Speaking topics

Finding Fairness in Farm Transition

How to manage your farm family’s expectations about inheritance

How does a family define fairness? Is it helping everyone be successful or is it helping the farm be successful after the farm transition?

Fairness keeps founders awake at night. Fairness means different things to different farm team members and the non-farming heirs. Elaine tackles the challenges most families face when trying to be FAIR during the farm transition.

The audience will receive the FAIR (Financial transparency, Attitudes, Intentions, Rebels) model:

Understand the need to unpack financial transparency and the tools to do it (income streams, debt servicing, viability of the farm)
Navigate attitudes towards money by encouraging families to have clarifying conversations about inheritance expectations
Share an easy-to-use framework that will enable farm families to create clear intentions about how important decisions are made
Get insights on what to do with the rebels who are never satisfied as founders shift roles

A farm is not a piece of pie. In today’s agricultural reality, farm families cannot make all of their children economically equal. Equality is no longer part of the transition language.

Elaine’s presentation will give you a new language to manage expectations and navigate finding fairness in farm transition so that everyone will be successful.

As one farmer said “this session gives me the confidence in what I have to go through.”

Contact Elaine to find out how she will make a difference in the lives of your audience.

Book Elaine For Your Next Event

Watch Elaine In Action

Elaine’s books that cover this topic:

Do the Tough Things Right

See Book

Building Your Farm Legacy

See Book

Farm Family Coach Insights

See Book

Discuss the Undiscussabull^TM

Tools for talking about tough issues in life… and farm transfer!

Many farmers ask Elaine “How can we get folks to the table to talk?” Often the conflict and high tension around the uncertainty of the future of the farm is keeping people tense and unsure of how to start courageous conversations.

Yet, it’s the conversations that will give breakthroughs – once you deal with the “bull” in the middle of the room.

A Virginia Tech study of 400 farms found that those farm family businesses that communicate were 21% more profitable. Therefore, talking and creating solutions can make you money!

This session goes over the Discuss the Undiscussabull™ Approach that provides 10 practical steps to start crucial conversations for transition and conflict resolution:

Take charge
Come from curiosity
Ask deeply
Play with possibility
Really listen
Ponder and perk
Cultivate trust
Come to terms with death
Extend the olive branch
Respect boundaries

Conflict is a normal part of farm family business, especially when 2 or 3 generations are trying to figure out a plan that meets their needs. Elaine sees conflict resolution as a “business risk management strategy” and something that anyone can learn to do well.

Elaine’s tools give your audience the strategies they need to improve communication within their farm family. She’ll help audit key challenges. The audience will learn how to deal with resistance and listen to their head, heart, and gut. They will gain insight into tough succession issues to have life-changing conversations – finally!

If you want your audience to learn how to have courageous conversations and create the certainty for the future that they are longing for, let’s connect.

Contact Elaine to find out how she will make a difference in the lives of your audience.

Book Elaine For Your Next Event

Watch Elaine In Action

Elaine’s books that cover this topic:

Do the Tough Things Right

See Book

Building Your Farm Legacy

See Book

Farm Family Coach Insights

See Book

Living an Intentional Life

How to embrace change on your farm with the cycle of renewal

Farmers love farming and they never plan to quit. Their spouses, however, have other ideas!

They are both in different stages of the cycle of renewal, but don’t know it. Their adult children want you to move to town. What are they going to do? Nothing? That doesn’t feel very good!

Elaine’s insights will help audiences locate their current stage on the cycle of renewal map. She will provide action steps they need to take in order to live the life they’ve always wanted.

This session helps farmers identify the following:

What they need to let go of
What they need to hold on to
What they need to take on and move on
How to create action steps for aligning with their goals, getting ready for the next chapter of their life, sorting out what’s not working, and taking time to renew themselves
How to question their many roles in agriculture and choose to live more intentionally with their personal role map

The tools Elaine is using in this talk are based on the research of the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara, where she trained as a certified coach.

This talk is specifically crafted for farmers who are stuck and need to make some life changes as well as women in agriculture who are feeling stressed, overwhelmed and need to let go of what’s not working.

Give your audience the gift of living more intentionally.

Contact Elaine to find out how she will make a difference in the lives of your audience.

Book Elaine For Your Next Event

Watch Elaine In Action

Elaine’s books that cover this topic:

Planting the Seed of Hope

See Book

Farm Family Coach Insights

See Book

Farming’s In-Law Factor

How to have more harmony and less conflict on family farms

It takes courage to admit that everything behind the front door of your farm is not as beautiful as you would like it to be.

Elaine Froese is gifted at talking about the marriage stresses on farms that fuel the fear of divorce. She truly believes that love and respect are key to strong marriages, partnerships, and relationship capital on the farm.

This session is eye-opening and comforting when your audience discovers that they are not alone. Their ‘good’ farm team can become ‘great’ with better conflict resolution skills and more role clarity.

This session will help with the following:

Farm dads to understand how to build respect, trust, and ask for what they need
Farm moms, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws to be seen, have a voice, and stop being the “pig in the middle” of the conflict triangle
Farm successors to stand up for what is right and seek common ground
Farm sons and daughter-in laws to understand family of origin conflict styles and communication
Navigate new language and approaches for positive conflict behaviour
Provide tools for profitable family business meetings while sitting with deep emotions
Outline the key ways to prevent divorce on farms for the young folks as well as the founders

If you’re wanting to empower your audience and give them something they need – not want – this presentation will be “the talk” of your event.

Contact Elaine to find out how she will make a difference in the lives of your audience.

Book Elaine For Your Next Event

Watch Elaine In Action

Elaine’s books that cover this topic:

Farming In-Law Factor

See Book

As Seen In

Rave reviews

“Elaine gives me excellent tools that help me work with my clients!”

Laurianne Osmack, Financial Planner / Partner, Doell Osmak Wealth Management

“She has a sense of “knowing” quickly what is happening in the family dynamic. Her messages to her audiences drive home what needs to be done next to solve the complex issues of farm transition and conflict resolution.”

Audience Member,

“Eye-opening. Excited to open the door of communication with my spouse and farm family.”

Ashley Hoppe, Farm Partner

“The Strong Farms, Strong Families session gave farm families an opportunity to meet face to face with Elaine Froese... hear her own story, experiences and skill set. From this information packed session and related materials, families could identify areas of success in their journey and other places they need assistance. The greatest take away was that participants could see that Elaine Froese is someone they can trust with the things that they hold most precious.... their family and their farm.”

Nancy Atkinson, Nobleford Ag Society, Alberta

“Elaine’s real-life scenarios help her audiences know they are not alone, knowing there are creative solutions to help them get the life on the farm they have always wanted.”

Audience Member,

“A long time female client who had refined the art of procrastination was so moved by the end of your presentation that she accepted your permission to “drop the bananas.” She contacted me soon after for an appointment to do some planning which included the selling of the family “Century Farm.” A very, very emotional decision on her part that was not likely to have occurred without your presentation.”

Don Forbes, Forbes Wealthy Management

“A joy to work with, heard loud and clear. When the farmers laughed or asked a great question, I knew they were listening and really wanted to learn from her. Her tips were easy to understand. It was just about understanding that conflict happens, and to have the confidence in yourself to ask for what you want. In the glowing review from farmers after her presentation, I knew they had heard that loud and clear.”

Maddy Berner, Event Planner & Communications Coordinator, National Milk Producers Federation National Milk Producers Federation

“I just have to say… that your work is amazing and I have never forgotten your teachings from our session in Williams Lake at TRU. It is super important work. I know so many people going through the trauma of succession. I hate to use that word, but I was an “out-law” and know it can get terrible. I continue to forward your emails on to others. Keep doing what you do! You are amazing. You kind of walk into the fire regularly… and with a smile. Proud to have met you.”

Megan, BC Rancher

“I wanted to say a HUGE thank you for your virtual kitchen table chat with Arlan Academy. My wife and I signed up as it was exceptionally relevant to our current journey with potentially transitioning to her parents’ farm. The session was able to cover so many aspects of these crucial conversations and hearing you speak to both sides of the conversation was eye opening for my own perspective on this topic. It seemed to be very well attended and sounded like there were many other people who would echo my thoughts and feelings on it.”

N. Oakley, Farmer, Ontario

“As my husband and I eagerly started the course we were optimistic and excited to be taking this next step in our Farm Transition. We were starting to question ourselves and whether or not we were just being selfish and greedy, and if this Farm Transition was still an option for us. We barely got through the first Module and were already having such a huge relief. As we moved through the modulus there were so many times that we just sat back with our hands in the air and thought YES. My husband and I would smile with relief because all of the concerns that we have been struggling with were relevant and came up in the modules. We really enjoyed the course and are excited to move on to the next stages to find our farm resolution.”

Shannon Gilchrist, “Get Farm Transition Unstuck” online course participant

“Elaine helped me allocate $1 Million of assets the night I listened to her. Elaine’s presentation brings value to the use of my services in my office.”

Don Forbes, Forbes Wealth Management

“My hubby farms with 2 brothers and parents, and it’s become a really toxic place. No communication, no respect, etc. Twelve months ago, my husband’s brothers told him they don’t want to work with him anymore and offered him a pay out. His parents did nothing to stop it! He had no choice but to leave. Three months later, we moved off the farm and into town. He has been offered heaps of jobs and is now truck driving and carting hay and grain. We have tried communicating with his parents about what happened but they are not interested. So basically my hubby has lost his family. Very sad but we as husband and wife are overall in a good place and moving on to create our own life. Please continue on with all your wonderful work in helping families on the farm. I continue to tell any farmers I know about you, that they must ‘google’ you, and read your books.”

Donna, Farmer, Australia

“I recently joined in and listened to your Healthy Farmer Agriwebinar for FMC. I truly enjoyed hearing your perspective and even went and grabbed my Mom, away from her work, to come and listen in on some of your main points as well! One area that really stood out for me, both personally with our own succession plans and with our clients, was your discussion involving "Instant Influence" and how ready are you to change? I loved this concept!”

Annessa Good, FCC Transition Specialist, Alberta

“Elaine Froese truly is the Farm Whisperer. With her big heart and stern resolve, she guides families through uncharted waters and helps them arrive safely at their desired destination. She has been there, done that, and has helped hundreds of families come out on the other side. With your family and your farm legacy on the line, you owe it to yourself to start this conversation. You do not need to do it alone. Let Elaine Froese guide you through. Your legacy is being written day by day. How will you be remembered?”

Tracy Brunet, Host of The Impact Farming Show & CEO of Farm Marketer

“You speak like you’ve been sitting at our kitchen table! You know our family issues well. I am feeling more comfortable understanding what we now need to do. Elaine Froese is real.”

Audience Member,

“I attended the meeting you spoke at in Stratford Ontario recently. We held an emergency family/farm meeting today because of issues that I had enough of. We used a 'talking stick' like you recommended and wrote a chart of rules. The rest of the family thought the idea that we needed a meeting was worth rolling their eyes over, until we got started. The younger ones were quick to clue in that they now have an opportunity to be bluntly honest. The older ones took a bit longer to believe they could truly say what they think. In the end, the meeting needed two sessions because there was so much to talk about… and so many things people didn't realize were a big deal to the others. Your lessons and encouragement have given us the tools we need to get to a better place in our relationships and our business. Truly thankful.”

Kim Martin, Dairy Farmer, Ontario

“Helped me develop my framework to start having constructive and meaningful conversations around the farm.”

Tennille Wakefield, Farm Partner

“Some great lessons, Elaine! You continue to do some remarkable and potentially life-changing work.”

James Mitchell, Principal, Conversations Consulting

“Our family had a good farm meeting yesterday afternoon. Your Fairness video was a great topic of discussion. One of the action items after the meeting was to have my two non-farming siblings watch the video before the next big meeting they are involved with on the farm. It will be a great conversation starter as we catch them up on our current plan. As they are younger, we also hope it will help them to ask new questions that may not have been on their mind.”

G.G., Farm Family Legacy Coach, Alberta