Agripreneur Podcast

John Pfanner’s interest in the agriculture industry initially began during childhood while working on his family’s farm raising row crops such as corn, beans, and wheat as well as hogs, cattle, and sheep. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Missouri to obtain a degree in Agriculture Business Management and Ag Economy. In 2005, he began working with DeBruce Grain - currently known as Gavilon. In 2017, he began working with Tredas in the commodity brokerage and consulting fields.

John Lenhart grew up in the small town of Bethany, Missouri. After graduating from the University of Missouri in 2008, he also began working with DeBruce Grain. In 2016, he began working with Tredas.

Pfanner and Lenhart join me today to discuss transportation and market fluctuations within the agriculture commodity trading industry. They discuss how the thought process regarding transparency has evolved throughout the industry, how social media has impacted this evolution, and how crop market exposure fluctuates from state to state. They also discuss the potential crop yields for Alabama farmers; the current land values throughout Alabama, Southeast Nebraska, and Central Missouri as well as why they believe social media can help grain buyers compare basis bids.

“You can pick up a lot from a conversation with crop merchandisers.” - John Lenhart

This week on the Agripreneur Podcast:

• Differences in the mindset of southern farmers vs. northern farmers.
• How social media has impacted the thought process of farmers nationwide.
• How cotton farmers pivoted their crop production after the cotton market collapsed.
• How cotton is brokered and traded.
• What it’s like trading crop commodities across multiple states.
• Why crop market exposure fluctuates based on state and farming region.
• How the ethanol market has evolved over the last few years.
• Why grain buyers do not share basis numbers on social media.
• How thoughts on transparency have evolved throughout the agriculture trading industry.
• Potential crop yields for Alabama farmers.
• Average basis numbers for corn crops in Alabama.
• Land value differences between Alabama, Southeast Nebraska, and Central Missouri.

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Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Agripreneur Podcast - the show where agriculture meets entrepreneurship to bring you valuable information, interviews, and insight from the industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave us an honest rating and review.

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Drew Jensen grew up in Exeter, Nebraska on his family’s farm operation. The first-hand experiences he had throughout his childhood and young adult life is what initially sparked his passion and interest in the agriculture industry. Following high school, he followed his passion for agriculture and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to earn his degree in Agribusiness and Finance. After graduating, he began working with Barlett Grain, and later, Applebee’s International in the supply chain management field. While working at Applebee’s International, he attended the University of Kansas to earn his MBA.

Like Drew, Adam Ickes grew up on his family’s farm operation based in Page, Nebraska. After attending the University of Nebraska, he spent the first five years of his career working in the cash grain trade industry where his responsibilities included trading specialty grains, managing logistics, and understanding risk exposure.

Drew and Adam join me on today’s episode to share how the Tredas company got started and how it became the successful business it is today. They share what inspired them to build a career in agriculture, the risks associated with quitting their previous careers to start a new company, and the company’s culture. They also explain how they gain inspiration from their team and clients, the biggest challenges and obstacles they’ve had to overcome while starting the company, and the lessons they have learned throughout their careers that have helped them build a successful agribusiness.

“Whether you’re farming or are in some type of agribusiness, you have to try to understand how to differentiate yourself. That’s not always easy, but you’ve got to really think outside the box.” Adam Ickes

This week on the Agripreneur Podcast:

• What inspired them to build a career in commodity trading and agriculture risk management.
• Transitioning from trading basis to commodity consulting.
• Lessons they have learned throughout their careers in risk management and commodities trading.
• Hedging risks in specialty and liquid markets.
• The importance of understanding perceived variables.
• The importance of identifying the worst-case scenario in trading commodities and creating a plan to protect your investment.
• Risks associated with leaving their previous jobs.
• How they developed the Tredas name.
• The company’s culture.
• The biggest pain points associated with starting a new agribusiness.
• Overcoming growing pains as an agribusiness startup.
• How they gain inspiration from their team and clients.
• Why farmers and agribusinesses need to keep an open mind and be open to change.
• How your mindset and emotions impact your ability to make firm decisions and take action.

Resources:

• Ask GaryVee Podcast

Subscribe Rate & Review the Agripreneur Podcast

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Agripreneur Podcast - the show where agriculture meets entrepreneurship to bring you valuable information, interviews, and insight from the industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave us an honest rating and review.

Don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media!

Zane Abner and Ethan Bruland have been members of the Tredas family for the last two years. Zane and Ethan both work out of the Lindsey, Nebraska offices in the risk management departments. Landon Rhodes is a real estate investor, landlord, and founder of Grindstone Media, a digital advertising agency based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Ethan, Zane, and Landon join me today to discuss why building trusting relationships with those around you is critical to your success as well as share strategies for investing in real estate as an alternative method of increasing your farming operation’s revenue. They share the challenges they’ve faced throughout their journeys into real estate investing and property management, why having the right mindset is critical to achieving your goals, and how purchasing rental properties can enable you to invest in other areas of your farm operation. They also discuss some of the challenges and adversities they have faced throughout their lives and careers, how overcoming these obstacles has helped shaped the way they work with clients and customers as well as their definition of success.

“At the end of the day, life comes at you in cycles. You have to learn to execute even when you are at your lowest. Even when you hear that ‘no’ for the fifth time that day.” - Landon Rhodes

This week on the Agripreneur Podcast:

• Hurdles Ethan and Zane faced while transitioning into their roles at Tredas.
• The support system they discovered at the beginning of their career with the company.
• Risks associated with leaving their previous employer.
• How building relationships based on trust has impacted their ability to transition to a new company.
• How incorporating social media into their marketing strategy has impacted Tredas’ growth.
• How Landon got started with investing in real estate.
• Strategies to diversify your farm’s revenue streams.
• Challenges associated with renting properties.
• Overcoming mindset challenges associated with being a landlord.
• Turning a real estate disaster into a success.
• Overcoming adversity and failure.

Subscribe Rate & Review the Agripreneur Podcast

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Agripreneur Podcast - the show where agriculture meets entrepreneurship to bring you valuable information, interviews, and insight from the industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave us an honest rating and review.

Don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media

Welcome to the Agripreneur Podcast - the show where agriculture meets entrepreneurship. Each week, your host PJ Conradt interviews highly successful entrepreneurs within the agriculture industry to bring you inspiring stories, valuable insight, and unique viewpoints from farmers, bankers, ag salesmen and other agriculture professionals to help agriculture entrepreneurs thrive in the industry.

PJ’s passion for the agriculture industry initially began in his hometown of O’Neill, Nebraska while working for a local farmer and rancher. While attending college, his passion for the industry intensified as he explored the marketing fields available to eager ag professionals. In 2014, he began working with Tredas, where he currently works with farmers, risk management, commodity consulting, and crop insurance.

In this episode, PJ shares what inspired him to explore the world of agriculture market and commodity trading and why he decided to begin working with Tredas. He also explains how the idea for the Agripreneur podcast started and what you can expect by tuning in each week.

“Highly successful people are highly successful because they have extraordinary drive, are able to take risks, and view things differently.” - PJ Conradt

This week on the Agripreneur Podcast:

• How PJ’s career in the agriculture industry began.
• The various thought processes and viewpoints of highly successful agripreneurs.
• Weekly interviews with highly successful entrepreneurs within the agriculture industry.
• Recap episodes regarding the agricultural market.

Subscribe Rate & Review the Agripreneur Podcast

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Agripreneur Podcast - the show where agriculture meets entrepreneurship to bring you valuable information, interviews, and insight from the industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave us an honest rating and review.

Don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media!