Cheryl and Tim, two of our esteemed coaches at Farm Owners Academy, have successfully built a farm that operates seamlessly without their constant involvement. As a result, they now travel across Australia to assist other farmers in our Platinum Mastermind program in achieving similar success. 

On their travels, they are regularly asked about what they see is the “secret to success” on the farms that are consistently performing exceptionally well.   

While there is no ‘magic bullet’, they have identified a number of things (small and big) that these farm business owners do consistently that not only keep them at the top of their game but also help to ensure that they are enjoying the journey… which to me is the most important thing! 

Here’s a sample of the things that have stood out to Tim & Cheryl… 

What are the top producers doing? 

• They work on their mindset – maintaining their focus on what they can control and want, rather than in the past or on what they don’t want.  

• They take full responsibility without excuses or blame and genuinely believe that everything is always working out for them … they always look for the silver lining.   
• They have trained themselves to have an abundance mentality around money, time, and opportunities.  
• They have a real passion for their work and are super excited about their long-term vision.  
• They know their numbers and analyse every decision. You can’t be a consistent top producer without this one!  I’ve heard a quote: Money management isn’t everything, but it is a close second to breathing most of the time.   
• They love to learn – they’ve typically completed a huge amount of training programs. 

• They are curious – constantly asking questions about how and why others do what they do. 
• They are implementers – they plan, but then they act.  And often act before they feel they are completely ready… then adjust as they go. 
• They are open to suggestions and advice and prepared to try new things. 
• They are constantly asking – how can I do this better?  How can we do this more efficiently? 
• They are proactive/ahead of the game… they see the writing on the wall and act… even when this action is hard. 

• They negotiate and look for win-win in everything. 
• They maximise what they have.  And then, if their scale still prevents them from making a profit, they create other sources of income (off-farm work, another business etc.) 
• They expand and grow their business, but only when they are confident they have the business model to do this.  
• They constantly look for opportunities and take the time necessary to research these well.  They are also prepared to say ‘no’ even when an opportunity looks amazing – if it is not a fit for them.  
• They plan – their day, week, quarter, year – plus have a clear vision of where they would like to be long term. 

• They work with people who share their values and vision. 
• They see team members as an investment rather than a cost, and they take good care of their investment. 
• They call their employees “team members” rather than “staff” and focus on building a great culture. 
• They transition the next generation into leadership roles early – to take advantage of the energy this brings to the business. 
• They plan and execute the succession of assets – they don’t just leave this in the “too hard” basket. 

• They make sure the important things in life stay the important things.  They make time for family, friends, holidays and the things they love. 
• They look after their health.  In farm businesses, where we often spend a large part of our time managing assets worth a large amount of money, these people recognize that they are their number one asset.  

That’s a start. Of course, there are many other habits and actions that contribute to success.  

Looking back at the above list, it’s interesting how many of the dot points are related to mindset. Perhaps this is the “magic bullet”!   

Managing your mindset is the number one key to building a strong foundation for your businesses.  And the bonus is that the journey becomes more enjoyable when we focus on mindset first.     

Regards,  

Andrew Roberts & the Farm Owners Academy Team