, for those wanting to develop your financial skill-set, I give a real insight into FOA’s Farm Financial Framework program.
This program is 40 years of Greg’s experience condensed into a practical, applicable finance program designed to help you get the skills & tools you need around you to make the very best farm expansion decisions.
Simply, there is nothing like it in the industry.
We are offering this program at an incredibly favourable price of $1,500 (plus GST), but be quick as this intake (and the last for 2021) will close on Friday 22nd October 2021.
Click here to learn more about the Farm Financial Framework Program.
Your time on the header or in a chaser bin could be very well spent this harvest… focused on this course and on getting the ‘shot in the arm’ you need on this important topic of farm finance.
The formula is simple:
Step 1: Learn financial management.
Step 2: Optimise the farm you have.
Step 3: Expand your optimised farm across more area.
Don’t miss MAJOR expansion opportunities because of a lack of financial management skills. Instead, take yourself and your development in this area seriously.
Your success (in my humble opinion) truly starts here.
Thanks once again, Greg, and well done.
Keep winning, and all the best in this cracking business environment!Hutch
P.S Don’t miss out on joining our 14-week Farm Financial Framework Program. This course is designed to help you profit more and become a stronger farm business owner by learning the language of finance. Please click here to learn more.
*Registrations close 22nd October 2021 or until sold out.
When you’re ready to take the next step and work with us, here are three things you can do:
1. Subscribe to our ‘Profitable Farmer’ podcastThis free audio podcast delivers ideas to help you run a great business – leading to more profit, control and freedom – Click here.2. Join the Farm Owner Academy’s closed Facebook group ‘Profitable Farmer’Our new Facebook community is where smart farm owners learn how to get more profit, control and freedom, and you can connect with like-minded farm owners – Click here to join.3. Work with us privatelyIf you’d like our team to help you scale up your farming business or create a ‘freedom farm’ just email us at support@farmownersacademy.comand put “Private” in the subject line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to improve and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Do you have an overly active mind and struggle at times with overthinking ??
Trust me on this. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
As farmers, we often work alone and have a heap of time to think… deeply… about things that serve us AND things that may not.
This interview with FOA Head Coach Tracy Secombe reminds us that we are trained to be ‘in our heads’ and logically problem-solve to ‘manufacturer’ our goals, plans, and futures. This can become exhausting, and perhaps there is an alternative way of creating your future you might like to explore…
I used to overthink intensely, and it has taken me to a chapter in my life where I suffered from low self-esteem, depression and burnout. Learning to take control of this has been a major turning point in my life.
As farm-focused entrepreneurs, being aware of, being able to slow down and then master our thoughts is fundamental to our success.
Not doing this can be a significant contributor to mental fatigue, burnout, low self-esteem and depression.
In this podcast, Tracy & I explore overthinking in detail. The specific things you can do to bring awareness to this and proactively take steps to ‘unclutter’, slow down and move from negative and busy self-talk. And how to reach a calm, composed, positive and even powerful internal thought-process and narrative.
If this is relevant for you, and in the spirit of this month being Mental Health Month, I can personally recommend Tracy’s 7 Day Calmness Code Challenge to help you make a very positive first step in a new and life-changing way forward.
https://go.soulpleaser.com/7-day-calmness-code-challenge41824999
Congratulations on becoming a Director at Farm Owners Academy Tracy, we are delighted to have you part of our Leadership team !!
Thank you, Tracy – incredible as always!
Jeremy
When you’re ready to take the next step and work with us, here are three things you can do:1. Subscribe to our ‘Profitable Farmer’ podcastThis free audio podcast delivers ideas to help you run a great business – leading to more profit, control and freedom – Click here.2. Join the Farm Owner Academy’s closed Facebook group ‘Profitable Farmer’Our new Facebook community is where smart farm owners learn how to get more profit, control and freedom, and you can connect with like-minded farm owners – Click here to join.3. Work with us privatelyIf you’d like our team to help you scale up your farming business or create a ‘freedom farm’ just email us at support@farmownersacademy.com and put “Private” in the subject line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to improve and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!
Wednesday Sep 15, 2021
Wednesday Sep 15, 2021
If you love food & cooking, Maggie Beer is Australia’s much-loved national icon and go-to authority.
If you love your kids, it’s Maggie Dent!
Well-known to many of you and revered as the ‘The Queen of Common Sense’, Maggie is an absolute champion on all things parenting.
Maggie’s roots are very strongly tied to Agriculture. She is passionate about this community – our strength, endurance, resilience, and success for our families.
She gets it. She gets us.
Maggie has so SO much to offer. During this episode, we scratch the surface on how to be:
Better husbands and wives;
mainstays for our boys;
carers to our daughters;
rocks in our families; and
great citizens within our communities.
Maggie has changed Jane & my life, and helped us immensely as we navigate what it takes to raise four little people in our world.
We love her books, we value her courses, and I highly recommend her Podcast – Parental As Anything!
As we navigate COVID restrictions, lockdown challenges and all things involved with remote learning, I hope this Podcast helps you at this time.
I also hope it gives you some inspiration – as she does me – on how we can be a better life partners to that one person we love most in this world.
Thank you, Maggie, for all you do for Australian families and our children.
Simply, WOW.
Jeremy
PS. CLICK HERE to learn more about Maggie and the amazing work she does (including upcoming events and online courses) or dive straight into Maggie’s Podcast – Parental as Anything! By clicking HERE.
PPS: Please share this with others in our industry and give us a review on Facebook or Google… and thank you for helping us share stories like these more broadly.
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
My podcast has been hijacked!!!
In this Episode, Farm Owners Academy’s Farm Business Coach, David Westbrook, takes the reins and interviews an extraordinary woman making a big, big difference in the lives of thousands of families.
Back in 2016, David experienced a life-changing lesson.
That lesson?
‘Humans sacrifice their health in order to make money. Then they sacrifice money to recuperate their health.’- Dalai Lama
Through the curiosity of this lesson, David & his wife Becky went searching for mentors to improve their health. That’s when they came across Jo Whitton.
Jo is best known for helping people journey to good health through healing foods and ‘food as medicine’. She has over 270,000 Facebook followers and uses her social media platforms along with her cookbooks and retreats to educate people to a better way of living using a healing, whole food diet without the overwhelm.
In this episode, you will learn how you can change your life through some simple lessons. This is a game-changer where David & Jo explore…
their personal stories and how Gut Health has impacted them;
how to get started with gut-healing foods;
what is the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet;
how you can take steps towards a better way of living; and
why fad diets have confused us all.
We hope this podcast will impact you and help you make meaningful and lasting changes in your and your families health, just as these lessons have for the Westbrook family.
Here’s to good, wholesome health.
Well done Westy!
Hutch
PS. Interested in learning more? You can listen to Jo’s A Quirky Journey podcast, join in conversations on the Quirky Cooking Facebook pageand Instagram, as well as in the Quirky Cooking Chat Group
PPS: Please share this with others in our industry and give us a review on Facebook or Google… and thank you for helping us share stories like these more broadly.
Saturday Jul 31, 2021
Saturday Jul 31, 2021
Over 15,000 kilometres of new fencing completed
More than 16,000 kilometres of old fencing cleaned up or restored
In excess of 11,000 farming families lifted from adversity
Many thousands of communities deeply impacted
The lives of so many completely transformed
It gives me great pleasure to introduce Kevin Butler to share his BlazeAid Story.
In the aftermath of the 2009 Black Saturday fires, after a simple request for help to an iconic national community including over 30,000 volunteers… this is truly one of Australia’s greatest regional & rural stories.
The reach and impact BlazeAid has, and will continue to have, on the lives of those adversely affected by fire, flood and the vagaries of our incredible landscape - in terms of both physical farm and individual farmer recovery - is immeasurable.
It is now not surprising to me that when I first called BlazeAid to ask for help on behalf of two of our members, Kevin - its Founder and Chairman - answered my call. On top of that, he was generous enough to take my call only moments before walking into Parliament House to be awarded the Australian Farming Legend of the Year 2021/2022.
Finally, it shouldn’t now surprise me that within 48 hours of that call, a BlazeAid Camp had landed, set up and started operations in Heyfield Victoria. A team of volunteers at the ready to help local farmers conquer their journey to flood recovery.
Kevin’s tireless enthusiasm and deep passion speaks for itself. His determination and commitment to serving others in need and seeing BlazeAid make an impact when it matters to as many as possible is incredible.
Kevin, thank you for your time. We honour the contribution you, Rhonda and your team make to the Australian farming community.
To all those BlazeAid volunteers who dedicate their time to help farmers in need – rural Australia honours you.
To follow the BlazeAid story or join their community, you can connect with them via their website or Facebook page. You can also read Issue One of the BlazeAid Post here - issue two will follow soon, which will include the first of Kevin’s memoirs!
Finally, to those in recovery, all of rural Australia is here for you should you need us.
Thank you.
Jeremy & the Farm Owners Academy Team.
When you’re ready to take the next step and work with us, here are three things you can do:1. Subscribe to our ‘Profitable Farmer’ podcastThis free audio podcast delivers ideas to help you run a great business – leading to more profit, control and freedom – Click here.2. Join the Farm Owner Academy’s closed Facebook group ‘Profitable Farmer’Our new Facebook community is where smart farm owners learn how to get more profit, control and freedom, and you can connect with like-minded farm owners – Click here to join.3. Work with us privatelyIf you’d like our team to help you scale up your farming business or create a ‘freedom farm’ just email us at support@farmownersacademy.com and put “Private” in the subject line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to improve and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!
Thursday Jul 15, 2021
Thursday Jul 15, 2021
Managing people, both family and in farming business, can undoubtedly be one of our greatest challenges.
Not only do we have to navigate delicate working relationships with our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers – grandmothers and grandfathers for some too! But, equally, we have casual, full-time, part-time, contractor, client and supplier relationships to ‘wrangle’, navigate, manage, influence and inspire.
With this in mind in this podcast, I ask Sam Johnsson, the new General Manager here at Farm Owners Academy (FOA), to share his experience and insight into all things leadership.
Sam is a cracking bloke – calm, composed, thoughtful, measured, pragmatic, collaborative yet decisive. He joins FOA after ten highly successful years in management with the leading Australasian advisory & building engineering firm, Aurecon.
Over the past three years, Sam progressed to becoming one of the youngest Directors at Aurecon, responsible for the results and performance of over 65 professionals within his region.
Quite simply put, he has been responsible for managing a diverse range of personalities and individuals, from 18 to 60 years of age, from varied cultural backgrounds, and spanning all abilities.
In this podcast, I ask Sam to share his experiences as a leader of people and performance at Aurecon, speak with me on the subject of people leadership and explore how to:
manage diverse personalities;
have straight-up conversations;
deal with under-performers;
hold people accountable;
handle conflict and tension;
attract good talent;
off-load the wrong people;
challenge constructively;
inspire positive change;
handle career progression;
uplift individual performance;
and so much more!
I highly respect all that Sam has achieved in his professional career to date. I appreciate his authentic approach to dealing with people, managing teams and leading growth in businesses.
For me, this interview emphasises the importance of giving the people management component of our business real time, energy, thought, care and attention.
His quiet passion for business and teams speaks for itself, and I am delighted to welcome Sam into our business as General Manager. We are in safe hands, and our future is bright.
Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you Sam Johnsson.
Keep on leading!JeremyPS: Heard me speak about DISC Personality Profiling in this episode and want to learn more about individual Personality Type and Behavioural Traits? Click here to listen to Episode 67!
PPS: Did you enjoy this topic? I encourage you to listen to Episode 57 with James Kelly on Aligning Elite Teams – click here!PPPS: We’d love your ideas and introductions for future Podcast interviews - share your suggestions with us by clicking here!PPPPS: Please share this with others in our industry and give us a review on Facebook or Google… and thank you for helping us share stories like these more broadly.