Do You Ever Get Triggered?  I'm willing to bet that, like me, you experience triggers because you're human.  Triggers occur when someone or something causes us to react negatively. For years, I avoided triggers and often blamed others or the...

At our last TOP Producers event, a farmer approached me and mentioned that he had heard Farm Owners Academy being referred to as a 'cult.' To my surprise, when asked directly, I responded, "Well, in many ways, it is." Allow me to explain. The term...

Running a great business is a lot easier than you’d think. Most of it boils down to a few key habits.   Here are 7 habits of highly effective farm business owners:   1. They have a morning routine. Rather than diving straight into work,...

We are running a free online coaching session on Wednesday, June 7th, called Surviving & Thriving In Changing Times – it is all about how farm owners can overcome rising costs, inflation and softening...

While we specialise in helping farmers make more money, our team gets a bigger kick when we see clients enjoying a fulfilled life.   We believe that real wealth lies in the quality of our relationships, the experiences we enjoy, and the act of...

The 'Important Not Urgent' quadrant is a concept introduced by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In this book, Covey suggests that people should prioritise their tasks based on their level of importance and...

Here are some simple tips to help you set up a great 2023.   Put your holidays into your calendar early. If you don’t plan time off, you will fill it with stuff. I like to ensure I get a mini break every quarter (4 days off) and an extended break...

As the year comes to a close, it is fitting that we look back and reflect on an aspect of our business here at Farm Owners Academy that we are incredibly proud of and love doing - and that we know so many of you are avid listeners of!   Our podcast...

Reflecting on 2022, I wanted to share with you my biggest lessons…   Parenting is challenging. I have a four and a two-year-old, and it’s been hard. I have found myself often playing the victim (thinking ‘poor me’), so it’s been good to catch these...

As farmers, our professional and personal lives are usually intertwined far greater than any other profession; our every day is spent on the land, often working with multiple generations of family members and therefore having to navigate the highs...

I co-founded Farm Owners Academy 9 years ago with Greg and Deb Johnsson - today is a shout-out to them.  They recently celebrated an incredible milestone – 40 years since they opened their Veterinary Practice on Kangaroo Island. While they sold the...

Phil Kearns is without question one of Australia’s greatest ever Rugby Union players. With sixty-seven tests as #2 for the Australian Wallabies, ten as Captain, and seventy-three games for the NSW Waratahs, Phil was a key contributor to three...

Having money is nice, but having quality of life - good health and good relationships - is even more important.    At Farm Owners Academy, we help farmers make more money, but we get a bigger kick out of seeing you turn your life around and start...

Unlike most “jobs”, farming is an all-encompassing, often family-run business that necessitates a physically, emotionally and mentally gruelling lifestyle. Living and working with family members every day can be wonderful for some and very...

I'm sure there are more, but I place stress and overwhelm into three main categories:  ONE: Things left undone (too many things to do in a short amount of time);  TWO: You are constantly chasing the future and never stop to enjoy the moment (high...

This week I wanted to share a message that our CEO Sam Johnsson sent out to our Platinum Mastermind members in a monthly newsletter. With some having their best year ever and others wiped out from floods, I think it’s a great reminder of how...

After two years of coaching, I had 13 clients.   I thought I was doing really well and wasn’t thinking about growing - I was in a comfort zone.  I knew time management was one of the most important skills I could learn, so I paid for a time...

Imagine working 70 hours every week, only to get to the end of the year and realise you are losing money after paying the interest on your loan (while interest rates were 2%)!  Many business owners do this (not just farmers).    They are so busy...

When I first started coaching, I was responsible for everything - all the administration, finance and, of course, coaching clients.    The problem was I really hated the administration and the finance (bookwork) part of the business.  Two years...

Many farm owners believe that in order to become a top 20% farmer, you need to work harder (or do more).   This is not true.  The top 20% of farmers just do things slightly differently.  In fact, I would argue that many top 20% of farmers are...

Recently I was asked a great question by Rob - about models/leadership structures for multiple business owners, for example, more than two siblings that run a business.     Firstly, it is a little bit more complex but very achievable if the owners...

Some people are in control, and some people aren’t.   Either you run your business and life, or your business and life will run you.  If it’s not scheduled in your calendar, it just won’t get done - learn to schedule time for important personal...

I’ve just finished a 9-day course. It was a big one, delivered online from 9am to 10.30pm each day.  I got so much value from this.  It was all about living in the moment and having peace of mind.  The instructor is a master at this. His presence...

I was at our neighbour’s place over the weekend. We have a lot in common as we both grew up on the land, and we both work with farmers.  We were talking about how some farmers get very frustrated if they see or hear of a farmer ‘selling up.’  They...

Are you stuck in the trading time for money trap?Sadly – most people are.Trading time for money was ingrained into most of us from an early age.We were taught to choose a career when we were older such as being a doctor, lawyer, electrician,...

Do you love to work hard?   Do you see yourself as a doer?   Do you have the attitude, ‘If there is a job to be done, then get out of my way and let me do it?’   This attitude has served you because things get done.   A real theme in the...

An accountant spends three years studying their craft  A lawyer spends five years studying their craft  A doctor spends seven years studying their craft AND they are all required to complete further education each year to maintain their...

I had a really interesting chat with a client last week about why we don’t always do what we know we should when we run our own business. I told him why I think this occurs by relaying the story below from when I was an employee.  Many years back,...

19 Tips From 22 Years of Coaching…  1. Give yourself 4-7 years to get good at business. Running a business is an amazing journey. It uncovers many insecurities, and you attract many clients that will bring out these insecurities. However, when...

We all have an identity, and we all operate from a set of beliefs.   These have been built up over many years, and most of it is now operating from your subconscious - which means that you might not even be aware of them.   The ego is why so people...

Farm owners are some of the richest people in the world. Many are in the top 1% when it comes to wealth. In the end, you only need so much money, and many farm owners now have more wealth than they will ever spend.  If you have a net worth of more...

Peter Van Beek was an 80-year-old that would stand near a roundabout next to our house and wave to the traffic almost every day.  We would often drive past him, and our kids would get so excited and wave like mad to him.   He brought so much joy to...

Why do so many people resist help?  Why are some people so open to receiving help from others, yet others reject it?  Why do people defend what they know and struggle to remain open-minded to other viewpoints and receiving feedback to live a better...

Recently I stayed in a hotel in Casino NSW.  I travelled to have a couple of days with Our Cow, who I coach.   It’s hard to get accommodation in Casino, and I ended up staying in a simple hotel that was three stars at best.   I met a girl called...

A 30-minute weekly team meeting aligned to your strategic plan will do you wonders.  Here are 15 keys to running a great meeting:  1. Set a time: Make it the same time every time so that people book it in as a habit.  2. Set a frequency: Make it...

In order to run a Freedom Farm or a business that can run without you, you must overcome any fear of losing control.  You will need to become extremely comfortable hiring people (even people to pay your bills and manage your bank accounts) and then...