Status Quo Risk, Building Moats by Master Complexity, and the Big Problem with Big Problems
Welcome to the 6th edition of The Pacesetter Blog. A newsletter for agribusiness leaders looking to deliver great results through better M&A and strategy execution.
Understanding Status Quo Risk with Jim Schweigert of Gro Alliance | Ep50
Change feels risky whereas familiarity creates the perception, and illusion, of stability. It’s hard to see at times but doing what you know and what you have always done is not a zero-risk proposition.
Jim Schweigert, third-generation seedsman, and president of Gro Alliance, recently joined me on The Pacesetter Pod to talk strategy, agility, M&A, and how to build a company and culture that appreciates the status quo risk of avoiding change.
The Gro Alliance story is an important one and rich in lessons – among them being the importance of having the discipline to read the market, the ability to distinguish what you have always done from what you are good at, and finally having the courage to act as a result. ?
From seed plots and retail shops to how Gro Alliance is transforming the landscape of opportunities for independent seed companies by serving as a leader in solving complex seed supply chain solutions, there is a lot here for you as a leader in agribusiness.
Show Highlights:
To listen, access the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Driving Agribusiness Strategy with Organizational Design | Ep51
How many problems would take care of themselves if you could just magically re-design your company, divisions, departments, and teams with a wave of your hand?
Probably none. In fact, you’d likely create a few more in the process.
When execution is stalling and your strategic objectives are stubbornly out of reach, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that changing the org structure will cure all ills. From small tweaks to major overhauls, this rarely delivers materially better results.
Organization design is only sometimes a part of the problem, and alone, it is almost never the solution.?
In episode 51 of The Pacesetter Pod, we reveal the common pitfalls and misconceptions surrounding organization design and highlight the steps you must follow to ensure any changes you make align with your goals and deliver real, tangible value.
Episode highlights include:
?To listen, access the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Building Moats by Mastering Complexity with Tyler Hull of AgriCapture | Ep52
The potential and promise of carbon markets often strike me as hyperbolic and sometimes outright dubious.
Perhaps it is because they are ripe with complexity, and it is tempting to dismiss and distrust what I don’t understand.
But dismissing what is new, and distrusting what you don’t know, is a lousy tactic when trying to stay positioned to seize opportunities.
In this spirit, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with Tyler Hull, President of AgriCapture, and talk about how he and his team are leveraging complexity for advantage, how to break down the mechanics of carbon markets, and discuss strategies for ag producers to monetize both new and legacy farming practices.
In our conversation, Tyler masterfully delves into the complexities of structuring and trading carbon credits, demystifies the buzz around carbon offsets and insets, and discusses the importance of data quality in carbon programs and marketing claims.
Show highlights include:
?To listen, access the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Big Problem with Big Problems | Ep53
Putting sharp corners on complexity is so valuable. But also painfully elusive.
The challenge of sizing, scoping, and tackling big, hairy opportunities is something we observe in working with our agribusiness clients – even the most process-oriented, disciplined, and well-resourced among them.
We all know that you need to start with what problem you are trying to solve. But what if you know the problem but cannot figure out where to start?
The richest opportunities often hide in the long shadow of seemingly unsolvable problems and the most vexing part of tackling these problems is routinely just getting your arms around it.
In episode 53 of The Pacesetter Pod, we deconstruct our simple but sophisticated approach to taking on complex business challenges and opportunities. Working from the intersection of leveraging data, understanding processes, and engaging with the people who do the work, we demonstrate how our structured but pragmatic approach helps get not just get you started but builds momentum toward profit, efficiency, and growth.
Episode highlights include:
?To listen, access the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.