Navigating career transitions, business expansion, and farm management requires a willingness to adapt, ask questions, and embrace continuous learning. While scaling an operation or taking on multiple entrepreneurial roles can present significant logistical and financial challenges, viewing unexpected hurdles as learning opportunities can help producers build resilient, flexible agribusinesses. In this episode of the How... Read More
Category: How Could I Know?
Welcome to another episode of the How Could I Know? podcast with co-hosts Patti Durand and Chris Corbett of Brightrack Consulting! On this episode, the hosts sit down with Bryan Maynard, farmer and co-owner of Farmboys Inc., located in Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island. Maynard discusses employee and farm management, leadership, and the importance of... Read More
Welcome to another episode of How Could I Know? with hosts Patti Durand and Chris Corbett of Brightrack Consulting! On this episode, the hosts sit down with Amanda Hammell, senior manager on the farm management consulting team at MNP and owner-operator of a dairy and beef operation in Bruce County, Ontario. Hammell shares her personal... Read More
Communication and planning often take a back seat to production on the farm, until a crisis forces them to the forefront. For Alberta farmers Mike and Monika Benoit, a series of unexpected challenges reinforced that business resilience depends on more than growing a good crop. It requires strong planning, open conversations, and the ability to... Read More
What happens when a farm operation grows faster than the people leading it expect? For Sarah Foster and Riley Daman-Willems of Athiana Acres in Richmond, B.C., the answer has been a shift from doing the work themselves to building systems, training people, and learning how to lead. In this episode of the How Could I... Read More
Ontario agronomist Henry Prinzen thought he had his future mapped out early: go to the University of Guelph, return to the family farm, and build a career there. Instead, he found himself following a different path — one shaped as much by instinct and opportunity as by planning. In this episode of the How Could... Read More
Communication, not capital, may be the most overlooked risk in farm succession—and Ron Krahn says it’s where many operations fall short. In this episode of the How Could I Know? podcast, hosted by Patti Durand and Chris Corbett of Brightrack Consulting, Ron Krahn, who farms with his family near Rivers, Manitoba, reflects on the lessons... Read More
In this episode of How Could I Know, co-hosts Patti Durand and Chris Corbett sit down with Rachel Sheffield, a 24-year-old farmer from Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Sheffield shares her rapid path from university student to chicken producer, offering a candid look at stepping into opportunity, navigating uncertainty, and the power of mentorship early in... Read More
Frustration, family dynamics, and the long game of farming take centre stage in this episode of the How Could I Know? podcast. Hosted by Patti Durand and Chris Corbett, this podcast digs into the pivotal moments that shape careers and businesses in Canadian agriculture. The premise is simple: if you could go back and tell... Read More
For young farmers looking to scale their operations or step into leadership, growth isn’t just about acres or assets—it’s about mindset, communication, and being willing to learn in discomfort. In this premiere episode of How Could I Know?, co-hosts Patti Durand and Cris Corbett speak with Michael Ferguson, a fourth-generation farmer from Melfort, Saskatchewan, about... Read More