Listen to the audio version of episode #013
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Episode Summary
Have you been training to lead the family business since you began to walk? Have you found it difficult to communicate with those you lead? Ryan Oberman (@obermanryan) now manages 25 employees—many of them from older generations.
Even though Ryan had been preparing to lead the farm since age four, his most valuable experience resulted from moving away from the farm. While away, Ryan earned a degree in business and launched his own transportation company. These unique experiences equipped Ryan to lead his fifth-generation farm more effectively.
When he took over the operations of the family business, he learned that new perspectives are key to longevity in family businesses.
In this episode we discuss...
- Show introduction [00:01]
- Planting season [01:22]
- Operating a farm as a business [02:37]
- Vertical integration at the Oberman’s farm [05:23]
- Ryan tells his story of pursuing farming since age 4 [09:49]
- Taking on the operations of the family farm and the challenges that came with the responsibility [13:09]
- Strategies that have helped Ryan lead different generations effectively [18:15]
- How Ryan’s experience in his own transportation company equipped him to lead the farm [21:15]
- Advice to those leading a family business [26:30]
- Concluding advice and resources [29:30]
Resources Mentioned
- “The people who are going to be successful in farming are the ones who are focused on the business side of things.” [03:20]
- “One of the biggest challenges was getting over the mental block that you are not a kid anymore and you are in charge. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes along with that.” [17:39]
- “If you want to be successful you need to hire people who have more knowledge than you in a lot of different areas.” [32:04]
Guest Details
Ryan Oberman, Entrepreneur
Want to connect with Ryan?
RYAN GLICK
Ryan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Groov, Inc, a property technology software company based out of Des Moines, Iowa. Ryan has been heavily involved in the world of Information Technology and entrepreneurship since the early 2000s. From small business consulting to Fortune 500 IT leadership, Ryan has a wide array of tech industry knowledge. Ryan has his BBA and MBA from the University of Iowa. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn or Instagram.