10 Things we need to see from AgTech

Opening Thoughts:

Who doesn't like a top 10 lists? Well here you go, yet it's a little different take at it isn't it? It's always the things we think we'll see in the future or the "Best" of and what not. We often don't talk about what we need to get from it. I'm going to take a quick shot at it I guess.

Also with that said, I'm keeping it short this week and no podcast either as there's just a lot going on with setting up stuff for my travels to Commodity Classic next week in Denver and World Agritech in San Fran the week after. By the way, if you're there and want to meet up just let me know. I'm pretty easy to find or get ahold of. Also see my latest post to understand what I'm working on to see if it fits with what you're interested in as well. Let's party!

Anyway, to the list!

10 Things:

1. A Spine: So I might see or hear it more often than many as I'm fairly critical of this sector of Ag more than most, but AgTech needs to do better at handling criticism. I can't tell tell you how often I bring something up behind the scenes and people are like, "that's so true, but you can't say that or something..." I get it that many can't say some things publicly, truly I do. No one wants to get fired from something. Let's be honest though, many don't have the spine to admit they've messed up or pursued the wrong thing. And we aren't suppose to talk about it? Come on...have some respect for yourself, take the criticism and learn from it. Appreciate someone actually cares. Understand that you will make mistakes. This part of the industry needs to get tougher in how it showcases itself.
2. Reality: I am all for dreaming of ideas and trying to make them happen. Seriously, I do it constantly and always have. Ask my friend and family. Though it took some time to understand that in most cases reality is something as well. It's not that these ideas or products don't have practicality or that they are not sound and novel. Many things are and have some level of potential. Though often we get caught in the realm of FOMO thinking we'll miss the timing or opportunity. Investors surely have had this issue, but they are learning too which is good. Just be a little more realistic with everything. We have to pursue things that can actually be practical and can work for the end user, not just something that works for "us" or how we think it should work.
3. Patience: It's very hard to do this when you either have some great idea, you've actually created something, garnered money, or actually made some sales and even traction in real revenue. Then again as the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day. There is always this constant thread of idea, product, raise money, sell off. There are many versions of that too. Overall, it's very easy to get caught into pushing too fast or thinking it needs to get out right away. Oddly enough it can take time to learn patience inherently. It sucks to hold back and calm the nerves and processes to hone in, but it's also Agriculture...the slowest industry ever. Any product should foundationally be built with this in mind no matter who is in control of it. Look at how many companies in AgTech were bought and then just fizzle out with the new owner or manager. We are so bad at this, yet it's also the backbone in how the things that work within Ag work.
4. Consistency: This is a thing I rarely hear about and it surprises me when I think about it more. When building anything techwise it's always build build build. Create that new tool or process or thing that will make the product better. Also push to make it more and in a sense perfect. The funny thing is while a product always needs some level of evolution and advancement, some of the most successful products I've seen in AgTech haven't changed much at all. They didn't really build up their product to find the breaking point, they found an equilibrium in what it was and evolved and progressed the sales, marketing, and support process instead. Most of the things we need in AgTech exist already and are good enough in most cases. There are exceptions as always, but strive for being the same in the clients minds as well. It's easier for them to remember and not forget which helps the cause.
5. Honesty: It's really easy to lie about what is created in order to garner that sale or get that interest brewing. Maybe it's just a little white lie or stretching the truth to a point. It could be something like, "We are releasing that soon" or "We will build that right away for you" or something like that. We pull the truth in various directions in order to convince ourselves of progress often. It's a natural thing as humans, but it has caused many issues with the way tech is used and showcased in Ag. Sometimes it's just easier to say, "That'd be great, but we just aren't there yet" or "That's a great idea, but we don't have the time to do that" or "I'm sorry it didn't work for you, maybe our product isn't for you." It can be way better to just be honest about what you have and what you don't instead of chasing the sale or the pursuit of acceptance by a potential client. We've all done it and it just doesn't work well in the long run.
6. Simplicity: I mean everyone strives for this, but the pursuit of perfection blinds us from a core reality in farming. Keep It Simple Stupid! This doesn't mean it isn't complex, most of it is to varying degrees, though it's how it's used or how it's looked at by the client. They want simple things answered through the product like "whats the costs, will it take a lot to learn, can my grandpa use it, does require other stuff, doesn't save/cost me time, can I resell it?" So many things to answer, but the answer should be short and sweet. They don't want some drawn on complex answer to describe how it actually works or what could be done. More or less, it does "this" if you do X and this is what it costs, and this is what you should accomplish from it. The longer it takes for those questions to be answered the tougher it is for them to buy, use, and really adopt. Confusion is really the enemy.
7. Passion: This can seem obvious by the many that are working hard to pursue amazing things, though more so I see the passion for power and money, not change what the product or process it. Yes money is important and having a structure of power to pursue progress, yet it's more so the love of the product and the process of solving things. Many will shift between this or that or that theres a need to pivot to something else that garners more attention. Sometimes what clients like to see more is the passion not to quit and fight for the original idea that was first talked about. That's one side to it, but the passion in the knowledge of the product or how one just talks about it can be make or break with someone. You can even be critical of your own self, but that also shows passion in knowing that and the confidence you know what you are talking about. It's bigger than you think.
8. Faith: Often and maybe even so constantly many in the tech space question their own reality in what they are building and selling. The ups and downs and everything in-between with how you got to the point you did. The real test is in the extremes though, not the average day. Do you trust yourself and your product well enough that in the worst of times you'll find a way or that it'll work? When you've found success and grow can you handle the scale and speed at which it should work? While technically you can trust the technical process around it, the real issue comes down to your mental ability to handle it and have faith in the process. It's easy to give up and say screw it. You have to have a sort of gut feeling it's going to work out somehow in someway. As the saying goes "you create your own luck." It is very true in many ways. Not perfect, but theres something to be said in having faith in oneself and abilities that garners success in the many ways it can happen. Farmers do this all the time.
9. Humility: It can be very hard to explain this between others and especially competitors. Some may have copied your idea or made a better version of your product in some way. Others might go about it different and it might even make you jealous in how they went about it. There could be certain luck or success they got where you didn't. All of this happens and sometimes at the worst moments as well. That's where the Faith part can be huge, though there is also a strong need to have acceptance in how the world of business just works. Trust in the process and being okay with others doing similar things can be critical for success. You need it to focus on what makes you different, better, or unique. It's really being humble in where you stand in the Ag industry and how you fit within around others. If you can't accept this you'll have a bad time.
10. Perspective: I will harp on this always and I do. If you can't understand where your client is coming from in all reality of what you provide you can't have success in all the realms one should pursue. This can also mash into other aspects of business from your competition to your partners. So often perception is how we think and react towards something. It might be, "Well they just suck as a client and didn't have the wherewithal to work with us" when in reality it was, "They just are not ready for what provide yet for X and Y reasons." It is so easy to not understand the other side. Look at the world these days and tell me this isn't one if not "the" biggest reason so many are divided. You have to understand how they might think of you and what you do and why they may or may not what to work with you. It's a core tenant to how humans work and getting lost in guessing is a fools game. Match them where they are coming from and you'll have much better success.

Final Thoughts:

I'm sure as always you could throw a bunch of other this on a list that #AgTech needs. You might have thought I was going to get really technical in the list and get dirty almost in specifics. That doesn't get to the core reasons though in what we are missing and what it needs. What I'd rather see is what you think with each one of these and how it relates to you in the niche you work within.

Tell your stories in how you used one of these points in your journey of success or sorrow. How you did or didn't follow with one of them and what it did to you. Comment below on here and talk about the good, bad, and ugly parts. Use that Honesty and show that Passion. Let us see that see that Spine and how Patient you've been. Where is the Reality you've pushed and how Realistic you are. Have you been Consistent with your process and Honest in your message? Are you practicing Humility through various Perspectives?

Let's get past the stupid barriers we put up in AgTech and show what is actually being done in the smart and logical ways most of you are pursuing. I want to hear it and if you can't speak to it...well maybe you don't have the Balls to play this game.

That's number 11.