Strong ranch businesses are built on more than good markets and solid production. In this episode, John is joined by Joshua and Tara Dukart, two of the speakers at the upcoming Ranch Right Conference, to talk about why self-leadership, teamwork, and resilience matter more than ever in today’s ranching environment.

Joshua and Tara share insights from their own experience working with agricultural families and teams, focusing on how personal accountability shapes leadership, how communication affects culture, and why resilience is a learned skill rather than an innate trait. The conversation explores the human side of running a ranch, including navigating pressure, avoiding burnout, and building teams that perform well in both good times and hard seasons.

This episode offers a preview of what attendees can expect from the upcoming Ranch Right Conference in Alabama on February 16-19, 2026.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

1. Why self-leadership is foundational to long-term ranch success
2. How communication and trust shape strong teams
3. The role resilience plays during stress, transition, and uncertainty
4. Common leadership challenges in ranch families and operations
5. What Joshua and Tara will be speaking about at the Ranch Right Conference

Connect with Joshua & Tara:

1. Follow on Facebook
2. Learn more about Win Warriors
3. Check out their upcoming events
4. Check out their website

Connect with Ranch Right:

1. Subscribe on YouTube
2. Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
3. Follow on Facebook
4. Check out the website
5. Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

1. The Happiness Advantage

Most people assume cattle buying is a business that takes decades to break into. In this episode, John sits down with Eli Hopping, a 16-year-old cattle buyer from northeastern Oklahoma, to talk about how skill, discipline, and reputation matter far more than age when having an eye for cattle. Joined by Wally Olson, the conversation highlights what it really takes to succeed in the sale barn and why doing a good job consistently is still the fastest way to earn trust.

Eli shares how growing up around auction barns shaped his eye for cattle, how he learned to think fast under pressure, and what he looks for when evaluating calves in the ring. The discussion also covers customer relationships, commission structures, record keeping, and why understanding where cattle are going is just as important as knowing what to buy.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

1. How Eli got started buying cattle at a young age and earned trust in the sale barn
2. What experienced buyers look for when evaluating cattle quickly and accurately
3. Why reputation, consistency, and knowing your customers matter more than age
4. The importance of understanding cattle potential and where those cattle will be sold
5. Lessons about business, math, and decision-making learned in real time at auctions

Connect with Ranch Right:

1. Subscribe on YouTube
2. Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
3. Follow on Facebook
4. Check out the website
5. Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

1. His Cavvy Foundation
2. Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
3. Ranching for Profit
4. Ranching.FYI
5. Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

At Ranch Right, we build financial systems that make sense for real ranch operations —...

At a time when conventional row crop margins are under heavy pressure, John sits down with Reece Klug to explore a very different path. Reece farms with his family in eastern Nebraska, running both conventional and organic acres alongside a feedlot operation. In this conversation, they dig into what organic production actually looks like in practice, beyond the buzzwords and assumptions.

Reece shares how their operation transitioned acres into organic production, the mistakes they made along the way, and the mindset shift required to move away from input-driven systems toward biology, rotations, and management. They discuss soil health changes over time, integrating cover crops and grazing, certification requirements, and how organic grain markets really work. With real numbers and honest comparisons, this episode highlights why organic production has dramatically improved profitability per acre for their operation, even through challenging market cycles.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

• What the three-year organic transition really looks like in practice
• Yield changes, input reductions, and how profitability compares to conventional crops
• How cover crops and grazing fit into an organic row crop system
• Organic grain markets, pricing, and working directly with buyers
• Certification requirements, audits, and record-keeping realities

Connect with Reece:

• Send an email at reecek1992@hotmail.com
• Call 402-910-4805

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

Join us for the 2026 Ranch Right Retreat, February 16th-19th in Orange Beach, Alabama. Space is limited, so click the link below to grab your seat now.

Ranch Right Retreat