119: Be Proud of What You're Doing in the Woods; Dirt Forestry Needs to Make a Return

Matt Dowdy started his own company, Dowdy's Forest & Land Management, in 2007 and it's a full-service forest consulting firm in the state of Virginia. With slightly over 26 years of forestry consulting experience, Matt has a lot of wisdom to share on today's podcast! Find out what's it like being your own boss, lessons Matt wished he'd learned sooner, and where the future of forestry is headed!   Key Takeaways: [1:05] A message from Leadership Nature. [1:45] A quick intro about Matt's background. [3:10] How did Matt get into forestry? [4:45] What was Matt's first job like? [7:10] Matt shares what he likes about being a forestry consultant. [8:35] What kinds of lessons has Matt learned along the way, that surprised him? [9:25] As a forestry consultant, you're pretty much a middleman, working on behalf of your client. [10:55] How does Matt work with clients who don't know what they want? [12:25] What kinds of challenges has Matt faced so far? [13:25] Matt shares some of his first leadership experiences and the lessons he learned. [16:00] Even though Matt is the owner of his own business, his clients are really his boss. [19:40] What kinds of mentors has Matt had, over the years? [21:20] What makes a good forestry consultant? [22:45] Matt shares some of his wisdom for those aspiring forestry consultants out there! [23:05] Where is the future of forestry headed for the younger generation? [29:25] What has Matt's experience at ACF been like? [34:35] Once you realize you're wasting your time, move on!   Mentioned in This Episode: Dowdysforest.com ACF-foresters.org Eforester.org Gladiator (2000)