The past few months have been about change for us. Our team at RMC has moved out of our original Wyoming office to a new building that will allow us room to grow. My wife and I have become empty nesters as our youngest just left for North Dakota to attend college and our oldest is headed to Spain for a semester abroad. We will miss the kids, but it would be worse for everyone if they stayed home. I’m working to change my role in the business to focus more on being the leader to continue to propel the business forward. I’ve enjoyed the changes. These changes have allowed me some space to take a fresh perspective on many aspects of my life and the business.
A fresh perspective can enable a person to see things they were otherwise blind to. Perhaps you are blind to what could be a threat or an opportunity but you’re too busy in the day-to-day to see clearly. We need to be deliberate about getting ourselves out of the day-to-day grind to enable creativity in our thinking around our businesses and our lives. Where might this be most effective for you? How will you shut out the constant distractions of the ranch so you can gain a fresh perspective on your situation?
For many, attending a Ranching for Profit School allows them this opportunity. Attending RFP gets you off the ranch and creates focused time to work ON your business. There is something magic about the length of the school. If it were only 3 or 4 days long, I don’t think the magic would occur. You can feel the class come together in a deeper way around day 4 and by the time we wrap up on day 7 the class has become a close network of friends.
Gaining a fresh perspective can be improved by getting out of your region. If you’re going to attend Ranching for Profit and your ranch is 30 miles from Billings, Montana, the worst experience you could have at RFP would be attending the school in Billings, Montana. You’re going to be tempted to run home each evening and your thoughts during the day will be about what’s going on at the ranch. You’ll be in class with neighbors and other people you already know, you’ll be tempted to sit with them for meals etc. You would have a far better experience attending a RFP school several hundred miles from home. Who better to help you gain a fresh perspective on your ranch than people who ranch in a totally different environment? Think of the value of the new friends and contacts you’ll make in this new part of the country which might be valuable during the next drought, staff shortage, succession frustrations, or other challenges that will come your way.
As of now we have openings in all of our winter schools except for the school in Canada this November. The winter schools tend to fill in October and November so the flexibility to enroll in your preferred school will soon go away. We have a very flexible deposit policy allowing you to transfer your deposit to any school within 13 months if you let us know at least 2 weeks prior to the school you are enrolled in. So if you want to attend RFP, there is no reason not to get enrolled now and make a deposit for your preferred school. Don’t let location drive this decision. Enroll in the school where the dates best align with your schedule and when you can attend with other folks from your business.
People who make a living in agriculture tend to put off investing in themselves. We encourage you to make some time this winter to take a fresh perspective on your business and your life. If the Ranching for Profit School can be a part of that we would be honored.
I would encourage anyone with the slightest interest to attend RFP. A few thousand dollars for the week of school, plus travel, lodging, and not to mention what’s going to happen at home while you are gone can be a big commitment, and kind of scary.
But what if, just what if it turns your ranch around financially and your return on investment is 10 fold, or 100 fold, or 1000 fold?
What about the part of life that isn’t measured with a dollar sign in front of it? Time with your family, quality of relationships with team members, affirmation, accountability. All of these can be summed up with one word, PEACE. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, this could be a great opportunity for you to take control of your situation.