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In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, I sit down with longtime friend and FarmHouse brother Jim Bishop for a conversation that took a different turn than originally planned — and ended up right where it needed to go.

Instead of focusing heavily on farm stories, Jim and I explore leadership, identity, burnout, and the human side of work. Drawing from Jim’s experience in executive leadership development and my own experiences navigating leadership in agriculture and business, we talk candidly about why work often “sucks,” how cultures drift away from humanity, and what it costs when leaders lose touch with themselves and the people they lead.

This conversation also serves as a natural companion to my recent episode with Mark Voors. Where that discussion explored leadership and growth from the bottom up, this episode continues the thread from the executive and C-suite perspective — together forming a broader reflection on leadership and personal development.

It’s a more reflective, philosophical episode than usual — a different rhythm — but an honest one. If you’ve ever wrestled with expectations, burnout, or what it really means to lead well, this conversation will likely hit close to home.

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In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim sits down with longtime friend, fellow FarmHouse brother, and ag-industry leader Mark Voors for a conversation that blends leadership, personal growth, faith, and the deep internal work that shapes a meaningful career.

Mark’s path has taken him from FFA State Officer, to roles with John Deere, Monsanto, Cargill, and ultimately to his current position at Beck’s Hybrids. But the titles only scratch the surface. What Mark shares in this conversation is much more personal:

• how coaching—not managing—became his true calling
• what confidence really means in sales and leadership
• how organizations unintentionally limit the people they rely on most
• the moment a painful performance review shifted the entire trajectory of his life
• the difficult but necessary move from head knowledge to heart knowledge in his faith
• why internal reflection is often harder than any job we work in agriculture

This is an episode grounded in honesty and growth. Mark speaks openly about pride, shame, career pivots, spiritual clarity, and the courage it takes to look inward when life demands it.

If you’ve ever wrestled with purpose, leadership, self-worth, or the quiet pull toward something deeper, Mark’s story will meet you right where you are.

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In this episode of Patio Pondering, Jim sits down with longtime friend, FarmHouse fraternity brother, and Purdue Dairy Judging Coach Brian Engleking to explore a life shaped by dairy cattle, youth leadership, and an unexpected medical crisis that forced him to rebuild from the ground up.

Brian shares his journey from growing up on a small Indiana dairy farm to becoming a Holstein classifier, evaluating more than 250,000 cows across 47 states and several countries. He reflects on how those years on the road shaped his eye for cattle, his understanding of the dairy industry, and his appreciation for the people who make agriculture work.

The conversation turns deeply personal as Brian describes the brain bleed that ended his classification career and required him to relearn basic motor skills. With honesty and clarity, he talks about the frustration, fatigue, faith, and perspective that emerged from that season of rebuilding.

Today, Brian has found his second dream job as the coach of the Purdue Dairy Judging Team, where he mentors college students in livestock evaluation, reasons, communication, and confidence.

Together, Jim and Brian discuss:

• What dairy farmers really look for when evaluating cows
• How FFA, 4-H, and dairy judging shape work ethic and leadership
• Why real conversation still matters in a phone-driven world
• How adversity can reorder a life and reveal a new calling
• The lessons agriculture teaches about resilience, purpose, and starting again

If you enjoy agriculture stories that blend livestock, leadership, and life perspective, this episode will resonate deeply.