WiSPER LOUD

In this year-end episode we reflect on a season of candid conversations about career progression, tough choices, and motivation faced by women in seed production. We celebrate the WISP Network’s 10year anniversary and underscore the episode’s central message: the power of community and a strong professional network. Key themes included taking ownership of your career (insights from Cheryl Werner, Melissa Phillips, and Angie Black), redefining trust and leadership (including the idea that “trust is a choice”), and resilience and energy management (practical tips from Debbie Holderman and Dr. Sheilah Oltmans-Deardorff). Guests also highlighted mentorship, allyship, and concrete strategies like career mapping, building transferable skills, and scheduling recovery time. This episode wraps with the signature “shout from the rooftops” answers from this year’s guests — from “I am enough” to “keep swimming” — and a reminder to follow the podcast so you don’t miss next year’s conversation.  

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a candid conversation with Angie Black, a US Navy veteran and mother with 24 years of experience in agriculture, who shared profound insights on career progression and challenges faced by women in seed production. Angie detailed her career journey through two segments: the intense "prove it" phase, rooted in proving value by working long hours and constantly seeking visibility, and the current "demonstrate" phase, which focuses on the quality and how she delivers work. The transition from overextending herself and prioritizing work, even on vacation, was catalyzed by a health crisis that required her to implement "guard rails" and shift toward working smarter. A key lesson learned throughout her career is the necessity of securing partnerships over seeking universal approval and recognizing that time lost cannot be recovered. Angie strongly advocates for influential leadership, emphasizing that success in service organizations often comes from increasing one's scope of influence across the business rather than solely relying on managing direct reports. Ultimately, she encourages listeners to embrace the confidence that she now holds: the belief that "I am definitely enough".

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an insightful conversation with Melissa Phillips, the North America Laboratory Research Lead. In this episode, Melissa shares her inspiring journey from working a seasonal part-time position while reevaluating her career trajectory, to earning her Registered Seed Technologist accreditation and pursuing advanced degrees in agriculture. She highlights how her drive for self-reliance spurred her on to continuous learning and helped her develop what she calls "back pocket information," or transferable skills that come in handy. Melissa also opens up about overcoming significant life challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, and how careful pre-planning along with a robust support system made navigating critical workplace decisions more manageable. As a "silent motivator," she provides valuable insights on guiding the next generation, addressing gender bias with her daughter in the traditionally male field of engineering, and raising her son to be a supportive ally. Finally, Melissa imparts essential advice for women in agriculture, stressing the importance of self-awareness, particularly regarding body language and approachability, and emphasizing the need to build a foundation for self-reliance. Don't miss this empowering episode!

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for another special podcast episode celebrating our 10-year anniversary featuring additional insights from Kate McQueen, VP of North America Row Crop Production, three years after her first appearance. This episode includes a re-listening to her originally aired podcast, now enriched with new content and reflections. Kate emphasized her fundamental message of avoiding the pursuit of perfection, encouraging listeners to recognize their strengths and values while collaborating with those who complement them instead of trying to be everything to everyone. Considering the current uncertainties in the agricultural industry, she urged women to embrace change, manage their mindset, and be proactive and engaged, prioritizing self-care through small daily practices. Kate also reflected on her journey of work-life integration, stressing the importance of establishing boundaries and evaluating balance over extended periods, such as monthly, to alleviate daily guilt. She openly shared her struggles with imposter syndrome, advocating for trust in one’s network, reframing negative thoughts, and approaching situations with humility. Her updated "shout from the rooftops" message inspires everyone to "be the person you want to be now" and embodies the change they wish to see in the world. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Kate share even more incredible advice and guidance.

Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we commemorate the 10th anniversary of Women in Seed Production (WISP) by bringing together a vibrant panel of women. They will reflect on past episodes and delve into valuable advice and examples that have shaped their own journeys in career advancement and life within seed production. This celebration will not only honor our milestones but also explore how revisiting these discussions has enriched their experiences and provided actionable insights for navigating challenges in the industry. This episode emphasized the power of community and mentorship, showcasing how these relationships foster a supportive environment for personal and professional growth. A standout moment was Anna Jansen's inspiring quote: "do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better do better," which resonated deeply with the panelists. Jason Wildman contributed a valuable perspective, encouraging listeners to view failures not as setbacks but asopportunities to adopt a creative mindset. His insights reinforced the idea that embracing failure can lead to innovation and growth. While Jim Dowling’s analogy illustrated how "failure bricks" can be transformed into "stepping stones" for personal and team elevation, fostering a "fail forward" approach.  The conversation also highlighted Hannah Neuenschwander’s advice that there are no "wrong" decisions in one’s career path, encouraging listeners to embrace non-traditional routes. Drew Yingling emphasized the significance of building trust through respect and open communication, creating a safe space for honest feedback. The episode concluded with heartfelt reflections on whatthey would advise their younger selves, focusing on trusting the process and leveraging community. The Women in Seed Production Network is celebrating our 10th anniversary throughout the entire month, so be sure to subscribe to catch all the amazing content! 

Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Women in Seed Production (WISP) by gathering former and current hosts to share their favorite clips and insights. We begin with a powerful selection by Allie Jack featuring Abby Repp, who inspires us with the reminder that "you are enough," promoting self-acceptance and resilience against the pressure to be perfect. Megan Reynolds has chosen a clip with Allegra Belknap, which underscores the importance of overcoming confidence barriers by utilizing your network and acknowledging transferable skills when faced with new opportunities. Abby Repp’s clip featuring Therese Montellano-Mullins calls for action to "take a seat, make a seat" at the table, advocating for bold self-assertion and the creation of opportunities for others. Additionally, Alexis Myers’ clip with Cheryl Werner imparts the wisdom to trust your journey, recognizing that career choices are often "for now, not forever," and encourages embracing various paths instead of getting caught up in "what ifs." Overall, the episode powerfully reinforces the critical role of connections and support systems within WISP, fostering self-worth, bravery, and the ability to write your own unique story. Looking for more roundtable discussions featuring former and current hosts of the WiSPER Loud Podcast? Stay tuned for next week, when we release a second episode with a new group of fantastic hosts! The Women in Seed Production Network is celebrating our 10th anniversary throughout the entire month, so be sure to subscribe to catch all the amazing content!

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a specialpodcast episode commemorating WiSP’s 10-year anniversary. This episode features insights from Shannon Hauf, the North America, Australia, and New Zealand ProductSupply Lead, who returns four years after her initial appearance in the second episode of the podcast. We revisit her original episode, now enhanced with fresh content and reflections. Shannon discusses the significant progress andadvancements for women in the agriculture sector over the past four years, emphasizing that "women belong in agriculture." She underscores the importance of allyship, and the support women provide to one another in the industry, recognizing their contributions from the farmgate to boardroom tables. Key advice for women in seed production includes seeking out a supportive network, being bold and unapologetic in their roles, and fostering resilience in the cyclical agricultural landscape. Shannon Hauf's remarkable career trajectory illustrates the power of thorough preparation and steadfast confidence in leadership. This episode celebrates the strides made by women in agriculture and advocates for ongoing efforts in diversity, innovation, and collaboration to empower everyone and propel the industry forward.

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an insightful discussion with Salam Akhtar, a seasoned leader in the Canadian crop science sector, who shares his experiences and advice on career progression, ownership and leadership. Salam’s talks about his journey from Pakistan to Canada, emphasizing the importance of owning one's decisions, adaptability, and the willingness to start from scratch. He discusses navigating different company cultures, building trust within teams, and leading through organizational transformations from hierarchical to agile models. Key takeaways include the value of transparency, peer-to-peer accountability, and the significance of hard work and honesty in achieving career success. You won’t want to miss any of this exciting conversation with Salam!

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a candid conversation with Cheryl Warner, a continuation from our previous episode “Decisions for Now, Not Forever”. Cheryl emphasizes the significance of trust as a choice rather than something to be earned in leadership. She describes how this approach fosters greater team ownership and collaboration. Cheryl also discusses her experiences with mentorship, highlighting the value of helping others develop their career paths and offering insights to those seeking guidance. Ultimately, she champions a leadership philosophy centered on empowerment and vulnerability to achieve team success. This episode offers valuable takeaways on leadership, trust, mentorship, and empowering teams. You don’t want to miss the conclusion of our incredible conversation with Cheryl!  

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a candid conversation featuring Cheryl Werner, a site manager with 31 years of experience and an advocate for advancing women in leadership. Cheryl shares her non-typical career path, highlighting how prioritizing family led to spending 17 years at one location. A key realization was that she owned her career decisions, which shifted her perspective from feeling passed over to empowerment and motivated her to take diverse roles within that location. Cheryl advises young professionals to trust the process, take ownership of their careers, and use a career map to explore different paths, remembering that decisions for "now" are not "forever" as circumstances change. This thought-provoking first part of the conversation offers valuable insights into career navigation and work-life balance, with Part 2 coming next month! Make sure to stay tuned for even more from Cheryl!