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Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron HeroldThe World's Leading Network for the 2nd in Command Author: Second in Command with Cameron Herold
Welcome to the Second in Command Podcast hosted by Cameron Herold, brought to you by the COO Alliance, where top-level COOs share their insights, tactics, and strategies that made them the Chief Behind the Chief. Cameron Herold founded the COO Alliance with one simple goal in mind: to provide COOs with the same professional development and growth opportunities CEOs have enjoyed for many years. COO Alliance is the world's leading network for the Second in Command. Cameron Herold is a top business consultant, best-selling author, and speaker. Hes the mastermind behind hundreds of companies exponential growth and hes touched thousands of businesses indirectly through his work. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep. 528 - Brett Bruggeman - How Land O’Lakes Powers Its $16B, 104-Year Cooperative - Brett Bruggeman
Tuesday, 18 November, 2025
In this episode, Cameron sits down with Brett Bruggeman, Executive Vice President and COO of Land O’Lakes, a 104-year-old, $16B cooperative spanning dairy foods, animal nutrition, and crop inputs. Brett shares how Land O’Lakes manages scale across 20 business units, supports more than 4,000 cooperative owners, and touches half of America’s farmland.He and Cameron dig into the cooperative model, growth challenges in shrinking markets, how the company is driving new productivity for farmers, and their bold new initiative that partners with retail owners to invest in late-stage ag-tech. Brett also talks about outside-in thinking, the power of data, how to stay ahead of the customer, and why the future of agriculture requires both AI and human EQ.If you’re a COO navigating large-team complexity, shifting markets, or innovation inside a legacy organization, this conversation is a masterclass in clarity, discipline, and strategic focus.Timestamped Highlights00:00 Brett and Cameron kick off the conversation (with a quick cameo from Brett’s comms lead, John).01:03 How Brett discovered the podcast and the purpose of “the COO story.”03:30 Land O’Lakes overview: 104-year history, cooperative structure, and national footprint.07:14 The company’s roots: dairy farmers searching for a market for cream.08:26 How Land O’Lakes evolved into dairy, animal nutrition, and crop inputs.10:24 Purina brand clarification: Land O’Lakes vs. Nestlé internationally.10:44 Revenue breakdown across business units.12:00 How Brett avoids getting pulled into every detail while leading a massive enterprise.14:10 How outside-in thinking reshaped corporate strategy.15:17 The “vital few” → the three-or-four priorities that guide the entire company.16:49 The six transformation “big bets.”18:46 Becoming a data-first company: insights, segmentation, and new markets.20:29 The strategic questions Land O’Lakes uses to break stagnation.22:45 Their stance on hybrid work and why face-to-face still matters.25:05 Growth challenges: farmers under pressure, shrinking markets, and opportunities.26:05 Introducing AgRogue: the new retail growth fund (70–100M) to invest in late-stage ag-tech.27:39 Why partnering with retail owners creates stronger market access.28:17 What a cooperative actually is and how it differs from other business models.31:39 How 4,000 owners create loyalty, but not complacency.33:31 Why aligning retail owners with Land O’Lakes creates predictable innovation adoption.36:51 How AI and predictive models are transforming supply chain, waste, and productivity.38:37 Three AI goals: target growth, eliminate waste, improve customer experience.40:55 How Land O’Lakes approaches AI responsibly (and without getting “over their skis”).42:37 What Brett is working on personally as a leader: presence, change management, results.47:28 Advice to his younger self: ask better questions, seek mentors, take international roles.Resources & MentionsPurina (livestock feed brand)WinField (crop inputs brand)Microsoft (AI and data initiatives)AgRogue (Land O’Lakes + retail owner growth fund)Radicle (ag-tech investment partner)Circana (retail data source, referenced as...
