Pioneer Mindset

Hosted by Garrett Ruskamp

Business Entrepreneurship EducationInterviews guests

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Episodes

123

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to Pioneer Mindset! A podcast for rural ag business owners who want to challenge their mindset and address the discomfort in their business and personal lives by finding clarity resulting in bold conviction. Your host, Garrett Ruskamp, is a 5th generation farmer, husband and father from rural Nebraska. In the last 10 years of farming, he has experienced many challenges that business owners face on a day to day basis that stem from disorganization and being financially unaware. He understands the weight of uncertainty that comes from operating in a state of mind triggered by these struggles. Join Garrett as he shares his journey of the struggles he's faced in agriculture as a farmer and family man. He will dive into honest conversations to tackle the mindsets surrounding these issues, that will ultimately help you gain control leading to a profitable and sustainable business. For more conviction through clarity, follow Garrett Ruskamp on Instagram (@garrettruskamp) or Facebook (Garrett Ruskamp).

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 12334 min

E123 | The Hard Truth About Bringing the Next Generation Back to the Operation

Episode Summary Coming from the son of the father who tried to get his son back to the operation, it's a tough thing to wrap your head around that if it wasn't for me, the farm would not have had to endure such hardships. But also, if it wasn't for me, the farm would not have survived. In this episode, I take you back through the full story of our operation.Where we were before I came back to the farm, the expansion that changed everything, the debt that piled up, and the rooms I sat in that I never want to sit in again. The attorney. The banker. The farm crisis hotline. My wife. My parents. All of us trying to figure out if the Ruskamp legacy was going to make it to the fifth generation. I'm not sharing this to point fingers or earn sympathy. I'm sharing it because somebody listening to this right now is in the same room I was in. And they need to hear that no one is coming to save them and that's actually okay. Because life happens for you, not to you. Key points from this week's episode: Know your numbers before you bring the next generation back, not after The workload conversation and the financial conversation are not the same thing Expanding too fast without the right structure can snowball in ways you don't see coming No one is coming to save you. Ownership is what turns things around. Life happens for you, not to you. That mindset shift changes everything. The hardships are what make you, don't waste them Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

June 9, 2026Episode 12236 min

E122 | How Much Equipment Do You Actually Need?

Episode Summary Here's a question most farmers never stop to ask: how much equipment do you actually need? If you can reduce your overhead, you're giving yourself a raise. So why do we keep signing up for the opposite? This episode is a direct challenge to one of the most deeply ingrained habits in agriculture, the automatic reinvestment of profits back into equipment. I dive into why we do it, how we justify it and what it's actually costing us. Not just in payments, but in the capital we could be putting to work somewhere else. I share some honest thoughts from our own operation, including a tractor we bought with cash that may not have been the best use of capital, a ranch out west that looked rough on the surface but was one of the best-run operations around and the phrase that's been on repeat in my head: those that win are able to figure out what they can do without. This isn't anti-equipment. It's pro-business. And there's a difference. In this week's episode: Reducing overhead is the closest thing to a guaranteed raise in farming We're often reinvesting into assets that depreciate and calling it building equity The justification game is one farmers always win but we're asking the wrong question Better question: is this the best use of capital? It's hard to look around in lean times and not see the cost of past good times Take off the farmer hat and put on the business owner hat Those that win figure out what they can do without Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

June 2, 2026Episode 12136 min

E121 | Should Farmers Share Equipment? My Honest Hot Take

Episode Summary I was in the sprayer the other day and a thought hit me: should farmers actually be sharing equipment? So I took the question to social media and the responses came flying in. Some people swore by it. Some said it had blown up in their faces. Others said it depends entirely on who you're doing it with. In this episode, I dive into that question head on and talk about the real economics behind equipment ownership and why the math doesn't always work the way we want it to. We get into the different ways sharing can actually look on a farm, the struggles that almost always come up and what it actually takes to make it work long term. I also share our own experience co-owning a sprayer: the good, the hard, and what changed when the dynamic shifted. Because here's the honest truth: sharing equipment works until it doesn't. And knowing the difference ahead of time is everything. This one is practical and worth a listen if you've ever thought about whether there's a smarter way to manage your equipment costs without giving up control of your operation. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

May 26, 2026Episode 12056 min

E120 | The Freedoms We Take for Granted: A Memorial Day Conversation with Tyler Sharp

Episode Summary Happy Memorial Day and what better way to honor it than by sitting down with someone who actually lived it. This week I brought on my good friend Tyler Sharp, Southwest Kansas native, former private security contractor, 22-year fire department veteran, and owner of Sharp Shooting Supply. In this episode, Tyler opens up about going overseas to Kandahar, Afghanistan as a precision overwatch contractor in his early twenties, the firefight that sent him home and the long road back to faith and purpose. He also talks about what he's built since, a thriving gun store, a deep commitment to his community, and a perspective on gratitude that stops you in your tracks. This one is raw, real, and a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy on a holiday weekend came at a cost most of us will never fully understand. In this week's Memorial Day episode with Tyler Sharp: Sacrifice looks different for everyone and it deserves our respect Asking for help isn't weakness, bottling it up doesn't work The change that pulls you out of a dark place often comes through the people closest to you Faith, community, and purpose are powerful tools for putting the pieces back together Building a business on relationships and customer service will always stand apart Gratitude for the sunrise is a practice, not a feeling Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Tyler: Follow Tyler on Facebook Follow Tyler on YouTube Sharps Shooting Supply Website Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

May 19, 2026Episode 11940 min

E119 | Don't Let the Farm Win at the Expense of Everything Else

Episode Summary This is part three of our series on the real stressors of the busy season. We talked about the weight of the workload. We talked about keeping the business from falling apart. Now we're getting into the one thing most farmers won't admit is suffering until it's already broken: the work and family life balance. In this episode, I get honest about the realities of trying to be a good farmer, a good husband, and a good father all at the same time. I talk about why we work the way we do, where that comes from, and why "we'll do it later" is one of the most dangerous things we can say to the people we love most. I also share a different way to think about balance, not as a scale that needs to be perfectly even, but as a checking account. Are you making more deposits than withdrawals? Because the busy season has a way of draining that account fast, and most of us don't notice until we're already in the red. At the end of the day, we say this is all for our kids and our family. But if we're never around to build something they actually want to be a part of, what's it really all for? Key Takeaways: Balance isn't a scale, think of it like a checking account Make deposits before the busy season starts making withdrawals It's the change in your presence that hits hardest, not the absence itself Be aware, communicate, and build your non-negotiables as a family Allow yourself to quit, the work will always be there None of it gets better by accident, it takes intention Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

May 12, 2026Episode 11831 min

E118 | You Wouldn't Not Check Your Crops, Why Wouldn't You Do The Same With Your Business?

Episode Summary The farm will take every minute you have and every dollar you own. And right now, in the middle of the busy season, it's doing exactly that. This is part two of a three-part series on the stressors we're all carrying this time of year. Last week, I talked about the weight of the workload. This week, I want to talk about what quietly happens to your farm business when you're only focused on the fields. The bills that pile up. The marketing move you meant to make. The invoice you forgot to send. The crop plan you threw out the window because you just needed to keep moving. These things don't feel urgent when the sun is shining and your neighbor's planter is already rolling but they add up fast, and they can cost you more than you realize. In this episode, I get honest about the emotional decisions we make in the middle of the season, why the business side is always the first thing to slide, and what you can actually do about it without pulling yourself out of the tractor on a good day. Because if you wouldn't go a month without checking on the crop, you can't afford to go a month without checking on the business either. Key points from this week's episode: The small things slip first: don't let them Markets, bills, and decisions don't stop because you're busy Pause, detach, and don't make quick emotional decisions Build a plan and know what's important versus what's urgent Think back to your goals, are your actions actually aligned? Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

May 4, 2026Episode 11727 min

E117 | What's Actually Important on the Farm Right Now?

Episode Summary In this episode, I talk about something most of us just push through without ever stopping to address: the weight of the workload and what it actually costs us when we let it run unchecked. The endless to-do list, the weather decisions, the breakdowns, the mental load of trying to do everything right. It adds up fast. And if we're not careful, it quietly robs us of the very thing that made us fall in love with this life in the first place. This is part one of a three-part series on the stressors we're all carrying right now. I get into the difference between what's truly important and what just feels urgent, why we tend to chase productivity over progress, and how staying present with what actually matters, in the business and at home, can help us carry that weight a little better. Because at the end of the day, we've only got so many seasons. Let's make sure we're actually showing up for them. Key Takeaways: The busy season has a cost, know what it's taking from you Important and urgent are not the same thing Always do what's important first Productivity isn't the same as progress Stay present with what matters, both in the field and at home Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

April 28, 2026Episode 11636 min

E116 | The Most Overlooked Metric on Your Farm

Episode Summary Last week I traded one hour of my time for $7,900. Not from some big investment or a lucky break but just by showing up to my annual farm insurance renewal meeting and being willing to ask a few questions. In this episode, I talk about return on time (ROT) and why it might be the most overlooked metric in your operation. We grind through long days, early mornings, and late nights, but most of us have never stopped to ask: what is my time actually worth? And more importantly, am I spending it on the things that matter most? I share a few examples from our own operation, including signing up for an NRCS program and the decision we made to sell our cow herd, and how return on time played into both of those. I also get honest about the fact that I'm still very much in the middle of figuring this out myself. This episode isn't about optimizing every minute. It's about being more intentional with the hours you have and remembering that not every return shows up in your bank account. Key takeaways: Track Your Time Prioritize Your Tasks Plan Your Day Delegate to Protect Your Operation Schedule Quiet Time, It's More Valuable Than You Think Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

April 20, 2026Episode 11534 min

E115 | The Fertilizer Audit: Stretching Your Biggest Input Dollar

Episode Summary Fertilizer can represent 10 to 20% of total input costs and yet many operations are still running the same rates, with the same suppliers, year after year without questioning whether that money is actually working as hard as it could be. In this week's episode, I dive into some figures within our own operation and how smarter agronomy, supplier shopping, and efficiency-focused thinking can add up to real, meaningful savings.This episode challenges you to find just 5 to 10% improvement in your own operation. In this week's episode on cutting fertilizer costs: Start with better soil data Use an independent agronomist Shop multiple suppliers Poor man's variable rate technology Book fertilizer in the fall Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

April 14, 2026Episode 11431 min

E114 | Profit First: Flipping the Farm Business Mindset

Episode Summary I recently talked with Mary Jo Irmen from Farming Without the Bank and this week I'm reflecting on that conversation, diving into one of the most fundamental and often overlooked mindset shifts in farm business management: evaluating which expenses are truly a need versus a want. This episode challenges you to flip the traditional income-minus-expenses equation on its head. I also touch on concepts from Mike Michalowicz's book Profit First. This episode offers practical examples, honest self-reflection, and challenges you to examine the fear and generational conditioning that can keep farmers from making hard but necessary financial decisions. Highlights from this week's episode: The "Profit First" flip Life insurance and investing as priorities, not afterthoughts Need vs. want, line by line Scarcity vs. abundance mindset Fear and generational conditioning Uncomfortable now or uncomfortable later Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!