#263: The Beating Yourself Up Trap: How Self-Criticism Kills Farm Profits (And How to Stop It)

FREE Master Class: 5 costly mistakes that are keeping your farm broke Sign Up HERE You're growing incredible products and working harder than anyone you know, but if you're like most farmers, you haven't paid yourself a dime for your hard work all year. Here's what most farmers don't realize: marketing isn't magic. It's a skill. And there's a proven three-phase system that transforms struggling farmers into sold-out success stories. Key discoveries you'll learn: The #1 mistake on diversified farms that keeps farmers broke (and how to fix it) How to build a marketing calendar that works with your farm's natural rhythms instead of against them The three marketing assets you already have but aren't using effectively Why listening is the most important marketing skill—plus 6 specific ways to do it right This isn't theory. One client went from six months of begging people to buy her Thanksgiving turkeys to selling out in 24 hours flat using this exact approach. Look, you didn't start farming to become a marketing expert. But here's the hard truth: if you can't sell what you grow, you won't survive. The farmers who thrive aren't necessarily the best—they're the ones who learned how to connect their products to their customers' real problems. "Marketing isn't magic. It's a skill. And if your emails aren't making sales at a profitable price, it's not because the platform doesn't work—it's because you haven't learned the skill yet." Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.

Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery. You're growing incredible products and working harder than anyone you know, but here's the hard truth: if you're like most farmers, you haven't paid yourself a dime for your hard work all year. Here's what most farmers don't realize: marketing isn't magic. It's a skill. And there's a proven system that transforms struggling farmers into sold-out success stories. Key discoveries you'll learn: The #1 mistake on diversified farms that keeps farmers broke How to build a marketing calendar that works with your farm's natural rhythms instead of against them The three marketing assets you already have but aren't using effectively Why listening is the most important marketing skill (and 6 specific ways to do it right) The proof: One client went from six months of begging people to buy her Thanksgiving turkeys to selling out in 24 hours flat using this exact three-phase system. Look, you didn't start farming to become a marketing expert. But if you can't sell what you grow, you won't survive. The farmers who thrive aren't necessarily the best growers—they're the ones who learned how to connect their products to their customers' real problems. Stop struggling and start selling. Your farm deserves to be profitable. FREE Master Class: 5 costly mistakes that are keeping your farm broke Sign Up HERE  

Click HERE and Let's Meet! Chat with us to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery. Picture this: You just had your best sales year ever. 77% revenue increase. Tripled production. Crushing every single goal. And then your partner says those four crushing words: "It's not good enough." Sound familiar? That's exactly what happened to the farmer I coached this week. Despite her extraordinary success, constant criticism had her convinced she was failing. The house wasn't clean enough. The sales weren't high enough. Nothing she did was ever good enough. But here's what changed everything: One weird visualization exercise that takes 30 seconds. She went from feeling like a "dead weight" to feeling protected and strong—even when the criticism kept coming. What you'll discover: Why people criticize (hint: it's not about you—it's biology) The exact mental exercise that creates unbreakable confidence in 30 seconds Why you can never prove your way out of someone else's critical brain How this saved marriages without changing the critical partner This isn't about bashing anyone or stopping criticism. We ALL do it. Our brains are literally wired for it. It's about understanding that you don't have to let it destroy your confidence or your dreams. The truth: Your farm dreams matter. Your progress matters. And you deserve to pursue them without apologizing every single day. FREE Master Class: 5 costly mistakes that are keeping your farm broke Sign Up HERE  

Let's Meet! Drowning in marketing dread? Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery. I'm the one in the hot seat today! I just got interviewed on the Backyard Bouquet podcast, and I have to say... I shared some things that'll help you shift your sales today. From my daughter selling out flower farm events in her first season to farmers achieving 200% sales increases, this episode reveals the strategies and mindset shifts that actually work. What you'll discover: The exact strategy my daughter used to land a wedding contract at her chiropractor appointment Why "perfectionist farmers are actually just scared farmers" The simple question that gets overwhelmed farmers unstuck every time How to get customers willing to pay $50+ for a bouquet Why giving away flowers strategically builds your business I also opened up about overcoming the fear of failure after my family's farm went bankrupt in the 80s and how to stop the "not good enough" mindset that keeps farmers undervaluing their work. Bottom line: When you change how you think about your farming business, you change your results—both financially and personally. P.S. My mic was not on, for some reason, so my sound quality is not quite up to my usual standard, but hey, tech issues happen.😉

Farm Marketing Mastery is officially open for enrollment this week! 🥳 Sign Up HERE After 15 years of farming, working 6am to 9pm managing six different enterprises—beef, poultry, eggs, pork, lamb, and landscaping—this farmer couldn't pay himself a single dollar. Charlotte Smith reveals why 98% of farmers fail by year five and how her clients break free from the "broke farmer trap" that keeps hardworking farmers stuck on a hamster wheel of working harder but never getting ahead financially. Key discoveries: The fatal flaw: You cannot become profitable at multiple enterprises until you master one thing first Time math: Spreading 3 hours across 6 enterprises gives each only 30 minutes vs. a focused competitor investing 21 hours weekly in one specialty Brand confusion kills sales: Customers pay premium prices to specialists, not generalists selling "a little bit of everything" The sunk cost trap: Past investments shouldn't dictate future strategy when those enterprises aren't profitable Success transformations from Charlotte's clients: Sarah sells 30 steers in one week (previously took all year) Gina increased sales 400% in four months after nine struggling seasons Erica retired her husband from his 14-year factory job after nine months of focus The solution isn't working harder—it's working smart through "The Power of One:" choosing your best enterprise, stopping investment in everything else, branding as the expert, building relationships through marketing, and raising prices without losing customers. In this episode, Charlotte challenges the dangerous belief that farming should be "a labor of love, not money-making" and provides a concrete five-step escape plan for any farmer trapped in the cycle of overwork and under-earning. "You can't work your way out of this problem. You've got to learn the skill to get out of it." Let's Meet! Drowning in marketing dread? Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.  

FREE Master Class: 5 costly mistakes that are keeping your farm broke Sign Up HERE Ever wonder if your farm will actually pay the bills? You're not alone! On August 18th & 19th, I'm breaking down the five sneaky mistakes that are costing farmers serious money - sometimes six figures a year. Sign up HERE  The crazy part? Most farmers think these mistakes are actually good business practices. Spoiler alert: offering tons of different products isn't always smart, and you might be accidentally scaring away your best customers. Let's Meet! Drowning in marketing dread? Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.  

FREE Master Class: 5 costly mistakes that are keeping your farm broke Sign Up HERE Three years ago, Stacie was ready to quit farming and return to a 9-to-5. Today, she's already hit her entire 2024 sales goals seven months into 2025. In this episode, discover how Stacie doubled her program investment in just 21 days, went from zero-response social posts to selling out pork shares in six days, and transformed from scattered "doing everything" to laser-focused profitability. Beyond the numbers, hear about Stacie's personal transformation - becoming calmer, less reactive, and more present with family. Her biggest regret? Waiting two years to invest in herself instead of chasing free content. Let's Meet! Drowning in marketing dread? Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.  

FREE Master Class: 5 costly mistakes that are keeping your farm broke Sign Up HERE   After my family lost our farm to bankruptcy when I was a teenager, I discovered how my negative thought patterns were creating my financial struggles.   In this interview, I share: - Why thoughts like "I should be making more money" guarantee you won't - How worried thoughts sneak into your marketing and repel customers - The simple word swap that changed everything for me - How shame kept me broke for years after bankruptcy   I also talk about what to do when you "need to learn marketing but hate people."   When I changed my thinking, everything improved - my relationships, money, and daily life.   Your brain wants to think negative thoughts, but those thoughts create your reality.   ~Charlotte   Let's Meet!   Drowning in marketing dread?   Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery.

Let's Meet!  Drowning in marketing dread? Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery. I recently joined the Ranchonomics podcast to share how I went from watching my family's farm go bankrupt to building a raw milk dairy that sold out at double what other farmers charged. I break down why social media marketing sabotages your business and share my email strategy that creates multi-thousand-dollar lifetime customers. I explain my 80/20 relationship-building rule, why getting an email is worth more than making a sale, and the "serving vs. selling" mindset that changes everything. Plus, how to stop accidentally breaking anti-spam laws. If you're tired of posting into the void hoping someone will buy, this is for you.

Let's Meet!  Drowning in marketing dread? Book a free strategy session to see if Farm Marketing Mastery can break you out of marketing misery. This flower farmer discovered she was earning just $6.50/hour on "convenient" one-off bouquet orders - spending 4 hours total per $65 sale between processing, picking, designing, and delivery. Meanwhile, she had zero time to market her profitable event services that generate 50% of her income. Key Takeaways: Calculate your real hourly rate for each revenue stream Eliminate low-performing activities to focus on high-profit opportunities Stop saying yes to everything - successful farmers say no to "good" opportunities Opportunity cost matters: those same 4 hours could generate $500-1,000+ in marketing results The Bottom Line: Many farmers fail because they're "stepping over $100 bills to pick up pennies" - staying busy with low-profit activities instead of focusing on what actually drives business growth.