3 Business Spring Cleaning Tips
Are you ready for a little spring cleaning? Consider forgoing (or putting off) the usual window washing or shop organizing in favor of doing an update on your farm or personal brand for maximum leadership impact.
At the 2022 Top Producer Summit in Nashville, I had the opportunity to lead a discussion about how to power up your presence for impact in 2022. During the Executive Women in Agriculture (EWA) breakout, myself and the participants in the “Rockstar Female Farmer and Powerful Leaders Panel” discussed several strategies and tips.
1. DECIDE ON YOUR AREA OF IMPACT AND TAKE STEPS TO OWN IT
Women in agriculture know when they are ready to step into leadership, but you must own that process. Naomi Blohm, senior market adviser for Total Farm Marketing, did that when she made the decision to learn about grain marketing for her family and then made it into a 20-year career.
Rena Striegel, owner of Transition Point Business Advisors, departed India to come home to Iowa when she left an interesting and lucrative career traveling the world to focus on farm succession planning coaching.
2. BECOME A CONNECTOR AND A RESOURCE
April Hemmes, a farmer from Hampton, Iowa, received coaching sessions with Rena when she won the EWA Trailblazer Award in 2019. She believes in the power of using the resources at hand: “Never did I think I would need an executive coach because I am ‘just a farmer,’ but it has really helped me in my leadership.”
Being a connector is also a role Maggie Holub of Nebraska plays for her community. Maggie farms and works as a relationship manager for Farm Credit Services of America. Mostly uniquely, she serves as a fitness professional. “I teach BodyPump group fitness classes at two different fitness facilities two days a week,” she says. “I also have a fitness trailer I pull around to small rural towns to bring fitness to local farming communities that would not have access to it otherwise.”
3. CLEAN UP YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE
Finally, an easy but important task is to review and update your online accounts. Has it been a while since you changed your Twitter profile? Does your Facebook look as tired as last year’s work boots? Do you have the correct contact info on your farm website? It’s time to refresh your pages and remove dated content or sensitive viewpoints. This will give your online presence a boost for better impact.
With your profiles looking sharp, the message you want to communicate is conveyed so much easier and quicker.
Yes, we’re coming into spring planting, but use those wait times on the end rows to level up your online platforms and consider your impact for community!
Read more coverage and watch sessions from Top Producer Summit.
