#800 - Start Your Farm Exit Strategy Years Early | Dad’s Wisdom with Mark Harper

https://19-minutes.supercast.comFarm succession doesn’t start when Dad is ready to retire. Mark Harper’s advice is to start years earlier, while there’s still time to teach, mentor, delegate responsibility, and build a business that can operate without one person holding everything together.Mark grew up on a West Tennessee farm that eventually reached roughly 10,000 acres, built his own career in dentistry, and today helps mentor his son Peyton as he operates a several-thousand-acre farm. Along the way, Mark grew his dental business from one small-town practice into six offices, with a seventh under construction and more than 120 employees.In this Dad’s Wisdom conversation, Mark and Chris talk about:The difference between teaching and mentoringWhy farm owners have to learn to delegate authority, not just tasksSurrounding yourself with people who are better than youInvesting in coaching, peer groups, and your own developmentKnowing when to scale and when growth requires more investmentBuilding a farm that can function when you aren’t thereWorking on the business instead of spending all your time in itDefining success beyond money and business growthStarting the farm succession and exit-planning conversation earlyGiving the next generation real responsibility before they’re forced to take overMark’s message to the next generation is simple: set a vision, invest in yourself, surround yourself with good people, and be willing to operate differently if you want to take the business somewhere different.#FarmSuccession #FarmBusiness #Agriculture