There are different levels of risk depending on what level your business is currently at. The risks and problems you face after year one are far different than those in year five. Early on in the business, with no real foundation, the risks are massive and can be all-or-nothing. Later on, once you have the stability to take your time and are much better prepared, the risk comes way down to a point where it won’t kill the business.   

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

Your second life begins when you realize you only have one. Many of us are living a life that we feel we just weren't meant for. We feel like we are settling and only doing things to make others happy, rather than ourselves. If you aren’t constantly learning and growing, you are dying. 

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Paying taxes is a byproduct of success. I’d much rather have a big tax bill than make no money. Having a big tax bill is a good problem to have and shouldn’t be complained about. Make sure you count your blessings for where you are today, rather than taking it all for granted. All success comes with challenges that should be appreciated and embraced. 

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

You will do better work if you are bored instead of busy. Right now, everything in the operation is either done by you or goes through you, creating a huge amount of busy work. Our goal in Legacy Farmer is to create so much time and freedom in your operation that you become bored. This frees up so much mental energy that you can then use to focus on the big things. 

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

I was with my parents when their entire operation went under, when they got kicked out of their house, when they filed for bankruptcy, when they sold the farm, and witnessing all of that was one of the biggest blessings in my life. It made me very aware of what the real world is like and what happens when you make bad financial decisions. It isn’t possible to learn these lessons without the struggle attached to them. 

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

The only way to truly choose path A, that has unlimited potential and will give you what you  want, is to burn path B. If there is an easy, safe way out, you’ll always be drawn to it and will never fully embrace the much harder but much more rewarding path. Path B comes with untold challenges, sacrifice, and lessons, but also unlimited potential, rewards, and growth.

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

It’s really easy for an employee, who has never walked in the shoes of an owner, and never felt the pressures of owning your own business, to have opinions on how the business should be run. Before ever giving an opinion, it is extremely important to understand the situation and understand where the person is coming from. 

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

Having an accountability chart and being able to see, very clearly, that you are doing the work of 4 or 5 people, is an invaluable asset in fighting burnout, improving efficiency, and gaining clarity. Having clarity on what you need to do, where you need to go, and how you need to get there can improve the morale of not only you but your entire team. Clarity is the power to change the future of your operation.

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

Growing up on the farm we learn the way to run a business is by micromanaging everyone, treating everyone as an employee, and leaving no room for mistakes. This is not a culture that is fruitful. If this is how you run things, you need to be willing to change before you can have any hope of changing your team. If your team is putting in tons of time every day, then you need to provide an environment that they want to be in for all that time.  

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org

It is so common for the younger generation of farmers to be pressured by family, friends, and even the community to make purchases that are often far too large for them, before they are ready for it. Co-signing on a massive loan for your kids is a great way to set them up for failure. You are throwing them directly into the deep end without teaching them to swim. If you feel like it’s the wrong decision, then don’t make it.

Check out the Impact Legacy Farmer is having on the American Farmer here:  www.legacyfarmer.org