#299: How Julie Tripled Her Meat Sales While Raising 19 Kids and Grieving Her Husband
FREE Two Day Event: The Farm Marketing Fix - June 2026 Sign Up HERE Episode Summary Julie Hackman raises sheep on Belmont Springs Ranch in Lavina, Montana. She's a mother of 19 children, 8 still at home and homeschooled. And a few years ago, after 30 years of marriage, she lost her husband. For three decades, her husband led the vision for their farm. Julie supported. Then suddenly, she was alone at her kitchen table with a farm to run, little hearts to soothe, and no idea where to begin. In this conversation, Julie shares how joining The Profitable Farmer program helped her triple her meat sales in one year, build the confidence to lead her own business, and rediscover who she is as a farmer, a mother, and a woman. This is one of the most meaningful conversations I've recorded; a story of grief, resilience, and what becomes possible when a woman finally invests in herself. What You'll Learn in This Episode How Julie went from $460 in meat sales to over $1,400 in her first year applying The Profitable Farmer marketing system The specific strategy that helped her triple her email signups at a single homesteaders conference Why "waiting for customers to come to you" is killing your farm sales, and what to do instead How to shift your mindset from passive housewife to confident business leader The exact phrase that helped Julie stop being intimidated by inspectors, vendors, and gatekeepers Why pricing your products at the real cost is an act of service, not greed How to build a family schedule that supports your business instead of derailing it What changes when you start seeing marketing as serving your customers instead of selling to them Key Moments from the Conversation Sitting at the Kitchen Table, Lost Julie shares what was happening in her life when she first encountered Charlotte's free farm marketing workshop — homeschooling her children, grieving the loss of her husband, and feeling completely lost about the direction of her business. The Conference That Changed Everything Julie describes walking into the Modern Homesteaders Conference and going from 14 email signups the previous year to 44 in a single day. Her kids looked at her and said, "Who are you, mom? You're acting like dad." Becoming the Squeaky Wheel The coaching call that changed everything. Julie shares how Charlotte helped her stop being passive with the meat inspector and become "the squeaky wheel" — leading to her wholesale meat license arriving in two weeks instead of months. Tripling Sales in One Year Julie breaks down the actual numbers: from $98 in total sales the year before joining the program to $15,600 in her first year, with meat sales tripling specifically. The Pricing Conversation How Julie sat down with the math, faced the discomfort of charging $17 a pound for lamb, and discovered she was actually charging less than competitors when averaged across all cuts. Marketing as Service The mindset that transformed Julie's selling: "How can I serve one person today?" and how this turned everyday conversations, including with her hairstylist, into customer relationships. Time Management with 8 Kids at Home Julie's brilliant adaptation of the time management system: building one master schedule that includes her entire family, not just herself. Notable Quotes from Julie Hackman "I had not really a clear idea of what I wanted to do or how to do it, and I had no confidence at all." "Are you okay, mom? What happened to you? You're acting like dad." "Now I feel like we're a team. I understand that other people have problems too. It's not so much being the squeaky wheel as just reminding them you're there." "It's a lot more rewarding than just 'I need to go sell meat.' Now it's 'I can go help somebody today.'" "What you're going to get out of it is probably going to be a lot more than what you're going to put into it financially." About Julie Hackman Julie Hackman is the owner of Belmont Springs Ranch in Lavina, Montana, where she raises pasture-based lamb and direct-sells meat to families across the region. She is the mother of 19 children, grandmother of 7, and continues to homeschool the children still at home while running her farm business. After the loss of her husband, Julie joined The Profitable Farmer program in April 2025 and has tripled her meat sales while building the confidence and skills to lead her family business forward. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Farm Marketing Week — Seven Days of Free Marketing Expertise: charlottemsmith.com/masterclass The Profitable Farmer — Charlotte's signature marketing and mindset mastery program for farmers: charlottemsmith.com/mastery The Power of One — the marketing principle that first caught Julie's attention in Charlotte's free workshop - taught during Farm Marketing Week Who This Episode Is For This episode is for you if you're a woman farmer who has been the supporter and now finds yourself needing to lead. If you've experienced loss, grief, or major life transition and wonder if you can still build something meaningful. If you're a mother trying to balance farming, family, and your own dreams. If you've been hesitant to invest in yourself and your business. If you're tired of waiting passively for customers and ready to learn how to actively build a profitable farm. If you're a homeschooling parent looking for proof that you can build a business alongside teaching your children. If you've ever felt like you're "not the leader type" and need to hear from someone who became one anyway. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Who is Julie Hackman? A: Julie Hackman is a sheep farmer in Lavina, Montana, who owns Belmont Springs Ranch. She is a mother of 19 children and joined Charlotte Smith's Profitable Farmer program after losing her husband of 30 years. In her first year in the program, she tripled her meat sales and built the confidence to lead her family farm business forward. Q: How did Julie Hackman triple her meat sales? A: Julie tripled her meat sales by applying the marketing strategies taught in The Profitable Farmer program. Specifically, building her email list at events by initiating conversations with customers, learning to price her lamb at sustainable rates, taking action to obtain her meat licenses, and shifting her mindset from passive selling to actively serving her customers. Q: What is Belmont Springs Ranch? A: Belmont Springs Ranch is a family-run sheep farm in Lavina, Montana, owned by Julie Hackman. The ranch raises pasture-based lamb and direct-sells meat to families across the region. Q: What is The Profitable Farmer program? A: The Profitable Farmer is Charlotte Smith's signature marketing and mindset coaching program for women farmers. It teaches farm marketing, time management, and mindset coaching to help women build profitable, sustainable farm businesses. Q: What is Farm Marketing Week? A: Farm Marketing Week is a free annual masterclass hosted by Charlotte Smith. It's an opportunity to learn the core marketing strategies that have helped farmers like Julie triple their sales and to meet the community of farmers in The Profitable Farmer program. Sign up at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass. Q: How can I keep going on my farm after losing my spouse? A: This episode of The Profitable Mindset Podcast features Julie Hackman, a widow and mother of 19 who continued building her farm business after the loss of her husband of 30 years. She shares the practical mindset shifts, business skills, and community support that helped her keep going, and growing, through grief. Connect with Charlotte Sign up for Farm Marketing Week at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass. Subscribe and Review If this episode moved you, please share it with a woman in your life who needs to hear it. Subscribe to The Profitable Mindset Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And consider leaving a review. Your reviews help other farmers find this work.
