Ryan Tregaskes: “We Could Always Do Better”

Ryan Tregaskes doesn’t fit neatly into a category. On the surface, he looks like someone who could step into a wrestling ring. In reality, he’s spent decades walking farm fields, studying soil, and now leading a company working at the intersection of agriculture, climate, and global systems. Beneath it all is a quieter tension: how do you build something meaningful in a world that often rewards speed over substance?That question sharpened over time. From long nights building his own company across time zones to stepping into the role of CEO at a mission-driven organization, Ryan had to confront what success was costing him. The transition wasn’t just professional. It was personal. Moving his family from Arizona to rural Texas became a reset—one that forced him to rethink balance, leadership, and what kind of life he actually wanted to build.What emerges in this conversation is a perspective grounded in reality, not theory. Ryan doesn’t argue about climate from ideology. He focuses on what can be measured, what can be improved, and where responsibility actually lives. Whether it’s supporting American farmers, rethinking supply chains, or working with tech companies to replenish what they consume, his approach is simple: do better, and prove it.At a time when conversations around the future can feel abstract or polarized, this one brings it back to something tangible. The land, the people working it, and the systems we’re all part of whether we think about them or not.What You’ll Learn• Why agriculture sits at the center of large-scale environmental change• How incentives actually drive behavior across farmers, corporations, and tech• The hidden pressure and risk behind the American farming system• What “scientific rigor” looks like in a trust-challenged industry• The transition from building alone to leading a team• How environment and lifestyle impact leadership, clarity, and performanceAbout Ryan TregaskesRyan Tregaskes is the CEO of Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC), where he works to decarbonize supply chains through regenerative agriculture. With a background in agronomy, finance, and global environmental markets, he has spent his career helping bridge the gap between agriculture, economics, and sustainability.About Extraordinary StoriesExtraordinary Stories explores the ideas, people, and experiences that shape extraordinary lives.Hosts Forbes Shannon, Christine Butler, and Aaron Bare sit down with entrepreneurs, thinkers, creators, and leaders to uncover the moments that changed how they see the world.