How to choose an Advisor that’s right for you

Expert Aim

How do we as farmers work with 'experts': "the farmer has to become an expert at balancing expert opinions". The hardest thing about taking advice is who to take it from. So what makes a great advisor (or expert) that you want to take advice from? 

They align with your aims: your farm is a system of aims. Without an aim there is no meaning, without meaning there is no purpose. Set a goal for each area of your farm: from marketing, yields, finance, and people strategy, risk, governance, anything. Then share your goals with them so they know what you want to do focus on, tie them into your goals, rewards, and wins.

You know, like, and trust them: you have a relationship with them; they do what they say they are going to do and they've earned your trust and respect over the years. You decide if they are the expert, not them.

They challenge you to grow: they come to the table with more knowledge in their area than the last time. They coach and mentor and push you to think differently about how to orient yourself; to think about where you are today and where you want to be.

They want to understand what's broken: they commit to figure out what the business could be doing and why they are not doing it. Only then can they help remove obstacles and lead the way for the farm client to set new goals and build new systems.

They give you the right options: The decision is always up to you. All we can do is provide you with enough perspective and knowledge to support your decisions.

The expert will never be as invested as you, however, at the risk of sounding naïve, maybe you’ve had a bad experience with an 'expert', you have also learned what you don't want in an advisor and now you have a new lens of what to look for. Remember the success of their business is built on the success of yours. Find someone you trust and allow them to remove bias for you in areas that they have deep knowledge and experience in. If they genuinely care about helping you reach your goals, then consider the advice.

Danielle