Moving Iron Podcast #131 - Damian Mason - Do Business Better
Moving. On our podcast is proud to be part of the global AG network the network is live so check out gold lag Network comm, for more details and updates now, on to the show. Moving. Through. The years your, fantasy. Here. Movie. Night. Hello, and welcome to movie night podcast, number 131, with my guest. Damon. Mason they mean how you doing today buddy I'm good very well thanks for having me here Casey this is an honor and a privilege I, appreciate, it it's, a very. Much an honor and privilege to me because you're the first guy that actually sent me a book that, I that I didn't, have to pay for so I appreciate, that well. I appreciate you have me because your, audience. Needs to hear about this because I get the idea that many of your audience, are going to be attending, the moving higher and summit, in Nashville. And I'm gonna be on stage talking, to them and I thought well then why not make sure that you but you see more have a copy of the do business better book because we'll be being breaking references, from the do business better book to them while, we're a nice though well so, I had a chance to read through a do, business better and you. Know it's a there's, a lot of good stuff in there a lot of a lot, of things that I would I would. Say that. People need to go and read and there's some it's very common-sense very. Very. Easy to read type, of type of stuff in that book so it makes, it be it's, not born it's a quick read it's one of those things and you're. Staying in tune and you have lots of great stories so hats. Off to you on your on your book here well. I appreciate you saying that and I appreciate being a reader and and a client and all those things so whatever, we can share with your listeners that they can glean something from oh if any of them keep. Up with my stuff since we probably have a little bit of a, crowd. That maybe some, of them know who I am but I'm a farm guy and I'm an AG guy and, that's my background and now I wrote. A book about business, and then there's some people that say well, that you're an AG guy and, I said well let's not pretend the air cultures not a business you know those big piece of equipment that you sell the. You know the we've, come a long way from the, one the one the one bottom plows to pull behind a horse so, if you think this is not a business obviously everybody that listens to moving iron knows it is because those dollars those. Dollars don't come from nowhere that come in and buy that big machinery so this is all about business do business better book loss not an egg book. It is a business book and there are agricultural references. Yes, there are there are several in there so. I read, through the book and one, of the biggest overarching, themes that I found, had, to do with. Basically. You, know being, being risk, tolerant, and being able to understand. That when it's time for you to do something to make that decision and move forward and then be, willing to, you.
Know Adjust on the fly that's really kind of when I try. To give you an elevator speech in the book that was the one thing that took from this so talk, about your motivations, about writing this book and where it comes from and, your. Thought process, and put this all together yeah. Everybody, has a book. In them I mean that's been said before there's all kinds of people if you were sitting at the tavern and if you know even a small blue-collar town like where I'm from Huntington Indiana you, hear people like walk around, like. Well I actually can't. Read nor write I'm sorry. There's. People like that but the reality is many of us have a book within us I've written self-published. Books before that I always sold the back of the room because I make a living getting on stage and talking at corporate events but. This time for a mortal full-blow. And I don't say legitimate but a full-blown, business, oriented book, and a. Friend of mine that's in the business he, actually wrote the foreword, for, it he's got several, New York Times bestsellers, and he said you know you know a lot about business. Why. Not, just talk. To these people about what you know and then, my, wife said they. Mean give. It write the book that you wish someone to give you 25, years ago when you started out and, I think a lot of people like your listeners can appreciate this Casey you, know blue collar kid from a small dairy farm average, sized dairy farm in Indiana lived, through the 80s a lot of people, people. You know on the farming operation know, exactly what I'm talking about when I referenced, that so, you're you're, a blue-collar kid, your dad works nights on the railroad and me and my mom and some of my siblings worked on the farm so. I've always worked and, I've. Always had a thing for business, you know my mom always thought oh you gotta go get a job yeah get a job and that's the way that they raised us you know some people are raised to be entrepreneurs. They're raised to be business owners or they're raised to assume the family, business well there wasn't really much of a family business for us to assume because nine, kids and a 60, count dairy and a hundred acres don't amount to a whole lot they split it five ways so. I didn't want to be my own business person and I, had a corporate, that, I quit when I was 25, years old to become a political comedian so, everything. That I have a mask. You. Know the farms that I own or the investments, that I have or the lifestyle, that I'm able to live came about from the very beginning of I quit my corporate job I, was still paying off my college loans and, I want, to be self-employed. The two big driving factors for me were creativity. And being, more in charge of my own compensation, now. There's a lot of folks that are listening that probably are on a commission and they like they can be in charge of their compensation. Maybe, they own their own business, and that helps them be in charge of the compensation, I worked for corporate and, they gave me a raise, or a few, thousand dollar bonus well that's nice but you're not really in charge of compensation, because I like the idea that it's. On me so. 25, years ago I took the plunge, at quick corporate America and my business, was selling political, comedy shows I was. At Pluto comedian I had just started out, didn't. Have a whole lot going on had three gigs lined up for the rest of my career when I took the plunge for $1,200, of gross revenue so. That's a nice backstory and then everybody's listening to him well that's a neat story about you but what about me well. You. Either sink or swim and I. Didn't. Have this whole thing as you and I talked about before we started recording Casey where a lot of folks they. Analyze. And analyze and, analyze and, analyze I'm gonna make this decision we're gonna start this business we just gotta gather some more data and after one year after 18, months after 24, months you're.
Just Putting off the decision you're just putting off the whole thing you're not you don't need any more data now, that people say well you kind of shoot from the hip yeah, well, you were young and single yeah I get all that but, people. Say that that's excuses you know I wanna quit my job and, become a little comedian two of us 25, and didn't have any wife and kids well you, were once 25 did every wife the kids and you didn't so let's not pretend you. Know there's, a lot of that so, the risk part of it I guess is start. The book off Casey by talking about risk tolerance, if you want to be successful in business you. Better you. Don't need to make risk your friend, they don't make it to where you're never scared but. You gotta, be a person, that can take on, some. Degree of risk and then the reality is anymore. In this day and age. All of us are at risk your, dealership, you're an employee could get bought out or closed down three, months from now and now you're figuring, out the next thing so yours, really doesn't that's guaranteed for, any of us yeah. Now, and to your point there you know my. Deafness podcast, I had enough I've had it for five years before, I started and I've been doing it now for. Maybe. Two years so. You. Know previous, to that I always had a reason why I. Don't. Have to have, a get on a soundcloud, oh my lord my podcast, there's. Always a reason and one. Day just clicked on my head that Kate you know what if you're going to do it do it there's. No better time than now kind, of figured out how you go and, you. Know my first. 130. Sucked so, you. Know hopefully, this is the one that works but but it's uh you, know it's one of those things where you just have to just go do it right and sooner. Or later you're gonna make that decision and you're. Gonna sink you're gonna swim and waiting. To be perfect, like you talked about your book there's a difference between being good perfect and I. Think. That was one thing that stuck out to me in there that I would, say I was, too worried about making sure everything, was perfect before, I went on did it and when. I realized that I'm never gonna be perfect at it it, really, made, the decision easier to before, yeah. You know when you write a book and I can tell you more about the actual process as, you originally had asked but since we're on the subject of perfection, and better everybody, that every, one of us has a level of fear you know and I'm not some rah-rah, motivational, speaker you know I'm not Joel Joel. Osteen, out here. I'm. Not getting religious, on you everybody. Has that and you, say well you know Damien over here he just he just goes and does that yeah and I look at people and I use the example in the book I think, I'm a risk taker because I've always started, my own thing tried another thing I've put money at risk you, know become. A comedian the, only training to do and people people don't get it like oh well did you have know how, I discovered, me nobody, trained. Me to be a comedian just a funny guy with a farmboy, background, and agricultural, economics, degree and, a career. Selling, lighting, fixtures so, none. Of that is really what holds you and so we're off afraid, a little bit it's, just that there, is that thing that becomes, excuses, and they'll say it's if, they admit they're afraid what they maybe won't admit is they'll just make up excuses it's not bad to be comfortable you, know buddy of mine says the. Guy that wrote the foreword of this book says he, says there's. A bunch of people that think starting, your business as a dream he says hell it's a nightmare you know it's.
Not Easy ask the guy that owns the seven dealerships, right now if every day of it's a dream some, days yeah the combines, are rolling off the lot and, everybody's. Uh everybody's. Credit is actually, good. And you're not upside, down on a payment, that's. Not every day so there's days that are not good for everybody so we all kind of have our excuses, won't have our fear I guess, what was, good for me was I just. Always stuck with the idea that I wanted to be in charge of my own thing going to, the corporate, events, when I was just an employee, I never, thought like okay I'm, in charge and then when you quit your job you start working for other people doing comedy. Gigs let's say you don't say you're not really in charge then either you're still serving other clients, and that's, a big point that I make that you, and I both know we all work for somebody right. You. Know we're all working for somebody at some point because you can't just sit around and paint yourself at least I can't you, can't so, that's that's a reality that sets in but at least you're in charge of your creativity your compensation to, a certain degree because you can work harder and actually get some fruition. From yeah. All. Right so let's jump into a few things that, are in the book that I wanted to bring up with you so the. Book is full, of great lessons of stuff that you went through and I, didn't, realize that you have you've, been in in what 40 different movies I didn't realize that until I read the book every but, the. One thing that stuck out to me you're on the set with Leslie. Nielsen you're talking about. You. Know you asked him some advice near my speaking brains and trying to figure I was and he said something to the effect of if. You want to be, a good actor get better you, know as kind of as I was this thing that's a you. Know I probably, I'm just. Kind of putting myself in your shoes here with it you know I I love, picking people's brains and trying to figure out what they do that be successful, if, somebody told me well just get back. I'm. Gonna be kind, of like I don't know why I should that question because that is the dumbest and everybody, give me but it's.
Actually Pretty profound he stopped he said back and think about it he it's. Exactly right how you gonna make yourself better than you were the day before and I think that's that was a great probably. The best pieces of advice that, I found in that book that probably, gave it to you at a young age yeah. It was, about where. We filmed that 29, years old maybe 30 years old Leslie. Nielsen who's dead now you know he great he's being funny, but I've never lost, sight of that well he's being funny when he says Mason, do you want to be a good actor you'll be a successful actor and I said yes I got two words of advice for you get better and then you know the people stand around laughter, I'm sure he probably told that to a hundred young people over the time, of his career onset in, Greymon I really, wasn't an actor, I never introduced myself and said well I'm an actor you know but, at that point my life if you're getting paid to be on a set, in front of the movie cameras in front of the lights with less than Yeltsin my god you're an actor and, so that really resonated, me you go back to the trailer, and that you don't get changed for your next scene and it dawns on you I'm. An actor so, today it's my job to get better at acting so, everybody listens podcast, you know what some, days you're the chief, mechanic at the dealership, some, days you're there hosting the field day you're not a mechanic anymore. Unless a person asks you a mechanical, question what if they ask where the bathroom is now you're a tour guide what if they ask you how, things are behind the scenes of the dealerships they're trying to get a little gossip on you you know you are then you're a public relations, person what, if then they ask you about this piece of machinery and say well you're behind the scenes you know you work on these things somebody, now you're a Salesman and a consultant a consultative, mechanics. You know I mean and everything that we do we can all say that's not my job or we can say in this moment that's, my job by, god I'm gonna get better at it make, sense absolutely, no yeah, you got to kind of do jack-of-all-trades. Sometimes. To make it tonight there's make the make. Everything kind of set up and be firm Casey. There's another aspect of the better part that I guess I made. The point in the book do business better it might be a clever title and I, could have been more of a huckster and said, how. To make a billion dollars doing, nothing how to lay around your couch eating Funyuns. And be a success, and, that's that's, a bunch of crap I mean. I don't, believe, those things and I don't fall for those things and I am saddened, when I hear people do, that's charlatans, fraud snake. Oil salesmen kind of stuff I can't. Promise you that you're gonna lay around eat Funyuns and be successful I can say if you just take a few guiding principles from this book some of them that I'm helping you learn from me the hard way and also profiling. As you already talked about some of the examples, if you just for. For. The three hours it takes you to read the book let's say if you just apply some of those lessons I think, you can get better um what, if you get 20% better well 20%, betters pretty darn good you know what if it's 10% better that's pretty darn good for any of us take what you earn right now take, your level of happiness you haven't say what, if I was 10% happier, 10%, more revenue. Generating, each year that's better, yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. So the. Other one, other thing that in here that I had early stood out to me was, the yet. An example, of two different bulldozer operators, that you had and one. Was a love, to be a bulldozer operator there's, no company love, being a bulldozer operator, love looter love. Going out working the land doing the whole thing, the. Other guy also. Love, being an operator I love being in the machinery doing on stuff but, he also wanted, to make sure his business was successful and, that in order to do that he may have to make sure that he managed, his people and manage his resources so he can do that talk.
About That dynamic when you talk to people whether. It's in the AG business sector or just in any, other business sector out there there's. So many examples of that you can just go through time and time again there, is and you know what it's, something we can all learn from and, in. The book of course I call the tale of two bulldozer operators, I have employed, both. Of them meaning I have engaged when you own a couple of farms and I've owned four farms and some of them needed fence rows cleaned out cons drainage, dams the, wasps cops all this kind of stuff you do enough work over the time that certainly, you get to know them so that's, the example, like you said that one of them really, runs a great bulldozer and that's where he's comfortable and he avoids. Some, of the business. Aspects. Of being a business owner his employee, situation, is, always kind of tumultuous. There's. Some ducks, that aren't you know in a row. There's, clients, that aren't getting called back there, are, customer. Service, problems. Unhappy. Customer, service, problems, so that is the. Issue the, person that runs the business from. Where their comfort, is and that means on the seat of the bulldozer, because that's what he really is he's a bulldozer operator, that then grew and ungrudgingly. Had, to become a business, owner and, the other person, said, I want to be a business owner not a bulldozer, operator, so. How this relates to everybody that's listening right now they, know everybody, knows right now it's listening can say oh god I know that I. Know that guy he. Is amazing. At selling, machinery, and because, he was amazing at selling machinery he made a lot of money and then the owner. Of our dealership, that had three stores, died, and, treated. This guy like a son and brought, him in and said you're in charge of he's a brilliant, machinery. Sales person not a brilliant, machinery, dealership, owner manager, I'm sure that we could use that example we, could use an example Casey with farmers, now, you're not being mean because every, customer, you have every farmer, that you have there at your dealership is, brilliant. And does a great job in their business but let's just say some, other person's, customers, everybody. Probably has a customer, that's. Amazing, at their, craft, at their job after, that they're out, there they're, function. Meaning. Being a farmer, but, that doesn't mean they're good at being a businessperson and that's, where the problem is yeah, yeah. I can give you plenty, of examples of, amazing. Farmers. That. Can grow anything concrete. Right, they can get just, amazing, crops but. They're not you're, not the best business people so it's it's, a the, flip side of that there's. Some great business people out there that are an Ag that can't. Even touch the you other. Former does something it's just it's a dichotomy, right you know it's one of those things it's at the yin and yang really do you have you. Know I perfectly. Sound. Agronomically. Driven. Guy, that's also, great, you know it's just there's always one of those things that just it's. Just one of those things you cannot give.
Them Take with the other but it's a it's an amazing deal it's, it's a real thing and it goes the thing we all know we all we all know we each, of us wears a few, hats but. The problem isn't that you wear a few hats it's that you are hiding, from the one that matters, and that's really the story of the bulldozer operator, yeah, going out there and hiding on that machine that's where you're comfortable running that machine with all that noise about you and if that's what you're really good at doing then. You're letting other things slip, through the cracks, customer, issues, customer, service unhappy customers accounts. Receivable accounts payable. Client. Relations, employee relations whatever. That thing is but. That's, the only the big learning thing there is I tell, farm folks if, you are the person that wants to hide in the shop and pretend, you're wrenching, on the Coulter's on the, planter all winter long and. To, avoid being at your desk managing. Input costs if you want to be just out during the tractor working all night when. You truthfully could get somebody else to probably drive that grain. Cart, overnight. I get it the crop has to come in but what if you're letting business look through the cracks because, you're just doing what you love versus, what needs to be done, you. Know I'm. In joke I have a showbiz background, Casey they, told me a long time ago I went to lunch with a smart, comedian, not, a very successful comedian, but a smart one I said. I just quit my job this is my my craft now and I'm really working hard on the business side of it he, was not a business, minded but he did tell me something really smart he said you'll. Find here either a great performing, comedian, or, you're a great writing comedian, almost. Nobody is both a great writer a great performer, so, it's not bad that you're one or the other but, you must. If, you're a great bulldozer operator, and you don't, like doing the business hire, a business, manager if you're a great farmer, and you know everything about the agronomics. About getting the bushels, of wheat out, of that acre with, the least amount of input cost, and least reps across the field and you're, amazing at that good. Get. A business manager, as a consultant, to help you run the business oh yeah. Yeah. And, that kind of Taylor's back into that to, that work ethic that comes along with with, doing those things and and putting the time and getting those things done because you had a you, know story NER when you're talking to your language, your niece you're talking to and you. Told her she was shocked at your Lady Gaga Fame and that, and. You said you weren't necessarily the Lady Gaga fan because of, the. Music or or what it was but her. Backstory, and how she got to be what she is now so. You. Know she hadn't put in some time she's been a ton of time to get where she's at she didn't just show up one day and just had this god-given. Ability, to be Lady, Gaga she put, in the, effort so. There's. No there's a lot of that that people don't realize when someone actually arrives, so talk about that and how you see how's, that fit, into this. To everyday world of business yeah you, know your listeners, right now are saying hey mr..
Seymour, I tuned in here because I sell machinery, out here, in Iowa, and I. Normally were talking about like our manure spreaders gonna be going, extinct, as livestock operations. You. Know change their arrangement. And you've got a guy to tell about Lady gaga, what in the hell is going on. It's. You. Never know what you're gonna get out here and tell you that well well, the good, news is we can all learn and it's good for us to all look at other things that's the one point I was making I'm a comedy background I'm, an observer to be a professional, comedian is really to be a professional observer, so I observe everything, I'm. Observing, right now that you know because your listeners don't realize I can see you and you can see me get this big tough guy from western Nebraska, and he, just like, is looking at me saying a guy's, a lady. Actually. Everybody. Listen this program has heard of Lady gaga and maybe. They're a fan maybe they're not the. Way this all works is yes as the example I gave my knees couldn't leave the house Lady Gaga fans after she jumped off the roof to enter the halftime show for, the Super Bowl couple of years ago and, my knees just gushed. About how she loves Lady Gaga's you seen her concert, and how awesome and how talented, she is and she is talented. But, if people, - wrongly believe that. Show business at her, level because, she's worth like 275, million dollars, if they think that's just because she just showed up and was lucky one day they don't know the story behind lady gaga this is what all of us need to appreciate maybe you really are naturally, talented, Turner, rinche maybe, you really understand, machinery, and you just have a mechanical, monks I know people like that they can talk about the, amazing part about the rotors turning this way and why that's better with, this piece of equipment what, that's, all but but. That doesn't mean you'll be successful until. You apply it Lady gaga. She. Was accepted into a music. School, and she dropped out Lady. Gaga went, and slept around the clubs for, years taking, her keyboard with her she, knows how to play every instrument this, idea that she's just some woman that can dance and wear a meat dress she knows how to play Richmond she's been working on music since she was like four years old she still, trains, even, at this point in her career with. A voice, coach every, week, now that's something, because, a lot of people like oh but her blevells what she, still works, with her voice coach every. Week that she'd been with for years and years that's dedication, and work ethic and then, of course the point that I make is she also was a writer she. Worked, writing, songs for the likes of Britney, Spears with, a songwriting, production. Company long before you ever heard of Lady Gaga so, today. We all hear, of Lady Gaga and I saw a great thing about her that's not even in the book she, has, a quote that she was broke, up with a boyfriend once, that told her she would never make it and she says no am I gonna not, make it you, will be able to go into a coffee shop and not hear my music that's.
How Big, I'm gonna make it so she used her she's just those people that like we've a lot of people put us down she, used that to her to her credit she is a work you, know and then, you use the example of Tom Brady in your book and here the guy who got drafted in the sixth round and and you. Know he's probably, the greatest quarterback to ever play his game and he's, worried every year that he's gonna get cut so he is he's, doing everything there is in the world to make sure that he's the best possible quarterback he can be at forty one or, two where our rule Peters now I don't know how the guy does it you know one. I I. Started, having I, just went got an injection. In my hip and I'm what you know seven years older than that guy and I think okay I haven't been tackled, by 280-pound. Blitzing, linebackers, for the last 15 years either, so the guy's amazing, but it goes down to me. On just work ethic, you, know I think it's a resilience. Which I talked about in the book well, there's the thing about it says I will not, be I will, not be denied and that's, a big thing about being successful. You know Lady gaga and telling her both boyfriend, that when they broke up it's, more than just work ethic that's more than just talent that's by god I'm gonna make it I'm going to show you how yeah, so, you bring in four points in the book that and that was my next the, next thing so there's there's four points but you but you like to talk about in here one is risk tolerance, Drive resilience, and vision and. Couldn't. Probably send a better myself but if you really look at and how all those things kind of play into it talk about those four points and how they and. How do you relate those back to what you do in business and the people that you talk with yeah. Well we talk about risk a little bit already when we said you know when you quit your job to become a political comedian you don't come from nothing you're still paying off your college loans you've got a three-year old Chevy, lumina with eight, thousand dollars of debt against there's risk so. So I did, that there's people say well you were 25 once $8,000. Chevy, Lumina loan and you know $8,000, of college loan that's a big deal big deal well it's a it's all relative. When you're 25, and you have 16, grand of debt and you're renting, your buddy's loft. You're. Still at risk and, as opposed to the person that maybe farms ten. Thousand acres and they're at three million dollars of risk each year it's all relative, either commas move but it's all relative to your situation and, you've.
Got To never. Get so comfortable, I don't, take the risk now that I probably once did everybody listen this shows like yeah I, don't maybe roll, the dice as hard as I used to because I'm pretty comfortable in it, the. The. Wrist owns is a big part of it drive is the second trait that I say that you gotta have of the success traits and that's the easiest one to learn as, I always say there's no ambition, Jean Casey. Seymour doesn't work hard because he just happened to get some Jean Katie, Seymour it works hard and has a podcast and. And puts it on a conference, and worked really hard selling machinery, because that's, what you who, you are but, it's not who you were born to be necessarily, it's what you made yourself, it's the easiest one to learn resilience. A lot, of times when I have people on my own podcast, I asked. Them I said you're an entrepreneur, and they think resilience, is the, idea that you'll just not be denied that you'll continue, to get up from the mat. The. World kicks your ass it, doesn't mean to but, it does you'll have a bad idea you have a great idea that is up flopping, you'll have a product, you put out that doesn't sell you'll, invest money into a marketing, initiative, and it will not pan out, the. World pushes you and, it. Seems that the resilience. Is. Really, the big one and then, the vision and that's where I know you were going because you said you like that there's, lots of people that can work hard lots of people to keep getting back up off the mat and, then, there's, certainly people that are not afraid of the risk and so in our businesses, we see these people but. Then, you say where are you going, and that's, where it's like I don't know I like what I do like yeah but where are you going, and that's, where the vision part comes in it's vision, is in my opinion seeing, past what, nobody else can like obstacles, you. Know oh yeah, you're worried about this thing and that's what's holding you back you're, just letting that being a necessary, obstacle, then there's a second part of vision and that is what. Are we trying to build and, that is something. That a lot of people don't have I make, the point in the book that my wife and I both can. Look at a pile of turds and see, the Taj Mahal, we've bought. In. Addition to my speaking business and farms, we've bought places and built places and renovated, places we can see the, Taj Mahal through. The terms, what. Are you building these, people that are listening right now say well you. Know I've, got this machinery company well. Where does it go where. Can it go what, thing it what and the big one there Casey is is, there a group, that's not being served rather than look at your competition. What's. The future look like because most people just have a hard time they just keep looking at what's right before them as opposed to what's, down the road three to five years. Yeah. And. That's one thing about business, that I'm in we're. Always looking ahead and you have to have can't. Stress enough how much how vision, how much vision you have to have you. Can read all this stuff you can look at all the data you can play. The guessing game and all this other stuff I didn't, guess. That there was gonna be you know - epic blizzards in my area within 30 days and, that the eastern side of the state that I've got a man who's going to be an epic flood your floods and and, all, of everything, that's going on out there but you. Know so, I'm looking at the big picture you. Know. Autonomy. You, know self-driving, tractors. And and and those kind of things. You. Know I've got a better guy work with that five years from now we're gonna be trading in our first forlán thomas vehicle and you.
Know I he. Thinks most people think I'm crazy when I start talking about that but I don't think so I think it's gonna be such, a rapid. Just. Take off so rapidly that there's, not gonna be anything solid and it's, gonna I hope I don't, think you're wrong at all and I, guess, remember. A lot of folks don't have vision because they have employee mentality. And it's, not bad to be an employee it. Can be bad to have an employee mentality. Meaning I'm just gonna show up here and do the bare minimum to. Get my paycheck and I don't care what, happens tomorrow that. Is the employee, mentality. That is really really bad. For your, company. And for you because at some, point you've, got to buy into the vision and, hope. That your company. That you work for as an employee is, duly. Positioned if you know if you and I can both talk about all kinds of companies that Koch put Sears if you, are an employee at Sears grand, you're just checking out you know tough skin jeans you can't do a whole hell of a lot about it what about a smaller company where you can help drive the vision like you are there and in, western Nebraska and, saying you know what I see yeah. I can tell you my own vision I'm sure agrees with yours autonomous. Machinery, is coming it's, gonna take a little while there's a lot of kinks to be worked out I actually. Tell. My agricultural, people I don't see machinery getting a lot larger because. We're already pretty, damn big and it gets to where the compaction, and the, fee, size will, not hold. Or you, know I mean that'll be the limiting factor it won't be bigger in fact it might even downsize. A little bit to become autonomous. Right. There with you man when I look at autonomy, first. Off you can't get anything much, bigger than what it already is because, just. Transportation. I mean militia you're. Driven stuff from point. A to point B and you have a full entire tractor, with duals or sometimes triples, on it and this is why this road both lanes and you're trying to figure out how to go across the bridge and there's, always that YouTube video out there this time of year where there's a guy that's got half, the tractor, up on the side of the bridge going across the bridge knows and you comes down the other side you know and that kind of stuff becomes. Becomes, a hazard right and as that stuff grows and, gets bigger then you start talking about weights and how it affects the roads and everything else those. Kind of things start playing a factor all, right I'm in the same camp as you or it once no one has to drive it put. Ten machines out there with, sixth row planners instead of one machine with 60. Rows you know I mean it's just it, makes, more sense but. You know a great, comparison I'm talking, to you right now on my Mac, my. Mac laptop, aerbook, and, it. Is more powerful and, can do ten, times the function that my desktop, that I finally got rid of seven. Years ago could do now. You're, saying we've talked about computers, and we're talking about trying to get the the crop in and out of the field I understand, but. That's the same concept and I see machinery, my vision, for the future is, less, farmers, more. Autonomous, machinery, smaller. Machinery. And of, course this gets some people really scared and I say I think we're gonna probably have more contractual. Arrangement, because of the cost, of the, capital is required if, we've done that and poultry, and import where it's on a contractual, arrangement will. It eventually happen, in wheat corn soybeans, beef dairy. Everything. Where there. Are large. Large integrators, that that. You work on behalf of and say well then I'm not really a self-employed. Farmer, well, you're, a farmer, that's got a guaranteed, contract and I think that's going to happen because the cap requirements, I'm not wishing it it's just what I see happen. So watch, I've been watching a lot of you or your, speech assertively so I can kind of get an idea what you're gonna be talking about and when, it comes time for movie night summit, but one of the biggest things that I see happening right now and you, bring it up in there is that you. Know we talked. About how you know we were always going to be the breadbasket of the world we're gonna export all that stuff out yadda yadda and. Well. In, order for the, seed companies to grow their market share they had to go outside of the United States if you stress the world how to farm and. If. Your point I've been given that some thought the idea that the u.s. farmer, is going to be way. More driven. To, the. Contractor, side and doing that that's specific. Something that's going to be completely. Different than what the one maybe their neighbors Newman or somebody else is doing that they're gonna grow whatever.
They're. Gonna grow blue corn or whatever it might be that's. That's gonna be the niche that's gonna save. You. Know the u.s. farming economy I think in my opinion yeah. In fact it might be an uncommon, 'it is a ssin which, means we'll just be not doing every. Single field up and down the road isn't gonna be the same you, know corn and soybeans corn soybeans and and. People think that's gonna be bad and you're gonna be working on a contractual, arrangement that may not be bad at all because it'll bring diversification. And it might be the very thing that keeps that guy down the road and his wife and his kids on that ground because, they'll be doing yeah we only farm 800, acres and my wife does have a job in town but you know what we do all blue corn for flour tortillas, and it actually has to have this this and this done to it that's. All fine it's just the movement of the marketplace, truth is this has been going on for a long time yeah, yeah, it's just it's, one as ever-evolving things, and to your point in. That speech I was watching it if we're not evolving, to. That those, agricultural needs. And. We're doing the exact same thing, that's you know we're just trying to have a bushel, Brazil or a bushel, you. Know five of the lucky steer example of the five largest Lee producer countries that are out there you knowing, Australia. India. Three. Stand countries, and Australia and India and maybe. See Ukraine but, either way or Russia, so yeah you throw a couple of stands Australia, India and the Ukraine Russia there we're, out of the week game we're not really but we don't, back, them, and it's, just they can, they. Can do a lot more stuff. From. The environmental, standpoint I mean from environmental. Standards, in Australia, but we're talking like the same countries, and you, know what happens in Ukraine those kind of things it's a different ballgame the planer different rules to play different whole, different concepts, like lathes and and. They. Just just. Part. Of the part of being in it you know I mean there's things that they can do that we can and is, it's going to be an issue down the road that we have to address mm-hmm. Yeah, and also what might end up happening and you know given top up vision, because. Very important for our business, if. I was a machinery, person, and all I thought was how, much bigger can I get and how much bigger can I make the machinery, I would think I was going down the wrong path or I'll tell you what they wouldn't think that that's what they're thinking I would say that about that that's a no I think the future I think, the future isn't about a bigness, I think it's about mobility. And. That's gonna be a big thing that shapes, your industry, and then of course. There's. Gonna be less farmers, so right now. The. Reality is, there's. There's. What you know 2 million. Farms. And 3 million farmers and all that but how many of them really are buying, and something equipped you know I'm a I'm a farmer on paper and I'm a 50 horsepower Kubota utility. Tractor and I'm not gonna be buying, I'm. Not a, lot of machinery so on paper there's this many farmers really. Your industry, is basically consists. Of about. 400,000. Actual customers you, know and. Of, those 40,000, it's, pretty likely, that we'll see them be cut in half in the next 10 years not, because of any bankruptcies. Ring of that it really just become the, marketplace, will move that way because of autonomous. Machinery. Yeah and a lot of stuff you see happening out there with farm reductions, or has, nothing to do with people going out visit it and see nothing there is something going on but the majority of it is the. Farm just not big enough to support son. And daughter coming back to run the farm and then also support, dad one of your tires you, know so the dad is barely making it with one, one. Income that way and then you throw basically. Three back on top of that it, just gets hard and then that's what you're starting to see happen and you. Know it's just part of it you know you start, you said Casey we're starting to see it the reality is that's kind of here the story since about the Industrial, Revolution and. Unicron. Man, and wife moved to town and worked in a factory and. Neighbor. Farmer, and his wife bought, their place and doubled, and. I did a gig for the dairy people, in January. And I pointed this out that while, the dairy thing is in a bad place right now this has been our story for 30 plus years there's been too much milk for 30 plus years and we still have the number count and, I said everybody.
Acts Like there's all these fan tree farms but you know what there were dairy operations, when I was a kid that went from 60, cows to, 120. Cows and that. Is he 100% increased. A doubling, in a, year's time and nobody, called them factory, farms back then but now if a 1000, cow dairy becomes, a 2000, count area oh my god, oh. Then. The natural flow of things it's not you are insensitive, to the people that are changing, their livelihood it's, just the in the flow of things it's probably going to accelerate to be honest and that's just because we, can do so much more with, so much less because, of machinery. And technology yeah, and I'm, you know preaching. To the choir here when I say this but you know if you're during, the equipment business right now and. We're. Trying hard to figure this out and working. Hard every day to get to that next level but. You. Need to face the fact that you're selling. Software. Inside. Of a tractor. And however, that works and how you make that work it's. Going to come to the point where the tractor is almost as a side effect of what. You're going to do with. The different efficiencies, that you're gonna gain in front of Tata me and mapping. And all. That different stuff but it's just you. Gotta figure that part out and be ready for the future, that. That's actually, I hadn't even thought of that because remember you're closer to machine or you touch it every day I'm around at some wat but yeah, really what what, you're saying is the. The tires it goes this little thing of there's the cost of entries hey. You know what you're. Pretty good at this that's the cost of entry the tires the horsepower. The steering, wheel the cab with air-conditioning and. Satellite. Radio that. Becomes the cost of entry because, everything, will have that right, those. Are function, at that point everybody, you better have that TV, show up at the ball game now it's, what else do you have and like you said there's that go be the software the technology, yeah. You, have nothing there's this just never. Ever evolve mean gain. That we gotta stay, in front of and I think you're both things that out pretty regular pretty, regular on a pretty consistent basis. There so you. Know I think that you hit the nail on the head with your book there I, know. You said you might use videos so for those that are watching still, as the book is called do business better as published by a while it was written by me its traits, habits and actions to help you succeed, I do promise you not, that you can lay around your couch and Funyuns, and your bathrobe, all day and be successful but I do promise if you apply, some of the lessons the ideas the insights, from this book you. Will be better we throw business in your life you know everybody said no they me and I own, my own business this for me that's, why we keep talking about a life, and business by choice because. There's. Lessons in there that even, an employee, even. An unemployed person can, apply to their life. Alright, so now you got, two different podcasts, that you do one is the business of Agriculture and one is the do business better podcast, based around the. Principles. In the book and guests. That come on are all, because, it's really don't remember type people, so let's start with the. Business of Agriculture, what's, that podcast about and how is it how's it work yeah, well you were a guest thank you very much you probably will be again the business of agriculture, was begun two years ago with the idea that I think agriculture. Is already inundated with, enough. Who.
As I call old am farm radio hey, do you see what corn, bib looks like corn moved up three cents as I point out all the time I listen, to rural radio sometimes if I had Marlin Bowlings job take, the nine millimeter at swallow a bullet first get on the job. Okay. Okay, guys, and everybody saying oh my god he just thought yes I did and I'll tell you why if I had to spend five hours every day trying, to pretend that we're excited about a one and a half cent, move, on the, June, corn, price I would be suicidal, so, I in, my podcast. I said we're not going to talk about grain charts and we're, not going to talk about the weather, agricultural, people are obsessed about, the weather you know what you gotta let your phone know, look at the radar Boone you got it so on our podcast we. Talk about the business our culture, issues. Ideas. Insights. What. We see Alexandre. LoCascio Cortez, says we got yourself about factory farming what the hell does that mean exactly we. Talk about somebody like you know Casey Seymour and say what, trends are you seeing the machinery, and what's the actual takeaway, from that always taking it here's the insight here's the observation. What's, it mean boom so that's what we do in the business of Agriculture then, in February, I launched, the do business better podcast, because I'm doing more, presentations. To not, agricultural. Crowds so. I've got the book new business better and created the podcast, do business better geared, to, entrepreneurs. Solopreneurs, small business people business owners folks, that want to be business, owners or, small business people or people I do that just keep up with business stuff even though you would call yourself, a business owner but, you kind of are could you have your own podcast you guys were stuff going, we. Wanted to keep that one where. It's sharp, good, quick interviews, and getting. Like what do you do what. What things are important to you what traits, do you have what, habits, do you have and I love it because we talk to folks like here's. The one thing that I learned my first year here's the one thing that I screwed, up I asked people where just screw up where'd you steer the ship wrong and that's that's very telling, because anybody, that actually has been through a few wars, if they're. Honest, can learn a ton from those people yeah. Now. Our, motto. We have, around. The office errors fell fast so I think there's a lot of ideas on that and I kind, of learned this through the beingness industry and as fast as things change that there's an 8020, rule an 8020 rule is, you figure out 80%, of it and, get moving and then you figure out the other 20%. As. You're taking that take a little flat there so you. Gotta you gotta keep moving things forward and again. You, said well in your book you can't be perfect you're never going to be perfect if you're trying to be perfect you're never going to get there you're never going to start so I. Think. That's a, good lesson or the, everybody, that says I don't, have this right you know I had a neighbor in my first farm I wrote that was, a carpenter, and his. House was not yet half his house that was just plywood adjust particle board I'm sure it's all rotted by now and I'm, sure it's because he, had such issues, in his head he just knew he couldn't do it until it was perfect now the reality is would you rather drive mines if you're the neighbor would you rather that that house be sited somewhat, imperfectly, maybe, the maybe the corners, are not exactly, ninety degrees so maybe, the siding is you, know just.
Slopes By an eighth of an inch from one side would, you rather see that or rotted. Particle. Board so, the place that is, get. Your house sided, whether it be perfectly, or, imperfectly. It's better, to have it imperfectly. Sited, than to have it perfectly. Kind, of concept, 'add and still, just particle board after 12 years in the rain it's the same thing for all of us we, know we we, know we're saying oh well I'm not quite ready. It's. Time to go it's time to do it you know. Absolutely. Danny, we've been they've been gone for a while this has been a great great time and I really appreciate the fact that you let me send. Me a copy this book that chance to talk about it and learn a lot of good stuff from so the folks want to reach out to you and maybe, hire. You to be a speaker or just. Teach, you teach you know maybe get your opinion on something how to do that yeah, I'm on social media you and I both keep up there at Damien P Masons my twitter handle Damion, Mason professional speakers my Facebook page like me there I put up good videos all the time Damian, Mason on LinkedIn. And then Damian, D am, I am, Mason. Like a bricklayer comm, is the best way you can find all of my stuff there and then there's videos on YouTube etc Damian, Mason comma I'd love to hear from anybody and I do very much appreciate you having me on you, let me talk about my book you let me talk about my opinions, let me talk about agriculture. Here it is, it's the end of the day so we can we can we did. It yeah, well. I think it's time for a nice, glass of whiskey and a cigar you. Know what I'll have a beer two cigar you have the whiskey and we'll be doing it in spirit thank you I dig it well. Uh well, catch you next time and thanks for being with podcast thanks.
2019-04-23 06:42
