Your Ag Empire

This week on Your Ag Empire, we sit down with Jordan Morris: a first-generation Iowa cattleman, LRP/LGM agent, and dad to five boys. Jordan owns and operates Midwest Feeders LLC and helps producers navigate market risk through StockGuard. He's also the newest member of the Empire Ag team.

In this episode, we unpack Jordan's journey from toy tractors in town to running a multi-site cattle feeding operation. He shares the hard lessons learned from building a business without a head start, how he leverages USDA-backed tools like LRP and LGM to protect his customers, and what it means to be both dad and operator in an industry that doesn’t slow down.

What we cover:

• The challenges and advantages of being a first-gen farmer
• How Jordan scaled Midwest Feeders despite early setbacks
• What makes his custom feeding operation different
• How LRP and LGM can help producers manage market volatility
• Why joining Empire Ag changed the game for his business
• Fatherhood, faith, and keeping perspective through tough seasons

Whether you're feeding cattle, looking for new tools to manage risk, or figuring out how to juggle business and family, Jordan's story will resonate. It's real, honest, and proof that where you start doesn't define where you can go.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Jordan:

• Email: [email protected]

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• LRP & LGM Quotes: youragempire.com/stockguard
• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

Looking for better ways to manage your farm finances, create budgets, or make smarter decisions with real-time data? In this episode of Your Ag Empire, we talk with Erin Arick from Figured, a cloud-based farm financial management platform built specifically for farmers, ag advisors, and accountants.

We explore how Figured integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, helps track profitability by crop season, and enables scenario planning for long-term growth—or even succession planning and exiting the operation.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why cloud-based farm accounting tools matter
• How Figured helps farmers make data-driven decisions
• The difference between tax accounting and managerial accounting
• How to track crop and livestock performance in real time
• Ways to collaborate with your ag advisor or banker using shared reports
• How Figured supports sustainability and long-term profitability in agriculture

Plus, we share real-world examples of producers who used the tool to avoid burnout, restructure debt, or retire with dignity.

Whether you’re scaling up, thinking about succession, or just tired of guessing with spreadsheets, this episode offers clear, practical insights for better financial decision-making in agriculture.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Erin:

• Connect with Erin Arick on LinkedIn

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Some of the links mentioned are affiliate links, which helps to support this podcast at no additional cost to you. 

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Figured.
• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

In this episode of Your Ag Empire, we sit down with Brian Scott, a fourth-generation Indiana farmer and the voice behind The Farmer’s Life. Long before TikTok trends and algorithm hacks, Brian was using social media to connect with consumers, document his days on the farm, and advocate for agriculture with honesty and humility.

We talk about how ag content has evolved over the past decade, why he believes farmers should show the mundane, and how he balances a 2,400-acre no-till operation with family, band boosters, and building content that lasts.

Whether you’re a first-generation rancher or a seasoned producer, this episode is full of real talk on partnerships, parenting, content creation, and the power of showing up online with integrity.

In this episode, we cover:

• The early days of ag content creation and what’s changed since 2011
• Why Brian focuses on educating non-ag audiences—and how that’s built long-term trust
• Behind the scenes of building and monetizing The Farmer’s Life
• Working 50/50 with his dad and raising the next generation on the farm
• Prioritizing family and showing up for kids during planting and harvest
• The value of self-employment and lessons from leaving (and returning to) the farm
• Advice for farmers wanting to start sharing online without the fear of trolls or imposter syndrome

If this episode gave you a fresh take on farming, family, or sharing your story online, send it to a friend who needs to hear it. And don’t forget to follow Your Ag Empire—we’ve got more real conversations coming your way next week.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Brian:

• Website: TheFarmersLife.com
• Instagram: @thefarmerslife
• Facebook: The Farmer's Life
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/thefarmerslife
• TikTok, YouTube, X/Twitter: @thefarmerslife

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

On this episode of Your Ag Empire, we’re sitting down with sixth-generation Iowan and marketing pro Lexi Marek Beeler. She’s the founder of L&B Consulting and the woman behind the new rural women’s event, Hey Sister. From showing pigs to building a thriving business rooted in family and agriculture, Lexi shares how she’s navigating entrepreneurship, motherhood, and returning to the family farm.

In this episode, we cover:

• What makes marketing in ag different
• The power of fractional marketing
• Life lessons from working with women-led teams
• Why rural communities matter—and how to keep them thriving
• The story and strategy behind launching the Hey Sister event

Whether you’re in ag, adjacent to it, or just trying to figure out your next move, this episode’s full of practical advice, honest stories, and a whole lot of heart.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Lexi:

• Visit her website 
• Check out her event, Hey Sister
• Follow on Instagram @leximarekbeeler
• Connect on LinkedIn @leximarekbeeler

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

On this episode of Your Ag Empire, we’re joined by Lettie Nickell—a fourth-generation Kansas rancher who's turning tradition on its head. From managing feedyards to transforming an old grain bin into a hit Airbnb, Letty is proof that the future of agriculture belongs to those willing to think outside the box.

Lettie shares how she returned to the family operation with one rule: bring value or don’t come back. She walks us through how she built revenue streams like direct-to-consumer beef sales, short-term rentals, a wedding venue, and even a community feed store. Lettie doesn’t shy away from the challenges—family dynamics, shifting mindsets, and figuring out how to make it all work.

Whether you’re looking to bring your own kids back to the farm, add off-farm income, or just feel inspired by what’s possible in ag, this conversation is packed with grit, creativity, and real talk.

If this episode sparked new ideas or made you curious about sleeping in a grain bin—share it with a friend. And hit follow so you don’t miss the next conversation inside Your Ag Empire.

Connect with Lettie:

• Lettie on Instagram
• Lettie on TikTok
• Book the Airbnb
• Learn about the wedding venue

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

After years of veterinary school and only four years in the field, Kari Jo Kelso walked away from her full-time vet career to chase something unexpected—t-shirts. Now the founder of Kelso & Co., Kari Jo has built a thriving apparel business and renovated a historic downtown space to support other rural entrepreneurs. In this episode of Your Ag Empire, we talk about grief, creativity, small-town pride, and what happens when you decide not to wait for retirement to live your life.

Kari Jo Kelso was living the life she thought she wanted—Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, steady job, clear path. But after losing her mom at 52, everything changed.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Kelso & Co. started as a side hustle to cover plane tickets
• Pivoting from a traditional career into full-time entrepreneurship
• Why small towns need more creative spaces
• What grief teaches us about how (and when) to live
• The accidental launch of a corn-themed swimsuit line
• How Kari Jo gives back through purpose-driven designs and event spaces
• Diversifying income in rural America
• Balancing multiple roles: vet, designer, auction helper, small-town dreamer

If you’ve ever felt called to something different, this one’s for you.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Kari:

• Shop Kelso & Co.: shopkelsoandco.com
• Book The Small Towner event space: smalltownermacomb.com

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

In part two, Jonathon and Brandon dig even deeper—breaking down the economic impact of misaligned agronomic advice and the mental toll of farming when the numbers don’t add up.

Brandon shares real-world wins, including how he helped one grower save over $400,000 without sacrificing yield.

In this episode:

• The trap of $35/acre decisions that add no value
• Why soil fertility problems are rarely solved with a jug
• The hard truth about regenerative ag (and who’s actually doing it)
• How ProGro is redefining success—one field at a time
• A wake-up call on the emotional and mental health side of farming

This episode is a gut-check for any grower who’s ever felt the weight of the spreadsheet—and wondered if there’s a better way.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Connect with Brandon

• Visit Pro Gro Agronomy’s Website 
• Visit ProGro Consulting’s Website
• Email him at [email protected]

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

In part one of this two-part conversation, Jonathon sits down with Brandon Vining, founder of ProGrow Consulting, to talk about what’s broken in traditional ag retail—and why independent agronomy is gaining ground.

Brandon shares how decades in the ag retail trenches taught him exactly what not to do, and what it took to build a business that puts growers first.

In this episode:

• Why the retail model isn’t built for the grower
• The moment Brandon realized he had to walk away
• What independent agronomy actually looks like in the field
• The financial risks most farmers don’t know they’re taking
• How his model puts power—and money—back in the hands of producers

If you’ve ever wondered whether your agronomy advice is serving your farm or someone else’s bottom line, this one’s for you.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Connect with Brandon: 

• Visit the Pro Gro Agronomy website.

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

In this episode of Your Ag Empire, Holly sits down with Emily Reuschel—a nationally recognized speaker, retreat host, and the voice behind the Gather in Growth Podcast. Emily is a former educator turned rural entrepreneur who now helps women rewrite the narrative of success in small-town America.

Together, Holly and Emily explore the power of curiosity, community, and courage—especially for women balancing motherhood, marriage, and the demands of rural life. From confronting burnout to navigating big life pivots, Emily shares the deeply personal and practical lessons that have shaped her journey.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Connect with Emily:

• Follow her podcast, Gather in Growth 
• Follow her on Instagram @emilyreuschel
• Check out her website

Connect with Your Ag Empire:

• Follow on Instagram @youragempire
• Follow on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on LinkedIn
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out our website

Resources & Links:

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
• Learn more about the Elite Mastermind and how to become a member
• Protect your livestock investment with Empire Ag’s risk management solutions
• Join The Dirt email subscription 
• Book Jonathon as your next speaker

Mentioned in this episode:

Farming is a business—and at Empire Financial Services, we treat it like one. Our team helps farmers and ranchers get clarity on their finances, streamline bookkeeping, and build long-term stability. Click below to learn more.

Empire Financial Services

On this Father’s Day episode we discuss how important father’s are to the family and what we can do as farmers and ranchers for them. Ultimately we would love our kids to carry on the family business and keep things rolling long after were gone. Which means we need to build up their confidence and trust them to do so when they are younger. How many of us have dealt with a dad or grandad that just can’t seem to let it go? Leaving us sitting there at 30, 40, and maybe even 50 years old with no stake in the business. That control is sometimes very hard to let go, but we should have faith in our children that they can keep things going and even better what is already put in place. Then on the other hand we should support our kids if they want to go a whole new route entirely. Because when it comes down to it, we want them to have passion for whatever they want to pursue and if farming and ranching isn’t it then alright. As father’s we want to love the way God loves us, and teach that love to our children. If we can do that I would say we have done our job well. Happy Father’s Day!