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We're going behind the scenes to see and understand modern agriculture, because no matter whether you're in it or not, you probably don't know all the pieces to just how incredible, diverse and multi-layered agriculture is. We do this by uncovering the real stories, experiences and voices of modern agriculture.
Oli Le Lievre 0:00
The Better Business series is supported by the farm business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's future drought Fund, and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Across these next few weeks and episodes, we're going behind the scenes and chatting to some people who are making some serious impact in inroads across Australia. And they're not just limited to agriculture. Our aim is to uncover what's worked for them, discuss their learnings, and through their stories provide ways for you to get some of those aha moments or things that might be able to benefit you, your business and your community. Welcome back. I'm sitting on wall around country as part of this podcast and I'm really excited for you to hear today's guests. Over this series, we've chatted to some really interesting and fascinating people understanding how they've approached various aspects within their business, whether that's been Business Management communication succession. And today, I'm incredibly excited to welcome Bay, Litchfield and Ed Bradley. They are joining us from new comer at the property that they run called Hazel Dean. Now in this first part of this two part episode with them, we'll be understanding a little bit about their backgrounds, what their drivers are, a little bit about the business and the history of that is Hazel Dean, who's involved in it today and how they actually have managed going through family succession, as well as some professionalization that they've had within the business including the appointment of a board, regular strategy and various meetings, and how they approach communication. Let's get into it.
Welcome to the Better Business series. This series is sponsored by the farm business Resilience Program. Through the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Across the next few weeks and episodes, we're sitting down with different people from Grace Brennan apart from the bush. Today, we're sitting down with Ed Bradley and B. Litchfield to find out a little bit more about their business Hazelden, Litchfield and what it's like in the modern age. Welcome, guys. Good to have you here.
Unknown Speaker 1:58
Thanks. So thanks, Ollie.
Unknown Speaker 1:59
Good to be here.
Oli Le Lievre 2:01
First question. Let's just hit the ground running. How are you both feeling about being on the podcast?
Unknown Speaker 2:05
I think it was an honor to be asked very happy to be here.
Speaker 2 2:08
I'm a little nervous. Yeah, always was this, I want to know what you don't want and not know what you sound like.
Oli Le Lievre 2:17
No, it'd be fun. I've somehow managed to keep doing it. So if I can do it, anyone can. But for you guys, you're down in that little pocket of the Minero. How are things going down there? Let's chat seasons. How's it all looking for you?
Speaker 3 2:31
Well, at this time of the year, it's always getting a little bit tight on the feed front. It's looking pretty wintry. Got a lot of cattle feed around. But yeah, stock feed us our moving factor right now.
Oli Le Lievre 2:43
And I've always wondered about you too. Are you guys skiers? Are you that close to the ski slopes? They don't really go?
Unknown Speaker 2:48
Well, we asked he is but it's it is the latter. We can we can ski well, but we don't see very often.
Oli Le Lievre 2:55
Oh, when you do I'm sure you make account. Because your husband and wife partnership, you've got two young boys. But but can you just run us through a little bit about Hazel then and the history of the business and what it's like today?
Speaker 3 3:09
Yep. So Hazel reign has been very much a family business. It was established in 1865 with a Merino stud. And then the Angus dad was established in 96. And we've been running commercial sheep and commercial cattle alongside stuffed animals for I'm the sixth generation, we were the first dad to start objective measurement in the sheep. And so that's been a, you know, fundamental part of our business and breeding program has always been very much numbers and data driven decisions. And I guess like the motto of the family has always been, you know, innovation. So that's sort of been part of breeding with new technologies. And when the new technology was objective measurement, and now we're using DNA testing, and a lot of AI work and at work to get us as quick a genetic gain as we can. So, you know, we're just continuing on trying to breed the best animals for the Merino industry and the Angus industry today.
Oli Le Lievre 4:17
I think I remember reading, like a couple of years ago, was it your grandfather, who was gonna say, Uber progressive in terms of his approach, I think was awarded numerous things for it as well. Can you tell me a little bit about you can follow? Yeah. So
Speaker 3 4:29
he was he Yes, he was Uber innovative. And it was at a time where there was a fair bit of pushback on even though it was a very new concept breeding with objective measurement and, you know, recording weights and recording in the sheep game, particularly the police tests and, and using that all through a computer based program to produce breeding values. So it was very new. And you know, there was a lot of people that were quite anti, that sort of progression. And he was amazing because he was is a very, he's just the sort of pinnacle of a gentleman. But he was very strong in his leadership in that he knew that that's the way of the future. And that was the best way to be breeding animals. And he really stuck to it and sort of was a, what's it called pioneer pioneer? Yes.
Oli Le Lievre 5:16
And so who's involved in the business today, but
Speaker 3 5:18
so there's my dad, who's a managing director. And then there's myself and Edie, we've got another four managers across the farms. And then, you know, we've got station hands and other crew.
Oli Le Lievre 5:33
And so within that for yourself, and Ed like, so your old man's managing director? Are you guys in sitting at the level overseeing all the other business owners call them business unit?
Speaker 3 5:43
Yes. Without Yeah, yeah, we are. That's where we're at. And it's, I mean, we're at a stage now with, I suppose this sort of transition between the roles and responsibilities where, you know, just trying to be across everything as a collective at this point in time.
Oli Le Lievre 5:58
And it I'm interested in your background, I know, you're at Marcus Oldham, I think and studied equine. And then you've had various different roles in the racing industry, meat, livestock, etc. What is your background?
Speaker 2 6:11
Yeah, so you right, I was at moccasin 2011. And then went to Sydney and finished a Bachelor of Commerce up there and go to uni in the evenings and settle up young racehorses early in the mornings at Randwick. For the Waterhouse family that was really good. Very testing, you push the boundaries on sleep, and via finished uni and facade just step out of the racing gig and hopped into a make trading role for a company named river leafs and big pig farming group need Corowa the JBS now owns, so did a couple of years there. And meanwhile, my redheaded girlfriend from la madera had given me a tap on the shoulder and said, How about you come down and do a few weeks cattle work? And we did. And then that turned into how about you come down and join the crew, sat down with future father in law talked about how that would work and the expectations and rough plan. And few years later, we got married and then not long after we had first baby boy. And here we are.
Oli Le Lievre 7:24
Simple as that. Oh, no, was. With the rising side of things like a real interest, it was a kind of a hobby that was filling the stop gap between coming back into egg.
Speaker 2 7:37
Oh, that was really interest, I was pretty committed to the thoroughbred game. And I had a long time searching for good job. And it kind of never came across for me, I just probably didn't get the progression that I got. So I probably got turned off at a bit and ag was beckoning, and a few more doors opened. And yeah, I didn't really go to my master plan from when I was 18 really been. And so the twists and turns of life, I suppose.
Oli Le Lievre 8:05
I fell in love. What about for you because you came home fairly young. But what are you doing beforehand?
Speaker 3 8:11
So I Why did my first year you end up at Ahmed Ali una which I had an absolute ball. And then I transferred to Sydney Uni and did three years back science there. And then I worked for her side, Australia for a little while before coming home. I did come home a little bit earlier than first anticipated just, I mean, like anything, it's about timing. And it was sort of a few things happened at home and I had to come home and be early. And then I expected
Oli Le Lievre 8:42
that was the plan always like from when you were a teenager choosing what degrees you were studying. Was it always to end up back at home? Or did you kind of have this vague area?
Speaker 3 8:52
Yeah, I mean, I've always, you know, find it really funny, you know, growing up with siblings, you're all under the same roof. You know, that same parents same environment, essentially. But I suppose it is just genetic, if you're into it or not, and what your interests are. And I've just always been really keen on everything to do with the farm, and particularly animals. I didn't want to be a bit for a while, but then I decided that, you know, I probably need to broaden through agriculture to get the skills I need to come home. But yeah, I mean, I used to wait outside the stables and go out with managers weighing carts before school when I was you know, in the dead of winter, when I was in primary school earlier and my preference is you couldn't think of anything worse, but that was just what I like doing. So I don't know. It's just I suppose it's just in your not
Oli Le Lievre 9:36
by God. Got from a different cloth. Tell me a little bit more about your siblings. So like, are they involved in the business now? Or what are they up to?
Speaker 3 9:47
No, they're not. So my brother is well, he actually studied law and was very good at it. But then he decided that his interest was in filmmaking. So he is currently working on a few A series in, you know, trying to get his career going as a director. And my sister is She's recently just had a baby. And she has been very involved in sort of interior architecture. And you know, she's quite a creative person. So we are all quite different.
Oli Le Lievre 10:17
Very different. All three of you. Yeah. And let's chat about succession with you guys like it. we've chatted off air a little bit, it really has been part of the conversation for quite some time in your family. Is that right?
Speaker 3 10:28
Yeah, that's right. I mean, I think I suppose that comes with a business that has got so many generations in there, you know, so we're always known the story of, you know, your grandfather, great grandfather, the history of the family. So it's always sort of been understood that the person that does take on the farming business essentially gets the lion's share. But it's not, you know, it's the work of generations. So it's been very much on understanding that if you bend, you know, the hard work that goes behind it, as well. So it's not like you're getting more than what the others are getting. It's more you know, what you're in for, and, you know, they know what they're in for if they decide to come home or not come home, if that makes sense. So it's always been sort of talked about it what everyone wants to do.
Oli Le Lievre 11:16
And so was that part of literally conversations around the dinner table? Or did you guys from a young age, were you included in some of the business type conversations that were happening?
Speaker 3 11:26
It's been well, it's sort of been around the dinner table. But it's, then, you know, we've been included in like, we've got board board meetings twice a year. And I suppose I would have been me and my brother would have been going to the board meetings since I don't know, he must have been 21. Also, when he started going, and he doesn't, he's not actually coming to any of the board meetings anymore, because he sort of made the decision that he didn't really want to be involved. But that was originally we were both present at the board meetings, you know, early 20s.
Oli Le Lievre 11:56
So who's involved in that board? And is that something that your dad implemented? Was it something that you grandfather kind of brought in
Speaker 3 12:02
was something that I my dad brought in just to give a bit more structure? And, you know, a bit more advice into the business? Yeah. So currently, we've got Sandy moquette grin from aggregate ag on the board and our accountant from Canberra, who's also on our board, klenow. Solomon. And
Oli Le Lievre 12:22
so like, I'm interested in these, the board meetings is that, like, what are you guys covering? Without going into specifics? Like, is it where the business is today? In 12 months, five years? What does that actually look like for you guys?
Speaker 3 12:33
I mean, that's yeah, the purpose of it is to provide the strategy of the business and where we want to be going. And it's basically how I tracking and where we want to be going. And any opportunities that you know, we can capitalize off, capitalize on.
Oli Le Lievre 12:48
And for you, let's chat about being the inlet or coming into a family business, talk me through it, like it's pretty big decision to go from turning up doing some cattle work for a few weeks to actually pursue your career.
Speaker 2 12:59
Yeah, it is it um, it's definitely not a regular job. And you there's a lot more at stake. You can't like if you're in you're in, there's no there isn't out but there isn't like you kind of if it didn't work, it would leave more of a mess as if you're resigned at a normal job. Not that I want to resign it. It needs to be
Speaker 3 13:25
structured. Like a clean cut, listen to boss, but he's only a boss, if your boss and he's your father in law, a lot more relationships, a
Speaker 2 13:34
lot more relationships, and the Yukon of your family. You're all on the one farm together, spend a lot of time together at family, you know, Christmas, Easter social things. And it's important to try and I think segregate work stuff from just the family as well. The beauty of it is is it is ultra dynamic. There's literally nothing you can't do you get like, because you're the key decision makers right there. And everyone is so invested. It's your whole life. It's your last name. I think it's an unbeatable structure. You're kind of like a diamond tip on it, but it's kind of it's a bit more complex than a regular job. So yeah, I think I've kind of understood that fairly well getting into it and Amanda luckily for me, the business probably needed someone in sales. And I'd done a bit of it and I don't mind talking to people. So we call that
Oli Le Lievre 14:27
lock or like the Litchfield
Speaker 2 14:30
you know, I'm in a group there's big opportunity to grow the product is phenomenal. And we probably needed more man hours put into the sales part of it. And so I was yeah, really lucky that there was an opportunity there and I think realizing you're anyone doing it can realize a skill set and find an opportunity hopefully that you can apply your little skill set to a whole new business or someone can you know, they make room but I think You've got an opportunity to go where you naturally can go. Helps.
Speaker 3 15:04
That's been a critical part of the success of freeing, freeing the war in
Oli Le Lievre 15:11
the in law outlaw. Like for you, that would help you so much more with finding your feet in a business going actually, well, I know how to sell. And I can see where the business and family is going. But you actually didn't kind of have to just, I guess conform to what was already happening, you actually could make your own steak that was valuable.
Speaker 2 15:31
Yeah. And that was pretty clear, probably from the get go. So yeah, that was really lucky. I think
Oli Le Lievre 15:37
a question around your succession is part of your family conversations. How do you guys approach it? Like, is it part of your business planning and your business communications as well, in terms of that, I guess, the evolution that's going to be from your dad be through to you both?
Speaker 2 15:50
Yeah, I mean, the board meeting, it's always a pretty topical board meeting agenda. It has a lot to do with the accountants and every meeting with accounts, it's always there. And we're pretty lucky that these that Jim is pretty forward thinking with it. And, you know, has it's been in the pipeline for five years, at least already, like things actually happening, which is really good. And he'll he can kind of enable some type of city ease into retirement whenever he feels like and everyone's across different roles to pick up slack where you know, if someone wants to be away or switch roles, and yeah, I think as long as people are forthcoming to change, it's easy,
Oli Le Lievre 16:28
easier. How do you guys manage that? When you say, yeah, when people are forthcoming to to change? Is that part of like, the types of people you recruit? Is it how you guys communicate with them? Like, how do you actually get them on board?
Unknown Speaker 16:40
across the whole business? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 16:42
it's a culture of it.
Speaker 3 16:43
I think it is a culture. And I think it's, you sort of got to walk the talk a little bit like, you know, if you're new, I mean, there's been things when I've, I mean, I've been very lucky, when I first came home, for example, you know, we didn't have any electronics tags in the sheep. And, you know, I said, I think we should get electronic tags in the sheet. And, you know, Dad said, no worries, you just do it, and look after it. So he's been very lucky in that, from very early on, he's allowed us to make changes where we see value. And I think that sort of flows through the business too. Because if you say, Okay, we're gonna change this, and you're changing it, obviously, for a good reason. And then the results show an improvement in you know, whether it's efficiency or productivity, whatever it is, you know, it that sort of the culture of, if you want to make a change, that's fine. So long as it's improving something, then that flows through everyone else that's working in the team. And I think being a thing a younger team, we've got a pretty young team to like, there's a lot of, you know, fresh ideas and just fresh attitudes, I guess, that does help with, you know, being able to facilitate change, and, and, you know, make implement change. Yeah.
Oli Le Lievre 17:52
That's super empowering. Like when people actually feel like they're going to be listened to, but actually can contribute in a way that, yeah, if they can see a better way to do something, the feedback will actually be acted upon if they can kind of articulate how it's gonna benefit the business or other people or whatever it might be. Yeah, that's it done. Question on communication. I'm asking this because I'm curious, do you guys think and talk a lot between yourselves in terms of how you're going to communicate before it goes out to talking to the team? Or is it something that you guys don't necessarily need to plan as much and it's quite organic?
Speaker 2 18:24
Know, you've got to have a pretty structured approach, and present, especially while we've had kids, and B. Yeah, there's no genuine maternity leave and a business like this. So it's kind of Yeah, babies checking emails the second day, in a hospital bed apples to theirs. Yeah, they, you just got to kind of do your best with as you can. But also make sure that it comes across, especially the staff members in our team, that it's streamlined. And everyone's across it, and messages and WhatsApp groups and stuff like that do a really, really good job of that. And,
Speaker 3 18:59
I mean, we're by no means perfect. I mean, every kind, I feel like anyone's communication can always be better. But we, you know, we like to, we've sort of, I suppose evolved because of having a young family, you've sort of had to involve to make it more clear up for the team. And yes, we do a lot of group messaging, I just try and give as much information as possible. We also have a shared calendar that makes it makes it easier for the team to see what's coming up. I think that sort of empowers people, if they know, broadly, what is coming up in the next couple of weeks, some sort of with life changes, you know, digest what's, you know, what are they in call for next week? You know, I think it helps me you agree with that, it's been a huge help to the business like that's just again, it's more communication, it's having more of the team across you know, when they go master a paddock how many they're meant to be getting, you know, that's and that's also reduced the amount of direct communication that you've got to give if they've got more info question coming from, you know, an app like agri web, which does help the workload I guess,
Oli Le Lievre 20:07
I can't tell you like and little tools like that. But like the amount of anxiety I used to get, I remember, one day, I had to go knock, I was working down the MoMA, and I had to go and remove a whole bunch of like, irrigation pipes are racking for about six hours, I'm shitting, myself and I was in the complete wrong place, pulling these parts out, this is gonna make so much work. Whereas simple tools like agora where you can see where you're at where the mobs or whatever it might be, like, just how beneficial that would actually be for your staff not having to second guess themselves, oh,
Speaker 3 20:36
especially when you've got someone new. And they've like, you know, they hit the ground running, and you're busy. And you just say, Here's your farm map, and you don't go, yeah, you Let's just follow the blue dot. And that's where you
Speaker 2 20:48
are, I think finds everyone that having access to phones all times being huge change, you know, it's really easy to make changes on the fly. And,
Speaker 3 20:58
and it makes it easier to have, you know, perhaps someone that's a little bit less experienced, which is good for the industry, because you need, you've got to train people. If you've got sort of easy to manage tools and easier to sort of navigate systems, then, you know, you can have less experienced people come and do the job, which helps in our current work environment
Oli Le Lievre 21:22
hugely. So couple of things, in terms of, I guess, the systems that you guys brought in, you've got your shared calendars, you've got your group messages. From a business management perspective, you got board meetings twice a year. What other meetings do you guys have with staff daily, weekly? Yeah,
Speaker 2 21:38
we'll catch up with the team, like the direct team on each farm every day, like every morning and pretty much every afternoon or not every year, but I mean, as much as we need to. And then there's monthly managers meetings, lm privly Direct overall planning meetings between us every night from 8pm till 10pm.
Oli Le Lievre 22:00
And like with those meetings, you doing them face to face? Or are they just phone calls? What are they generally or face to face? Yeah, yeah. Well, so like, your four different properties are all quite close to each other. Yes, but the
Speaker 3 22:12
enfant like the onfarm meanings, yeah, the daily that's with the manager and their team. That's not Yeah. But then the managers meetings we're doing, we do them face to face or via zoom with, because we've got two properties I wrote out along. Yeah, right.
Speaker 2 22:28
I think it's important to it's good. It's a lonely game ag sometimes, so the more you can get face to face together, the meetings have always been more productive and valuable, I think.
Oli Le Lievre 22:39
Yeah. So that's it for episode one. Make sure you tune in next week, we'll be bringing episode two live to you next Friday, so make sure you don't miss that one. This series is supported by the farm business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's future drought Fund, and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. And our aim is to sit down and chat with various people who have lived experience in business management, through their stories. It's our aim to share their learnings, their approaches, and how they've supported developing themselves, their businesses and their teams.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai