Since receiving his Masters of Entomology from the University of Arkansas, Keith Vodrazka has served over 20 years in a number of U.S. and global agribusiness roles. Today, he’s leading Evoia, a biostimulant business that uses fire to turn waste wood chips into biochar and then extracts the plant beneficial compounds for use as a liquid seed treatment. It’s an entrepreneurial startup with big plans and different leadership challenges than he experienced during his days in big agribusiness.
Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
A: “I would call it authenticity. Talk is cheap — it must be backed with action. I think part of what goes with that is integrity, and doing what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it. I found when leaders did that, I trusted them more and the effect of that trust on the organization was very beneficial.”
Q: What’s the most challenging thing about running a ‘new’ brand or company?
A: “As a smaller company, losing focus and having complexity are two things that can really take us way off track. There’s always the temptation to chase a shiny object. There’s a lot of new, innovative, creative ideas about how to approach the market with things like biostimulants and biofertilizers. The most challenging thing is staying focused on what we need to accomplish without being distracted. Secondly, I think it’s hard to keep things simple or reduce complexity.”
Q: What are your favorite business tools?
A: “I like something I can use for good communication and collaboration and something to keep up with numbers. The ability to hop on Microsoft Teams and communicate easily with people, not just in the U.S., but even globally, is of immense value. I’m also an old Excel or spreadsheets fan.”
Q: What does success look like to you?
A: “We measure success by hitting numbers, achieving goals or reaching key milestones. But if you leave it at just numbers, you’re missing something. We all have to deliver some value to stakeholders. That’s obvious, but sometimes we miss the fact that success also has to be measured in terms of having an organization of people that are inspired, passionate and eager to come to work.”
Q: What’s your best advice for others looking to take on a leadership role?
A: “Get honest feedback. You need to ask for it, and I don’t think we do that enough. I was in a situational analysis group where they asked: “If you were in this or that situation, what would you do?” Some senior leaders in the organization were there making observations to tell you where you could improve. It had such a positive impact on me that I’ve never forgotten it.”
Q: How do you relax and de-stress?
A: “Spending time with my three grandchildren isn’t always de-stressing, but it is in the sense that you get the perspective of the world they see. Another way, when I have more time, is I like to go fly fishing.”
