Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

See these kids right here? We were newly married & had just signed the dotted line on the mortgage for the ranch we were blessed to find and purchase close to home. 

I couldn’t believe the bank had even agreed on the note, and to be honest, I didn’t even know if we would be able to make it work.

Fresh out of college with entry level jobs in the middle of a nationwide recession, it looked like an uphill battle.

It was time to dig in & give it our best shot though. And that meant getting creative and working our butts off. 

In the early days, we rented out every building on site for storage, and we even rented out the basement to tech students to help pay the bills. 

The only equipment we had to use was Grandpa’s old M tractor we pulled out of the trees that Tyler spent hours getting back into running shape. I took on every writing job I could find, and every dollar we made went back into the ranch.

I’ll never forget the day this picture was taken. It was the first day we put cattle in our lots. It felt symbolic. Big. Monumental. Dreams coming to fruition. And yet, I knew our journey was only beginning.

A lot of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this business, and we’ve said “no” to a lot of fun and extras over the years to make it all go. Thankfully, Tyler and I have a shared passion for this business, so even though date nights or away trips are few and far between, there’s really not much we would rather be doing than this right here.

Thirteen years of chasing this dream of ours, and looking back on the journey, we’ve sure come a long ways. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, we are just getting started. And even though this picture feels like a lifetime ago, I still have the same fire for this industry that I had in those early days when we were first getting started. And I know Tyler feels the same way.

I’m probably feeling nostalgic as I browse through old photos during my flight home from a speaking engagement, but as I look at this young couple in this picture, that’s exactly who I’m thinking about when I speak to crowds, especially multi-generation ag families and young producers. 

And if I could give anybody advice as they enter this business it would be:

Don’t quit. Give it all you’ve got, and then do a little more than you think is possible.

Be a constant learner. Attend the meetings. Learn from others. Find a mentor. Network. Make connections. Build relationships. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

Everybody starts somewhere. Stay humble. Get scrappy. Go the extra mile. Pay attention to details. And enjoy the journey, in all the ups and downs along the way.

Learn from your mistakes. Ideally, learn the lesson BEFORE you make the mistakes and save yourself thousands of dollars in the process. Ha!

Don’t listen to the critics, the naysayers, and the people who are quick to list off the reasons why “you can’t” make it work. Surround yourself with dreamers, builders, entrepreneurs, and people who push you to be your best.

When everyone is going one way, find a new path. Be different. Set yourself a part. Identity your ideal customer and the folks you want to serve, and then deliver a product that customer wants! Then keep showing up and tell your story.

Have a vision for what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Create a pathway to get there, and work on that goal a little bit every single day.

Celebrate the victories. Give grace to one another. Brush off the bad days. And just keep going.

Know what you stand for, and never, ever back down.

And most importantly, pray to God to make straight your path. Pray for discernment in businesses, relationships, and dealings. Because each day we have a choice of who we will follow and which master we will serve, and if you’re committing your work to the Lord, truly, what better purpose in life can there be?

What other advice to young producers would you give? I would love to hear your stories of lessons learned in your early days. First tractor. First cattle purchase. First hard road block. First victory.

May we pass along the knowledge to help the next young kid with fire in their belly and passion in their bones. We need them in this cattle business we all love!

God bless the American beef cattle rancher.