Once upon a time, coaches were strictly for sport. Now you can get a coach for just about everything, including business. In this episode we look at what a business coach actually does and at what stage in a business, you should be thinking about getting one.
There's growing recognition that the way to grow a business is to be working ON the business, not just IN the business. We take a specifically rural perspective on this (of course!), looking at how to grow wealth and assets in a farming business as well as how a business coach can help turn other passions (such as photography and art) into a viable business.
Hear from:*Tori Kopke - The Rural Business Coach, Cunderdin, WA*Rebecca Casey - Nature of Business and columnist at Money and Finance Magazine, Buffalo, Victoria
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Women are still only inheriting about 10% of family farms in Australia. The reasons behind this are historical and complex. But what's at play when a woman (or "farmer's daughter") decides she doesn't want to go back to take over the family farm? Is because she has better career options off-farm or does it point to gender bias in society?
In this episode, Kirsten and Jackie discuss the underlying reasons behind saying "no" to the family farm, how this affects succession and how to have difficult conversations with your parents about either wanting to do more on the family farm... or less.
You'll hear from:

• Dimity Smith - who grew up on a dairy near Scone, NSW and runs the Gro Events Group, based in Tamworth.
• Jane McNaughton - originally from a farm near Sale, VIC. Jane is an ABC rural reporter based in Ballarat.
• Dr Lucie Newsome - who grew up on a farm bear Glen Innes, NSW and now researches agriculture and gender at the University of New England.

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It’s so hard to watch someone you love, struggle with their mental health, especially when they aren’t getting the help they need. Rural men in particular seem to be among the most hesitant to open up and look after their own mental health... which can be frustrating for us women! So what’s the best way to start the conversation?
While this podcast is for women… as anyone in a rural community knows, the rates of suicide amongst our men is alarming (75% of suicides in Australia are male). There have also been multiple suicide clusters in rural Australia, including in south-west Victoria in 2016.
In this episode, hear from:
* Jane Fitzgibbon - her son Sam, took his own life when he was 21. She co-founded Let’s Talk, in south-west Victoria.* Mary O’Brien - Founder of "Are you bogged mate?” from Dalby, QLD.* Dr Alison Kennedy - suicide prevention researcher at the National Centre for Farmer Health.
So, whether you want to help your partner, son, father, brother or friend…in this episode we talk about when a man is most likely to be receptive to an “emotional” conversation and how to go about the conversation.
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Motherhood is wonderful, but it's also hard. And for some, especially new mums, it becomes overwhelming. Living in a rural area, especially if you're away from family and friends can compound these feelings. But, there is plenty of hope!
In this episode hear two rural women speak candidly about how they experienced post-natal depression, overcame it, and now want to change the unhelpful (and frankly harmful!) myth of the perfect mum:

• Steph Trethewey - Mum, founder of the Motherland Australia podcast and farmer in Tasmania.
• Jess Skermer - Mum and farmer near Hamilton, in south-west Victoria.

Both Steph and Jess are challenging the stigma around post-natal depression and the ridiculous notion that being a good mum is about sacrifice. By changing the way we think and talk about motherhood, we can make the whole experience easier for ourselves and future generations of mothers.
For more information, visit our website. If you find any of this content distressing and want to talk to someone, call:
Lifeline - 13 11 14Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636

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Want to cut back your alcohol consumption? A lot of us do. But Australia's drinking culture means the message to 'just have one' is all around us. Especially in the country, alcohol is everywhere - at the pub, the sporting grounds, events and even kids parties.
So how do we set ourselves up for success? And is it even possible to moderate... or is quitting alcohol altogether the best option? This episode is not about being anti-alcohol, it's about changing the culture to make it "ok to say no" (whether that's "no thanks, never", or just "not today").
Kirsten and Jackie speak to three rural women who have dealt with alcohol addiction and are now working to help others:
*Shanna Whan - CEO & Founder of Sober in the Country, Maules Creek, NSW*Andy Quin - Co-founder of ETCH Sparkling, Mornington Peninsula, VIC*Noelene Brown - coach at Rural Sobriety, Hopetoun, WA
Our guests share their advice on how to understand why we drink in the first place, how to spot if we might have a problem and ways to be more conscious about what we're drinking.
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Telling your own story or the story of others is vital if we're ever going to bridge that rural/urban divide and challenge gender roles. So without necessarily being professional writers... how do we do it?
In this episode, Kirsten and Jackie speak to three rural women, who all use different mediums (from social media, photography and film) to capture accurate and authentic representations of rural life, where women and kids feature just as much as the men:

• Phillipa Cameron - started an Instagram account called "What's for Smoko?" to connect with others, when she became the cook at her New Zealand sheep station. She now has 20k+ followers and a published cookbook of smoko meals.

• Kim Storey - a photographer and farmer in Eugowra, NSW. She created a coffee table book, called "What Does a Farmer Look Like?" to challenge the stereotypical images of farming in Australia.

• Gisela Kaufmann - a documentary film maker, based in Sydney who created "Visible Farmer," after being shocked to find out how under represented women on farms have historically been in agriculture.

These women share why they're so passionate about changing the face of agriculture, as well as their advice on how to tell your own story and the story of others who inspire you.
For more information, you can visit our website. And if you like what you hear, we'd love you to leave a review!

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We might dream of it, but what are the realities of chasing rare adventures or living an extraordinary life?
In this episode Kirsten and Jackie meet two rural women who have done just that. But along with the highs, there have been some crushing lows.

• Jane Richards - is now a wine producer in SA with a successful wine label. But in the early 2000s, she was was high-flyer in New York, with a multi million dollar home and luxury yacht, until it all came crashing down... and she ended up back at her parents' home, with no money, no job and four children to look after. But she did have a "little piece of dirt," which enabled her to literally 'grow' a new life for herself and her family.

• Tanya Heaslip - an award winning author and lawyer from Outback NT, who backpacked around central Europe in the 1980s (an extremely rare thing for an Australian woman to do then). She fell in love with the region, however nearly died in an isolated village, unable to speak the language or contact home. But it was these experiences that fuelled her drive to write and view her own unique, outback childhood in a new light.

Jane and Tanya candidly share their stories and you'll get a glimpse into how the hard times have shaped the passion and resilience they have now (for Jane, that also includes dealing with the currently tricky times in the Australian wine industry).
But... is the road less travelled for you?
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You can grow up in the country, or choose to live in the country... and still have an extraordinary life. Lisa Millar, host of ABC News Breakfast and former foreign correspondent is a perfect example of this.
She began her life on a dairy farm in the small QLD town of Kilkivan. But she always had big ambitions to be a journalist and to travel the world. And turns out, she did precisely that. But her success hasn't always been easy. In this episode she talks about:
* Some of the big stories she covered as a foreign correspondent, including the devastating and tragic Sandy Hook School Shooting in the US, in 2012.*Her unique childhood, growing up in rural Australia, but also with a Dad who became the Federal Member for Wide Bay.* Dealing with social media trolling as a TV host and sexist comments based on appearance.* Why there's no better advocate in life for you, than yourself (and how to do this!)
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When is it time to get a lawyer? And how do you know a succession plan is actually worth the paper it's written on?
Kirsten and Jackie bring in property and succession lawyer, Helen Quade. She lives on a farm herself, near Condobolin, NSW. She's highly regarded in her field, not just as a solicitor who understands the law, but also for her understanding of human emotions.
She says it's never too early to talk about succession planning (even introducing values and expectations to young kids!)
In this episode Helen talks about:
*How to start the succession planning process (and when to bring in a facilitator or a lawyer).
*The importance of a family deed and the laws around land transfers.
*What happens in the case of divorce.
*What to do when there is NO plan... so you don't end up with a big family blow up, down the track.
Helen also answers some of the questions sent in to us over social media by YOU!
By the way, if you like what you hear, leave us a review! For more about us, visit our website.

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Just the thought of succession planning makes so many of us feel uncomfortable. But in this episode, we're embracing the awkward feelings ... and in fact, challenging them. Succession is not about carving up who gets what, it's planning for your future business, lifestyle and aspirations. It can actually be quite exciting.
In this episode, two women share their succession stories and advice:

• Melissa McDonald - dairy farmer in south-west Victoria, who has gone from working for a wage on her parents' farm, to share farming, and is now heading towards ownership.

• Fiona Aveyard - farmer in central NSW, who founded Outback Lamb as a way to diversify and future-proof their business for their children and their community.

While the path to forming a succession plan that keeps everyone happy is rarely quick or easy, it's much better than doing nothing at all. Melissa and Fiona speak candidly about their experiences, from how to have difficult conversations with family, when you should seek a lawyer and how to turn the succession process into a positive.
This is part one of a two-part series on succession planning and we'd love to hear from you. Our next episode features a property lawyer (and rural woman) who regularly deals with succession. If you have a question for her or a succession story to share then email it to us: [email protected] or DM us on Twitter or Instagram (We can keep you anonymous)!
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