The FBS Podcast

In this episode of the FBS podcast, we walk listenersthrough a revolutionary, step-by-step method to build a clean, professional one-page website with absolutely no coding required, no web developer, and zero monthly hosting fees. Tune in to discover how to effortlessly use Claude AI asyour digital architect to shape your raw business details into a functioning site, and learn how to securely host your files for free using GitHub Pages. Bythe end of this episode, you will understand the exact blueprint for claiming your digital plot and maintaining complete ownership over your business'swebsite.  There is even a free guide to how to build your and upload your website at www.build.vtfbs.com.    TheForest Business School has a one-session online course on how to build yourwebsite – reach out if you want to host one of these classes or offer it through your organization.

In this episode, we explore the critical transition fromfragmented, paper-based operations to integrated digital systems for forest-based small businesses like sawmills, logging crews, and firewood producers. We discuss how reliance on manual data entry and intuitive decision-making creates an "invisible system failure," leading to acumulative value leakage of up to 20-35% across procurement, conversion, and distribution. By examining the "technician trap" that keeps owners bogged down in daily tasks, the episode highlights why heavy, expensiveenterprise software fails these smaller operations and why lightweight, mobile-first technologies—such as ruggedized tablets, scaling apps, and cloud-based inventory tools—are essential. Ultimately, listeners will learn howadopting these incremental, fit-for-purpose digital tools provides the real-time operational visibility needed to maximize yield, improve throughput, and transform a functioning business into a highly optimized asset

In this episode of The FBS Podcast, we tackle the singlebiggest hurdle for owner-operators in forestry, sawmilling, and field services: how to scale your business without sacrificing the craftsmanship your reputation is built on. We explore the critical transition from being the "primary engine" of production to becoming the navigator, breakingdown why the belief that "no one does it like I do" inevitably leads to burnout and business bottlenecks. Listeners will discover actionable strategies for delegating judgment rather than just tasks—such as defining"acceptable ranges" and utilizing "reverse-shadowing"—allowing you to maintain high standards and quality control through visual benchmarks rather than corporate bureaucracy. Join us as we discuss the necessary identity shift from being the best operatoron the crew to the leader who ensures the work gets done right, even when youaren't holding the tool.

In this episode of the FBS Podcast, we unpack the concept of a “psychopathic sense of urgency,” from a great article by Tim Denning. This is a mindset arguing that forest-based businesses fail not from a lack of capability, but because plans linger and decisions slide into the off-season. We explain why waiting for perfect information is a trap where opportunities rot, and how shifting from weekly rhythms to daily iteration allows operators to learn faster than weather and market conditions change. Drawing on the reality that “next year” is often just a polite way of saying “never,” we discuss why imbalance is a feature of success rather than a cause of burnout, and how to collapse the distance between an idea and its execution to achieve years of progress in just 90 days.

In this episode of The FBS Podcast, we examine why well-designed forestry research so often struggles to show up in day-to-day decisions on the ground. Drawing from the January 2026 Forest Business School report Frictionless Forestry, the conversation explores what working foresters, loggers, and forest-economy professionals actually said about tools, formats, timing, and cognitive load—and why “good science” can still miss its mark when friction isn’t treated as a design problem. The episode situates these findings in the real pressures of climate volatility, market shifts, and workforce constraints, and explains how the Forest Business School works at the boundary between research and practice to translate ideas into usable courses, podcasts, visuals, and mobile tools. It’s a practical, unsentimental look at how applied impact really happens, and why translation—not persuasion—is often the missing link (www.vtfbs.com).

This FBS Podcast episode uses Washington’s 1776 crossing of the Delaware as a grounded, practical illustration of Critical Chain Project Management, focusing on how outcomes change when leaders design around constraints instead of relying on heroics. Set against collapsing morale, expiring enlistments, and severe time pressure, the episode explains how George Washington treated time as the binding constraint and deliberately built buffers into the system—extra boats, experienced operators like John Glover, synchronized execution, and schedule protection through a night crossing—so the operation could survive uncertainty. In contrast, the Hessian defenders at Trenton optimized locally for comfort and routine, storing their “buffers” in assumptions rather than readiness, which left them exposed to a critical-chain disruption. Framed for working-lands professionals and small business owners, the episode draws clear parallels to forestry, wood products, and project-driven work, showing how over-optimizing efficiency and running lean can create fragility, while constraint-based design preserves flow. The discussion closes by connecting this way of thinking to how CCPM and project flow are taught through Forest Business School programs, including the six-month Essentials course, and reinforces a simple takeaway: Washington succeeded not by gambling, but by designing a system that could absorb uncertainty.

In this episode, we explore how fintech platforms arerevolutionizing financial management in small businesses by replacing traditional, siloed brick-and-mortar banking with an integrated, software-driven ecosystem that acts as a virtual back office. Learn how forestry businesses can manage lump" income through automated tax buffering and leverage specialized "load-to-check" automation to streamline complex landowner stumpage settlements directly from the field. The discussion covers practical applications such as pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation that adjusts to seasonal logging schedules and self-service QR code payments for sawmill owners, all while ensuring funds remain securethrough FDIC-insured partner banks and expanded sweep networks. By moving to a "vertical stack" of specialized tools, foresters can achieve real-time financial visibility and job-costed expense tracking, transforming banking from a manual chore into a strategic tool for growth.

This episode is the full-length audio version of the book Wet Woods: Flux, Flex and Change in Our Forestry by Steve Bick. This audiobook is a year-end gift to our loyal listeners and is being put out in podcast form to make it easier to use this book in short courses on Climate Adaptation in Forest Operations. Listen close and you may well hear about someone you know.

This episode focuses on “Locking In”. The Forest BusinessSchool offers  an architecture for sustained advancement, built on five durable principles that form a clear blueprintfor Intentional Progress. The first tenet, Prioritization > Efficiency, requires focusing energy on the one critical task that truly moves the trajectory, actively refusing to optimize trivial work. Progress is secured by implementing Systems > Goals, consistent protocols that make successinevitable through repetition rather than relying on fragile willpower or mood. To build competence, one must first Replicate, Then Iterate to understand a proven pattern before innovating, while the principal Inspiration Is Perishabledemands immediate, decisive action before momentum evaporates. When instructions end, the approach demands the resourceful attitude of Figure It Out, meaning one must navigate ambiguity and keep moving rather than waitingfor perfect clarity or permission. These tenets reinforce each other, demanding engagement and movement to achieve sustained progress even when circumstances shift or the path ahead becomes complex. If locking in appeals to you, you should enroll in the upcoming (January 2026) 3-Month FBS Linchpin Course (more at www.vtfbs.com).

The episode explores George Mack’s powerful concept of High Agency, defining it as the characteristic of individuals who "do notaccept the constraints in front of them and instead find a way to get what they want", and who view the future as something to be shaped by human action.This capacity is built on a "tricycle" of distinct skills: clearthinking, bias to action, and disagreeability. The Forest Business School’s six-month Essentials program (and other offerings) cultivates this capability in mid-careerprofessionals by reorienting their habits and operational approach, resultingin a shift from compliance to authorship. The transformation is achieved by blending economic clarity, operational discipline, and environment design;participants adopt a culture of candor and truth-telling about the conditions of their work, recognizing that High Agency requires being "ruthlessly honest with themselves". They learnthroughput accounting to confront finacial truths and make decisive actions regarding profitability and waste;furthermore, they use Critical Chain Project Management to clarify project scope and reduce paralyzing multitasking, strengthening their bias toward action and execution. By employing constraint-driven thinking, participantslearn to see their work as a system, identifying bottlenecks to find leverage by focusing on the "right domino to push first", positioning themselves as the architects of their systems rather than just actors within them.

This episode breaks down what “digital twins” mean for forest operations. We look at how running the woods is getting harder—more fragmented forests, more moving parts—and how a digital copy of your operation can help test plans, spot problems early, and make better decisions. The ideas we discuss are drawn from recent publications by colleagues in Québec.

In this episode, we’re spotlighting the Forest Business School Linchpin Program, a unique opportunity for professionals in forestry, wood products, and related working lands fields. Launching its Fall 2025 Session on October 16th, this free program—made possible by last-minute funding—is tailored for key employees, with past participants ranging from logging crews and natural resource agencies to a baseball bat designer. Over ten weeks, participants engage in one-hour weekly remote sessions built on Socratic discussions rather than lectures, with about an hour of prep each week through articles, podcasts, or audio materials. The focus is on building leadership through a growth mindset, peer support, and practical application of proven business concepts, including Accountability, Continuous Improvement (with Theory of Constraints), Game Theory, and Project Management. Time is short - register at https://tinyurl.com/Linchpin-Fall25.

This episode applies ten principles from Kevin Kelly'sbook, Excellent Advice for Living, to small enterprises withinthe working lands sector, such as loggers, sawmills, and sugar bushes. The goal of this deep dive is to provide  apractical framework for strengthening profitability and resilience in these resource-based businesses by interpreting Kelly's general wisdom as concrete business strategies. Key areas of application include strategiesfor differentiation over competition (aiming to be the"only"), disciplined time management (prioritizinghigh-value activities over simply being busy), and building reputational capital through authenticity and generosity in rural markets. The reportsconclude with actionable recommendations, playbooks, and metrics designed to help owners implement these insights immediately.

This episode of the FBS Podcast introduces Wet Woods:Flux, Flex & Change in Our Forestry by Steve Bick, a ground-level chronicle of how climate volatility, shifting markets, and regulatory pressures are reshaping the Northeast’s forest products supply chain. Drawing on decades of experience and many hours of interviews, the book weaves together the voices of loggers, landowners, sawmillers, and foresters to show how external forces (“flux”) collide with industry adaptability (“flex”) to produce lasting transformation (“change”). From frozen ground that no longer holds, to erratic markets and heavy equipment loans that bind loggers as “price takers,” Wet Woods reveals the harsh realities and inventive adaptations shaping modern forestry—whether through new machinery, business pivots, or diversificationinto stone and excavation work. This book is essential reading for practitioners, policymakers, students, and curious readers alike, it offers an unvarnished view of resilience under pressure and what it means to keep workingin the woods as predictability slips away.

This episode offers fascinating insights into the life and groundbreaking business philosophy of Les Schwab. It reveals how Schwab, rising from poverty and a harsh early life in Oregon's lumber camps, developed an enduring work ethic and respect for honest labor. A true free thinker, he revolutionized the tire industry by pioneering a "supermarket" approach to sales and introducing one of the most generous employee profit-sharing systems of his time, effectively creating partnerships rather than traditional employment. At the core of his success was his "people-centered model" and the powerful belief that if you "build people, and they will build the business". The episode highlights his emphasis on "Pride in Performance," unwavering customer service, and the importance of mentorship, integrity, and resilience in all aspects of business and life. We look at ways you can apply these lessons in your business.

Join us for this episode as we delve into how working landsbusinesses can systematically attract new clients using the powerful AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) marketing model. We'll explore strategies to capture Attention by targeting landowners and sharing expert tips on socialmedia platforms. Learn how to spark interest build desire by showcasing success metrics, such as a "20% Yield Increase," or locally produced character grade lumber through case studies and personalized proposals. Finally, discoverhow to drive action with clear calls-to-action like “add to cart” and other dope phrases.

This episode describes an exciting opportunity to enroll inthe 6-Month FBS Essentials Program.  The Forest Business School's free 6-Month Essentials Program is specificallydesigned for mid-career working lands small business owners, key employees, and public agency staff who are eager to significantly enhance their operations,financial results, and personal growth. Through weekly remote meetings held in the evening, the program focuses on Socratic discussions of carefully selectedreadings and podcasts, rather than lectures, ensuring participants activelyapply proven business concepts to their real-world challenges. You'll delve into wide-ranging topics such as entrepreneurship, analytics, continuousimprovement, project management, financial management, sales, persuasion, and productive habits, all while developing a supportive peer group and leveragingan extensive network of over 100 graduates. This program is ideal for those who are good at what they do but know they can achieve more, offering thedirection, support, and motivation needed to make tangible improvements in work and life. To explore this transformative opportunity, reach out to FBS Director Steve Bick ([email protected]).

This episode tackles the real plague of decision fatigue.  Decision fatigue, defined as the erosion of judgment after a long run of choices, is a significant challenge for owners of small, capital-intensive rural businesses, such as those in forestry, wood products, and farming. Listeners probably know this already, so the important part of this episode involves telling you what to do about it.  Several techniques are mentioned and then a handful of realistic examples are described to tell you how to put these methods to work.

This episode is on Google NotebookLM Uses for forest businesses. It showcases how this AI-powered tool is can be a great help for various enterprises like logging firms, consulting foresters, local sawmills, and maple syrup producers. It shows how the Audio Overview feature, can enables field personnel, such as consulting forester Gert at to listen to technical updates and research summaries during commutes, effectively turning non-billable travel time into professional development. Beyond audio, the podcast detailed non-audio applications, illustrating how Logger Todd, LLC, a logging firm, uses it to generate consistent, high-quality safety meeting content from OSHA standards and equipment manuals, how local sawmill Driftwood's Bark Symphony leverages it for financial analysis, transforming static records into an interactive dashboard to uncover sales trends and profit margins, and how maple syrup producer Gooseneck Sugarbush uses the tool in cultivating their brand story and creating engaging marketing content by blending historical journals with modern marketing principles. The overarching message is that Google NotebookLM is a practical, free-to-access tool that can significantly drive efficiency, ensure compliance, and improve engagement for these businesses.

Tune into the latest episode of the FPBS podcast to explore the Wood Manufacturing Assistance Team (WMAT) program, a unique partnership between the USDA Forest Service and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, designed to offer no-cost technical support to small wood product manufacturers. Discover how this initiative helps businesses like sawmills, biomass processors, and wood pellet producers enhance operational performance, improve efficiency, strengthen safety, and expand into new markets through services such as operational audits, equipment recommendations, and investment planning. We'll detail the simple application process, which involves completing a short Interest Form and providing company and operational details, current challenges, and your specific needs, all with no participation fees or matching funds required. Plus, we’ll dive into hypothetical case studies, illustrating how businesses can receive tailored assistance to overcome challenges ranging from byproduct utilization and energy transition to workflow optimization and capital planning.

In this episode we explore implications of the newly signed OneBig Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 for forest-based small businesses.  This act significantly overhauls federal taxpolicy, primarily benefiting sole proprietors and pass-through entities in the logging, forestry, and sawmilling sectors through several key provisions. Theseinclude a permanent increase in the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deductionfrom 20% to 23%, allowing a larger share of business profits to be shieldedfrom federal tax, and a substantial doubling of Section 179 expensing limits to $2.5 million, enabling businesses to deduct the full cost of equipment purchases in the year they are placed in service. Additionally, the Act significantly boosts estate tax exemptions to $15 million per individual, removing a major barrier to intergenerational succession for family-runbusinesses.  

We chose ten timeless work principles for Austin Cary's Manual for Northern Woodsmen for this episode. They off offer practical and behavioral guidance applicable across various professions. These work advice items emphasize balancing accuracy with practicality over perfection, developing consistent and methodical routines, and adapting methods and expectations to the realities of the working environment. Cary also advocated for the importance of keeping tools and instruments well-maintained, planning ahead while remaining flexible, and documenting work carefully. Additionally, his principles underscore the need to respect natural limitations, prioritize safety and caution, value experience and judgment, and maintain a steady work ethic for consistent, long-term success.

Stewart Edward White's The Blazed Trail is a century-old forest business novel, set in northern Michigan. The story follows the challenges of a young man trying to establish himself during this region's peak logging era. What can an old book of this type teach us about working in todays world? Plenty, according to our hosts. Listen in to learn more.

Can working lands businesses operationalize their "Personal Legends" in the same sense that Paulo Coelho describes in his novel The alchemist? . This discussions goes beyond superficial affirmation, delving into structural questions like "Why are you doing this?" and "What does 'success' actually mean in your case?". Good peers wills share and critique each other's "Why Statements," examining whether their articulated purpose aligns with their daily operational choices, such as labor schedules, customer relationships, and pricing strategies. The Forest Business School's 6-month program fosters the right environment for these discussions to take place.

In this episode our hosts discuss different approaches to determining what prices to charge for products and services. Hourly and lump sum approaches are discussed, along with the traditional cost plus approach. The focus is on helping small businesses charge rates that are profitable by capturing a fair level of consumer surplous.

This new episode in the FBS Podcast Climate Adaptation Series focuses on open-top culverts. Our hosts review a Forest Service publication on these open-top culverts, explaining how to make and install them. They discuss situations in which these culverts solve surface water run-off challenges on forest roads.

Forest Business School alumni met recently to discuss advice they would give to their younger selves. This is a recurring topic that we like to revisit from time to time as more people join our ranks. Listen in to learn what these folks wish they had done earlier.

This is the complete audiobook version of Timber Tempo: Project Flow in Forestry, provided here as a special bonus for FBS Podcast listeners and subscribers.

This episode discusses Eliyahu Goldratt's classic business novel, The Goal. We explain the continuous improvement process and talk about how forest-based businesses are learning to put this theory into practice in their work.

What is you could go back in time and give advice to younger version of yourself? What would it be? In this episode we discuss advice that was suggested by a cross section of Forest Business School enrollees in the 6-month Essentials program. Here is your chance to learn from their successes and mistakes.

PATH (Planning and Analysis in Timber Harvesting) 2.1 is a free Microsoft Excel-based tool created by Steven Bick to assist logging businesses with financial analysis and decision-making. It uses throughput accounting to offer a systems-based approach to cost benchmarking, moving beyond individual equipment analysis.  This episode discusses how to use PATH and tells you where you can get a copy.

In this episode we explore Annie Duke's idea that life and work are more like poker than chess. Every decision is a series of bets and success is a function of the quality of our decisions, plus luck. This game theory approach to work has many benefits.

James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, has said that "in the long run, prioritization beats efficiency." Tune in an listen as our hosts discuss why this is true, with example from a recent Forest Business School discussion. As an added bonus, they incorporate a timeless banger from Moby Dick in explaining why this is the case.

In this FBS podcast episode, we spotlight the free, mobile-friendly VT Woods App (www.vtwoods.xyz), an AI-driven resource for Vermont’s forest products sector. This app was created by Steve Bick as a deliverable under USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Grant project to help Vermont's forest products supply chain adapt to climate change. Learn how this free app can help you.

If your business is setup as and LLC you might have the option of having it considered to be an S Corporation by the IRS for tax purposes. This can lead to significant savings in self-employment taxes. This episode explore the ins and outs of S Corp taxation, tells you how to switch an LLC to this option and discussed the responsibilities that come with doing this.

This is the final episode in the FBS Climate Adaptation series. The discussion covers all of the topics in the previous 13 episodes, including adaptation strategies for landowners, forester, loggers and mills, guidelines for extreme weather and soft ground conditions, useful apps for AMPs, soil conditions and Vermont forestry, and more.

This episode explore how climate change is just one of a range of threats to logging capacity in the region. Risk mitigation and climate impacts on equipment investments by loggers are discussed.

This episode was originally a presentation at the 2024 New England Society of American Foresters annual meeting. Steve Bick of the Forest Business school will talk about the results of a recent climate adaptation needs assessment in Vermont's forest products supply chain and explain how Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) can be used to help get work done in the face of unpredictable seasonal weather patterns.

This episde explains the Value Added Producer Grants offered by USDA Rural Development. These grants are often overlooked by people in the forest products world because they wrongly assume they are only for farmers. This podcast explains eligibility and the application process and provides some examples of how loggers, some sawmillers and even timberland owners can apply.

This episode discussed SoilWeb, a user-friendly, mobile-compatible online tool that provides access to the USDA-NRCS soil survey database. Developed by the California Soil Resource Lab at UC Davis, SoilWeb offers an interactive Google Maps interface to explore soil data, making it valuable for foresters, loggers, and land managers. You can access SoilWeb for free at https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/ and then save it to your phone's homescreen to use it as a mobile app.

This episode explores the recent USFS publication Climate Change Impacts on Northern Forest Operations and discusses in the context of the recent adaptation needs assessment conducted for Vermont's forest products supply chain. This guide echoes much of the guidance on this topic that the Forest Business School has been developing and circulating for years.

The Vermont AMP App is a free resources for loggers, foresters and other members of Vermont's forestry community. Produced by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, this app is a great way to reference these acceptable management practices in the field. This episode describes the app, tells you where to get it and explore ways to put it to use on active timber harvesting sites.

Frank Freese wrote Elementary Forest Sampling for the Forest Service back in 1962 and the information in it remains relevant to this day. Maybe you need a refresher on this topic or have never truly understood how sampling is done in the forest. Either way, this episode is for you.

Profit and Loss Statements are summaries of income and expenses that can be though of as a businesses financial score card. This episode explains them, using a sawmill business as and example. Understanding P & L statements is an important step in the financial well being of a business.

Balance sheets are financial documentation of assets, liabilities and owner equity. This episode explains them, using sawmill and logging businesses as examples. Understanding balance sheets is an important step in the financial well being of your enterprise.

Forest Patrol is a novel by Jim Kjelgaard. Based on this real life experiences of Kjelgaard and his brother, it tells the story of John Belden, a young man trying to become a forest ranger in Pennsylvania. Belden has some inspiring and instructional adventures along the way. This episode explores the book and tells us how to apply these lessons in our work lives.

Can an 18th century novel about logging in Michigan teach us anything about doing business today? This episode discusses ideas from Stewart Edward White's The Riverman. White is the son of a timberman and many people believe his father was the model for the main character of this book. As it turns out, sound business practices are timeless.

This episode explores Sahil Lavingia's book, The Minimalist Entrepreneur. Many of his ideas are directly applicable to forestry and forest products businesses, as detailed in an article by Steve Bick that appeared in a past issue of The Northern Logger.

Past participants in the Forest Business Schools six-month essentials program recently got together to talk about their expectations of employees. These small business owners talked about changes in the workforce and the best ways to understand and motivate today's employees. This episode explore their insights.

Extreme weather events have prompted UNH Extension to develop improved best management practices to deal with the challenges they pose. This episode explores these BMPs and how they are a good idea for many areas of the northeast.