I was a quiet kid growing up in Benson, Minn.
I had a lot to say, but hadn’t yet figured out how to break out of that self-imposed bubble. Golf and basketball were my outlet.
I loved competitive golf for its brutal simplicity. The scorecard never lied at the end of the round. I didn’t have to say anything. The scorecard always did my talking. Basketball was different. It’s a team game.
Building the Machinery Pete business on my own 35 years ago, I got lot of strange looks that said, “You’ll never make it kid.” My stoic, yet very competitive, rural Scandinavian response wasn’t spoken out loud, but rather shouted in my head: watch me.
If you don’t believe in yourself, who will? Life moves so fast. Got a dream? There’s no time like the present to bet on yourself and go for it. I always felt my love of competitive golf helped me along those early years. There were decades of solitude where I was telling myself I could do it — to keep at it and keep pushing.
I know many of you can relate as you’re building out your farming dreams day by day in the same fashion. No shortcuts.
Starting The Team Game
By 2014, I had built and taken the Machinery Pete business as far as I could on my own. It was time to find the right partner and teammates. That was Farm Journal. It has been a joy to partner with the Farm Journal team these past 11 years as we built out MachineryPete.com with over 100,000 pieces of equipment, started a TV show and developed cutting edge targeted marketing tools. Thank you for the support!
Today our Machinery Pete/Farm Journal team continues to grow with the recent acquisition of the Moving Iron Summit, an annual event started 12 years ago by my friend Casey Seymour, a former used equipment manager for a number of large farm equipment dealerships. Casey created a dynamic event bringing together fellow used equipment managers from around North America to talk, listen, learn and help each other be better.
Born out of the last big downturn in used equipment values, the Moving Iron Summit has become a staple in the industry. I’m so proud to say Casey has joined our growing team as vice president of equipment.
I recall sitting with Casey years ago having a beer or two. He told me he had a dream to start a podcast about moving used farm equipment. This was long before the podcast craze. I recognized the look in my friend’s eyes and knew he was going to make it. My simple advice to Casey back then was, “Do it, brother. You got this.” Many of you have listened to the tremendous insights from the “Moving Iron Podcast” for years.
Welcome to the Machinery Pete/Farm Journal team my friend! A new teammate will help deepen the discussion around used equipment trends.
Lessons From A Shy Kid
That skinny, painfully shy kid figured out something important. Listening is the key that can unlock the tied tongue. God gave us each two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen more, ask questions and look people in the eye. In an increasingly lonely world, folks are starving to be heard. Learning to listen changed my life. It can change yours, too.
