The Power of Decisive Action in Business

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...

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Burnout: Treat the cause, not just the symptoms

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...

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Guilt Free “Me Time”

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...

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The Power of Choosing Your Reaction to Challenges

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...

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Building Resilience

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...

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Book review – The Practicing Mind

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...

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The power of asking a good question

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...

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Tweaking the business model is working for Farm Tender

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...

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Are you good at delegation, or do you abdicate?

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...

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Things can change very quickly when you do this

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...

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Personal & Company Values

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...

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How nice is your office?

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...

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There is always something to worry about

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...

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The importance of getting your team in sync

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...

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8 traits of a high performer

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...

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Do You Ever Get Triggered?

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...

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Is Farm Owners Academy a cult?

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...

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Real wealth is not what you think

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...

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The Artificial Intelligence (AI) era is here

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...

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The power of company values

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...

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Could you be experiencing burnout?

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...

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How to Know If Your Inner Work is Truly Working

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...

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9 lessons from high performing business owners

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...

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Collaborative Farming & all its Advantages

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...

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Until you believe in you, no one else will

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...

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Creating Value in Business

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...

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How to cure fear once and for all

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...

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I have screwed up

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...

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Do you want improved results in 2023? Do this first…

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...

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Making Farm Succession Work

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...

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Some simple tips for setting up an incredible 2023

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...

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The Skills You Need to be a Top 5% Farmer

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...

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My Biggest lessons from 2022

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...

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What is it to be Resilient?

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...

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The #1 Skill

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...

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Leadership Lessons from a Wallaby Great

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...

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Finance, Farming & Family

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...

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From farming for the bank to a highly profitable farm

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...

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Do what you do best, delegate or outsource the rest

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...

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Running a business with multiple owners

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...

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Do you really respect your time?

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...

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Gosh, I wish this stuff was taught at school

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...

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The farmer who sold up

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...

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The brutal truth about trading time for money

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,...

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The pros and cons of being a hard worker

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...

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19 Tips From 22 Years of Coaching…

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...

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Could your ego be holding you back?

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...

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What a wonderful man

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...

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You never want to be the smartest person in the room…

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...

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Someone is always doing it tougher than you

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...

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The 15 Keys To Running Team Meetings

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...

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Are you too controlling?

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...

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Taking Red Days

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,...

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The 4 biggest tax mistakes that cost farmers thousands

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...

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Ready, Steady…… GROW!

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)...

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The best ways to grow your wealth…safely

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...

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How to reduce your biggest cost on the farm

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...

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To scale or not to scale…. that is the question

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...

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Decision making – wing it or win it?

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...

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The 3 key financial figures profitable farmers track

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...

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The 7 deadly sins that keep most farmers stuck

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...

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The 8 mistakes that keep farmers broke

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...

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