I assist farm families with a down to earth and practical style. It is important to first understand the issues before attempting to resolve them, so I wear three hats in my practice.
First, I am a mediator, remaining neutral in tough, complicated disputes. Second, I’m an Expert Advisor—defined as having over 10,000 hours of practice—not afraid to stick my “knows” in with tact to serve my clients. Third, I am a resource, ready to connect you with trusted professionals. By providing neutrality, then offering sound advice to mitigate problems, I help farm economics and family dynamics flourish.
“Sometimes the best helping hand is good advice.”
Succession Assessments and Planning
Are you thinking about a farm succession plan but don’t know where to start? My Succession Planning Dispensary System introduces the culture, functional tools, and necessary processes that have been designed with practicality in mind. The primary design principle was that the process and deliverable had to look like it was developed at least 6 townships away from any University campus. My deliverable is a dynamic document that farmers actually use as an ongoing tool.
My methods have been “Ground truthed” with hundreds of farmers.
Retirement Assessments and Planning
I specialize in designing Retirement and Estate plans and Farm Exit strategies for retiring farmers. I facilitate the development of your plan and help you monitor the execution of it so that you can enjoy your accomplishments and celebrate this new chapter of your life.
I help you organize orderly and controlled change on your farm. My process provides clarity about your goals and manages expectations, taking the stress off you, your spouse, and your family, while laying the foundation for your legacy and farm continuance.
My approach has been created to stimulate your thought processes and help you understand and accept change so that you can take action and eventually embrace this precious period of your life that you hesitate to call retirement.
You’ll learn how to set up your Retirement Plan” that recognizes the evolution of your life purpose, which is essential to happiness down the homestretch.
Mediation: Can’t Everybody Just Get Along?
Are you having difficulty sharing perspectives? With change? With determining what is fair and making big choices about your farm and family?
As a qualified mediator, I am a neutral, experienced third party, using skills and experience to guide you through difficult conversations about Succession Issues, Estate Issues, Divorce, Farm Splits, Family—or whatever else life is throwing your way.
I am the only fully accredited Qualified Mediator practicing exclusively and full-time in the Agricultural sector in Alberta (accredited by: Alternate Dispute Resolution Institute of Alberta).
In addition to resolving singular disputes, I help you:
- Create a comfortable environment for discussion
- Define the specifics of a dispute
- Navigate complicated relationships and multiple parties
- Learn alternate methods for discussion and resolution
- Understand differences, rather than not prove someone right or wrong
- Structure communication effectively to reduces anxiety
- Prevent future recurrence of the same issue
Financial Reviews and Assessments
"I want you young uns to pay attention – once you understand what the numbers mean it’s amazing as to how motivated you’ll become."
- Hutterite Financial Boss
Are you thinking about a Financial plan? Are you frustrated? Do you know if you are making a profit or losing money?
I can help you determine the profitability and viability of your farm, communicate with bank requests for financial plans, and understand the potential financial impacts of changes you may be considering when it comes to your farm.
I offer an easy-to-understand approach that brings clarity to the farm’s past, present, and potential future financial performance.
I taught bankers how to lend at Olds College via four years with the Ag Lenders Workshop. Much of this content is from that program, so you learn what bankers learn about topics like:
- Financial Tactics
- Financial Statement Terminology
- Financial Statement Interconnectivity
- Ratio Analysis
- Types of Financial Statements
- Cash Flow vs Profitability
- Viability Assessment
- Sustainability Assessment
- Assess and Manage Performance
- What are your Options!
Business Assessments and Planning
I can assist you with identifying the current state of your business and then design a pathway towards your desired future. This process will identify and clarify expectations, establish timelines, and formally design the future of your farm.
"Farmers are reluctant to spend $5,000 to plan, but they will spend $50,000 litigating their issues, and then spend $500,000 to make the problem go away!" - Don Good – Lawyer - Ontario
Set your farm family up for success by Planning to Plan and preventing failure!