If your New Year’s plan was
“work harder and hope for the best”…
don’t read this.

Because that plan has already failed you once.
Probably more than once.

And I get why it happens.

You roll into a new year.
Last year’s done.
Your head finally lifts above water.

You think:

“This year will be different.”

But then…

The phone rings.
A staff issue pops up.
Something breaks.
Something needs fixing.

And before you know it, you’re back in the dance.

Working harder.
Running faster.
Doing more of the same.

Two weeks ago, our Farm Owners Academy leadership team met in Sydney for three days of annual planning.

It was the first thing we did after taking two weeks off.

And it was a powerful reminder.

You can’t solve a problem in the same state it was created in.

You can’t plan clearly when you’re exhausted.
You can’t think strategically when you’re reacting.
And you can’t design a better business while standing in the middle of it.

That’s the trap.

Most farm owners are trying to improve their business…
from the dance floor.

Flat out.
In the noise.
Surrounded by motion.

But real progress doesn’t happen there.

It happens on the balcony.

When you step back.
Slow down.
And finally see the whole room.

From up there, patterns become obvious.
What’s working.
What’s wasting time.
What needs to stop.
What actually moves the needle.

Here’s the part most farmers miss.

Working smarter is not an attitude.
It’s a decision.

And it doesn’t happen by accident.

That’s exactly why we run the Top Producers Workshop every February.

Two full days off-farm.
No distractions.
No firefighting.

Just space to think properly.
To get off the dance floor.
And up onto the balcony.

So you can set clear priorities for the year ahead
and commit to less… but better.

Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th February 2026
The Brighton Hotel, Sydney

Early bird tickets close tonight!
$795 for two tickets.
Less than the price of one.

Bring all the decision makers in your business and come up with a smarter plan this year.

Because the cost of not stepping back?

Another year of busyness.
Another year of “we’ll get to that later.”
Another year of working hard without the return to match.

👉 Grab your spot here

If you want 2026 to feel different,
you can’t start it the same way.

See you on the balcony in Sydney.

Regards

Sam Johnsson
CEO, Farm Owners Academy

P.S. 🚨 Early bird pricing ends this Friday and this is your very last chance to secure your seat at a discounted rate! Two full days off-farm to step back, reset your thinking, and set a strategic course for the year ahead. If you want 2026 to be different, you need to plan differently. 👉 Book your seat now