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The Intentional Agribusiness Leader PodcastThe Leadership Podcast for Agribusiness Author: Mark Jewell
As leaders, everytime in life we become the most resentful, it is always because of the times in life we have been the LEAST intentional. This podcast is created as a resource for leaders in agribusiness to learn what it takes to lead with intention. We interview leaders from all around agriculture, learning their take on intentional leadership and what they are doing to bring intention to their teams and organizations. Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Jay Doan: Legacy, Land & Leadership
Episode 199
Sunday, 25 January, 2026
Join our champion program: mark@themomentumcompany.comAttend a Thriving Leader event: https://thriving-leader-2026.lovable.app/Instagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyIn this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader, Mark sits down with Jay Doan of Black Leg Ranch — a fifth-generation North Dakota ranch that has evolved far beyond cattle into a stacked, regenerative, value-added agribusiness.Jay shares what it really takes to keep a family operation alive across generations, from brutal honesty about debt and communication to the decision to go regenerative long before it was trendy. This isn’t a polished Instagram version of ranch life — it’s the real work of leadership, culture, and stewardship.If you lead a farm, ranch, or family business, this conversation will challenge how you think about legacy, diversification, health, and intentional leadership.Key TakeawaysIntentional leadership starts with honest self-conversationJay defines being intentional as being genuinely honest with yourself about where you are and where you’re going, not just what sounds good on the surface. Without that self-honesty, every big decision eventually cracks under pressure.Multi-generational success is built on communication, not nostalgiaFive and six generations working together isn’t romantic — it’s heavy. Jay explains that what keeps Black Leg Ranch intact isn’t just tradition, but the willingness to have open, sometimes uncomfortable conversations across generations.Regenerative agriculture was a survival decision, not a trendThe ranch nearly collapsed in the 1980s and 90s. That pressure forced Jay’s father to rethink soil health, grazing, and debt — pushing them toward cover crops, holistic management, and biodiversity long before it became mainstream.Diversity is risk management for the land and the businessBlack Leg Ranch didn’t stack enterprises because it was fashionable — they did it because monoculture is fragile. Cattle, bison, hunting, agritourism, beer, and meat sales all create resilience when markets, weather, or supply chains break.Your health and the land’s health are inseparableJay connects regenerative farming directly to human health — pointing out that a society growing sick food produces sick people, and that consumers are beginning to demand something better.Notable Quotes“Being intentional is being genuinely pointed with an end goal in mind — and being honest with yourself about it.” — Jay Doan“There’s a weight that comes with legacy. You don’t want to be the generation that screws it up.” — Jay Doan“We were homesteading before it was cool.” — Mark Jewell“Run your operation like a business first — lifestyle second.” — Jay DoanAction StepsHave the hard conversation with your family or partners about where the business is really headed.Audit your diversity. Are you exposed to one crop, one market, or one buyer?Look at soil health and financial health together — they’re connected.Write down the stories of the generation ahead of you before they’re gone.Get outside your comfort zone — internships, travel, and outside perspectives build better leaders.Listen If You ArePart of a family farm or ranch trying to survive generational transitionExploring regenerative agriculture or diversified revenue streamsFeeling the pressure of debt, stress, and monoculture...
