The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

Join our champion program: [email protected] a Thriving Leader event: https://www.themomentumcompany.com/thriving-leaderInstagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyWhat does it really mean to be intentional with your life and leadership?In this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, Mark sits down with Nelson Powell, an experienced agricultural finance leader who has built teams and markets across organizations including Farm Credit, Rabobank, First Bank and Trust, and now MetLife.Nelson is also an eighth-generation member of his family farm—and his perspective on success has changed dramatically throughout his career.Together, Mark and Nelson talk about time, relationships, mentorship, culture, and why some of the most influential leaders you'll ever meet may never have the title to prove it.For Nelson, intentionality starts with one thing:Time.You can't make more of it.You can choose where you invest it, who receives it, and what deserves it—but every day still comes with the same 24 hours.That means being intentional not only with your own time, but with the time of your family, teammates, and clients.As Nelson puts it, time may be the most precious asset we have.Early in his career, Nelson was chasing a very different definition of success.He wanted the plane, the vacation home, the cars, and the material signs that told the world he'd made it. He worked relentlessly—at one point spending roughly 320 nights a year in hotel rooms while building his career.Then one morning, he woke up and had to look at the hotel phone book just to figure out what city he was in.He realized he had achieved many of the things he'd wanted, but the people he viewed as truly successful were building something money couldn't buy: relationships, family, and a life they actually wanted to live.So Nelson changed course.Today, he describes what he has as “the richest life on earth”—not because of what he owns, but because of the people around him.Nelson has helped build agricultural lending teams and markets throughout his career, but he doesn't credit complicated strategies for that success.He credits relationships.Knowing people. Caring deeply about them. Learning the business. Finding great teammates. Understanding the challenges facing clients.Leadership, especially in agriculture, requires a willingness to dig in and understand both the business and the people behind it.Nelson has benefited from incredible mentors throughout his career, but he learned an important lesson along the way:The best mentor isn't necessarily the person at the top.Leadership can exist at every level of an organization.Sometimes the person with the most wisdom is quietly doing their job several levels below the CEO—and all you have to do is ask them for help.Don't chase titles. Look for people whose lives, habits, wisdom, and leadership are worth learning from.After working across multiple organizations and cultures, Nelson has learned that there's often a difference between the culture leadership intends to create and the culture employees actually experience.A mission statement sitting on a shelf isn't culture.Culture is what people live every day.And while senior leadership has tremendous influence over an organization's culture, Nelson challenges every employee to take ownership of the culture they create within their own circle.Instead of only pointing toward what's wrong, ask what you can personally do to make it better.Nelson also believes leaders need to stay connected to the people and customers doing the work.Information changes as it travels through an organization. By the time something reaches senior leadership, it may have passed through several filters.Maintaining some connection to the front line gives leaders a perspective that reports, meetings, and secondhand information can't always provide.Nelson closes the conversation with a reminder worth hearing:There are incredible leaders throughout agriculture who may never become a CEO, receive an award, or have a wall filled with plaques.That doesn't make their impact any less significant.What you do every day matters.The people you've encouraged, mentored, served, and influenced notice—even when they don't always know how to tell you.Listen if you are:Building or leading a team in agricultureTrying to become more intentional with your timeLooking for a mentor—or hoping to become oneNavigating a new organization or company cultureReconsidering what success actually meansLeading without a formal leadership titleA rich life isn't measured by what you accumulate or the title beside your name. Be intentional with your time, invest deeply in people, take ownership of the culture around you, and remember that your impact matters—even when nobody gives you a plaque for it.

Join our champion program: [email protected] a Thriving Leader event: https://www.themomentumcompany.com/thriving-leaderInstagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyAgriculture is changing faster than most of us can keep up with—and according to Aidan Connolly, the biggest mistake leaders can make right now is waiting for someone else to figure it out first.In this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, Mark sits down with Aidan Connolly, a globally recognized voice in agricultural innovation and author of The Future of Agriculture. Aidan grew up in Ireland and spent years traveling the world with Alltech, experiencing its growth from roughly $23 million to $2.5 billion in sales and working across more than 100 countries. Today, his work focuses on innovation and helping agriculture prepare for what's coming next.When Aidan published The Future of Agriculture, AI was only one piece of a much larger conversation around emerging technology.Six weeks later, ChatGPT arrived.Today, Aidan says it's nearly impossible to have a conversation about the future of agriculture without putting AI front and center. The pace of change is accelerating—and what feels innovative today could be outdated tomorrow.That's exactly why intentional leadership matters.The tools will continue to get better. The question is whether leaders are willing to learn, experiment, and adapt quickly enough to use them well.One of my favorite parts of this conversation was Aidan's reminder that innovation isn't reserved for the youngest person in the room.He shares the story of a 78-year-old colleague who was running circles around him with AI—not because of age, education, or IQ, but because the guy was relentlessly learning.Age isn't the defining factor. Hunger is.The people positioned to thrive in this next era will be the ones willing to keep learning, questioning what they know, and getting in the game.Aidan's advice to agribusiness leaders is simple:Don't be last.You don't have to know exactly what agriculture will look like 20 or 30 years from now. Nobody does.But the technologies capable of disrupting our businesses are already here.Build the pilot. Put together the team. Start experimenting. And as a leader, don't simply hand AI over to IT and walk away. Learn enough to understand what's possible and personally participate in the conversation.Aidan also breaks down his 2-1-4-3 framework for strategic planning.Most traditional plans spend too much time talking about where we've been before eventually getting to where we're going.Aidan flips that thinking.Get brutally clear about where you are today. Briefly understand how the past got you here. Then define where you actually want to go before choosing the road that will get you there.In a world moving this quickly, leaders can't spend all their time firefighting and making small, incremental improvements. We need space to identify the two or three moves that could fundamentally change the future of the business.We also get practical about one of agriculture's biggest challenges with AI: our data isn't always ready for it.Too much information is still being recorded manually, entered later, stored in disconnected systems, or simply captured inconsistently.Aidan calls it “data obesity.”Sensors, wearables, cameras, and other technologies are beginning to change that by collecting information automatically and in real time. When we combine better data with AI, the opportunity for agriculture—from animal health to productivity and efficiency—is enormous.Maybe the most important question isn't simply how much more productive AI can make us.It's what we're going to do with the time it gives back.Do we cram more work into every open space?Or do we use technology to create room for the things machines can't replace?Aidan points to relationships—spending more time with customers, understanding what they actually need, building trust, and helping people implement ideas.That's where this conversation ultimately comes back to intentional leadership.The goal isn't technology for technology's sake.It's using these tools intentionally to build better businesses, stronger relationships, and hopefully better lives.Listen if you are:Leading an agribusiness through rapid technological changeTrying to understand where AI fits into your organizationThinking about the future of agriculture and foodLooking for a better way to approach strategic planningInterested in innovation, data, and agricultural efficiencyCommitted to becoming a continuous learnerDon't wait until the future is obvious. Get in the game, stay hungry enough to keep learning, and use technology to create more space for the work—and the relationships—that actually matter.

Join our champion program: [email protected] a Thriving Leader event: https://www.themomentumcompany.com/thriving-leaderInstagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyIn this CEO Season episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, Mark sits down with Paul Konrad, CEO of Streamline Ag, for a conversation about the changing agribusiness landscape, building a high-performing team, and leading intentionally through growth.Paul has spent more than 30 years in agriculture, beginning as a crop consultant before building a career across ag retail and distribution. Four years ago, he recognized a shift in how products were reaching farmers and saw an opportunity to build something different.Streamline Ag is a seed-driven crop inputs company with a simple focus:How can we help farmers get more from their seed investment?The company works with emerging technologies—including biologicals, biostimulants, bioinsecticides, and biofungicides—to help improve crop performance and deliver additional ROI to farmers.In just four years, Streamline has built a network of roughly 400 dealers across 30 states, partnering primarily with seed dealers who already have trusted relationships with growers.For Paul, the opportunity isn't simply about introducing new products. It's about identifying a farmer's problem, finding the right technology, and helping solve it in a meaningful and economical way.As Streamline grows, Paul is intentional about the type of people he brings onto the team.Agronomic knowledge matters—but initiative matters even more.He looks for people willing to step forward, take ownership, build relationships, and pursue a goal without needing constant direction.In Paul's words, he wants someone willing to "grab the ball and go get it."That entrepreneurial spirit has become an important part of Streamline's culture as the company continues to grow.With new products and technologies emerging quickly, education is another major challenge.Paul and Mark discuss Streamline's use of Jericho to give team members and dealers easier access to product knowledge, agronomic information, sales coaching, and other resources when they actually need them.For Paul, the opportunity comes down to two things: education and efficiency.If his team can spend less time searching for answers, they can spend more time building relationships with dealers and farmers.One of the strongest moments of the episode comes when Paul talks about what intentionality means as a CEO.The market is moving quickly. Technology is changing. AI is accelerating that change.Paul believes leaders have to remain flexible while staying focused on who they are, what they're building, and how they plan to get there.Then he shares a phrase that captures his approach:“The hours have to buy the future.”The time his team invests today needs to create something meaningful tomorrow—not just for the business, but for the people doing the work.Streamline's growth model is built around helping other businesses succeed.Rather than trying to own every farmer relationship directly, Streamline partners with established dealers and helps them bring greater value to their customers.When those dealers grow their businesses, improve profitability, and build better lives for themselves, Streamline wins too.It's a different approach to growth—one rooted in partnership rather than ownership.Paul doesn't believe leadership development is something a CEO should simply assign to everyone else.As Streamline's leadership team develops, he's going through the process alongside them.Why?Because he's still learning too.Paul believes every challenge—even the difficult ones—can become a learning opportunity when you're willing to approach it that way.It's a reminder that intentional leadership requires humility, curiosity, and a willingness to keep growing alongside the people you lead.Listen if you are:Leading an agribusiness through growth or changeExploring biologicals and emerging crop technologiesBuilding a sales or dealer networkLooking for entrepreneurial people to join your teamTrying to use AI and technology more intentionallyFocused on creating a culture of learning and ownershipThe hours have to buy the future. Intentional leaders make sure the work being done today creates meaningful growth tomorrow—for the business, the customer, and the people doing the work.

Join our champion program: [email protected] a Thriving Leader event: https://www.themomentumcompany.com/thriving-leaderInstagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyIn this special CEO Season episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, Mark welcomes back Danny Leckie, CEO of Hatch, for a conversation about explosive growth, bold vision, and what happens when intentional leadership is tied to a mission bigger than yourself.Hatch has grown from a regional nonprofit into a national organization working to close a critical gap in the food bank system: access to high-quality protein.Today, Hatch operates across 42 states, has worked with more than 178 food banks, and has delivered over 350 million meals in the last decade—including 100 million in the past year alone.From 5 Million to 100+ Million MealsWhen Danny took over leadership of Hatch five years ago, the organization was distributing roughly 80,000 dozen eggs each month.Today, that number has grown to more than 1.5 million dozen eggs per month, along with more than 2 million pounds of meat.In just four years, Hatch grew its annual impact from approximately 5 million servings of protein to 102 million.Now Danny and his team have planted an even bigger flag:30X the organization over the next decade.Danny shares the story behind one of Hatch's biggest initiatives yet: a coalition designed to close the protein gap in America's charitable food system.What began with a bold "what if?" conversation grew into a collaboration involving major agricultural companies, protein organizations, hunger advocates, and government leaders.Within 90 days, the effort helped mobilize $40 million toward the mission, with a long-term goal of providing 3 billion servings of protein annually.Tony Robbins also joined the mission, committing up to $8 million in matching funds toward Hatch's national crowdfunding campaign.For Danny, it's an example of what becomes possible when people truly believe in a mission—and are willing to lead from the front.Getting protein into the charitable food system isn't simply about having enough food.It's also an infrastructure problem.Many food pantries don't have the refrigeration, freezer space, or transportation needed to accept fresh protein.Over the past two years, Hatch and its partners have delivered more than 300 coolers to food pantries. One properly supported cooler can help move roughly 8,000 pounds of food per month.That's why Danny's team is intentionally working on both sides of the equation: creating a dedicated protein supply chain while building the infrastructure communities need to receive and distribute it.Growth at this scale comes with criticism, politics, and plenty of competing opinions.Danny's response is to keep returning to the mission.Hatch's North Star is clear:Close the protein gap and provide 3 billion servings of protein each year.Every partnership, dollar, and decision should move the organization closer to that goal.And even if they don't hit the full target?If millions more people gain access to nutritious food because they were willing to aim big, the effort still matters.Toward the end of the conversation, Danny shares something that's easy to lose sight of when talking about millions of meals and 30X growth.The numbers aren't the real story. The people are.The real impact happens at the neighbor level—in families gathering around a table, children gaining access to better nutrition, and communities becoming healthier and stronger.As Danny puts it, they're not building Hatch for Hatch.They're building it for the people who need it.It's a powerful reminder that intentional leadership isn't simply about setting bigger goals.It's about remembering who those goals are meant to serve.Listen if you are:Leading an organization through rapid growthBuilding toward a bold, long-term visionTrying to create partnerships around a meaningful missionWorking in agriculture, food, or the nonprofit sectorLooking for ways your business can make a tangible differenceCommitted to leading with purpose and measurable impactThink bigger, stay anchored to your North Star, and never let the size of the numbers distract you from the individual lives you're working to change.

Join our champion program: [email protected] a Thriving Leader event: https://thriving-leader-2026.lovable.app/Instagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyIn this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, Mark sits down with Dan Stachofsky, founder and managing director of Essential Energy, for a thought-provoking conversation about technology, health, agriculture, and the environments surrounding people, plants, and animals.Before moving into this work, Dan was a tech executive helping Fortune 100 companies, including Microsoft and Amazon, manage digital infrastructure during the rise of cloud computing and AI. Today, he leads Essential Energy, a nonprofit focused on EMF and light-conditioning tools.Dan defines intentionality this way:Live into what is true—with compassion.For Dan, intentional leadership means being willing to share what you believe while staying curious about what someone else believes. When truth and compassion meet, conversations shift from defending to discovering.From Big Tech to a Different Kind of EnergyDan's perspective changed after his firstborn daughter was born with complex medical challenges.That experience led his family to explore health, nutrition, environment, and alternative approaches. They eventually moved away from Seattle, began growing their own food, and became increasingly interested in how the surrounding environment might affect health.That journey ultimately shaped the work Dan does today through Essential Energy.Are We Paying Enough Attention to the Farm Environment?A major focus of the episode is electromagnetic fields, or EMFs.Dan explains his view of the difference between naturally occurring electromagnetic fields and artificial fields produced by modern technology—from electrical infrastructure and Wi-Fi to wireless communications and equipment.The bigger question becomes:As agriculture adopts more technology, are there environmental factors we aren't measuring yet?Dan sees the physical environment as another part of the farm-management puzzle—alongside genetics, nutrition, soil health, and management practices.What Farmers Are SeeingDan shares examples from farms using Essential Energy's conditioning technology, including reported changes in cattle performance, crop yields, animal behavior, and food nutrient measurements.His media kit also includes farmer testimonials reporting differences in soybean and corn yields, conception rates, cattle gains, and berry production.At the same time, Dan acknowledges that some of the comparisons discussed in the episode were not tightly controlled experiments and that more detailed testing is still needed.That leads to one of the strongest themes of the conversation:Stay curious.Ask questions.Test ideas.Gather better data.And don't dismiss something simply because it's unfamiliar.Stewardship Beyond the SoilDan's challenge to agriculture is to broaden how we think about stewardship.Farmers already steward soil, water, livestock, crops, and natural resources.What else in the environment deserves our attention?What aren't we measuring?And what could we learn if we're willing to investigate?Because intentional leadership doesn't require having every answer.Sometimes it starts with being willing to ask a question nobody else is asking.Listen if you are:Curious about technology and farm healthInterested in emerging approaches to livestock and crop performanceThinking about how AI and increased technology use are changing agriculturePassionate about stewardship and regenerative agricultureWilling to explore unconventional ideas while asking for better dataIntentional leadership requires curiosity. As technology becomes more embedded in agriculture, great leaders stay open to asking what we're gaining, what we may be overlooking, and how we can become better stewards of the environment around us.