To Return or Not to Return —
That is the Question
It’s not as dramatic as the Shakespearean language makes it sound, but as a young person trying to get their footing, the road back to the cattle business is anything but a straight one.
In college, there were those who were returning home to a waiting position; those who wanted to return home, but no room was available; and, finally, those whose family wished they would return, but the son or daughter had other ideas.
Oh, and then there were those who set out with a plan and realized plans can change — a lot.
If only there were an acre for every time someone asked, “What are you going to do? You going to go back or what?”
To return, or not to return … Farming and ranching aside, it’s a question any person who comes from any sort of family business must face, and popular enough to be the focal point of a session at this year’s Cattle Industry Convention in San Diego, Calif. Thankfully, there’s a saving grace in that others have gone before us and are willing to share their dos and don’ts.
Dan McCarty, a fourth-generation Colorado cattleman and the director of industry and affiliate outreach for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), was on hand to talk about his decision-making process and what eventually led him and his wife to venture out on their own.
“It sure makes family dinners a lot more fun,” he joked, sharing that “it” steered conversations away from business.
Dan’s story is unique, as is everyone’s, but there are common threads that tie us all together in this adventure. Here’s what Dan had to say:
- Set goals: “Keep a picture in your head of what you would do in a perfect world, and then dial it back a little to be realistic.”
- Take risks: “Take risks, but only those you can survive. Take calculated risks, because if you do fall down, you better get up right away.”
- Find your niche: “I wanted to have 1,000 cows by now, and we aren’t there, but we’ve found our niche and can build on that for our future.”
- Get involved: “Relationships are important. Find the right people to surround yourself with and bounce ideas off of when making decisions.”
- Know business: In or out of school, study. “Marketing, business and finance will never go out of style and are essential to any line of work.”
- Challenge yourself: “Don’t just find opportunities; find the opportunities that challenge you and make you ask, ‘Why?’ That’s when personal growth happens.”
Editor’s Note: Laura Conawy is producer communications specialist for Certified Angus Beef LLC.