Davon Cook is the Co-Founder of Ag Progress, a company that provides management consulting, family business advisory, and facilitation for ag ventures and other groups. Davon facilitates peer groups of ag operations and is a member of the Family Firm Institute, one of the most extensive networks of thought leaders in the family enterprise field. She received her master’s degree from Texas A&M in Ag Econ and her MBA from the University of Illinois.
Davon joins me to share the inspiration behind starting Ag Progress and how their firm works. She describes how their business consulting services help farm owners improve their businesses and the different challenges they face with each client. She also explains the three circles of family business. what succession planning means, and shares what she expects to happen in the future for the ag industry.
“When you change something in one aspect of the organization, there's movement in other places; it has an impact on the entire system itself." - Davon Cook
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
- Why Davon calls themselves family business advisors.
- The difference between corporate farms and family farms.
- How they started their business and the inspiration behind it.
- The core business challenges they tackle.
- The life cycle of any business and their different stages.
- The three circles of family business and the difference between farms in the '90s and farms today.
- The definition of succession planning and how they help owners manage it.
- The changes she expects to see in the future for the family farm industry.
Manager Minute
- Set goals and your to-do list in A, B, and C categories. Try to focus on what's on your A-list as much as possible.
Key Takeaways:
- There is value in having the tough conversations by a business owner with their team.
- Don't assume parting ways is a failure if you're doing the right thing for your family or the business' health.
- An organization is made up of several parts, each one complimenting and affecting the other.
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Davon Cook:
2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30
Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:
- Agribusiness
- Production Agriculture
- Research & Technology
- Entrepreneurship
- Education & Advocacy
Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.
Winners will be announced March 2019.
To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag
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