We head south to Mississippi to visit with John Mark Looney, a farmer, and Crop to Pop popcorn owner. John Mark and I have known each other for more than a decade, and it was great to catch up with him on key lessons he's learned as he created value to the crops he grows and shifted from selling a commodity to a packaged good. He discusses what it takes to make a value-added product and lessons I believe are helpful to any business owner.

John Mark discusses the value of putting your product on the market and gaining honest feedback from those consumers outside of our immediate circle. I mean, our mom has to like it! He also learned that while he didn't set out to be the face of his business, customers want to know the story behind the product. So here he is, the farmer face of Crop to Pop.

You can find his awesome popcorn at many retail stores across the region and options for anyone to buy John Mark's popcorn and have it shipped to your house via online retailers. Check out his website at https://www.sixmilefarmsllc.com. You can also find John Mark on Facebook and Instagram at @SixMileFarmsLLC.