Dear Readers,
I have been busy this summer.
Despite the look of being carefree by unplugging for 4 days, eating ice cream, and enjoying family time at the lake, there has been background noise all summer.
Thought. Plans being laid. A future being sought after. A path being cleared.
A few years ago, when the farm economy started it’s downturn, I was affected too. The income coming in was not as high as it had been for the same reasons that many of you were seeing less coming to your mailboxes as well. This economic climate has been affecting all of us.
This discomfort caused me to think and try to protect my business against the problem.
I realized that I needed to evolve my business to be one that not only provided a product, the Morning Ag Clips, but also provided a service.
My idea was that if I could diversify the ways that I brought in money, it would help in times when forces out of my control took hold.
So I looked for holes. Holes in an area that I could fill.
Being communicators here, the editors and I noticed every day, a lack of press releases, advertising, and consistent newsletter sends from companies and ag organizations.
This was an area where we could help. We found the hole to be filled: Managing the daily communications activity of agricultural organizations. Writing for them, getting their communication priorities in place, and helping them carry out the plan.
Over the last 2 years, that is exactly what we have been doing, slowly growing the newer side of our business. And it’s been working.
So, when I was approached last spring about buying an organization that does just that, provides communication services, I jumped at the opportunity. This was my chance to make a much faster and more significant leap ahead.
With that inquiry came negotiating, planning, strategy for taking on more employees, office space, bookkeeping capacity, etc..
As a result, all of this thought created an undercurrent to my summer. And, although at times it felt to be going against the flow of my waters, I knew that if I just kept swimming parallel to the shoreline, the Riptide that was trying to pull me in the wrong direction would let go, and I would prevail.
So, it is with great relief and excitement that I let you know, before the formal release comes out next week, that The Morning Ag Clips has completed the purchase of that other company.
We are very excited about doing more of the work that we have set out to do while continuing to deliver the most trusted ag news to our subscribers’ inboxes every business morning.
With plans to expand our Morning Ag Clips editions to the northwestern part of the country and offer more services to all of you, we know that we are in for a big year to come.
As I sit back and ponder what all of this means and brainstorm about what the new arm of our communications company might be called, I am in awe. I have to pinch myself because, although this has always been in my mind, the size and scale of this business, it’s always hard to believe that with every step it is being achieved.
I am blessed beyond measure in children, family, friends, and health. May I always stay grounded and thankful, humble and giving. My heart swells so much as I write this to all of you that I could cry.
I appreciate, everyday, the support that I receive. Your emails and even phone calls never cease to fulfill my need for human connection. Please never hesitate to reach out personally. Here we go, together.
Here’s to the summer of 2019! Watch for the press release with more details next week. 🙂
With Love,
Kate
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