OFI 700: How Will The Off-Farm Income Podcast Move Forward

Seven Hundred Episodes

Hi Everyone.  Today there is no intro, no outro and no commercials.  I want to have a conversation directly with you about how this show will move forward, so I am leaving all of that out today and focusing just on you and me.  I am going to be asking you for your input at the end of this show.  Please, please, please send me an email, write to me on the Facebook page or call.  This is your show.  I want to know your thoughts.

Here we are, publishing our 700th episode!  This is a crazy number as the episodes just keep piling up.  This has been an absolutely fantastic ride so far, and it has opened a lot of unbelievable doors for yours truly.  I’ve got important questions coming up for you in this episode, so please stick around to hear them and please send me a response.

I had no intention of making a big deal out of our 700th episode.  I was going to wait until we hit 1,000 before I said anything about our numbers.  But having today be our 700th episode has really turned out to be quite a coincidence, as I have been pondering what this show will look like going forward.  And, I decided to come to all of you with my thoughts on this Friday episode.  It wasn’t until I sat down to write this and looked at what episode number this would be that I realized today was milestone episode #700.

The State Of The Off-Farm Income Podcast

I know you are getting the feeling that a shake up is coming.  If you are like me, when somebody makes a change you assume the worst.  Please let me assure you that the Off-Farm Income Podcast is in a great position, and our business is growing.  There are no problems on the business side of things here in Kuna, Idaho.

As a matter of fact, let me give you an update.  2019 is already the best year we have ever had from a download standpoint.  Our numbers have never been stronger.  We have absolutely crushed our records for numbers of downloads in a month and average downloads per month.  And, we have already crushed our record for downloads in a year, and we have three months yet to count.  So, thank you for that.  I know that this is all because of you.

Our sponsorships are strong, and I have other companies inquiring about advertising to you on this show.  As always, I will only advertise for companies that I use, know and trust.  As a result, right now we are testing out products for three prospective advertisers.  I don’t know if we will end up advertising for any of them, but we have never had product at our place from this many interested advertisers at one time before.

The other aspects of our business are going well also.  The D&B Supply Show is going strong, and the rest of my custom podcasting business is strong with more work in the pipeline.  All of our steers are under contract, and the farm is getting to where I want it to be.  And, Autumm’s job is going well, and she continues to succeed in her career.

So, please don’t worry that there is any danger of this show going away.  That is not a concern at all.

Should We Evolve 

So here is the question that I have for all of you.  Should the Off-Farm Income Podcast evolve?  Let me tell you what I mean by “evolve”.

I have devoted this show to the topic of entrepreneurship and small businesses in agricultural for five years and 700 episodes now.  99% of the episodes that I have ever published have been on the topic of entrepreneurship in agriculture.  My intention when I started this show was to provide all of you the tools you would need to support your farming endeavors through entrepreneurship.

Like I always say, I really believe we need to teach and use entrepreneurship to be able to be on our farms when we need to be and to be able to buy farm ground where the price reflects its production capability.  And of course, I suggest using entrepreneurship to support your farms because it allows you a flexible schedule, and it might be the only way to make money in the areas where find reasonable land prices.

I still believe all of that, I still want to be a voice for entrepreneurship in agriculture and that will always be the foundation of the Off-Farm Income Podcast.  However, this is also a limiting factor for the show.  I have had a number of people come to me with great stories for the show that I could profile, but I have rejected them because they did not fit into the entrepreneurship parameters that I had set when we first launched.

So, when I picture an “evolution” of the Off-Farm Income Podcast, I picture a show that covers a broader array of stories about agriculture and farming.  This does not mean that I would no longer profile great and inspirational agricultural entrepreneurs.  But it would mean that I would also cover other, interesting farming stories that were outside the scope of entrepreneurship.  So, instead of hearing about entrepreneurship every Friday, you would hear about other topics as well.

What Is My Current Vision

As I am imagining this “evolution” here is what I am seeing in my own mind.  I will continue to interview FFA students on Mondays and Wednesdays.  But I would be bringing you all sorts of stories about the FFA, not just entrepreneurship SAE’s.  Rest assured, if you like my FFA episodes, those are not going away.  That is a thrill for me to do every week.

I would also keep my Tuesday episodes, and these would be 100% or at least 99% solo episodes.  I make these shows for those of you who like to hear just me, and to get caught up on what is happening with our farm.  But I do reserve the right to bring a guest onto that episode if I am compelled to do so.

This just leaves the Friday episodes.  I would continue to publish episodes with guests 99% of the time on Fridays, but now I would be covering a wide variety of agriculturally related topics.  This would be the main part of the “evolution”.  This would be the show transforming from the niched podcast that it started out as to a show about agriculture.  This would be me transforming from a person who started a podcast to teach others how I was able to stay home on my farm to a professional agricultural broadcaster who can cover topics outside of his niche.

What About The Entrepreneurs

A major question that needs to be answered here is, will I be abandoning those folks who need entrepreneurship to finally make their farming dreams come true or to continue to farm in an economy that demands off-farm income?

This is the question that I have given the most thought to, and this is where I feel the most responsibility.  I have actually been pondering this question for quite some time.  I am at a point now that if I had to stop podcasting all together and go back to work tomorrow, I would feel like I had done my part for those of you who need information, inspiration or just permission to use entrepreneurship to support your farming dreams.

I started this show because this is what I had been able to do, and I could not find another show out there that was talking about this.  When we started in 2014 I was the only voice focused on this topic, and I have remained the only voice focused on this topic for five years.

Today, I have a catalog of 700 shows that can be accessed for free by anybody who wants to use entrepreneurship.  I have interviewed hundreds of guests who have revealed how they became entrepreneurs, how they make their businesses work and who have offered their advice for other entrepreneurs.  All of this is available on my website in both audio and written format.  In addition to all of that, I am still available to anyone as a coach or consultant.

I believe that I have created something useful for those of you who are looking for a way to achieve the same lifestyle as me.

What About The Name

If I make the change, what about the name?  In your opinion, has the name “Off-Farm Income” become something more than a description of my topic?  Is it a title that you feel warmly about?  Would you be disappointed to see the title of the show change?

Or, is the title too specific to stay the same if I start covering a broader array of agricultural topics and stories?

I would like to keep the title.  To me it really means something, and I am attached to it.  But if you think it would confuse people were I to change to covering a broader range of topics, please let me know.

I Want Your Input 

Please let me know your thoughts on this.  This would mean the world to me.  Here is how you can let me know:

Email me: matt@offincome.com

Write to me on my Facebook Page: LINK

Call me and leave me a message: (208) 298-1544

Thank you all for tuning in and enjoy the episode!

Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard:

Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters