Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Selling in the Paddock

Your customer doesn’t care about your product.

Well… not in the same way you do.

You know the formulation, the genetics, the horsepower, the trial data, the specifications and exactly why your product is better than the competitor’s.

But your customer? They care about what it changes for them.

They care about getting the crop off. Margin. Reliability. Labour. Risk. Profitability. And whether spending another $20K, $50K or $200K is actually going to make a meaningful difference to their business.

In this solo episode of Selling in the Paddock™, I unpack one of the traps I see technically brilliant agricultural salespeople fall into all the time: using product knowledge as a safety blanket.

Because talking about what we know feels safe.

Asking better questions requires curiosity — and sometimes a little courage.

I explore the difference between a feature, benefit and impact, and why you can't truly know the impact of your product until you understand the individual customer sitting in front of you.

We also talk about:

• Why technical expertise is incredibly important — but isn't enough on its own

• How product knowledge can become a place to hide in a sales conversation

• The difference between demonstrating expertise and dumping everything you know

• Why knowing where your product doesn't fit can actually build credibility

• How to respond to questions about price, trials and competitors while staying curious

• Why “our people are different” and “our service is second to none” aren't automatically compelling value propositions

• What commercially confident selling looks like when your product genuinely isn't the right fit

And I leave you with one simple shift to make before your next customer meeting.

Instead of asking:

“What do I need to tell them?”

Ask:

“What do I need to understand?”

Because your customer cares about their farm, their business, their people, their risk, their profitability and their problems.

Understand those first, and you'll know which parts of your product actually matter.

Better thinking creates better conversations. And better conversations create better commercial outcomes.

Want to go deeper?

Grab a copy of my book, Selling in the Paddock™, where I unpack the skills, mindset and conversations behind selling well in agriculture.

And if you're looking to build greater commercial confidence across your sales team, head to Selling in the Paddock™ online to explore my sales training, workshops and programs for agricultural businesses.

sellinginthepaddock.com.au

Selling new technology into agriculture isn’t just about proving that the product works.

You’re often asking someone to change a process, rethink the way they’ve always done something, invest real money and trust that the change will make their business better.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Michael Whittaker from Tabula, an agricultural technology business celebrating 20 years of selling technology into agriculture.

Michael shares a brilliant perspective on the tension between the speed of technology and the seasonality of agriculture — and why successful adoption often comes from small, incremental changes rather than trying to change everything at once.

We talk about why you need to get your “muddy boots” on if you want to sell into agriculture, and why understanding the practical realities of your customer’s business matters just as much as understanding your own product.

We also unpack ROI — because value isn’t always measured in dollars. Sometimes the biggest return for a customer is time, efficiency, simplicity or removing another job from an already overloaded day.

Michael and I discuss:

• Why selling technology is often really about selling change
• The importance of incremental wins when introducing something new
• Why understanding the realities of farming matters in agricultural sales
• How to communicate value rather than getting stuck talking about features
• Why ROI can mean time and efficiency, not just dollars
• The power of customer advocates and social proof
• Why overselling and overpromising can destroy trust
• How seasonality creates a unique sales cycle in agriculture
• Why salespeople need to know the limitations of what they sell
• Why the human side of selling may become even more important as AI, automation and technology advance

One of my favourite ideas from this conversation is simple:

AI doesn’t do business with AI. Humans do business with humans.

Technology will continue to change agriculture. But the ability to listen, understand, build trust and have great commercial conversations isn’t becoming less important.

It may be becoming more important than ever.

To view Tabula's website here

Connect with Michael Whittaker on LinkedIn

🎧 Listen now to Selling in the Paddock.

Have you had a chance to look at the quote?

Three days later…

Just checking in.

What would happen if I removed “just checking in” from your sales vocabulary tomorrow?

In this solo episode of Selling in the Paddock™, we’re talking about follow-up — why it matters, why so many of us avoid it, and how to follow up with confidence without sounding desperate, pushy or annoying.

Because silence doesn’t always mean rejection.

Harvest happens. Weather happens. Budgets get delayed. Priorities change. Someone else needs to approve the spend.

But sometimes silence does mean there wasn’t enough value or urgency to progress the opportunity.

And your job in the follow-up isn’t to endlessly chase a yes.

A good follow-up should do one of two things: move the opportunity forward or give you enough information to qualify it out.

In this episode, I unpack:

• Why “just checking in” gives your customer very little reason to respond

• The psychology behind why salespeople avoid following up

• Why fear of rejection leaves opportunities sitting in pipelines for months

• How a follow-up problem can actually be a discovery problem

• Why a clean no can be incredibly commercially useful

• How to bring something valuable into the conversation instead of simply asking about your quote

• Why clarity with the customer matters more than trying to maintain “power” over them

• How communication preferences are changing across generations

• Why you shouldn't follow up with a generation — you should follow up with a person

• The simple question you can ask customers to understand how they actually want you to communicate with them

And perhaps the biggest lesson:

The best follow-up strategy starts before you ever need to follow up.

Great salespeople design the next conversation before the current conversation ends.

Instead of finishing a discovery meeting with:

“I’ll send something through.”

Try:

“I’ll have the proposal to you Thursday. Why don’t we book 20 minutes on Monday afternoon to talk it through?”

Now you're not chasing. You both know what happens next.

So here's the challenge from this episode:

Go into your CRM and find three opportunities you've been “just checking in” on.

Ask yourself:

What conversation actually needs to happen here?

Maybe you need to add value.

Maybe you need to ask a better question.

Maybe you need to pick up the phone.

And maybe you need to give someone permission to say no.

Because sometimes the follow-up isn't the problem at all.

The conversation you had three weeks ago was.

Better thinking. Better conversations. Better commercial outcomes.

📘 Read the book: Selling in the Paddock: A Proven, People-First Framework for Selling with Confidence in Agriculture — available on Amazon Australia.

🌱 Sales training, workshops and more: Visit Selling in the Paddock™ to learn more about working with me and building greater commercial confidence across your agricultural sales team.

Keep learning with Selling in the Paddock™

Agriculture is full of incredibly capable people.

People who know how to work hard, push through and get the job done.

But what happens when “pushing through” becomes the default? When being busy starts to feel like proof that we’re valuable? Or when someone who is technically brilliant gets promoted into leadership without ever being taught how to lead people?

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Kacee Bohle, agricultural mindset and leadership coach, speaker, podcast host and founder of AgriMinds in the United States.

Kacee grew up on a fourth-generation corn and soybean farm in Indiana, believing she would one day take over the family operation. When life didn’t follow that plan, she built a career in corporate agriculture, including roles with John Deere and Bayer, while navigating motherhood, identity, burnout and eventually the move into her own coaching business.

And there was SO much crossover in this conversation.

We talk about the mentality agriculture has inherited from generations before us — work hard, keep going, don’t complain and push through — and why some of those beliefs have served us incredibly well… while others might be worth questioning.

We also dig into:

• Why activity doesn’t necessarily equal productivity

• The difference between being good at something and actually getting energy from it

• Why technically brilliant people don’t automatically make brilliant people leaders

• The danger of promoting someone simply because leadership is the “next step”

• Building work around the way you actually perform at your best

• Why weaknesses don’t always deserve more of our attention

• Kacee’s experience using Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius framework

• Why quieter periods in business can make high performers uncomfortable

• The mindset shift that changed the way Kacee approached sales

• Why rejection in sales isn’t actually about you

One of my favourite parts of this conversation comes towards the end when Kacee talks about getting out of her own way in sales.

Instead of seeing herself as a burden or worrying that someone might not want what she was selling, she started looking at it differently:

If you genuinely have a solution to someone’s problem, withholding that solution because you’re scared to sell it doesn’t help them.

YES.

That is exactly why I believe selling is a privilege.

The right customer has a problem you can help solve. Your job isn’t to convince everyone. It’s to understand people, ask the right questions, offer genuine value and be willing to walk away when the fit isn’t there.

This is a cracking conversation about mindset, leadership, strengths, burnout, business and selling — with plenty of laughs and a few rabbit holes along the way.

🎧 Listen now to Selling in the Paddock with Kacee Bohle from AgriMinds.

Get in touch with Kacee on Linkedin or her website

AgriMinds

What happens to the way you sell when the pipeline goes quiet?

Because it happens to all of us.

The calendar opens up. A few big opportunities are sitting in proposal stage. You’ve followed up. You’ve done what you can. And now… you’re waiting.

That’s when scarcity can start creeping into the sales conversation.

In this solo episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m sharing something I’m experiencing in my own business right now — and what I’ve noticed about the way a quieter pipeline can subtly change how we sell.

Talking too much on discovery calls. Explaining instead of listening. Following up because we need reassurance rather than because there’s a useful next step. Discounting too quickly. Trying to turn every enquiry into a customer. Or simply filling the day with activity because being busy feels better than waiting.

The problem?

Busy and commercially productive are not the same thing.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why a quiet calendar doesn’t necessarily mean you have an empty pipeline
• How scarcity changes your behaviour in a sales conversation
• The difference between convincing someone and genuinely understanding whether there’s a fit
• Why knowing your pipeline numbers matters
• How to stop confusing activity with progress
• What commercially useful action actually looks like during quieter periods
• Why “yes is usually best, but no is second best”
• How your energy enters the sales conversation before your words do
• The difference between selling from curiosity and confidence versus needing to be chosen
• Why sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is allow some space

I’ll also leave you with three questions:

What does my pipeline actually say — not what does it feel like?

What’s one action I could take today that would genuinely move something forward?

Am I selling from curiosity and confidence, or am I selling from needing to be chosen?

You don’t need every customer.

You don’t need every opportunity.

You just need enough of the right ones.

Keep the pipeline moving. Keep having conversations. Stay curious. And don’t let a quiet week convince you to start selling like someone you’re not.

Selling is a privilege.

📕 Get the book — Selling in the Paddock:

🌾 Selling in the Paddock website:

💬 Connect with Georgia on LinkedIn:

What happens when a farmer tells you to stop mucking around and build something that will actually help him?

For Gavin Leersen, that conversation eventually became BaleTime.

Gavin is a shearer, electronics tinkerer and the founder of BaleTime — an Australian agtech product designed to help hay producers monitor conditions in the windrow and know when it’s time to bale.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Gavin to unpack the wonderfully unconventional story behind BaleTime — from building his first unit for a farmer he was shearing for, to discovering that word of mouth had been doing much of his selling for him.

They explore what happens when you have a genuinely useful product but suddenly realise building it and selling it are two very different skill sets.

Gavin shares what he’s learnt from field days, talking directly with farmers, digital marketing and simply listening to the problems customers are trying to solve. They also discuss why you can’t convince every farmer they have a problem, the importance of understanding what an individual customer actually values, and why sometimes the best sales conversation isn’t really a sales conversation at all.

There’s also a great conversation about perfectionism, innovation and knowing when something is good enough to get into the paddock. As Gavin puts it, if he’d waited until BaleTime was perfect, some of his customers would have missed out on a decade of better sleep.

Plus, Gavin shares where the technology could go next, including flood irrigation monitoring and potential applications well beyond hay.

It’s a very Selling in the Paddock conversation about curiosity, solving real problems, learning from your customers and figuring out how to sell something you genuinely believe can make their lives better.

• How Gavin went from shearing sheep to developing agtech
• The farmer conversation that sparked BaleTime
• Why Gavin's first customers became his unofficial sales team
• Learning to sell when you don't naturally see yourself as a salesperson
• Why field days are about much more than making sales
• Selling innovation to sceptical agricultural customers
• Why the problem you see isn't necessarily a problem your customer values
• Price objections versus the cost of getting hay wrong
• Using customer feedback to improve a product
• Perfectionism, AI and knowing when to ship
• The future of BaleTime and Gavin's other agricultural technology ideas
• Why Gavin is starting to think “farmers first” rather than “Australia first” as he looks towards international markets

BaleTime website:

Gavin Leersen on LinkedIn:

BaleTime on Facebook:

Selling in the Paddock website:

Georgia Stormont on LinkedIn:
[ADD LINK]

Selling in the Paddock book:
Selling in the Paddock Instagram:

I reckon “if I’d waited until it was perfect, they would have missed out on 10 years of it making their life better” is also the clip I'd be hunting for from this episode. That's a cracking little founder/innovation moment, especially paired with his story about the farmer's wife thanking him because her husband was finally getting better sleep.

In this episode:Connect with Gavin & BaleTimeConnect with Selling in the Paddock

My Sales Numbers Don’t Lie: What My Pipeline Is Teaching Me

We’re nine months into 2026, so I thought it was time to take you behind the scenes of Selling in the Paddock.

In this solo episode, I’m looking back at what has already been a massive year — the agricultural businesses I’ve worked with, the travel, workshops, conferences, keynotes, launching the Selling in the Paddock book and continuing to grow the business.

But more importantly, I’m opening up my own sales pipeline.

Because I’m not standing on the sidelines teaching sales. I’m in it.

I’m prospecting. I’m following up. I’m writing proposals. I’m getting ghosted. I’m hearing no. I’m winning work. And sometimes, I’m losing it.

Recently, I sat down and properly interrogated my Pipedrive CRM and my sales numbers. I had a gut feeling about where I was strong — particularly once an opportunity reached proposal stage — but I wanted to know whether the data actually backed me up.

It did.

And it also showed me where the bigger opportunities are in my own sales process.

In this episode, I unpack:

• What 2026 has looked like behind the scenes at Selling in the Paddock
• Why I use Pipedrive to manage my sales pipeline
• What I actually track in my CRM — and what I don’t
• Why every genuine opportunity needs a next action
• Why I don’t assign a dollar value to every lead immediately
• The difference between a genuine pipeline and a list of people you hope might buy
• Why marking an opportunity as lost can actually help you sell better
• What my own conversion numbers revealed about my strengths
• Why closing isn’t currently the biggest opportunity in my sales process
• How knowing where you’re strong helps you decide where to put your time, energy and resources

One of my biggest takeaways?

A pipeline isn’t a list of people you’d like to buy from you. It’s a list of genuine commercial opportunities at different stages.

And when you understand those stages — and your own strengths within them — you can become much more deliberate about where you put your energy.

If this episode gets you thinking about your own sales pipeline, send me a DM. I’d love to know: where are you strongest in your sales process, and where are your opportunities getting stuck?

What separates a good agricultural salesperson from a great one?

For Bonita Everts, Grower Business Development Manager at Netafim Australia, it starts with listening.

Originally from South Africa, Bonita has built her career across fertiliser, vegetable seed and now precision irrigation — learning how to sell into agricultural markets where relationships, trust and credibility matter.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia and Bonita unpack the difference between pushing a product and creating genuine pull from the market.

Bonita shares why the best salespeople don't walk onto farm and unload everything they know. They listen first, understand what the grower actually needs, and then offer the right solution.

They also explore the complexity of selling through a dealer or reseller network. How do you create demand with the grower while bringing the dealer along for the journey? Bonita's answer is simple: get alongside them. Jump in the ute. Visit growers together. Educate. Support. Make it easier for everyone to do business.

And then there's the part of sales nobody avoids forever: when things go wrong.

Bonita shares the story of a major fertiliser delivery that didn't arrive when a customer needed it. After a heated phone call — and admitting she didn't handle the initial conversation particularly well — she chose to face the situation head-on, drove to see the customer and worked to make it right.

That customer ultimately became one of her best clients.

Georgia and Bonita discuss why difficult conversations can actually strengthen relationships when we're prepared to show up, take responsibility and work towards a solution rather than putting our head in the sand.

They also dig into persistence, confidence and one of the most valuable questions a salesperson can ask:

“If you're telling me no, I want to understand why.”

Because a no isn't necessarily a failure. Sometimes it's feedback. Sometimes it's timing. And sometimes it's simply a delayed yes.

In this episode:

• Why great salespeople listen before they sell

• The difference between push selling and creating pull

• Selling effectively through dealers and resellers

• Becoming the “voice of the grower”

• Why product knowledge alone doesn't make a great salesperson

• What to do when something goes wrong with a customer

• Managing expectations and having difficult conversations

• Persistence without simply pushing harder

• Why you should understand the reason behind a “no”

• Bonita's journey from South Africa to Australian agriculture

A brilliant conversation about sales, agriculture, relationships and the willingness to keep learning — because ultimately, great agricultural sales isn't about pushing product.

It's about understanding people.

What do 500+ conversations with people across Australian agriculture teach you about selling?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Oli Le Lievre, founder of Humans of Agriculture, to unpack what years of interviewing people across the industry have taught him about curiosity, trust, relationships and what makes people open up.

Oli shares why genuine curiosity is one of the fastest ways to build connection — and why people can tell when you're asking questions because you're truly interested versus simply waiting for your opportunity to sell.

They explore the difference between listening and actually hearing someone, why there are no shortcuts to trust, and how your reputation in agriculture often arrives at the farm gate before you do.

The conversation also gets into an interesting tension Oli is experiencing as Humans of Agriculture grows: how do you remain deeply relationship-focused while being unapologetic about the fact that business ultimately needs a transaction?

And then there's the question that might just require a whole new podcast…

Apparently, according to the next generation, when you're doing something brilliantly, you're “cooking”.

When you're doing something terrible?

You're “selling”. 😂

Which raises a much bigger question: if so many people have a negative reaction to the word selling, particularly in agriculture, do we need to rethink what great selling actually looks like?

This episode is ultimately a conversation about people — understanding them, listening to them, earning their trust and building relationships that last.

Because as Oli puts it, in agriculture there may not really be sales roles at all.

They might just be relationship management roles.

🎧 If you work in agricultural sales, leadership, recruitment or simply spend your days building relationships across the industry, this one's worth a listen.

What separates a good salesperson in agriculture from a great one?

According to Edward O’Dwyer, it might be something surprisingly simple: patience.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I sit down with agribusiness capital markets strategist Edward O’Dwyer for a wide-ranging conversation about agriculture, sales, relationships, investment and the value of knowing when to stop talking and start listening.

Edward’s career has taken him from growing up on a cattle property south of Toowoomba, to jackarooing, horse racing stables, selling LandCruisers, working in major agribusiness real estate and negotiating multi-million-dollar agricultural transactions.

And through all of it, one theme keeps coming back: people.

We talk about why some of the best salespeople Edward has worked with have been calm, patient listeners who are genuinely more interested in their customer than themselves.

We also unpack:

🌱 Why patience can get you everywhere in agricultural sales
👂 Why listening is one of the most underrated sales skills
🤝 What turns a sales rep into a genuine trusted advisor
💰 Why knowing your own value matters when you sell
🚜 How Edward went from the farm to major agricultural property transactions
🐂 Why understanding both sides of a deal matters
📈 How the capital landscape in Australian agriculture is changing
🌏 Where Edward sees opportunities emerging across agriculture, sustainability and investment
💡 Why farmers need to continually adapt, take calculated risks and go back to the drawing board
✈️ Edward’s advice for young people wanting to build a career in agricultural sales

One of my favourite parts of this conversation is Edward’s story about the rural sales rep who essentially managed his farming calendar for him — knowing what he needed, when he needed it and, importantly, understanding where Edward could afford to cut a corner and where he absolutely couldn’t.

That’s not order-taking.

That’s becoming a trusted advisor.

There’s plenty of gold in this one for anyone working in agricultural sales, agribusiness or simply interested in what makes great relationships work.

🎧 Grab a coffee — piccolo if you're joining Edward — and enjoy this episode of Selling in the Paddock.

Agriculture has always had its challenges — labour shortages, rising costs, seasonal pressures, changing markets and plenty of things completely outside our control.

So when times are tough, how do we keep moving forward?

Recorded live at Hort Connections, Georgia sits down with Michael Rogers, CEO of Agri Labour Australia, to talk about people, connection and why agriculture needs to keep telling its story.

Michael shares the enormous task of helping supply Australian agriculture with the people it needs — including around 1,000 farm workers and 1,500 backpackers working across horticulture, meat processing, nuts, cotton and grain.

They explore the realities of managing seasonal workforces, navigating language and cultural differences, and why sometimes the most effective communication isn't complicated at all: show people what good looks like.

The conversation then turns to something much bigger — the importance of connection when agriculture is doing it tough.

Michael explains why events like Hort Connections matter: they get people out of their own businesses and paddocks, talking to others, sharing what's happening and realising you're not the only one finding things difficult.

And while the challenges facing Australian agriculture are real, Michael offers an important reminder:

Look at how far we've already come.

From international market access to innovation and workforce development, agriculture has solved enormous problems before — and looking backwards can sometimes give us the perspective we need to look forward.

Georgia and Michael also discuss why agricultural businesses need to continue telling their stories, celebrating what's working and being willing to put their hands up when things don't go to plan.

Because whether you're selling a product, attracting workers or building trust in an industry, people need to understand the story behind what you do.

🎧 A short conversation about people, perspective and continuing to move agriculture forward — even when the road ahead feels difficult.

Recorded live at Hort Connections, Georgia Stormont sits down with Hany Erian, Business Manager – Agrichemicals Australia & New Zealand at Bisley & Company, to discuss what it really takes to build lasting customer relationships and successfully grow into new markets.

After relocating to Christchurch to establish Bisley's New Zealand operation, Hany shares how persistence, preparation and genuine customer focus helped grow the business to more than $1 million in sales within six months.

Rather than simply chasing orders, Hany explains why the best salespeople become trusted advisers—understanding market trends, sharing valuable insights before customers ask, and consistently putting the customer's success first.

Whether you're selling into agriculture or any relationship-driven industry, this conversation is full of practical lessons on creating trust, adding value and becoming the person your customers call first.

• Establishing Bisley's presence in New Zealand.
• Why persistence is one of the most important sales skills.
• Using research and preparation to open new opportunities.
• Building relationships through consistency and follow-up.
• Why customers care more about what's in it for them than what's in it for you.
• How to stay ahead of market trends and provide proactive advice.
• Moving from being a salesperson to becoming a trusted adviser.
• Creating long-term partnerships instead of simply winning orders.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone looking to build stronger customer relationships and greater commercial confidence.

In this episode, we discuss:

This week's guest is a little different… and that's exactly why I wanted her on the podcast.

Jo Townsend is Head of Crime and Investigations at Ronde. Over a career spanning more than two decades, she's worked as a reporter, producer, executive producer and director across some of Australia's biggest newsrooms, including Nine News, 60 Minutes and the ABC's 7.30 Report. Today she's creating some of Australia's most watched true crime documentaries and podcasts.

So why invite a true crime journalist onto a sales podcast?

Because when you strip away the cameras and courtrooms, Jo's work is built on the same foundations as great selling:

• Building trust quickly.
• Asking better questions.
• Listening more than talking.
• Helping people feel safe enough to open up.
• Understanding that people rarely behave the way we expect them to.

In this conversation we explore:

• Why people never behave the way you expect them to.
• The importance of meeting people where they are.
• How to build trust in difficult conversations.
• Why "Tell me more…" might be the most powerful question you can ask.
• The role of silence in uncovering what really matters.
• Why understanding your value makes it easier to walk away from the wrong opportunities.
• What true crime, storytelling and sales all have in common.
• Jo's journey through a male-dominated industry and the lessons she's learnt along the way.
• How AI is changing journalism—and what it still can't replace.

Whether you're selling tractors, agronomy advice, professional services or documentaries, this episode is a masterclass in human behaviour.

Because at the end of the day…

People buy from people they trust.

Jo Townsend is the Head of Crime and Investigations at Ronde, leading the development of investigative documentaries and podcasts seen by millions of viewers in Australia and around the world. She has worked as a journalist, producer, executive producer and director for more than 20 years, including roles with Nine News, 60 Minutes and the ABC's 7.30 Report. Today she continues to tell some of Australia's most compelling true crime stories while championing thoughtful journalism and powerful storytelling.

One small suggestion: I'd consider tweaking the title to make it even more clickable:

🎙️ The Sales Lessons Hidden in True Crime | Jo Townsend

It creates a stronger curiosity gap and aligns beautifully with your audience—they'll immediately wonder, "What on earth could true crime possibly teach me about selling?"

About Jo Townsend

Fresh produce has never been easy... and according to Harvest Moon's Commercial Operations Manager, Nathan Bisha, it's only getting tougher.

Recorded live from the floor at Hort Connections, Georgia catches up with Nathan to discuss the realities of today's horticulture industry, why creating value has never been more important, and how Harvest Moon continues to stand out through innovation, quality and exceptional customer service.

Having worked together for many years, first as supplier and customer and now as business partners, the conversation also highlights the importance of long-term relationships across Australian agriculture.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why fresh produce businesses are under more pressure than ever
• The challenge of rising costs and shrinking margins
• How Harvest Moon is creating value through innovation, not just price
• The success story behind Snackable Carrots
• Why innovation extends beyond products into farming practices
• How service has become one of Harvest Moon's biggest competitive advantages
• Nathan's biggest takeaways from Hort Connections and why industry events continue to matter

Whether you're a grower, supplier, agronomist or sales professional, this episode is a reminder that in challenging markets, businesses that continue to innovate and invest in relationships are the ones that stay ahead.

Connect with Georgia Stormont

If you're passionate about improving the way agriculture sells, communicates and builds stronger customer relationships, follow Selling in the Paddock for practical conversations with the people shaping Australian agriculture.

🎧 New episodes released every week.

Selling in Agriculture Starts with Authenticity, Empathy and the Long Game

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Ged Sippel, Head of Vegetable Seeds at Syngenta, responsible for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Recorded live at Hort Connections in Adelaide, they discuss what it's really like leading a global seed business through challenging market conditions and why the future of agricultural sales isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking better questions.

Ged shares why Syngenta sees itself as part of the same ecosystem as growers, experiencing many of the same pressures, and why empathy, authenticity and curiosity are essential for building trusted relationships in agriculture.

Together they explore why selling in agriculture is different, why growers value genuine partnerships over polished sales pitches, and why the best salespeople are prepared to learn before they lead.

• Why agriculture is different from almost every other sales industry
• How empathy builds stronger customer relationships during difficult seasons
• Why authenticity matters more than trying to be the expert
• The importance of curiosity when working alongside growers
• How trial work creates trust long before it creates sales
• Why farmers are some of the best teachers if you're prepared to listen
• The value of industry events like Hort Connections for both customers and teams
• Why strong internal relationships are just as important as external ones
• How networks built today often become opportunities months or even years later

Whether you're selling seed, fertiliser, machinery, finance or advisory services, this episode is a reminder that the strongest commercial relationships are built on genuine conversations, shared learning and playing the long game.

Key Quote

"Come from a genuine, authentic position. Our role isn't to tell growers how to grow a crop—it's to understand their challenges and see where we might be able to help."

— Ged Sippel

Connect with Georgia

If you're passionate about changing the way agriculture thinks about selling, make sure you follow Selling in the Paddock for more conversations with leaders from across Australian agriculture.

Connect with Georgia on LinkedIn for practical insights on sales, communication, leadership and commercial confidence in agriculture.

In this episode you'll hear:

What separates a good agricultural salesperson from a great one?

According to Danny Thornton from Agreva, it starts with understanding the value you bring.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia Stormont sits down with Danny at Hort Connections to explore what it really takes to build trust with growers, introduce new technology into agriculture, and have commercial conversations that create long-term relationships.

They discuss why technical credibility matters, how biological products are changing the future of Australian agriculture, and why growers don't buy claims—they buy confidence.

One of the biggest takeaways?

Trust isn't built by telling someone your product works.

It's built by proving it.

Danny also shares why Agreva invests heavily in local Australian trials, recognising the outstanding work of Steve Lorimer and the technical team in generating the evidence growers need before making important decisions.

• Why understanding your own value changes the way you sell.
• The difference between technical knowledge and commercial confidence.
• How biologicals and traditional chemistry can work together.
• Why Australian field trials are essential for building grower trust.
• How great salespeople focus on adding value instead of visiting everyone.
• Why face-to-face conversations still matter in agriculture.
• How challenges such as rising fertiliser costs are creating opportunities for innovation.

If you work in agricultural sales, agronomy, crop protection or horticulture, this episode is packed with practical insights on building trust, creating value and having better commercial conversations.

Because in agriculture...

Selling isn't about convincing.

It's about understanding.

Connect with Georgia Stormont

Follow Selling in the Paddock for weekly conversations with some of the best minds in Australian agriculture, sharing practical lessons on sales, leadership and communication.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who sells into agriculture and leave a review to help more people discover the podcast.

In this episode you'll learn:

Recorded live from Hort Connections 2026, Georgia sits down with Paul Crack from Yara Australia to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Australian growers and the critical role nutrition plays in producing high-quality crops.

With rising input costs, changing market conditions and increasing pressure to improve productivity, Paul shares insights into how growers can make better decisions, maximise returns and build resilience for the future.

In this episode, we discuss:

🌱 The current outlook for Australian horticulture

🌱 How fertiliser decisions impact crop performance and profitability

🌱 The challenges growers are navigating in today's market

🌱 Balancing productivity, efficiency and long-term sustainability

🌱 The importance of trusted advice and strong industry relationships

🌱 Innovation and technology shaping the future of crop nutrition

🌱 What Yara is seeing on the ground across Australian farming businesses

🌱 Why events like Hort Connections are so valuable for collaboration and industry growth

Whether you're a grower, agronomist, supplier or simply passionate about agriculture, this conversation provides practical insights into the factors driving success in modern horticulture.

#SellingInThePaddock #HortConnections2026 #YaraAustralia #CropNutrition #Horticulture #Agriculture #GrowerSuccess #Leadership #AustralianAgriculture #Fertiliser

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, recorded live at Hort Connections 2026, Georgia catches up with Jo Van Niekerk and Adrian Hart from Boomaroo Nurseries to discuss what it takes to support Australian growers in an increasingly complex environment.

From managing live products and responding to unpredictable weather events, to building stronger partnerships across the supply chain, Jo and Adrian share how Boomaroo continues to evolve beyond supplying quality seedlings to delivering real value for growers.

In this conversation, we explore:

🌱 Why relationships remain the foundation of success in horticulture

🌱 How Boomaroo helps growers navigate changing conditions and market pressures

🌱 The importance of innovation, data and continuous improvement

🌱 What "running a factory without a roof" really means

🌱 Why great salespeople are problem solvers first and sellers second

🌱 The role curiosity plays in understanding customer needs

🌱 How partnerships help businesses navigate challenges and grow together

🌱 Why Hort Connections remains one of the most important events on the Australian horticulture calendar

A practical conversation about trust, communication, adaptability and creating long-term value for customers.

#SellingInThePaddock #HortConnections2026 #BoomarooNurseries #Horticulture #Agriculture #SalesLeadership #CustomerRelationships #GrowerSuccess #AustralianAgriculture

🎙️ Live from Hort Connections 2026 in Adelaide

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Jono Davey, CEO of Melons Australia, to discuss the challenges, opportunities and future of Australia's melon industry.

Representing more than 140 melon growers across the country, Jono shares why industry events like Hort Connections remain critical for building relationships, sharing innovation and supporting growers through increasingly complex challenges.

Together, Georgia and Jono explore:

🍉 The importance of bringing growers, suppliers and industry leaders together

🍉 How Melons Australia supports growers across regional Australia

🍉 Why trusted relationships matter more than sales pitches

🍉 The role of agronomists, seed companies and industry partners in driving grower success

🍉 The impact of floods, cyclones, freight costs and global geopolitical events on Australian farming businesses

🍉 Why collaboration—not competition—is the key to a stronger horticulture industry

🍉 The future of innovation and grower engagement in Australian agriculture

This conversation is a timely reminder that while the challenges facing agriculture are real, so too is the resilience, optimism and commitment of the people working to grow Australia's food supply.

If you're involved in horticulture, agribusiness, sales or grower engagement, this episode offers valuable insights into how we can better support the people at the heart of our industry.

"We're nothing without our growers, but we're also nothing without new developments and new technologies coming through. We need to continue facilitating those discussions as a collaboration."

To learn more about Melons Australia and their work supporting Australian melon growers, visit their website and follow their industry updates.

Selling in the Paddock — Real conversations with the people shaping Australian agriculture, one paddock at a time. 🌱🎙️

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with James Turtle, Regional Director Australasia at MagrowTec, to discuss spray performance, ag technology adoption and what it really takes to build trust with farmers.

James shares his journey from growing up around dairy and horticulture, through machinery sales, to leading the Australasian commercial team for MagrowTec's magnetic-assisted spray technology.

The conversation explores one of agriculture's biggest hidden challenges: how much spray actually reaches its target, and why improving application efficiency can have a major impact on profitability, productivity and environmental outcomes.

They also dive into the realities of selling in agriculture, building long-term customer relationships and why driving down the farm driveway still matters.

✅ James' journey from horticulture to ag technology leadership

✅ The story behind MagrowTec and its Irish origins

✅ Why 60–90% of spray can miss its intended target

✅ Spray drift, canopy penetration and improving coverage

✅ The growing challenge of chemical resistance

✅ Why simple things like nozzle maintenance matter

✅ How growers can improve spray performance immediately

✅ The role of science and independent data in ag tech adoption

✅ Building trust when introducing new technology

✅ Lessons learned from machinery sales and quoting hundreds of customers

✅ Why relationships still drive success in agricultural sales

• Farmers don't buy technology because it's new; they buy solutions that are proven.
• Trust is built through evidence, relationships and consistent follow-through.
• Before looking for a silver bullet, make sure the fundamentals are right.
• Great salespeople care about the person sitting across the table, not just the sale.
• Sometimes a simple nozzle check can save thousands of dollars.

☕ Coffee Order: Double Espresso (or black coffee)

🎵 Music: Country music and Aussie rock

📺 Currently Watching: Landman, The Witcher and Yellowstone

Learn more about MagrowTec's spray technology and research-backed approach to improving spray application efficiency.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and share the podcast with someone working in agriculture, sales or agribusiness.

Every share helps us bring more practical sales conversations to the paddock. 🎙️

This week on Selling in the Paddock, Georgia heads across the ditch to chat with New Zealand dairy farmer Jared Clarke — and this one is packed with insight for anyone working in agriculture, sales, leadership or ag tech.

Jared and his wife Victoria run a 1,000-cow dairy operation in Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island, milking through a 60-bail rotary with a strong focus on grass management, genetics, technology and team culture. But this episode goes far deeper than dairy farming.

From AI-powered Halter collars and wearable technology through to what farmers actually value in a sales rep, this is a raw, practical conversation about trust, knowledge, follow-through and building genuine relationships in agriculture.

A few standout moments:

• Why Jared believes “staff” and “workers” are the wrong words
• How Halter collars are changing the future of grazing management
• The balancing act between milk production and pasture performance
• Why some reps earn trust — and others get sent straight back down the driveway
• The importance of product knowledge, honesty and follow-through in ag sales
• How WhatsApp groups and communication systems are streamlining farm operations
• Genetics, breeding worth and the economics behind dairy decisions
• Jared’s experience as a 2026 Nuffield Scholar travelling the world studying energy and agriculture

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode?
Farmers don’t just want products. They want people who know their stuff, tell the truth and actually follow through.

Whether you’re an ag sales rep, grower, agronomist or someone passionate about the future of agriculture, there’s plenty in this conversation for you.

• Dairy farming in Canterbury, NZ
• Halter collar technology
• Grass-fed dairy systems
• Ag sales and relationship building
• Artificial breeding and genetics
• Team culture on-farm
• Follow-through in sales
• Nuffield Scholarship experiences
• Spain, energy systems and global agriculture

☕ Coffee order: Small flat white
🎵 Music: Pearl Jam & Red Hot Chili Peppers
📺 Watching: Narcos (again)

🎙 Podcast: Selling in the Paddock
📘 Book: Selling in the Paddock
🌾 Agricultural sales coaching, workshops & keynote speaking

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone in ag and leave a review — it helps more people find the show.

In this solo episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia dives deep into one of the biggest challenges in agricultural sales… closing.

Not the pushy, awkward “are you buying today or not?” type of closing.
The real kind.

The kind that keeps conversations moving forward, builds trust, creates momentum, and helps customers make confident decisions over time.

Because in Ag, sales cycles are long. Relationships matter. And most deals aren’t won in one conversation.

Georgia shares practical closing strategies she teaches inside her workshops, including:

• Why “let me know” quietly kills momentum
• How to use micro-closes throughout the sales process
• The difference between pressure and progress
• Why hearing “no” is actually valuable information
• Real examples from her coaching business and onion seed sales role
• Different closing styles every sales rep should have in their tool belt
• How transparency can strengthen trust in the sales cycle
• Practical next-step questions you can start using immediately

This episode is packed with practical examples, paddock conversations, and real-world sales lessons from over 15 years in agricultural sales.

If you’ve ever struggled to ask for commitment, feared rejection, or felt awkward closing… this episode is for you.

Closing isn’t about pressure.
It’s about helping people make decisions and keeping the conversation moving forward.

🎧 Listen now and challenge yourself this week:
In every sales conversation, ask for one next step.

Not the order.
Just movement.

To purchase my book: Link here

#SellingInThePaddock #AgSales #Agriculture #SalesTraining #Leadership #Communication #ClosingTheSale #Agribusiness #SalesConfidence #Podcast

This week on Selling in the Paddock, I sit down with Jess Weiss, founder of Human Tribe — a leadership and people development consultancy built on one simple belief:

When people thrive, businesses thrive.

Jess shares her journey from personal trainer to leadership consultant and why managers are one of the biggest levers for performance, culture and wellbeing inside any organisation.

We unpack:

• Why technically strong people often struggle in leadership roles
• The difference between high-performing individuals and high-performing teams
• Why culture is behavioural, not fluffy
• The danger of keeping toxic high performers
• Accountability, KPIs and creating genuine buy-in
• Why discomfort is essential for growth
• The neuroscience behind pushing yourself outside your comfort zone
• AI, leadership and the future of workplace performance
• Why great managers change the trajectory of people’s lives

There are so many practical takeaways in this episode for leaders, salespeople, business owners and anyone wanting to build stronger teams and better workplace culture.

“A bad culture will beat a good person every time.”

A massive thank you to Jess for such an honest, insightful and energising conversation.

🌐 Human Tribe
💼 Jess Weiss LinkedIn

Today on Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Debbie Feyh from Go Experience Nature, joining us all the way from Kansas in the United States.

Debbie is a farmer’s daughter, farmer’s wife, entrepreneur and passionate advocate for reconnecting people back to nature, agriculture and the outdoors.

This conversation goes far beyond farming.

We chat about:

• Why people are becoming disconnected from nature
• The mental and physical benefits of slowing down and getting outside
• Communication in agriculture and why farmers need to tell their story more
• Consumer understanding around food production and farming practices
• Healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people
• Teaching the next generation to reconnect with the outdoors
• Entrepreneurship, purpose and building something meaningful from the ground up

There are also some beautiful moments throughout this episode around grief, perspective, family and learning to notice the world around us again.

A powerful conversation about agriculture, communication and being human.

🎧 Listen now and let me know your biggest takeaway.

You can connect with Debbie and learn more about Go Experience Nature here:
https://www.goexperiencenature.com/

📘 My book:
Selling in the Paddock — People First Conversations for Selling Confidently in Agriculture

Available here:
Selling in the Paddock: A Proven, People-First Framework for Selling with Confidence in Agriculture eBook : Stormont, Georgia: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Nathan Hrnicek from NutraDrip — an ag conversationalist, sales leader, and someone who genuinely lives and breathes connection in agriculture.

Nathan shares his journey from construction into ag sales, the lessons that shaped him, and why curiosity — not confidence — is the real superpower in this industry.

We dive into what it actually looks like to build rapport (hint: it’s not talking about your product), how to show up on farm with the right intent, and why some of the best sales conversations start with a simple question:

👉 “Tell me about yourself.”

• Nathan’s path into agriculture and sales
• Why feeling “behind” can actually make you better
• The power of mentors and creating safe environments to learn
• How to build genuine rapport (without the “verbal diarrhoea”)
• Why curiosity beats assumptions every time
• The reality of farmer sentiment right now and showing up with empathy
• The “gazelle vs cheetah” mindset and how Nathan approaches performance
• What it really means to serve first in sales

• Assume nothing. Stay curious about everything
• Rapport isn’t built by talking — it’s built by listening
• Every driveway is a new conversation, not a repeat of the last one
• Sales isn’t about pushing product — it’s about understanding people
• You don’t need all the answers — you need better questions

“Put your agenda on hold… and actually care about the person you’re talking to.”

Nathan Hrnicek is Director of Sales at NutraDrip, a family-owned business focused on helping farmers maximise performance through irrigation, agronomy and innovation.

He describes himself as an “ag conversationalist” — someone driven to connect people, share ideas, and constantly pursue better outcomes across agriculture.

If you’re in ag sales and want to sharpen how you show up in conversations — this one’s for you.

👉 Share this episode with a mate in the industry
👉 And if you haven’t already, follow Selling in the Paddock for more real conversations like this

What does it take to build a business from one of the most remote parts of Australia?

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Isabella Thrupp from Pardoo Wagyu and Prinking in Pindan — a women’s workwear brand created for life on the land.

Based in the Kimberley, Bella shares her journey from moving north for a couple of years as a ringer… to building a life, a career, and a business in one of the most unique and demanding parts of the country.

This is a conversation about rural life, resilience, creativity, community, and what it really looks like to back yourself and build something meaningful from the ground up.

• Bella’s role with Pardoo Wagyu and life in the Kimberley

• What station life really looks like behind the scenes

• How Prinking in Pindan was born from a real gap in the market

• Why women on the land need workwear designed for the job

• The challenge of creating durable, comfortable jeans for tough conditions

• The reality of building a product-based business with no design background

• Finding the right manufacturer and learning through trial and error

• The power of remote communities and women supporting women

• Why rural and regional women don’t need to leave the industry to create opportunities

• Bella’s experience winning the WA AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award and becoming national runner-up

• How that experience helped shape her confidence, business growth and bigger vision

A big idea does not need a city postcode to succeed.

Bella’s story is a reminder that innovation can come from anywhere — and that women in rural and remote Australia are building powerful businesses, brands and futures on their own terms.

Isabella Thrupp works with Pardoo Wagyu alongside her partner in the Kimberley, helping manage the breeder operation while also building her own business, Prinking in Pindan — workwear for women on the land, designed with purpose, durability and style in mind.

She is also the WA winner and national runner-up of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

• Honest insight into life on a remote station

• A brilliant story behind the name Prinking in Pindan

• Real talk about business resilience and backing yourself

• A powerful reminder of the strength of rural women and community

• Coffee order: Cappuccino

• Music: Country music, with Ella Langley on repeat

• Watching: Heartfelt series like Bridgerton

Send it to a woman in ag who’s building something bold, backing herself, or figuring out her next chapter on the land.

And don’t forget to follow Selling in the Paddock for more real stories, practical insights and honest conversations from across agriculture 🌾

🌾 In this episode, we cover:🔑 Key Takeaway📍 About Isabella Thrupp🐂 A few things you’ll love from this episode:⚡ Rapid Fire with Bella📣 Loved this episode?

What if the biggest thing holding you back in sales… is in your own head?

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Pat Owens to unpack one of the most common (and rarely talked about) challenges in agricultural sales — the need to be liked.

From self-doubt on farm visits to overthinking every interaction, Pat shares why so many sales reps get stuck in their heads early on… and how that impacts the way they show up with growers.

This is a grounded, honest conversation about confidence, identity, and learning to sell in a way that actually works — not just what you think you should be doing.

• Why new sales reps overthink whether growers like them

• How self-doubt shows up (and sabotages your next visit)

• The difference between being liked vs being trusted

• Why you can’t judge a relationship in the first 6–12 interactions

• Understanding farmer personalities and communication styles

• The reality of selling on-farm — no desk, no script, just people

• Why emotions play a bigger role in ag decisions than we admit

• The power of persistence (and finding your own version of it)

• Learning from other reps without trying to copy them

• Why your sales story must be about the customer — not you

You don’t need to be liked to do good business.

Know your strengths. Show up consistently. Play the long game.

Trust is built over time — not in a single visit.

“You might think they don’t like you… but chances are, you’ve just got no concept of how they show it.”

Pat brings a wealth of experience across consulting, research coordination, and frontline agricultural sales. From chasing invoices while self-employed to riding shotgun with reps across the Midwest, his perspective is grounded in real-world experience — not theory.

Share it with a mate in ag who’s overthinking their next farm visit — or someone who needs a reminder that they don’t have to be perfect to be effective.

And if you haven’t already, hit follow on Selling in the Paddock for more real conversations from the field 🌱

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Mick Wearne from Pursehouse Rural, where he works as Business Manager – Seed.

Mick and I first met at a recent Pursehouse Rural conference, and from the moment we started chatting, I knew he’d be a brilliant guest for the podcast. He brings decades of experience across agricultural retail, branch management, seed, fertiliser and customer relationships, and this conversation is packed with practical insight for anyone working in ag sales.

We talk about Mick’s path into agriculture, despite not growing up on a farm, and how he built a long career in the industry after starting out as a motorbike mechanic in Walgett, NSW. From there, we get into the real substance of selling in agriculture: forecasting, uncertainty, supplier relationships, difficult conversations, and why trust is everything.

A big theme throughout this episode is that great ag sales isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being honest, staying in communication, offering solutions, and helping customers navigate uncertainty when conditions, timing and supply keep shifting.

We also dive into what separates a good rep from a great one, how to handle pressure when things don’t go to plan, and why phone calls still matter so much in an industry built on relationships.

And because Mick and I share a love of triathlon and training, we finish by talking about the crossover between fitness, resilience and decision-making in business.

• Mick’s story and how he built a career in agriculture

• What drew him into ag, even though he didn’t grow up on a farm

• The reality of managing seed across 25+ branches

• Why forecasting is critical in agricultural sales

• How to navigate difficult conversations up and down the supply chain

• What builds trust with growers over time

• Why transparency and prompt communication matter

• The difference between a good rep and a great rep

• How to handle not having all the answers

• The role relationships play across suppliers, branches and customers

• Lessons from triathlon and CrossFit that carry into work and leadership

• Trust is built through transparency

• Good news can wait, bad news can’t

• You don’t have to know everything, but you do need to communicate

• Great reps don’t disappear when things get hard

• In ag, relationships and forecasting go hand in hand

This is a really grounded conversation about the realities of selling in agriculture — the unknowns, the pressure, the moving goalposts, and the importance of staying connected through all of it.

If you enjoy the episode, make sure you share it with someone else working in ag sales, branch management or agronomy.

This is a pretty special episode… the book is officially live.

This hasn’t just been a few months of writing — it’s been years in the making. Built off 15 years in ag sales, getting it right, getting it wrong, and learning what actually works in the paddock — not just in theory.

I didn’t write this to be an author.
I wrote it because there’s a gap.

We’ve got incredibly technically strong people coming through agriculture… but many are struggling with the conversations, the confidence, and the connection that actually drive results.

This book is about helping good people in ag become great at the conversations that matter.

Inside, I walk through my Selling in the Paddock framework:

• Know Yourself
• Understand Them
• Handle the Hard Bits
• Drive It Home

It’s packed with real stories, real conversations, and tools you can use straight away. No fluff. No bullshit.

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking “I should’ve said that differently” — this one’s for you.

A massive thank you to the people who’ve backed me along the way — my coaches, clients, the industry, and you listening. This book doesn’t exist without that support.

👉 The book is live now —purchase here
Grab a copy, share it with someone in ag, and if it resonates, I’d love you to post about it.

This is just the beginning.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia Stormont is joined by Ciara Douglas, founder of Herd to Home, regenerative agriculture advocate, and multi-business operator based in Western Australia.

Ciara’s journey into agriculture isn’t linear — and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful. Originally from Northern Ireland, Ciara moved to Australia as a child, grew up surrounded by farming, and has since carved out a diverse career spanning regenerative agriculture, cattle, horses, kelpie working dogs, education, and direct-to-consumer farm products.

This conversation dives deep into regenerative thinking, transparency, asking better questions, and why lived experience matters just as much as data.

• Growing up in Northern Ireland and moving to Australia — and how Irish and Australian agriculture differ

• Ciara’s recent university studies in regenerative agriculture and why she deliberately tackled controversial topics

• Red meat and climate change: why cattle, when managed correctly, can reverse climate damage

• Genetically modified crops: separating emotion from data and what the science actually says

• Why transparency builds trust — in agriculture, business, and selling

• A producer’s perspective on what sales reps get right (and wrong)

• Why admitting limitations strengthens credibility

• Ciara’s experience as a jillaroo and working across WA cattle properties

• Building multiple businesses:

  • horse re-education and training

  • kelpie breeding and working dog programs

  • agricultural merchandise

  • Herd to Home and the paddock-to-plate vision

• Launching tallow-based skincare while regenerating land and rebuilding soil health

• The importance of questioning your own beliefs — and being willing to change your mind

• Advice for women entering agriculture: self-education, resilience, and standing firm in your values

• Transparency over spin

• Questions over assumptions

• Long-term thinking over quick wins

• Education, lived experience, and adaptability

• “If we can acknowledge where the technology actually is — and where it isn’t — trust grows.”

• “The worst you’re going to get is a no. And that’s just a redirection.”

• “There’s nothing that beats life experience.”

• Ciara Douglas on LinkedIn

• Herd to Home – paddock-to-plate, regenerative-focused products and education

☕ Coffee order: Small iced latte with an extra shot, raw milk preferred
🎧 Listening to: Everything from Eminem to Cody Johnson — plus emerging artists discovered online
📚 Winding down: Reading (The Seven Sisters), learning, and the occasional episode of Game of Thrones or Yellowstone

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia is joined by Kristy Hollis, founder of Everlasting Health and a naturopath based in Darwin, working closely with women across regional and remote Northern Territory communities.

Kristy’s journey into health didn’t start in a clinic — it started in the paddock. From applied science and entomology work with CSIRO, through to biological weed control and time spent in agricultural research, Kristy brings a grounded, science-backed and deeply human approach to health and wellbeing.

Together, Georgia and Kristy explore what holistic health really means (and why it’s often misunderstood), the parallels between health and sales problem-solving, and why supporting rural women requires context, choice, and genuine understanding — not one-size-fits-all solutions.

• Kristy’s journey from ag science and entomology to naturopathy

• What “holistic” actually means — and why it’s not woo-woo

• Why symptoms are rarely the real problem (in health and in life)

• The link between stress, burnout, hormones, immunity and gut health

• Supporting women in regional and remote communities like Katherine

• The importance of choice in healthcare, alongside traditional GP medicine

• Working respectfully with Indigenous women and two-way learning in community

• Kristy’s work with First Nations women’s groups and DV support services

• Winning the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award (NT) and what it unlocked

• How visibility, voice and networks change impact for rural women

• Why thriving matters more than just “getting through”

• The hidden cost of doing it all — and how burnout shows up years later

• What success really looks like at this stage of life

• Hitting pause, asking for help, and redefining balance

• Rapid-fire fun: coffee orders, Fleetwood Mac, U2, and winding down well

This episode is a powerful reminder that whether you’re selling, leading, parenting, or building a business — the real work starts by looking at the whole picture.

If you’re in the Northern Territory (or anywhere in Australia) and want to learn more about Kristy’s work with women’s health, holistic wellbeing, or community programs, you’ll find her links in the show notes.

📍 Enjoyed this episode?
Make sure you follow Selling in the Paddock so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
If you’ve got 30 seconds, leaving a quick review helps more people in ag find the show and learn alongside us.

Know someone who should be our next guest?
Send Georgia a DM or tag them — real conversations with real people are what this podcast is all about.

See you next time 🌾

Episode: Why Sales People Discount to Early with Kurt Newman
Podcast: Selling in the Paddock
Host: Georgia Stormont
Guest: Kurt Newman, Managing Director — Sales Consultants (Sydney / Southern Highlands)

In this episode, Georgia sits down with sales coach and author Kurt Newman (MD of Sales Consultants) to talk about the hidden places profit disappears, why salespeople discount before they’re even asked, and how trust (not likeability) is what actually drives big-ticket decisions.

Kurt has spent decades in frontline B2B sales, won global sales awards across multiple industries, and now works with organisations worldwide to improve sales performance — from mindset and confidence through to margin protection and practical sales behaviours.

• Why “just being liked” is fragile — and what matters more: like, trust and belief

• The real cause of margin leakage (hint: it starts in the salesperson’s head)

• The subtle tells that destroy value: hesitation before price, vocal tone shifts, and over-explaining

• Why technical people can become “liquid gold” in sales once they build people skills

• The importance of doing your homework (and how the right research can break the ice instantly)

• Why sales leaders can’t manage purely from a CRM — and why face-to-face still wins

• How to build confidence and resilience in younger salespeople (and why it’s needed more than ever)

• The difference between using AI as support vs expecting it to replace human coaching

• “Margin leakage starts in the salesperson’s mind.”

• Kurt’s story about the power of silence: asking for the close… then genuinely shutting up

• Why discounting is often a self-worth issue, not a pricing strategy

If you’re selling into farmers or rural retail, this episode is a reminder that:

• Confidence + value clarity beats discounting

• Trust-building is a skill you can learn (even if you’re technical)

• Face-to-face conversations still create the strongest differentiation

• Coffee order: Skinny flat white (mug), no sugar

• Music: Loud 70s rock (Boston, Rod Stewart)

• Wind down: Family time, movies/series, and quality time with the fur babies

• Connect with Kurt Newman on LinkedIn:

• Learn more about Sales Consultants:

• Kurt’s article on why face-to-face still matters post-COVID:

If you drop me your rough timecodes or a Descript export, I can format timestamps like:

• 03:10 — Kurt’s background and why sales

• 14:20 — Trust vs likeability

• 22:40 — Margin leakage and discounting

• 30:00 — Silence and closing

• 34:30 — Rapid fire

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Harley Johnston from JH Leavy & Co for a grounded conversation about what selling really looks like when relationships, reputation and timing matter.

Harley works in an environment where deals aren’t transactional and trust isn’t built overnight. We unpack what it means to show up consistently, read the room, and understand that in agriculture, people remember how you operate long after the paperwork is signed.

This episode is a reminder that good selling in ag isn’t about being loud — it’s about being present, prepared, and credible when it counts.

• Why trust is earned long before a deal is on the table

• The role of timing and patience in agricultural sales

• How reputation travels faster than marketing in regional communities

• What “turning up” really looks like in paddock-based conversations

• Lessons from working where relationships span generations

Whether you’re selling services, property, advice or ideas into agriculture, this conversation will resonate if you believe selling is about people first — always.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself:
Are you building trust for today… or for the long game?

In this episode, we cover:

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia Stormont sits down with Jessie McQueen — Wagyu operator, former Bar H Wagyu team member, and President + founding committee member of WAGYOUTH.

Jessie’s story is a ripper: raised on a cattle property in south-east Queensland, boarding school in Brisbane, rowing scholarship in the US (Rutgers University), then back home to study international business at QUT — before making the call to get “back into the paddock” and properly learn cattle.

From there, Jessie spent nearly six years at Bar H Wagyu, moving from horses and cattle work into AI programs, genetics, data collection, analysis, business development and leadership. Along the way, she saw first-hand what makes sales relationships in agriculture work (and what absolutely kills them).

• Jessie’s pathway back into agriculture (and why she initially underestimated how complex ag really is)

• Life at Bar H Wagyu: what the operation looks like and what integrity in breeding means in practice

• Why genetics and outcrossing matter so much in Wagyu — and how the industry manages inbreeding risk

• The origin story of WAGYOUTH and why the Wagyu industry needed a youth network focused on business, leadership and governance

• Jessie’s perspective on what good sales reps do differently in regional communities

• Why “dropping in” still matters (and why emails often don’t cut through)

• Playing the long game: selling for next year and the year after that, not just this month

• The biggest turn-off: complacency — assuming you’ve “got the sale” and letting service slip

• A powerful reminder: value is defined by the buyer’s context (Georgia’s broccoli trial story is gold)

• Jessie’s self-reflection on selling: going too fast, talking too much, and learning to use silence well

• “It makes such a difference to drop in… even with something from the bakery.”

• “They’re not trying to sell you something this year… they’re trying to create something longer-term.”

• “People being complacent and assuming you have the sale… that’s pretty frustrating.”

• WAGYOUTH (follow along and stay updated on events, tours and webinars)

• Georgia also hosts the Australian Wagyu Association podcast, Beyond the Marbling

If you sell into ag: don’t rely on emails, don’t rush the relationship, and never confuse a past win with future loyalty. Consistency beats confidence every day of the week.

☕ Coffee order: Flat white with “as many shots as possible” + cream milk
🎶 Music: Instrumental / jazz-house vibes
📺 Watching: Landman (Jessie’s up to Season 2)

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Mark Kable, Managing Director of Harvest Moon — one of Australia’s leading vegetable growing businesses, supplying major retailers and export markets across the country and internationally.

Mark has spent more than 36 years in horticulture, building Harvest Moon from humble beginnings into a nationally recognised operation working with over 100 growers across Australia.

Recorded while driving through rural South Australia on an onion trip, this conversation offers a rare and honest look into what growers really want from sales reps — and where many get it wrong.

We talk about relationships, trust, follow-up, and why the best reps aren’t just selling products — they’re building long-term partnerships.

Mark also shares one of the most powerful pieces of advice he was ever given:
“Good news can wait. Bad news can’t.”

If you sell into agriculture — or want to understand how to connect better with farmers — this episode is essential listening.

• Mark’s journey from driving trucks to leading Harvest Moon

• How Harvest Moon grew into a national and export-focused business

• What separates average sales reps from the best in the industry

• Why preparation, product knowledge, and knowing your numbers matters

• The importance of follow-up and doing what you say you’ll do

• How trust is built — and lost — in agricultural relationships

• Managing difficult conversations and delivering bad news

• Why relationships matter just as much with growers as they do with customers

• The role of honesty, transparency, and communication in long-term success

• Mark’s involvement in charity rides raising funds for Motor Neurone Disease research

“The best reps are thorough. They do their homework. They follow up. And they tell you the truth.”

Mark is currently raising funds for Motor Neurone Disease research. If you’d like to support the cause, you can donate here:

[charity link]

This episode is a special one.

To mark Episode 50 of Selling in the Paddock — and nearly 12 months on air — I invited a very special guest onto the show… my mum, Sally Stormont.

At first glance, a primary school teacher and former newsagency worker might seem like an unlikely guest on a sales podcast. But as this conversation unfolds, it becomes clear: some of the most powerful selling lessons don’t come from sales training — they come from life.

In this episode, Mum and I unpack the quiet skills that sit underneath great sales conversations:

• Selling ideas instead of giving instructions

• Why listening matters more than being “right”

• How trust is built over time — with kids, customers, and adults alike

• What teaching, parenting, and customer service all have in common

• How calm, empathy, and preparation change difficult conversations

We talk about growing up in a family-run newsagency, where relationships mattered more than transactions. We explore what it really means when people say “the customer is always right” — and why it’s actually about listening, not submission.

We also go deeper into parenting:

• Navigating emotions with three kids

• The differences between eldest, middle, and youngest children

• How feeling heard, seen, and safe shapes behaviour

• Why connection always comes before influence

If you sell for a living, lead people, raise kids, or work with humans in any capacity — this episode will land.

It’s honest. It’s practical. And it’s a reminder that the best sales skills are deeply human ones.

• Why “selling the why” works better than telling people what to do

• How teachers sell curiosity, confidence, and belief

• What to do when emotions are high and conversations are hard

• The role of empathy in trust and influence

• Why listening is still the most underrated skill in sales

• Coffee order: Extra-hot skinny latte

• Music loves: Neil Diamond, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones

• Currently watching: Landman and Shrinking

This one’s close to my heart.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

🎧 Tune in now.

🔥 You’ll hear:☕ Rapid Fire with Sally:

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Jess Federow from Copper Creek Contracting in Central West NSW – a former primary school teacher turned rural contractor, systems thinker, and freshly minted Nuffield Scholar.

Jess and her partner Ross don’t just “put up fences”. They design whole-farm infrastructure that actually works in the real world – for people, livestock, seasons and the future of the business.

We dig into Jess’s winding path from:
Canberra kid ➝ NT station work ➝ primary school teacher ➝ DPI education ➝ rural contracting ➝ now shaping the future of farm design through her Nuffield research.

In this ripper chat, we cover:

• 🧠 Systems thinking in ag – why Jess struggled with a siloed ag degree, and how that “umbrella view” is now her superpower on-farm

• 🛠️ Copper Creek’s 5-part framework – Grow, Graze, Move, Handle, Feed – and how one missed “movement” detail exposed a blind spot (and led to a better method)

• 🚜 From “just build the fence” to solving the real problem – the questions Jess asks to get past “I need 500m of fence” and into what’s actually going on in the business

• 🤝 Building trust with clients – how she does it over the phone, when to lean in with ideas, and when to trust the farmer’s experience and simply execute

• 🧱 Values in business – why Jess and Ross refuse to sell projects they don’t believe in, and how they handle jobs where the “vibe” and values don’t align

• 📈 Measuring ROI on infrastructure – what Jess will be exploring through her Nuffield Scholarship and why infrastructure is an underrated lever for productivity, efficiency and resilience

• 🐴 Life outside work – getting back in the saddle after kids, riding with her daughter, and why the best pasture check is from the back of a horse

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start with farm improvements, or you work in ag and want to think more holistically about your clients’ businesses, this episode will give you simple language, practical lenses, and a fresh way to see your farm as a whole system – not just a list of jobs.

👉 Connect with Jess & Copper Creek Contracting

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia heads to California (well… via Zoom) to talk tomatoes, trust and teamwork with William “Skeeter” Bethea from The Morning Star Company – the processor behind around 40% of California’s processing tomato crop.

Skeeter lifts the lid on how Morning Star runs a massive, highly technical tomato operation with no traditional bosses, and what that actually looks like day to day for the people growing, transplanting, harvesting and moving fruit through the factories.

Together, we dig into:

• 🌱 From seed to sauce – how Morning Star handles transplants, harvesting and trucking across Bakersfield, Sacramento and beyond

• 🧠 Planning backwards – why they start with factory demand and work back through the whole supply chain

• 🤝 Trust and collaboration – building relationships in a no-boss structure and why staying in your lane helps the whole team win

• 📊 Data, timing and adaptability – using growing degree hours, soil types and forecasts to hit tight processing windows

• 🍅 Yield vs flavour – stories from tomatoes, berries and onions, and what happens when “through the windscreen” meets “it has to taste good”

• 🧭 Integrity in ag – what Skeeter learned from a short detour into cannabis and why he came back to mainstream agriculture

• 🏈 Football and field teams – how American football tactics mirror high-performing teams in ag and sales

Welcome back team to another episode of Selling in the Paddock!

Today I’m joined by Ben Van Delden — founder of Delco AgriFood, co-founder of We Three AI, and a key partner in the Australian AgriFood System Alliance.

If you’re picturing a simple job title, think again. Ben’s world crosses oysters, circularity, AI, livestock, climate strategy and big-picture system change in Australian agriculture and beyond.

And yes, we recorded this rugged up on the first day of Melbourne summer. Of course we did.

• ​Ben’s childhood in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty
• ​Canoeing to school and working on his parents’ oyster farms
• ​Early lessons in labour, risk and why he chose to pair agriculture with a business degree

Ben breaks circularity down in practical language:

• ​Using resources for as long as possible within a system
• ​Moving from “waste” to “value” in horticulture, livestock and processing
• ​Real-world examples:

◦Hail-damaged crops and second/third pathways

◦Nutra V and broccoli powder

◦Dairy by-products turned into new value streams

◦Using organic waste for energy and methane reduction

We dig into how We Three AI is building a kind of “virtual vet”:

• ​Using cameras and computer vision to:

◦Count cattle more accurately

◦Flag human–animal interactions and potential safety issues

◦Detect health issues, lameness and shy feeders earlier

• ​Reducing wasted feed and unnecessary antibiotics
• ​Helping animals reach target weights faster, with better welfare and lower emissions

Ben shares insights from his time in places like Denmark:

• ​Why strong social systems can fuel innovation
• ​How Denmark’s people voted for a 70% emissions reduction target
• ​Alignment between government, research and industry
• ​Carlsberg’s water reduction goals and what that means for Australian barley growers

We explore the work of the Australian AgriFood System Alliance:

• ​Bringing commodity groups, processors, retailers, finance and others into one system view
• ​Designing structures and strategies that sit above individual sectors and states
• ​Why climate, circularity and food security can’t be solved in silos
• ​The big challenge: shifting behaviour in an industry built on fragmentation and competition

This is where it lands for leaders, sales teams, and anyone working in ag:

• ​Why behaviours are so deeply ingrained and hard to shift
• ​The role of vulnerability and mission in changing how we work
• ​The importance of picking issues big enough that no-one can solve them alone

Ben also shares a powerful piece of advice from Barry Irvin (Bega Cheese / Regional Circularity Cooperative):

Share your problems widely – even with competitors. Human nature makes it very hard for people not to help you solve them.

Gold.

• ​Coffee order: Almond flat white (long black at home)
• ​Music: Bruce Springsteen – Should I Fall Behind (his wedding song)
• ​Watching: American Primeval
• ​Reading/Gaming: More systems and strategy than Netflix, but that series has him hooked

In the show notes I’ll link to:

• ​Delco AgriFood
• ​We Three AI
• ​Australian AgriFood System Alliance
• ​Ben Van den Delden on LinkedIn

🔍 In This Episode We Cover🌊 1. Growing up on an island & canoeing to school♻️ 2. What the circular economy actually looks like in ag🤖 3. We Three AI – computer vision for cattle and welfare🇩🇰 4. Lessons from Denmark, the Nordics and global leaders🇦🇺 5. The Australian AgriFood System Alliance🧠 6. Behaviour change, trust and sharing the hard stuff☕ Rapid Fire – Get to Know Ben🔗 Connect with Ben

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Steve Fuller, Director of Buzz and Growth at BeeStar – and a man who’s spent more than 40 years working with bees.

Georgia admits she’s completely obsessed with bees, and Steve does not disappoint. He takes us inside the hive, explaining how colonies really work, why bees are so critical to Australian agriculture, and how technology like remote hive monitoring is changing the way beekeepers and growers work together.

From almonds and blueberries to canola, clover and seed crops, Steve breaks down how managed pollination can dramatically lift yield and tighten the agricultural footprint – and why trust and communication between beekeeper and grower is non-negotiable.

Along the way, Georgia and Steve explore what human teams can learn from bee colonies: shared purpose, calm leadership, and treating others how you’d like to be treated… just maybe without ripping anyone’s head off.

• From sawmilling to beekeeping
  How Steve went from a sawmill job to beekeeping after his brother “found a great job” – and why he still isn’t sick of bees after four decades.

• How a hive really works
  The roles of workers, drones and the queen, how queens mate and lay up to seven million bees’ worth of eggs, and why everything in the hive is done for the good of the colony.

• Pollination and yield – why bees matter
  How managed bees support crops like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, macadamias, almonds, stone fruit, citrus, melons, pumpkins, canola seed, lucerne and clover – and why bringing in bees can boost yield by 10–48%.

• Monocropping, genetics and “missing” pollinators
  What happens when large monocrops push out natural pollinators, how modern varieties can unintentionally lose nectar or pollen, and why that changes what we see – and don’t see – in the paddock.

• Bees vs other pollinators
  Where bees fit alongside flies, moths, bats, birds and wind, and why managed hives are such a powerful, controllable tool for growers.

• B Star and remote hive monitoring
  How B Star uses in-hive sensors to track temperature and humidity, feeding data to an app that shows hive health using a simple traffic-light system – and how this helps both beekeepers and growers know if hives are truly working.

• Working with growers (and preventing bee carnage)
  Why spray timing and honest conversations matter, what happens when bees can work under a full moon, and how mis-timed spraying can undo months of work.

• Leadership and culture lessons from the hive
  What Steve’s learned about calm energy, respect and reciprocity: treat bees (and people) how you’d like to be treated, don’t barge into their “house” and take everything, and know when to walk away on a bad day.

• Rapid fire with Steve
  How he winds down (hint: 2,500+ bee books…), why he still finds bees endlessly fascinating, and the mindset he takes into every hive.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Andrew Kelly, Executive Director of BioPacific Partners, to unpack a career that’s anything but linear – from veterinary science and epidemiology through to leading research institutes, venture capital, and now guiding global corporates through the innovation landscape in food, ag and health.

Andrew shares how growing up in rural Victoria and choosing vet science with “farm animals in mind” led him into regional disease control, research leadership and eventually across the ditch to New Zealand, where he saw first-hand how a more commercial, customer-focused approach to publicly funded R&D could get good ideas out of the lab and into the paddock faster.

Together, Georgia and Andrew explore what really builds trust between innovators, researchers, corporates and farmers – and why prep (in capital letters, three times over), empathy and genuine curiosity still beat any slick sales script.

• From rural Victoria to global life sciences
  How a kid from a small country town became a vet, then an epidemiologist, then a leader of major research institutes and finally a venture capitalist and adviser to global giants.

• Why Andrew chose New Zealand over Australia (at the time)
  What he saw in NZ’s “corporatised” R&D system that Australia hadn’t yet nailed – and how thinking globally is baked into New Zealand ag because the domestic market is simply too small.

• When research actually meets the customer
  The difference between chasing revenue vs chasing profit and impact, and why “we’re doing good for people” isn’t enough if real customers aren’t lining up to buy.

• Inside BioPacific Partners
  Why Andrew describes his work as a consultancy in life sciences – spanning food, ag and health – and how his team helps both global corporates and local innovators navigate the Australia–NZ region.

• Trust, relationships and the limits of Zoom
  Why remote communication can’t fully replace being in the room, and how cups of tea, idle time and noticing the “whole person” help build genuine trust across cultures and continents.

• Lessons from Māori culture on connection
  How starting with “who am I and where have I come from” changes the tone of a meeting, and what Western business can learn from relationship-first approaches to doing deals.

• Prep, empathy and selling complex ideas
  Why Andrew puts huge emphasis on preparation – researching people, their history and their deals – to fast-track rapport, and how empathy and compassion sit at the heart of selling complicated, unfamiliar ideas.

• Working with senior decision makers
  Understanding the pressure they’re under, why you only get one short window to show you can genuinely help, and the power of knowing the three people they’ll ask about you before they say yes.

• Follow-up, nurturing and long-term business
  How five-year-old clients end up coming back because of small, thoughtful touches – sharing relevant articles, checking in, and treating relationships as compounding trust, not one-off transactions.

• Quick-fire: coffee, music and Netflix
  Andrew’s coffee order, his current dive back into ’90s “angry white man” rock courtesy of his kids, and why he’s hooked on The Diplomat.

In this episode, we cover:

Welcome back team to another episode of Selling in the Paddock.

Today I’m joined by Michael Young, an agro-economist with Farm Optimization Group, beaming in all the way from Western Australia. Michael grew up on a mixed farm in the south-west, took a detour towards engineering, and eventually found his way back to agriculture through a simple but powerful question:

“Why are farmers doing what they’re doing – and could they do it better?”

In this conversation, we dig into the world of farm systems modelling, profit, risk and decision-making in real farm businesses.

We unpack:

• 🌾 Michael’s journey from farm kid to agro-economist and why he turned away from engineering

• 🧠 Why farmers make such different decisions with the same conditions (e.g. one goes all-in on wheat, the neighbour won’t touch it)

• 🖥️ What the Australian Farm Optimiser (AFO) model actually does – and how it helps test ideas on a computer before risking five years and big dollars in the paddock

• 🌦️ Farming under uncertainty – using modelling to adjust stocking rates, rotations and tactics when the season starts good… or turns bad

• 💰 Profit, risk and greenhouse gases – what happens when we start overlaying emissions on top of farm profitability

• 🧮 The real complexity behind “simple” questions like “What stocking rate should I run?”

• 🤝 Working with grower groups, government and researchers to crunch numbers and turn trial results into practical, on-farm decisions

• 🛠️ How Michael and his partner used the model on their own 100ha block to decide how much to crop, how much to keep in pasture, and how many sheep to run

• 🤖 Where AI fits now (coding support, machine learning on trial data) and where Michael thinks it might go in future for farm decisions

We also get to know Michael a bit more in the rapid fire:
☕ Hot chocolate over coffee
🎧 Red Hot Chili Peppers on repeat after reading Scar Tissue
🚜 Evenings spent farming rather than binging Netflix

If you’ve ever wondered how to put better numbers behind your gut feel, or how economists actually turn trial results into real-world decisions on mixed farms, this episode will give you a clear, practical window into that world.

Welcome back team to another episode of Selling in the Paddock.
Today I’m joined by the brilliant and refreshingly down-to-earth Dr Aurelie Quade, founder of Soil Resilience — a scientist who has built her career on helping farmers understand soil health without the complicated jargon.

Originally from France and now 19 years deep into Australian agriculture, Orélie blends plant pathology, soil science and human behaviour to help farmers make practical, profitable changes on-farm. And yes… we even talk about changing nappies — and how that unexpectedly became the perfect analogy for explaining the difference between sounding clever and actually getting the job done.

In this episode, we unpack:
🌱 Why soil health is more than a product list — and why most farms still don’t have a real plan
🌱 The shift from “fighting nature” to “working with it” in modern agriculture
🌱 The chaos of this new era in ag… and why it’s a good sign
🌱 Translating complex science into everyday farm language (without dumbing anything down)
🌱 Why resilience matters more than perfection — for soil and for people
🌱 Authenticity, strengths, and building a career that fits your natural wiring
🌱 Orélie’s journey from plant pathology to whole-farm diagnostics
🌱 Her rapid-fire favourites: coffee, music, knitting, and raising three kids

This conversation covers science, psychology, language, leadership, parenting, and the future of farming — all through the lens of someone who truly understands how to connect knowledge with real-world change.

A powerful, practical, heart-warming chat.
You’re going to love this one.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Bonnie Jupp from Regen WA — a passionate advocate for regenerative agriculture and natural capital. Based in Perth but deeply connected to her farming roots in Northampton, WA, Bonnie shares her story of how a love of nature, a family legacy of mixed farming, and a drive to make a difference led her to a career at the intersection of environment and agriculture.

Together, Georgia and Bonnie unpack:
🌱 The evolving meaning of regenerative agriculture — and how it’s about improving, not polarising.
🤝 Why listening and having “two ears and one mouth” might be the most underrated leadership skill in ag.
🫖 The power of a simple cup of tea in building trust, collaboration, and community in the paddock.
💰 The real-world funding and perception challenges in regen ag — and how WA farmers are leading change.
📊 How measuring natural capital is helping verify the impact of sustainable practices.
💬 Advice for emerging leaders on finding their voice, asking the “dumb” questions, and building genuine relationships.

From storytelling and soil health to collaboration and curiosity, this conversation highlights what happens when passion meets purpose in Australian agriculture.

🎧 Tune in to hear how Bonnie and the team at Regen WA are helping the industry move beyond buzzwords — one conversation (and one cuppa) at a time.

#SellingInThePaddock #RegenerativeAg #LeadershipInAg #WomenInAg #RegenWA #AgricultureAustralia

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia chats with Jeff Kleypas, agronomist and Regional Sales Manager with Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), joining us all the way from South Texas — just 30 miles from the Mexican border.

Jeff shares how his journey from conventional agronomy to regenerative agriculture completely re-shaped the way he views farming, soil health, and human nutrition. From his early days driving tractors in the Texas Panhandle to now supporting growers across the United States and Europe, Jeff talks about what it really takes to lead change in an industry steeped in tradition.

💬 In this conversation:

• What regenerative agronomy really means (and how it differs from organic farming)

• How to help conventional growers adopt new practices without force or fear

• The role of trust, education, and storytelling in creating mindset shifts

• How nutrient-dense farming connects to human health and profitability

• Why patience, thick skin, and timing matter in sales and communication

Jeff also shares his personal passion for small-scale farming, his love of college football, and why he’s finally come around to drinking black coffee.

This one’s a grounded, real-world conversation about change, curiosity, and the future of agriculture — from the paddock to the prairie.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, I’m joined by Dr Michael Lawrence, Program Manager of Animal Wellbeing at Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

Michael’s journey spans continents and careers — from a hands-on cattle vet in rural Australia and the UK (where he was part of the national response to the Foot and Mouth outbreak) to leading MLA’s animal wellbeing research portfolio.

We unpack:

• The balance between animal health, welfare, and biosecurity — and why they’re inseparable.

• The difference between discovery research and translational research, and how both shape the future of agriculture.

• What true animal wellbeing means, beyond compliance and into productivity, sustainability, and care.

• How communication and influence have evolved in the livestock industry — and what scientists, vets, and producers can all learn from each other.

• Why conflict and curiosity are vital ingredients for innovation and change.

This conversation is honest, curious, and full of insights on bridging science, people, and purpose in Australian agriculture.

📍 Listen now to learn how improving animal wellbeing drives better outcomes — for producers, animals, and the entire red meat industry.

Today we head west with Justin Haydock from West Coast Wool & Livestock. Justin breaks down how wool is classed (in plain English), why micron matters to price, what lice means for clips, and how transparency and follow-up win trust with sheep producers. We also dig into export realities (hello, China), the ebb and flow of supply, and why asking clients, “What do you expect from your broker?” has changed his results.

• Justin’s path: from ag school trainee to Melbourne auction rooms, then home to WA, buying into the business and mentoring younger reps.

• Wool 101 (made simple): micron = fibre diameter (fine vs broad); how classing lines work; staple strength, colour, tenderness, and what gets skirted out.

• Lice & loss-affected clips: practical treatment options (off-shears and long-wool) and how prevention protects value.

• Price & planning: setting expectations before shearing; using last year’s tests, season context and deciles to map a marketing plan.

• Relationship-first broking: be “next in line” without the hard sell; bring useful data if they want it—and leave it out if they don’t.

• Comms that actually land: when to phone vs text; group updates; personal calls for holders; documenting visits and always following up.

• Export reality check: most Australian wool is exported; China remains the dominant buyer, with structural reasons why.

• Industry change: why parts of wool are behind on tech, and the opportunity for younger brokers to lift traceability and grower portals.

• Ask this early: “What do you expect from your broker?” Clarifies success and avoids guessing.

• Match their style: analytics for the data-driven; straightforward summaries for the rest.

• Record → remind → follow up: every visit, every promise.

• Plan the sale window: agree triggers and options before the clip hits the floor.

• Treat early, protect value: factor lice/long-wool treatments against likely discounts.

Justin Haydock — Wool & Livestock, West Coast Wool & Livestock (WA). Auctioneer, broker and mentor, passionate about data-led advice, sustainability and long-term client relationships.

• Coffee: strong long black.

• TV: dabbles in true-crime/series when kid-time allows.

Want your team selling smarter (not louder)? Book Influential Sales or High-Performing Teams workshops tailored for ag. Links in the description.

If you enjoyed this, please follow, rate and review Selling in the Paddock—and share it with a teammate who lives in the shearing shed or the sales ute.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia chats with Andrew Morgan, CEO/Director at SFM and co-founder of Hydrowood, about building trust in sales, innovating under pressure, and how forestry intersects with carbon markets. From uni-bar lessons in reading the room to raising capital for an underwater-forestry barge on Tasmania’s wild west coast, Andrew covers the grit, trade-offs and persistence behind genuinely sustainable businesses.

• From Bernie to boards: Andrew’s path through plant science, consulting and asset management to leading SFM (≈50,000 ha under management).

• Hydrowood’s origin story: salvaging standing timber from hydro lakes; designing a 145-tonne self-propelled barge; why the wood emerges sound after decades underwater.

• Carbon + forestry, explained: how ACCUs change plantation cashflow (revenue from years 3–15 vs. waiting ~30 years), and why demand for high-integrity credits matters.

• Relationship-first selling: playing the long game (coffee, no immediate ask), advising prospects to seek independent advice, and earning trust before “the ask”.

• Working with government: show up with ideas and information, not just requests—so when you do ask, they listen.

• Innovation & risk: testing nothing until launch day; building “option value” into assets to mitigate downside; being tenacious when the chorus says “it won’t work”.

• Trade-offs over perfection: balancing sustainability with practicality—there are no perfect solutions, only trade-offs.

• Career advice for emerging leaders: get a mentor, back yourself, and don’t fear course-corrections when the market points to a better path.

• Trust compounds: invest early in relationships without pitching; credibility makes the later sale faster.

• De-risk innovation: design exits/secondary uses for new assets (plan B, C).

• Cashflow matters: carbon revenue can bridge the long forestry cycle—model it conservatively.

• Lead with value: bring insight to policymakers and customers; be the person they’re glad to see.

• Optimise, don’t idealise: decide explicitly which trade-offs you’ll accept, then execute.

• ACCUs (Australian Carbon Credit Units) and the safeguard mechanism (context for demand).

• TV: House of the Dragon (Andrew said “House of Guinness” 😄), A Killer Paradox / new Netflix thrillers.

• Gaming: Battlefield 6 (Andrew’s wind-down).

Andrew Morgan — CEO/Director, SFM; Co-founder, Hydrowood; forestry, carbon and nature-based solutions; based in Hobart, TAS.

If this helped you think differently about sales, sustainability and innovation, please follow, rate and review Selling in the Paddock—and share it with a teammate.

Ready to lift your team’s sales capability without the BS? Book Georgia for an Influential Sales workshop or High-Performing Teams program.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with New Zealander James Grafas to unpack how purpose-led governance and people-ownership are reshaping horticulture—especially in gold kiwifruit. James shares lessons from chairing boards across ag and tech, from large-scale orchard development to irrigation automation, and why clarity beats busyness every day of the week.

• From orchard summers to the boardroom: James’ path back to ag and why food, jobs and strong returns drew him home.

• How NZ’s kiwifruit model works: single-desk exports, demand growth and the real constraints (land and capital).

• The economics of development: why licences and capex now top $1m/ha—and how the returns stack up.

• Labour that lasts: hiring for preferences (outdoors, hands-on) and team fit over quick CV wins.

• People-ownership in practice: inviting staff to co-invest, creating genuine buy-in and retention.

• Purpose that performs: giving to community and paying top-quartile wages while delivering shareholder returns—no waste, no trade-offs.

• Eliminating waste through clarity: structure first (e.g., Business Excellence, Community leads), then continuous improvement.

• Governance that serves people and planet: risk appetite (debt, biosecurity, climate), opportunity scanning, and when boards should “overreach” on culture.

• Abundance vs scarcity in sales and growth: why generous businesses think bigger and execute better.

• Leading yourself: journalling, evaluated experience, OKRs, and helping your team win the week.

• Hire for fit (preferences + values) and train for skill.

• Offer ownership pathways to lift engagement and retention.

• Make purpose operational: assign clear owners; measure impact as hard as EBIT.

• Set risk guardrails (especially around debt); pause projects when conditions change.

• Create clarity at every level: 3–5 outcomes per quarter with clear success measures.

• Reflect, don’t just grind: “Only evaluated experience makes you wiser.”

• The Infinite Game — Simon Sinek

• Winners Take All — Anand Giridharadas

• Greenlights — Matthew McConaughey

• Shows: The Morning Show, Slow Horses, The Diplomat

James Grafas — Chair across ag and automation companies in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand; governance adviser and community-builder.

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Welcome back to another episode of Selling in the Paddock!Today, I’m joined by Celia Leverton, Chair of the Regenerative Agriculture Network, whose passion for sustainable farming and behaviour change is transforming the conversation around agriculture in Australia.

Celia shares her remarkable journey — from a young wool classer and ABC journalist to a farmer, permaculture advocate, and leader in regenerative agriculture. Through decades on the land, she’s seen firsthand what happens when we work with nature, not against it.

In this episode, we dive into:🌱 The evolution of regenerative agriculture — and how local, grassroots action in Tasmania has grown into a national network.🐄 Behaviour change and curiosity — why curiosity might be the real key to sustainable change on farms.💧 Practical examples of transformation — from water infiltration breakthroughs to “safe-to-fail” trials that build confidence in trying new systems.💬 Leadership and resilience — what Celia’s learned from decades in farming, parenting, and running a not-for-profit, and why owning your mistakes builds stronger relationships.🤝 Community and collaboration — how connecting farmers, educators, and policymakers is creating meaningful, lasting change.

Celia also opens up about burnout, perseverance, and the importance of leading with curiosity, humility, and evidence. Her story is raw, real, and incredibly inspiring for anyone passionate about the land and its people.

🔗 Connect with Celia & Learn More:

• ​Regenerative Agriculture Network
• ​Celia Leviton on LinkedIn