About This Episode
This is a 12-minute compilation, cut for listening in the combine or on the road, of clips from Ag View Solutions peer group members recorded after their meetings. Chris Barron sets up the premise at the start: sometimes it is more useful to learn from people living the same problems every day than to work with an expert on the topic. The format has each group traveling to every member's farm, digging into that operation's information, and giving direct feedback.
Most of the voices open by admitting they were skeptical or nervous going in. One member calls hosting the group the single most rewarding thing he has ever done, and says he gets more out of visiting someone else's farm than he does when they come to his. Another points out that strangers arrive with no opinion already formed, unlike the coffee shop in your own community, so the blinders come off. Several describe moving from tunnel vision to seeing how other operators approach the same decisions.
The compilation also covers who benefits beyond the principal operator. One spouse says two days of watching firsthand told her far more than any explanation she would have gotten at home, and that she plans to take the peer group format back to her school because teaching is isolating in the same way farming is. Barron closes by explaining that members are hand-selected and screened for fit, and offers to connect interested listeners with past participants.
“Sometimes it is more beneficial to learn from those who are living the same issues that you do every single day instead of working specifically with an expert.”
— Chris Barron
Key Takeaways
Groups travel to each member's farm and spend two days inside that operation's financials and decisions.
Members are hand-selected and screened for fit rather than assembled at random.
Skepticism is the common starting point; several members say they went in nervous with no idea what to expect.
Outside operators arrive with no pre-formed opinion, unlike neighbors at the local coffee shop.
Spouses who attend say seeing the meeting firsthand beats hearing it explained secondhand at home.
Accountability is the stated payoff: the group keeps you working on the items you would otherwise put off.
Full Transcript
Shay
Foulk: Hey podcast, we hope you enjoyed today's special edition mashup of peer group experiences and why we believe it is so important to be in one. This is an easy listen while you're in the combine tractor or on the road. If you are interested in joining one of our peer groups, please email us at agviewpitch@gmail.com or call Chris Barron at 319- 533-5703. We hand-select members for each group to ensure the best fit and work hard to provide the best experience possible. 2020 peer group slots are filling fast, so if you are interested, be sure to reach out to us soon.
Chris
Barron: Enjoy! Sometimes it is more beneficial to learn from those who are living the same issues that you do every single day instead of working specifically with an expert. Things. And we all in our peer group, we've gone around and around to each farm. And just tell us a little bit about that experience from your perspective, being in a peer group. You know, what's the advantage, you know, being able to get some information feedback from your peers as opposed to, you know, talking to a quote unquote expert on the topic or whatever, but you know, your peers get to come spend a couple of days at your farm, really dig into the information and understand your business and your situation and then give you some feedback on where you're at, what you're doing, maybe a little thought process about where you're going. I mean, what does that mean to your operation?
And, and are those, you know, any comments I guess you have on, on the process the last 3 days?
Unknown: I think the first comment I'd like to make is it's probably the single most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. Having a group of business people, farmers, producers, who are diversified in what they do in life, such as myself, and listen to their life stories and to physically see their financials, see the mistakes that maybe they're making, see the good that they're doing. There's so much reward in trying to direct someone to do a better job of what they're doing. It's self-rewarding more than— I always get more out of a farm I go visit than probably when they come to my farm. But not saying that it isn't rewarding to have them here at the farm. It's an excellent opportunity to open your farm and your books and find out what I could do to make this operation better.
Chris
Barron: Many producers that we work with at first are skeptical about joining a peer group.
Unknown: I was a little leery of the peer group thing, didn't know what we'd get out of it, but after 2 days here, I mean, I can tell we're gonna love it just because of that. You know, you guys are— I can tell from the group that they're gonna be open and honest with what's going on, and that's what we need on our operation, so I think it'll be a big help to us.
Chris
Barron: Working with others in a peer group really emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with good, like-minded people in your industry.
Unknown: With the biggest takeaway is that we are all different individuals, but the fact that we're all trying to grow in the same direction and the value of trusting each other so that we can help each other is a huge takeaway for me. The value of the group, I can see it now, whereas I thought it probably before. So takeaway for me Mainly would be the value in more colleagues and friends and people that share common interests. My biggest takeaway was just the fact that it confirmed my belief in people and the value in people, not only within my business but us all being here together. You know, it's just, you can't have enough support, you can't have enough people that you lean on every day. Whether it be your family or those around you. So that's what life's about, that's what business is about, is people and growing people and creating value, you know.
Finding the value of people is really what I got out of this and just how we can all come together and each help each other out in certain ways that, you know, we never would have noticed without, you know, that other extra set of eyes. Because a lot of similarities, even though I'm in the hog business cattle, beef cattle business and row crop business. Just a lot of similarities. So it felt— the takeaway for me was I felt like it was directed to me and I did learn a lot, things that I can do different when I do get home.
Chris
Barron: Some farmers also expressed that hosting a peer group can be nerve-wracking and that they weren't sure if they were going to like it.
Unknown: And for me, it was, you know, I was nervous going into this, you know, just You know, but the opportunity to share is really great, but then that promotes questions back as to why. And now after meeting everybody, the cool part is coming into this, we didn't know anybody, you know, we just really— and so we're completely unbiased, have no clue, so you're just really open-minded to what's going on, and that takes the blinders off versus if you meet in your own community at the coffee shop and you already got an opinion formed And it's hard to change that. This is, this is so open, and that's really going to be a positive thing.
Chris
Barron: It is important to remember that every operation in a peer group is hand-selected and screened to make sure that they are the best fit that could potentially provide long-lasting relationships.
Unknown: Yeah, my takeaway is the relationships that will develop, because we've already seen that. Um, the key is key takeaway for me, and my hope is that you all will communicate, will continue to keep stuff out there and talk more about that. But that's my takeaway, is that confirmation in what I thought was the case, because you guys were all hand-selected and, and knowing your personalities and, and the entrepreneurial spirit that each of your operations have for growth is consistent. So you're all very different, but that consistency and the relationship development that's going to come out of that is massive. And the opportunities that might come out of this 10 years down the road when some opportunity comes up and who you meet and what happens, you know, sometimes is, I think, a bit divine intervention, but yet it's really a cool thing to watch.
Chris
Barron: It is important to work on your business and not just in your business, and taking the time to sit down with colleagues and look at how you can do things differently in your farming operations can be extremely valuable.
Unknown: It's just been an awesome, awesome deal. You know, the people are fantastic. Uh, just getting to see other people's business is totally invaluable. I love how open everybody is. I, you know, that's how we all grow, and being vulnerable is how you get to, you know, move forward. What I can say that I'm getting out of it is two things. I mean, one is I feel like I'm getting more than I could ever give. To this group. It's just amazing in 2 days. I mean, it'd take me a lifetime to even amass what we just said, maybe 3 lifetimes to amass what was said in 2 days. So I mean, people are taking away more, way more than what I've contributed or something, and just noticing that everybody kind of has, I wouldn't say the same issues, but other people do have, you know, same issues that we do on our farm.
And just the collaboration of all coming together and, you know, figuring out problems. I really appreciate that, I guess. One of my biggest takeaways is everybody has a different approach on how they approach their business, and it, to me, it really makes it very interesting. Like, you know, we can get such tunnel vision where at the end of the day we need to look sit back and look at how does somebody else approach their business, how does, how does the dairy's challenges relate to our businesses and how do they handle it. And that to me is the coolest thing about a peer group is understanding different approaches and how people handle things.
Chris
Barron: Our peer group provides value not only to the main farm operators but also to the spouses and the industries that they operate in as well.
Unknown: I have learned so much in the last 2 days. I'm thankful just as has wife that I was able to see what went on here. I mean, if you would have came home and tried to explain to me what went on, it wouldn't have been anything compared to how I've had it firsthand. So it's just been really eye-opening and very good. And I, I don't even want to go take a restroom break because I might miss 2 minutes. Like, that's not like me in farm meetings, so that's a good thing. I'm also going to take this peer group format back to my school and suggest implementing it because like farming, um, teaching can be very isolated. And if we can learn what each other is doing in the classroom and help solve some of the individual problems that we're having, then that could be a great value to teachers also.
Chris
Barron: We will leave you with these last two thoughts on peer groups and why we think they're so important and that you should consider being in one.
Unknown: Yeah, I actually was really nervous going into it and actually had no clue really. And it's crazy, go from not knowing these people at all, we meet, and now we leave today and everybody's hugging and kissing each other like we've known each other for 10 years. It's just, just amazing. Yeah, Josh, and I didn't get a kiss, you know, but, but yeah, no, you're right. I mean, it's, it was fun watching the, the people that We're all complete strangers when we got together 2 days ago to the point now where, you know, everybody instantly feels like they're best friends. And if you needed something, you got 7 other, 6 other operations that would be there in a heartbeat for you if you needed something. Oh, for sure. I mean, yeah, it actually surpassed my expectations. You know, we've very, very good group of progressive young farmers here.
So So as an industry, we've always been pretty good at helping each other. And I've been part of a few peer groups before, but, but this one was very unique in that way.
Chris
Barron: Here at Ag View Solutions, we truly do believe that we can facilitate peer groups and put you in touch with the right network of people to help take your business to the next level. If you've thought about being part of a peer group at all, please reach out to us. We can definitely refer you to people that have been in our peer groups in the past.. And we know that you're truly going to enjoy being part of this experience. Thank you for listening, and we will catch you next time on the Ag View Pitch.
Narrator: Thanks again for listening, everyone. If you would like to hear more content from Ag View Solutions, listen to our other podcasts such as Dad's Wisdom or our current Harvest Series. Ag View Solutions works as an integral part of operations like yours, side-by-side for farm profit management, business collaboration and structuring, facilitating industry-leading peer groups, and coaching and consulting tailored to your farm's unique needs. We know that no two farms are the same, and we are here to help make your farm be the best it can be. You can learn more at agviewsolutions.com, email us at agviewpitch@gmail.com, or call Chris Barron at 319-533-5777. 03.
Chris
Barron: We really look forward to talking with you.