Farm Equipment recently launched the “What If & What Was” series, borrowing from the film, It’s a Wonderful Life. Thanks to a dramatic intercession, as you’ll recall, George Bailey was shown a world in which he’d never been born. Read your peers’ thoughts — had their business “failed to launch” or survive — here.

We’ve too been asked this question, which re-emerged as I penned the eulogy for my mom, Pam Lessiter, who passed on March 8. Officially retired for 13 years, she remained the matriarch of Lessiter Media, which she co-founded with my dad, Frank, in 1981. 

Survival in the “information space” isn’t assured, especially in our small, highly niched markets. In each case — the business of farm machinery, conservation ag practices and equine hoof health — we’re the last one standing.

No-Till Farmer

Farmers tell us they wouldn’t have survived the last several decades had they not farmed more acres with less labor. They say the articles in NTF (both successes and failures) gave them confidence to keep attacking the problems. When Dad produced the first singular-focused NTF in 1972, the entire nation’s no-till acres would’ve fit within New Jersey’s borders. Since then, U.S. no-till acreage spread 33-fold to 110 million acres, and forever changed farmers’ lives — and livelihoods.

FE & Ag Equipment Intelligence

Machinery dealers and shortline OEMs thanked us for bringing back the shuttered FE title in 2004 to share best business-practices, and convening all colors for the Dealership Minds Summits. And AEI, which carries no ads and thus no bias, is routinely praised for keeping the industry honest and transparent.

American Farriers Journal

In the equine field, AFJ is credited for creating a cooperation and sharing that didn’t exist in the once-isolated farriery trade. We added an internationally renowned educational event 22 years ago that amplified the professionalism among all stakeholders. Dad received the national business press’ highest feature-writing honor for “taking on” the illegal practice of soring, and this audience outwardly declares its first responsibility is to the animal.

1st-Hand Appreciation

We’re humbled by the words we hear applauding our perseverance in keeping our knowledge formula going in small markets and in hard times. Readers recognize the vacuum that’d otherwise exist; their loyal subscription checks were the sole reason we survived.

We reply that we create the pages and the venues; but it’s your writing, presenting, sharing and advising that’s our “not-so-secret sauce.” Dad’s peer-to-peer sharing was ahead of his time, and we were smart enough to apply the formula to our 20 brands.

My “new-president” speech in 2007 emphasized our audience commitment, and that if the owners’ motives were merely about the dollar, we would’ve put it all into mutual funds instead. 

So our “essay” would include the tall order of each audience having to figure things out on their own. Suppliers who’d have no practical way to promote their solutions to targeted buyers. The quieting of many printing presses. The cities who’d have lost out on the 100-plus events held to date. Hundreds of charities supported by our staff. 

Mom’s Answer

My “city-girl” mom helped Dad pursue his dreams in this venture. She took to the audiences, and they took to her. She remained proud of the values of LM (her “5th child”) and secondarily, its achievements. She’d quickly praise the staff we’ve been privileged to “do life” with.

Her company offered a place for media pros to apply their talents in an oft-volatile industry, and we tried our best to offer a family-first culture. Hard to measure, yes, but we’ve heard from LM-ers about Mom’s kindness, support in times of need, and how appreciated her volunteering as a “baby-rocker” was to new parents.

In my 21 years, LM has been responsible for nearly 100 families. Mom was humbled by the “Pam Lessiter Scholarships” announced at our 2016 Christmas Party, which to date has awarded 140 post-high school scholarships to the children of LM staff. 

We raise a Miller Lite to Pam, who modeled “business leadership with a heart.” And we promise to keep her legacy alive. 

Please share your business’ answer to the George Bailey question at mlessiter@lessitermedia.com

Related Content