Speaking Topics


Discuss the Undiscussabull ™

Conflict is a normal part of farm family business, especially with farm succession planning. Avoiding conflict keeps farm families stuck, unable to improve their business and family life. A Virginia Tech study of 400 farms found that those farm family businesses that could communicate were 21% more profitable.

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Planning for Change…farmers don’t retire…they re-invent !

You love farming and you never plan to really quit. Your spouse has other ideas. You are both in different stages of the cycle of renewal, but don’t know it. Your adult children want you to move to town. What are you going to do ? Nothing? That doesn’t feel very good ! How about planning for change, letting go and taking on new plans.

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Who wants the farm…and when ? …farm succession planning tools for action.

Farming dads need to transfer control and ownership (eventually) to younger farmers. If there is no successor, then what ? If there is a keen successor…congratulations ! What do young farmers want? They want certainty of ownership, and a plan with deadlines. They want the farm intact. What do older founding farmers want ? To be useful and appreciated. Fairness. They want an income stream for their lifestyle needs.

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Encouraging the Heart of Your Business...Encouraging the Heart of Your Family Business

Lack of appreciation is one of the top key reasons farm succession planning fails or is blocked. Farm families need a strong emotional bank account and huge relational capital, not just net worth. Each generation needs to feel their work counts.

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