Your Ag Empire

Former farmer and seedstock producer turned bowling proprietor, Jon Blin grew up in Independence, Iowa where he has lived the majority of his life outside of a quick stint in Oklahoma attending OSU and working on his family's Hereford Ranch. After returning to Iowa Jon started his own Hereford herd under the name JJB Cattle Company. He met his wife Crystal in 2010 and they were married in 2012. Both are passionate about agriculture, marketing and helping the youth in ag reach their goals. In the winter of 2021 Jon was diagnosed with Spindle Cell Sarcoma which is in remission. In the summer of 2021 with the support of his wife and a mastermind group that they were a part of Jon made his biggest push yet to buy the local bowling alley. In January of 2022 the purchase was complete. After the bowling season ended in 2022 it was time for Jon to get caught up on the cattle operation, but wasn't getting much checked off the list. After many sleepless nights and hard conversations the decision was made to sell the cattle and their farm. The farm was listed and within 30 days of listing it was sold. By October the Blin's had found a buyer for their entire herd of cattle and they were off the farm. The Blin's remain in agriculture owning 60 acres and supporting the local 4H auction at their county fair.

On this episode we discuss:

Entrepreneurial spirit led to selling and focusing on other ventures.

Faith and blind faith are important for entrepreneurs, especially in the face of tough decisions and unexpected challenges.

Being actively involved in the business and leading by example helps create a cohesive team environment and ensures that employees understand and uphold the company's standards.

Comparison can be detrimental to business success. It's important to focus on your own numbers and be proactive in operating your business, whether it's in agriculture, ranching, or other industries.

A husband and wife team starting their operation, evolving the direction for MCC, balancing MCC with two full-time corporate jobs and then opening their own Commercial General Contracting construction company, figuring out their niche in the industry, and building repeat clients. Drought, herd dispersal, rebuilding and refocusing our brand.

In this episode we discuss:

Always wanting to become an entrepreneur even in the corporate industry, and navigating how to make that happen. 

 What it’s like working with your spouse and the balance of work and family. 

Open communication with your spouse when working together or it will not work. 

Learning something completely new and making a full functioning business out of it. 

Navigating all the curve-balls that come your way. 

Will Clay is a seasoned Senior IoT Solutions Architect with a decade of experience in the field. Hailing from Perkins, Oklahoma, Will has made significant strides in designing IoT hardware and equipment, specifically tailored for the utility industry. Will’s expertise truly shines in his ability to identify and solve complex challenges within the utility sector. With a unique blend of skills in electrical and mechanical engineering, he excels at finding the perfect hardware solutions for existing issues. What sets Will apart is his readiness to innovate and create when the right tools don’t exist; he doesn’t just select hardware, he invents it. This ability to build bespoke solutions from the ground up demonstrates not only his technical prowess but also his commitment to delivering practical, effective IoT applications. A true technophile at heart, Will is driven by a passion for staying at the forefront of technology. He thrives on developing cutting-edge hardware solutions to tackle unique challenges in the IoT realm. His approach is characterized by a keen eye for detail and a relentless pursuit of innovation, ensuring that every project he undertakes is not just a task but a step towards pioneering new frontiers in IoT applications.

@Willclay25 on TikTok

In this episode we discuss:

How IoT solutions have been used in agriculture 

Up and coming projects that could make a difference in agriculture. 

Some unconventional/ unexpected ways IoT has helped an agricultural situation. 

How IoT can help improve animal welfare. 

Creating a turbine tractor

Sadie Lackey is a University of Georgia graduate, political junky, agriculture advocate, and stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor. Her day job is working for a commodity trade association, but in her free time, she serves as the executive director for the 118 Foundation. 118 serves young people, ages 18-39, who are overcoming cancer by providing them financial assistance, grants and other support. 118 Foundation is committed to young people's comeback from cancer and leading them to the restoration, refuge, and freedom they desperately desire.

In this episode we discuss:

Importance of ranchers and farmers being involved in the political process. 

Your voice makes a difference and is heard, make that call!

Navigating a cancer diagnosis at a young age

All about the 118 Foundation 

How to navigate cancer or other tough situations with your friends and family.

National Corn Growers Association

Sheri Glazier is a registered dietitian, Oklahoma farmer’s wife, and owner of Dirt Road Dietitian, LLC.  She is passionate about making sense of the overwhelming world of nutrition and simplifying it into practical and sustainable solutions that work for you, in your environment and community.  She creates a safe space to ask vulnerable questions and make some sense of the nonsense.  She is tenured in on-farm meal deliveries, while balancing kids’ schedules, and making rural meal solutions a nourishing reality.

Recently, she was named Oklahoma’s Dietitian of the Year and awarded the Rising Star award from her Alma mater, the Oklahoma State University College of Education Human Sciences.

Sheri resides in rural NW Oklahoma with her husband Kyle and their two young children.

In this episode we discuss:

It is not one size fits all, you need to look at what works for you personally. 

Unfortunately there is not a quick solution, but those that are ready will do the work to change their lifestyle. 

Generational impact really influences how we see food and how we eat now. 

Possibility of long term effects for Farmers and Ranchers that are only eating a balanced meal in the evenings after a long day.

The difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist. 

DirtRoadDietitian.com

@DirtRoadDietitian

Amanda Nigg found her true professional purpose after discovering life is too short to do anything other than what you were put on this Earth to do. Fitness was a space to keep a healthy mental state while dealing with stress and turmoil, and shortly after this realization, she wanted everyone in her community to feel the peace that comes with a healthy mind & body. And that’s how Farm Fit Training was born. Amanda gives the Ag Industry tools and strategies to lose fat, build muscle, and improve mental health, all while creating a healthy lifestyle allowing them to live in their new bodies with confidence for the rest of their life. When Amanda Nigg and her family lost their house to fire in 2020, she could have fallen into a funk. Instead, from the ashes, the South Dakotan found a new resolve and built a hot new business offering fitness programs.

In this episode we discuss:

How a house fire changed their family's life forever

How having a healthy lifestyle can really improve your mental health

Farm Fit Momma and what this platform has done for Amanda and her family.

Amanda's health coaching program geared towards Farmers and Ranchers- Farm Fit Training.

@farmfitmomma on Instagram and TikTok

Farmfitmomma.com

https://twitter.com/FarmFitMomma/status/1726982085376610476

https://www.amazon.com/shop/farmfitmomma

https://www.farmfitmomma.com/blog

A Texas Native who is establishing roots in Enid, Okla., Chris Fryer is an Oklahoma State University alumnus with a bachelors, and masters, in Agricultural Economics. He’s established a career as a successful elevator manager and grain merchandiser. Throughout his career he’s spent time with cooperatives, corporate grain elevators, and mills.

In this episode we discuss:

How Chris got his start into grain merchandising 

Three areas where money is being made: Capture and carry, Mixing and blending,and Trading basis 

Interest rates right now are high so it's harder to make money. 

Work- life balance. What a day looks like with this career. 

Networking is a big part of this field. 

Ceagrain.com

Chris Fryer on Linkedin

Your Ag Empire is the no-BS podcast for farmers, ranchers, and ag professionals who are ready to rethink the business of agriculture. Hosted by Jonathon and Holly Haralson, we dive into real conversations about profitability, sustainability, and innovation—without the fluff. If you’re a changemaker in ag, this is where you belong. New episodes drop weekly.