How Could I Know? is a monthly podcast featuring candid conversations about the moments when people are forced to navigate unfamiliar territory and learn in real time.
Co-hosted by Chris Corbett, farm advisor, and Patti Durand, founder of Brightrack Consulting and long-time advisor to farm business families, each episode invites guests to reflect on a time they were unprepared, inexperienced, or unsure and what they wish they had known then that they know now. The stories span farm succession, business transitions, health challenges, and leadership decisions, with a focus on shared learning rather than hindsight judgment.
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Latest Episodes
Navigating the many paths to a shared goal, with Amanda Hammell | How Could I Know podcast, Ep 8
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…
Heart attacks, floods, and hard conversations with Mike and Monika Benoit | How Could I Know? Ep 7
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…
Growing food, flowers, and community: Lessons in leadership from Athiana Acres | How Could I Know? Ep 6
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,…
Career pivots, trusting your gut, and working with family | How Could I Know? Ep 5
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…
Succession beyond the spreadsheet with Ron Krahn — How Could I Know? Ep 4
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…