Earlier this year, the Education team approached the Marketing team with an idea for a podcast and asked for our input on turning it into a reality. Their team was dedicated, did their research, and spent hours discussing names, content ideas, and guest interviewers, and finally, after months of hard work, Across the Acres was born.

Serving as Beck’s official podcast, Across the Acres, was launched in August 2021 and is hosted by Carlye Frye (Delta Region Training Innovation Manager) and David Ringger (Central Region Training Innovation Manager). Each month, they introduce a member of the Beck family of employees, dealers, and farmers across our marketing territory and provide a platform to share stories about their careers, families, and their faith.

And while the guest and topics vary across the board, the mission of each podcast remains the same; to connect, challenge, and inspire listeners by sharing the stories, struggles, and successes of others.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the first two episodes and how amazing they are. If you have not listened yet (seriously, what are you waiting for?!?) check out the QR code at the end of this article for Episode One – Leadership and Legacy, featuring Licensing Lead Corey Beck and Episode Two – How to Save a Life, featuring Beck’s Nurse Practitioner, Kristen Moon.

But today, I want to share with you some of my favorite moments from Episode Three – Choosing Your Hard, featuring Minnesota Seed Advisor Mike Roe.

Now, I’ve met Mike a few times (oh, hey Mike!), but seeing as our “offices” are a nice and easy 8 hour and 38-minute drive apart, our paths don’t cross often. But here’s what I do know about him. He’s a farm boy from Minnesota who graduated with an agronomy degree from the University of MN. He’s been at Beck’s for three years, he loves his job and his dealer team, and he has gone through some really, really hard stuff.

You can learn more about Mike, his family, and why he loves this company so gosh darn much by listening to the podcast. But if you want to learn more about Mike’s views on the importance of connection, communication, and gratitude, and what it means to ask for what you need, then keep reading. Below I break down my “connect, challenge, and inspire” takeaways from Mike’s honestly open and brave podcast.

CONNECT

Every single one of us has suffered through our own “hard” in life. The circumstances behind our struggles may vary but going through hard times is one of the things that creates bonds between people. We all know what it feels like to wake up in a dark place, but we’ve also had the opportunity to help someone we love to find their light.

Mike was willing to be vulnerable (a scary word to so many of us) and share his story as a recovering addict coming up on nine years of sobriety. What I think is so powerful listening to him speak is that he never claims to have done it alone. He praises the people in his life – his family, his friends, his fellow teammates, and his team of dealers – for their role in keeping him alive and here today.

“Staying sober is my number one priority. I can’t be the dad, the friend, the husband, the employee I want to be without that,” he said. “I wouldn’t change anything. There’s been some dark days, but you don’t forget them. I’ll never forget where I was because it keeps me humble and motivated to keep grinding.”

CHALLENGE

So, what do you do when you feel like you’re stuck in the dark and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel? Ask for help. That’s Mike’s number one piece of advice for anyone out there hurting or struggling with their own hard. “You’re not alone in it, but you have to want it. At the end of the day, you deserve it,” he said. “I didn’t think I deserved it when I struggled with depression and addiction. You just don’t think you’re worth it, so you beat yourself up and live in these dark moments.”

As Mike attests, it’s not going to be easy. Nothing worth having is ever easy.

“But you do deserve it, but you have to want to change. You have to tell yourself; people love me, God loves me, and I deserve to be happy.”

I’m not crying; you’re crying.

INSPIRE

It was SO hard for me to pick out just one inspirational message from Mike’s story, but I think the most important thing I took away from this podcast is this:

We are all dealing with the hard stuff. We all wake up some days with heavy hearts, full of worry; we are all constantly working hard to evolve and “better ourselves.” And that’s important. But it’s also important to just be present in the moment and be thankful for where you are and what you have.

“I’m still working on it; there are things that I still want to get better at. But you can’t get too far ahead. We’ve got today, do the best you can today and wake up and give her heck tomorrow and see what happens. You have the choice to choose today.”