The Power of Decisive Action in Business
Imagine being a crew member on a yacht, setting sail from Sydney to Hobart during the bustling race day. Now picture this: encountering a cyclone halfway across the Pacific Ocean, much like the dramatic events of the 1998 race. What would you...
Burnout: Treat the cause, not just the symptoms
This week, our Director of Well-being, Tracy Secombe, shares her story of burnout with you. How she identified her symptoms and what she did to manage it. When I look back, I can see now that I was probably in burnout for close to 10 years without...
Guilt Free “Me Time”
This week, our Director of Well-being, Tracy Secombe, shares the following blog post on why we feel so guilty when we do something for ourselves. When new members join the Farm Owners Academy Platinum Mastermind program, they complete a Business...
Cultivating Unity: Strategies for Resolving Generational Differences in Farming Businesses
On Wednesday, 29th of November, our Director of Wellbeing, Tracy Secombe, will be running a free webinar on ‘Beating Burnout & Increasing Resilience.’ You can register here. Tracy has shared the below article on strategies for resolving...
Nurturing Resilience: How Australian Farm Owners Can Benefit from Microholidays in Today’s Economic Climate
On Wednesday, 29th of November, our Director of Wellbeing, Tracy Secombe, will be running a free webinar on ‘Beating Burnout & Increasing Resilience.’ You can register here. Tracy has shared the below article on how you might benefit from a...
The Power of Choosing Your Reaction to Challenges
On Wednesday, 29th of November, our Director of Wellbeing, Tracy Secombe, will be running a free webinar on ‘Beating Burnout & Increasing Resilience.’ You can register here. Tracy has shared the below article on how changing what we believe can...
What exactly are the top 20% producers doing differently?
Cheryl and Tim, two of our esteemed coaches at Farm Owners Academy, have successfully built a farm that operates seamlessly without their constant involvement. As a result, they now travel across Australia to assist other farmers in our Platinum...
Building Resilience
What a crazy environment we find ourselves in. Talk about building resilience… Interest rates have gone up fuel prices and other input costs are rising. And just when that isn’t enough, some are also faced with Livestock prices collapsing, AND...
Breaking Free from Scarcity: The Abundant Mindset in Farming’s Tough Times
To every farm owner out there, riding the waves of unpredictable seasons, volatile market prices, and the myriad challenges that come with working on the land - this one’s for you. There's a prevailing notion, not just in farming but across...
Book review – The Practicing Mind
Today, I wanted to summarise the learnings from one of my favourite books, The Practicing Mind by Thomas M. Sterner. I got a lot from this book, and the concept that you need discipline and patience to see results really resonated with me. The...
3 things to consider if you are going through a cash flow crisis
What a difference a year can make. From record prices, and one of the largest appreciations in farmland we have ever seen, to high input costs, with many areas now facing drought and lower commodity prices. That is farming!!! There are three...
How these farmers went from working 7 days per week to 5 months off
I recently had the privilege of interviewing remarkable farmers, Tim and Cheryl Freak, for an upcoming masterclass titled “How to find, keep and grow a successful farm team.” The conversation left me truly inspired as they shared their...
The power of asking a good question
To get better results, we've got to make smarter choices, and those smarter choices often begin with asking better questions. Let me share a real story that might hit home for you, especially if you're a farmer dealing with challenges. Imagine...
Tweaking the business model is working for Farm Tender
To face the headwinds in Farming and Agriculture, I am sure you have heard us talk about the importance of having the right business model. Those with a robust business model will see through challenging periods in Ag. In this blog, I wanted to...
Are you good at delegation, or do you abdicate?
If you often find yourself overwhelmed and burdened by a seemingly endless list of tasks, it might be time to embrace the power of delegation. Effective delegation is a skill that can transform your work life, leading to fewer mistakes, reduced...
Things can change very quickly when you do this
I remember it like it was yesterday. There I was, two years into my journey of helping business owners. The year was 2013, and I was 26 years of age. It was 10am, and I was still in bed. I didn’t want to get up. It almost felt like I...
Personal & Company Values
I had a great 50-minute conversation recently with Ben Law from "The Financial Bloke." I highly recommend checking out his podcast – Click Here! During our discussion, we delved into the topic of personal and company values, covering various...
How nice is your office?
A few years ago, I visited one of our members on-farm. They are an amazing couple who run a great farm. While we were out in the paddock, I asked the owner what his biggest weakness was, and he told me he didn't make enough time to do the "office...
There is always something to worry about
There is always something to worry about. We have been through drought, fires, floods, COVID, The Ukraine War, increasing interest rates and very high inflation (just to name a few). …it never ends, and it’s important to know that it will...
The importance of getting your team in sync
I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share a recent experience where we took the time to align our Farm Owners Academy team with the company's direction. Here are some key highlights: Our CEO, Sam Johnsson, organised a 2-day planning...
8 traits of a high performer
If you want to hire someone, the ultimate goal should be to hire the right person. Slowing down the hiring process to find the ideal candidate is perfectly acceptable. One good employee beats three average (this is why it's okay to pay one good one...
Do You Ever Get Triggered?
Do You Ever Get Triggered? I'm willing to bet that, like me, you experience triggers because you're human. Triggers occur when someone or something causes us to react negatively. For years, I avoided triggers and often blamed others or the...
Is Farm Owners Academy a cult?
At our last TOP Producers event, a farmer approached me and mentioned that he had heard Farm Owners Academy being referred to as a 'cult.' To my surprise, when asked directly, I responded, "Well, in many ways, it is." Allow me to explain. The term...
The 7 habits of highly effective farm business owners
Running a great business is a lot easier than you’d think. Most of it boils down to a few key habits. Here are 7 habits of highly effective farm business owners: 1. They have a morning routine. Rather than diving straight into work,...
How farm owners can overcome rising costs, inflation and softening commodity prices
We are running a free online coaching session on Wednesday, June 7th, called Surviving & Thriving In Changing Times – it is all about how farm owners can overcome rising costs, inflation and softening...
How to Overcome the Dip and Make Better Business Decisions
To grow your business, you will inevitably encounter a dip in short-term revenue. This dip is a common occurrence, but unfortunately, many business owners get stuck here, focusing on the cost of making a good decision instead of the potential...
Real wealth is not what you think
While we specialise in helping farmers make more money, our team gets a bigger kick when we see clients enjoying a fulfilled life. We believe that real wealth lies in the quality of our relationships, the experiences we enjoy, and the act of...
Stop making ‘average’ business decisions at tax time
Don’t hold your business back in the name of tax minimisation A few months ago we sat down with Jeff McDonald, Executive Director of RLS Agribusiness, to dive into the common mistakes farming families make around tax time, how to change your...
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) era is here
I’m sure you have heard a bit about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it's evolving (very quickly). I've been playing around with an AI platform called ChatGPT, and I can really see the power of it. ChatGPT has the ability to...
The power of company values
Running a farm is a bloody tough job. You need to be tough, resilient, and hardworking to make it work. But have you ever thought about the power of having company values? I know it might sound silly, but hear me out. Having clear company values...
Could you be experiencing burnout?
I know how much hard yakka goes into running a farm. You wake up before the crack of dawn and work your guts out until sundown, all for the love of the land and those who rely on you. But let's not forget about the most important person in this...
How to Know If Your Inner Work is Truly Working
Some people may dismiss the idea of doing inner work as being fluffy or unimportant, but in reality, we all carry some form of damage from our upbringing and environment. Most people never change after the age of 18, and that's why doing inner work...
9 lessons from high performing business owners
ONE. The top business owners know what they want. They have a very high level of clarity. Because they know what they want, they only focus on doing things that get them to their goal. They don’t fluff around doing things that are not aligned with...
Collaborative Farming & all its Advantages
Our Managing Director Jeremy “Hutch” Hutchings recently spoke with and gained insight on this topic with Founder and Managing Director of Riverland Lending Services and Collaborative Farming Australia, Jeff McDonald. Jeff is also the Chair of many...
Until you believe in you, no one else will
It always comes down to self-belief. The success you have in business can be directly attributed to your personal belief in yourself. UNTIL YOU BELIEVE IN YOU – NO ONE ELSE WILL BELIEVE IN YOU! There isn’t one person on this planet who has not...
Creating Value in Business
I truly believe that a good business model trumps hard work. From my own experience with my on-farm and off-farm businesses, and through the experiences of others I have worked with, I know that a good strategy and business model are the tools that...
How to cure fear once and for all
Everyone experiences some sort of fear from time to time. You might have a fear of heights, a fear of snakes, or maybe you have a fear of speaking in front of a group. Some of you might have inherited a farm and carry the fear of losing it (or...
How many of these challenges in agriculture apply to you?
Here is a summary of some of the biggest challenges and constraints for farm owners. How many relate to you? You don’t have clarity (goals or direction) on where you are taking the business (leads to procrastination and an unhappy team). You...
CASE STUDY: From losing money to a nearly $4m profit in just a few years
We wanted to share a case study with you from a Platinum Mastermind client who went from a loss to almost $4 million in net profit in just a few years. Ben, Kate & Sam Taylor from Culara Farming in Condamine. We are also sharing this case...
I have screwed up
After 24 years of coaching companies and running my own businesses, I have had my fair share of screw-ups. From the closure of a company with a $250k loss, to having four team members quit on me in one day, to investing six months of time and money...
Do you want improved results in 2023? Do this first…
My biggest shift in helping me with time management wasn’t a tool. It was a change in mindset. I used to be an amazing procrastinator. I would always leave things to the last minute, and I constantly lived in stress and overwhelm (waking up at...
Making Farm Succession Work
For many farming families, the word ‘succession’ can bring up high emotions, difficult memories or a feeling of overwhelm. Here at Farm Owners Academy, alongside Tony from Catapult Wealth, we recognise that succession planning is often an...
Most farmers feel guilty, but this is where you want to spend some time
The 'Important Not Urgent' quadrant is a concept introduced by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In this book, Covey suggests that people should prioritise their tasks based on their level of importance and...
Some simple tips for setting up an incredible 2023
Here are some simple tips to help you set up a great 2023. Put your holidays into your calendar early. If you don’t plan time off, you will fill it with stuff. I like to ensure I get a mini break every quarter (4 days off) and an extended break...
The Skills You Need to be a Top 5% Farmer
As the year comes to a close, it is fitting that we look back and reflect on an aspect of our business here at Farm Owners Academy that we are incredibly proud of and love doing - and that we know so many of you are avid listeners of! Our podcast...
My Biggest lessons from 2022
Reflecting on 2022, I wanted to share with you my biggest lessons… Parenting is challenging. I have a four and a two-year-old, and it’s been hard. I have found myself often playing the victim (thinking ‘poor me’), so it’s been good to catch these...
What is it to be Resilient?
As farmers, our professional and personal lives are usually intertwined far greater than any other profession; our every day is spent on the land, often working with multiple generations of family members and therefore having to navigate the highs...
The #1 Skill
I co-founded Farm Owners Academy 9 years ago with Greg and Deb Johnsson - today is a shout-out to them. They recently celebrated an incredible milestone – 40 years since they opened their Veterinary Practice on Kangaroo Island. While they sold the...
Leadership Lessons from a Wallaby Great
Phil Kearns is without question one of Australia’s greatest ever Rugby Union players. With sixty-seven tests as #2 for the Australian Wallabies, ten as Captain, and seventy-three games for the NSW Waratahs, Phil was a key contributor to three...
Being a wealthy farmer is much more than having lots of money
Having money is nice, but having quality of life - good health and good relationships - is even more important. At Farm Owners Academy, we help farmers make more money, but we get a bigger kick out of seeing you turn your life around and start...
Finance, Farming & Family
Unlike most “jobs”, farming is an all-encompassing, often family-run business that necessitates a physically, emotionally and mentally gruelling lifestyle. Living and working with family members every day can be wonderful for some and very...
A simple tool to use when you feel busy, a bit stressed and overwhelmed
I'm sure there are more, but I place stress and overwhelm into three main categories: ONE: Things left undone (too many things to do in a short amount of time); TWO: You are constantly chasing the future and never stop to enjoy the moment (high...
Some are having their best year, while others are devastated by flooding
This week I wanted to share a message that our CEO Sam Johnsson sent out to our Platinum Mastermind members in a monthly newsletter. With some having their best year ever and others wiped out from floods, I think it’s a great reminder of how...
How I freed up 13 hours each week that I didn’t even know I was wasting
After two years of coaching, I had 13 clients. I thought I was doing really well and wasn’t thinking about growing - I was in a comfort zone. I knew time management was one of the most important skills I could learn, so I paid for a time...
From farming for the bank to a highly profitable farm
Imagine working 70 hours every week, only to get to the end of the year and realise you are losing money after paying the interest on your loan (while interest rates were 2%)! Many business owners do this (not just farmers). They are so busy...
Do what you do best, delegate or outsource the rest
When I first started coaching, I was responsible for everything - all the administration, finance and, of course, coaching clients. The problem was I really hated the administration and the finance (bookwork) part of the business. Two years...
If you do these 8 things… you will be a top 20% farmer
Many farm owners believe that in order to become a top 20% farmer, you need to work harder (or do more). This is not true. The top 20% of farmers just do things slightly differently. In fact, I would argue that many top 20% of farmers are...
Running a business with multiple owners
Recently I was asked a great question by Rob - about models/leadership structures for multiple business owners, for example, more than two siblings that run a business. Firstly, it is a little bit more complex but very achievable if the owners...
Do you really respect your time?
Some people are in control, and some people aren’t. Either you run your business and life, or your business and life will run you. If it’s not scheduled in your calendar, it just won’t get done - learn to schedule time for important personal...
Gosh, I wish this stuff was taught at school
I’ve just finished a 9-day course. It was a big one, delivered online from 9am to 10.30pm each day. I got so much value from this. It was all about living in the moment and having peace of mind. The instructor is a master at this. His presence...
The farmer who sold up
I was at our neighbour’s place over the weekend. We have a lot in common as we both grew up on the land, and we both work with farmers. We were talking about how some farmers get very frustrated if they see or hear of a farmer ‘selling up.’ They...
The brutal truth about trading time for money
Are you stuck in the trading time for money trap?Sadly – most people are.Trading time for money was ingrained into most of us from an early age.We were taught to choose a career when we were older such as being a doctor, lawyer, electrician,...
The pros and cons of being a hard worker
Do you love to work hard? Do you see yourself as a doer? Do you have the attitude, ‘If there is a job to be done, then get out of my way and let me do it?’ This attitude has served you because things get done. A real theme in the...
Most people were NOT taught the skills to run a successful business…
An accountant spends three years studying their craft A lawyer spends five years studying their craft A doctor spends seven years studying their craft AND they are all required to complete further education each year to maintain their...
A weird psychological shift when we move from employee to business owner…
I had a really interesting chat with a client last week about why we don’t always do what we know we should when we run our own business. I told him why I think this occurs by relaying the story below from when I was an employee. Many years back,...
19 Tips From 22 Years of Coaching…
19 Tips From 22 Years of Coaching… 1. Give yourself 4-7 years to get good at business. Running a business is an amazing journey. It uncovers many insecurities, and you attract many clients that will bring out these insecurities. However, when...
Could your ego be holding you back?
We all have an identity, and we all operate from a set of beliefs. These have been built up over many years, and most of it is now operating from your subconscious - which means that you might not even be aware of them. The ego is why so people...
Don’t end up being the richest person in the graveyard
Farm owners are some of the richest people in the world. Many are in the top 1% when it comes to wealth. In the end, you only need so much money, and many farm owners now have more wealth than they will ever spend. If you have a net worth of more...
What a wonderful man
Peter Van Beek was an 80-year-old that would stand near a roundabout next to our house and wave to the traffic almost every day. We would often drive past him, and our kids would get so excited and wave like mad to him. He brought so much joy to...
You never want to be the smartest person in the room…
Why do so many people resist help? Why are some people so open to receiving help from others, yet others reject it? Why do people defend what they know and struggle to remain open-minded to other viewpoints and receiving feedback to live a better...
Someone is always doing it tougher than you
Recently I stayed in a hotel in Casino NSW. I travelled to have a couple of days with Our Cow, who I coach. It’s hard to get accommodation in Casino, and I ended up staying in a simple hotel that was three stars at best. I met a girl called...
The 15 Keys To Running Team Meetings
A 30-minute weekly team meeting aligned to your strategic plan will do you wonders. Here are 15 keys to running a great meeting: 1. Set a time: Make it the same time every time so that people book it in as a habit. 2. Set a frequency: Make it...
Are you too controlling?
In order to run a Freedom Farm or a business that can run without you, you must overcome any fear of losing control. You will need to become extremely comfortable hiring people (even people to pay your bills and manage your bank accounts) and then...
A simple idea to see significant growth in your business…
My first business (22 years ago now) was a business coaching franchise (called Action Coach). I was part of a global franchise group, and there were about 400 of us in the franchise in Australia. It cost me $80k to buy and then $1,500 a month...
Taking Red Days
What I have experienced (meaning this might not be true for you) is my greatest growth has occurred when I have stopped (work), and I am doing nothing. One of the world's best coaches is a guy called Dan Sullivan. I listened to him many years ago,...
Our succession meeting with Dad lasted less than 1 minute
Our succession meeting with Dad lasted less than 1 minute… I remember the day when Dad called my brothers and me into the office. ‘We need to talk about money', he said. I was 17 at the time, and I thought I was about to hit a bit of a jackpot. ...
[Free Download] our money mastery checklist used to create a freedom farm
The first time my Dad taught me how to shear a sheep is a day I don’t want to remember. … dragging it out of the pen… trying to hold it still… getting my head around how to grip the handpiece The whole thing ended in a mess, and let’s just say that...
Could you take 18 months off from your business? This is how I did it…
G’day there, Andrew (Robbo) Roberts here. I helped co-found Farm Owners Academy with Greg Johnsson. I’ve recently returned after 18 months off (I took some time out to deal with two little boys under 2). Here I am with my family – Oscar, me, Jamie...
Is your balance sheet lazy or hardworking? Here’s how to tell (+ build more wealth!)
Is your balance sheet lazy? For many farm owners we meet, the answer is “yes”. And that’s a huge problem… Because a lazy balance sheet is a clear sign that you’re leaving money on the table. Money that could be used to: Expand your farming...
Our top 4 tips for higher gross margins (and hence…higher profits!)
Last week, we talked about where most farm owners go wrong in trying to grow their profit. Most people focus on reducing costs (through things like minimising tax) when what they really should be focusing on… Is increasing revenue. As this study...
The big secret rich farmer owners know (and average farm owners don’t)
An insider secret rich farm owners know that the rest of us don’t? Focussing on cutting costs in your farm business is probably keeping you broke. Okay, maybe its not keeping you broke-broke...but it’s very unlikely that it is making you rich....
Why most farm owners are wealthy on paper but not rich in their bank accounts…
When I ask you to picture the wealthiest 1% in the world, who comes to mind? Jeff Bezos? Gina Rinehart? Bill Gates? What if I told you that YOU are part of that elite group? 😳 Even if it sounds completely insane, it may very likely be true! Many...
The 5 stages of burnout…and how to get out of each one
Quick check-in: Are you tired? Feeling unmotivated? Getting angry and snapping at your partner, kids, or farmhand? Suffering from headaches, stomachaches, or intestinal issues? Generally not feeling a sense of purpose or accomplishment on the...
Every farmer avoids this…and it costs them everything.
My countdownCountdown ^^ This is a countdown to the day you hang up your Akubra for the last time and head to the great farm in the sky. Okay, maybe not the exact day. But the reality is, all of us have a countdown timer like this...we just don’t...
The ONE thing that helped Greg 4x his turnover and 3x his profits
Sometimes the smallest things in business produce the biggest results. Quick history lesson: Back in 2013, Farm Owners Academy co-founder Greg owned a vet business that was turning over $750K per year, $150K of which was profit. Not bad, right?...
The 4 biggest tax mistakes that cost farmers thousands
Ahh, that blissful feeling of finishing your year-end financials. You’ve totaled the bank balances. Listed your income and expenses. Painstakingly answered the 101 questions from your accountant. And even though you’re breathing a sigh of relief...
Ready, Steady…… GROW!
Do you aspire to be a big operator? Do you dream of being the biggest farmer with the most land in your area? Do you get a major kick when you think of buying out your neighbours? If so, Pump Up Scale (the eighth level of the TOP Producers Model)...
The best ways to grow your wealth…safely
Farming is inconsistent. Some years, you make money...others you don’t. The theory goes, out of every six years, you’ll make money in four of those years and you’ll lose money in two of them. It’s all part of the game. That’s why it’s so...
The 3 steps to growing your farm without you being there
Imagine for a minute that you’re a dentist and you own a one-person business… You genuinely love what you do. You spend your days cleaning the teeth of your patients. Your schedule is jam-packed and you feel a real sense of accomplishment after a...
How to reduce your biggest cost on the farm
Are you wasting time without even knowing it? Years ago, when I lived in Brisbane, I got up at 4:30 in the morning. I woke up before the sun so I could meet a mate of mine and train with him at the gym. After six months of doing this, I happened to...
To scale or not to scale…. that is the question
Too many farmers push themselves to always keep growing simply because they think it’s what they “should” do. Do you agree? There are benefits to growing your team and scaling your farm (and we’ll talk more about that in a minute.) But there are...
6 steps to take you from family farm to well-run business
If you ask me, it’s an absolute waste of time... ...to try and manage things you can’t control. No matter how hard you work, you’ll never be able to control the weather, your family’s actions, or interest rates at the bank. So I’d rather help you...
Decision making – wing it or win it?
When most farmers make decisions, they wing it. They don’t have any tools or systems to help them decide whether something is a good financial decision or a bad one. ...Which leads to bad decisions that cause big problems like: Unnecessary spending...
Amazing farmhands, great culture, and winning succession plan: Here’s how they did it.
Imagine finding two hardworking farmhands that you completely trusted… That you could train up to do all the farm jobs… So you have time to do things like: work on the high-level strategy to increase profits make succession plans even free...
The 3 key financial figures profitable farmers track
Most farmers struggle with profits. Even if your revenues are high, you can still lose money after all your costs, interest payments, and other expenses are paid out. Like our student Travis.. In the 2014/2015 year, he and his brother had a great...
The 7 deadly sins that keep most farmers stuck
Between Greg and I, we’ve been working with farmers for 50 years. And during that time, we’ve noticed a really troubling trend: Most farmers stay stuck, forever. Longer than forever, actually… Because they spend a lifetime stuck and then pass...
The #1 success secret that most average farmers don’t think about
Here’s a mind-blowing stat: Farm Owner Academy students get 4.6% higher Return on Assets Managed than the average farmer. Given a $3Million property, that’s an average of $108,000 more every single year (compared to the ABARES figures). The big...
These business lessons could’ve helped my dad’s farm
The biggest fear for most farmers? (and for most people in general?) Failure. The thought of giving it your all but still not making the cut terrifies a lot of people. I guess I’m not like most people in this respect. Because I’m quite open about...
David had his most profitable year…while working 50% less. Here’s how he did it.
When I tell farmers it’s possible to: Earn more Work less And actually enjoy the process ...They look at me like I have six heads (and maybe half a brain between all six of them!) Then they start to tell me all the reasons why that can’t...
The 8 mistakes that keep farmers broke
Here at Farm Owners Academy, we've worked with all kinds of farmers over the years: Rich ones Broke ones Ones who feel real joy and purpose in their work Startups Experienced farmers And...ones who spend every day stressed out, burnt out, and zoned...