GROUNDBREAKERS: Stories Of Rural Innovation!

This special episode turns the mic around and gives Shannon Coleman the opportunity to interview Ethan about his path to MJE LE, how he stays connected to the company while living full-time in Stephenville, Texas, and how he carries MJE’s culture, product knowledge, and relationship-first approach to 32 dealers across the United States.

This is not just a “get to know Ethan” episode. It is a story about connection, trust, communication, and what it means to represent MJE beyond the walls of Montezuma.

Ethan’s role shows how MJE stays connected across distance, supports dealers across the country, and keeps the company’s values consistent no matter where the conversation happens — in the shop, on the phone, at a trade show, at a dealer location, or through a podcast episode..

This episode introduces Jeff’s long-standing role at MJE and explores how our work in highways, municipal landfills, wastewater facilities, and other infrastructure projects strengthens both the company and the communities we serve.

Not every project has cattle in it — but every project carries the MJE standard.

This episode broadens the perception of who we are. Yes, we design dairies and feedyards. But we also build roads, wastewater systems, and municipal infrastructure that serve entire regions.

Jeff represents the steady leadership and field experience behind those projects.

MJE builds more than feedyards and dairies. We build highways, wastewater systems, and infrastructure that keep rural communities operating.

Highlight the leadership, financial discipline, and long-term vision behind MJE — while recognizing

Leadership doesn’t start in Topeka — it starts in rural Kansas.

“Good cattle flow doesn’t happen by accident. It’s designed that way.” This episode is both a masterclass in facility design and a story of evolution — how Larry’s years in feedyard design and his work with dealers across the U.S. have shaped smarter, more efficient systems for ranchers of every size.

Key Message:

* Scaling wisdom down — how feedyard design shapes small-system efficiency.

* The core of the episode — designing for behavior, not blueprints.

* Lessons learned the hard way — and what made them stick.

* Innovation meets instinct.

Great Quotes:

“Every bad design starts with someone guessing how cattle move.”

This episode explores how MJE is using its 450+ piece heavy equipment fleet to learn, train, and improve performance on real-world jobsites — with an emphasis on operator development, data-informed decision making, and field-tested changes that drive safety and cost savings. But it’s not just a highlight reel: Ryan opens up about what’s been tough, what we’re still figuring out, and what others in the industry can learn from our experience.

https://mjellc.net/why-we-test-a-better-way-to-build-smarter-by-the-yard-mje/ 

https://mjellc.net/careers/ 

On this episode of Groundbreakers: Stories of Rural Innovation, we sit down with Joe Carl, Sales Manager at Western Ranch Supply.    

During today's episode, they will discuss how communication, trust and relationships drive innovation - even across hundreds of miles of rural landscape.

In our conversation, Joe will share about:

They will wrap things up with discussing Western Ranch Supply investing in the next generation and what is ahead for Western Ranch Supply.

This was an exciting and fun conversation, and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did.

On this episode of Groundbreakers: Stories of Rural Innovation, we sit down with Dr. Dave Sjeklocha, DVM, a respected veterinarian, consultant, and President of AABP.  He was recognized as Consultant of the Year by the Academy of Veterinary Consultants and Zoetis.  

During today's episode, they will cover everything from animal care and the evolution of the industry to rural mentorship and cattle care innovation.

In our conversation, Dr. Sjeklocha will share about:

They will wrap things up with discussing Dr. Sjeklocha's "why" behind the work he has done all these years and the on principle that helped guide his career in veterinary consulting.

This was an exciting and fun conversation, and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did.

On this episode of Groundbreakers: Stories of Rural Innovation, we sit down with our fearless leader, Aaron Jantz, CEO, to learn more about his journey from a kid answering phones on a party line to leading one of the Midwest’s most trusted agricultural construction companies.

Aaron opens up about growing up in the business his father, Max Jantz, built from scratch—recalling summer days spent in a skid loader, drilling post holes at just 12 years old. That early hands-on experience now shapes his leadership style, as he guides MJE’s teams to build smarter, cleaner, and stronger cattle facilities, dairies, and feedyards.

In this candid conversation, Aaron shares:

With insights into digester technology, regulatory pressures, and the power of trust in leadership, Aaron offers a masterclass in forward-thinking construction—all while staying true to the values that built MJE from the ground up.

Welcome to the Groundbreakers Podcast, where innovation meets agriculture. Hosted by Ethan Cantrell, Groundbreakers brings you captivating stories from the agricultural sector, focusing on the high plains and beyond.  Today Ethan sits down with Lead Estimator for MJE, Jill Wahl.  Ethan and Jill will talk about her background and how she ended up at MJE.  Jill will share with you what a Lead Estimator does at MJE and some of the factors they consider when working on an estimate for a project.  Ethan and Jill will both discuss their appreciation for MJE's family-based model for their employees and the support they give to their employees and their communities.  Jill will also share her passion for the Channeling Hope Foundation serving as the Marketing and Communications Director.  This was an awesome episode to be a part of and we hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to the Groundbreakers Podcast, where innovation meets agriculture. Hosted by Ethan Cantrell, Groundbreakers brings you captivating stories from the agricultural sector, focusing on the high plains and beyond.  today Ethan sits down with Larry Deges, affectionately known as "Lighning Larry."  Ethan and Larry will take a trip through Larry's upbringing and how he found his way into the rodeo world and the lessons he learned from the ring. The two guys will then transition to a more serious note and Larry's expertise in customized cattle working facilities and life as a Family Man.  As expected, when you have a former bullfighter there is plenty of excitement in this episode and we hope you enjoy it.