Before Riding the Bull, Learn to Understand the Animal

At the rodeo, the rider who enters the arena knows that courage isn’t enough: you have to understand the animal, feel the right timing, and respect the rules. Those who jump in without preparation fall fast. The same happens in agriculture. Many people want to “reinvent the wheel” with a fancy solution, but forget the basics: listening to the customer and understanding what truly matters to them.

Innovation doesn’t come from isolated genius — it comes from proximity. Farmers show their pain points every day: struggling to control fall armyworm in corn, trying to reduce fertilizer costs, or facing challenges in delivery logistics. If we don’t listen closely to these stories, we risk creating products that shine in a presentation but fail in the field.

Building strong roots means having well-structured processes: staying close, asking simple questions, and writing down honest answers. Only then is it time to design creative solutions, test them in the field, and adjust until they fit. Just like branding, it’s not about “what you want to sell,” but about “what the customer needs to feel and solve.”

👉 Your practical action: next week, choose three customers and dedicate time to listen without rushing. Ask them: “What is the biggest problem keeping you up at night today?” Use their answers as a foundation to review your portfolio or to think about a new product prototype.