The Poultry Leadership Podcast

Season 3 Kickoff: AI, a Hospice Nurse & a 4,000-Bird Leap of Faith

Send a textSeason three opens with a candid, funny, and deeply human conversation that spans leadership change, end-of-life care, family milestones, and the surprising ways a poultry podcast can move people. Brandon shares what “managing up” looked like through a leadership transition at Prism Controls—how learning a new boss’s values and cadence sharpened communication and trust over time. Emily takes the mic to unpack her shift from a high-intensity med-surg unit to hospice nursing at a level one trauma center, showing how empathy, presence, and dignity can transform even the hardest days. Together, we reflect on a 25-year marriage, a long-running remodel that turned project management into a domestic art form, and the bittersweet edges of the empty-nest season.We also pull back the curtain on the show’s direction: more farm stories from industry legends and rising talent, because the generational arcs, pivots, and practical wisdom inside those barns teach better than any playbook. Brandon recalls a faith-forward moment on stage—“I matter because I’m a child of God”—and how it ignited deeper conversations and personal accountability to live what he says. Then we travel to Guatemala, where a simple yes led to a 4,000-bird ministry farm, an Egg A Day approach to feed mountain communities, and a plan to scale layers where jaguars make backyard flocks impossible. Eggs become logistics, nutrition, and hope—proof that operations and compassion can align.Finally, we keep AI grounded. Brandon uses transcripts from one-on-ones to audit his own leadership patterns and turn blind spots into follow-through. On farms, he frames AI as decision support: spotting subtle flock deviations, correlating storms, feed changes, and performance so producers can act faster with confidence. It’s not about replacing people; it’s about freeing them to be more human. Alongside this, there’s a spring triathlon on the calendar—because physical grit fuels clear thinking and long-term leadership.Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves farm stories, and leave a review with the one insight you’re taking into work this week. Want to be a guest or nominate a quiet, generational farm? Reach out—we’re building season three around your stories.Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism ControlsThe Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism ControlsFind out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com

From Blue Jackets To Boardrooms: How FFA Skills Shape the Leaders of Tomorrow

Send us a textA blue jacket can change a life. We sit down with Michigan FFA state officer and MSU agribusiness student William Rogers to trace how one classroom broiler project became a launchpad for leadership, real business skills, and a clear career path in modern agriculture and the poultry supply chain. From public speaking nerves to state office, William breaks down the steps that built his confidence—and why those same steps create standout talent for integrators, suppliers, and agtech teams.We unpack what FFA looks like now: an intracurricular program where Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) act as living resumes. William’s diversified livestock and crop projects taught record keeping, marketing, and financials using AET, the kind of data literacy that translates directly to farm management software, compliance, and precision ag tools. He explains how sales is really about relationships, how meeting procedure shapes executive presence, and why learning technology works best with hands-on mentorship—whether that’s drone mapping, equipment operation, or live budgeting.This conversation shines a light on inclusion and opportunity. You don’t need a farm to find a home in FFA; photography, mechanics, research, logistics, and marketing all connect to agriculture’s ecosystem. We explore leadership conferences, the power of community service, and the mindset employers prize most: a willingness to learn and a willingness to work. If you’re a parent searching for a path for your student, a hiring manager looking for doers with initiative, or an alum ready to give back, you’ll find practical ways to plug in—from local alumni groups to statewide events and national summits.If this story could help one student find direction, share it with them. And if you enjoyed the show, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it along to a friend who needs to hear what FFA can unlock.Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism ControlsThe Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism ControlsFind out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com

Building the Favorable Plan Underwriters Want to See with Palomar's Brett Cohrs

Send us a textWhat if your hen house burned tonight—would your plan hold? We sit down with Brett Cohrs, CRM and Senior Vice President at Palomar Insurance, to unpack what’s really changing in poultry insurance and how leaders can turn risk management into a competitive edge. From rate softening for large layered property programs to tighter appetites for smaller growers, Brett explains why deductibles are climbing, which choices actually move premiums, and how to prepare your balance sheet for higher retention without jeopardizing growth.We get specific about fire risk in modern barns. Annual infrared scanning, true 100‑foot separation, and two‑hour fire doors in corridors and processing areas now sit at the center of underwriting scrutiny. Cage‑free has multiplied exposure: bigger single‑site values, more motors and controls, and dust acting as fine fuel. We talk through why control systems built to protect birds can unintentionally feed a blaze, and how purpose‑built barn technology can detect abnormal heat, trigger early response, and keep a local incident from becoming a total loss.Beyond property, Brett maps the risk terrain producers often overlook: product recall in decentralized models, employment practices liability as regulations shift, cyber exposures to connected controls, and the market shocks that turn a covered loss into a larger business interruption claim. He shares practical guidance for building a winning submission—accurate valuations, defensible BI calculations, documented maintenance, and clear contingencies for parts, graders, and egg sourcing—plus scenario exercises every manager should run before renewal.If you lead an egg or poultry operation, this conversation will help you decide where to invest first, which practices underwriters reward, and how to design a program that survives bad days and funds growth on good ones. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with the one change you’ll make next week to improve your farm’s risk posture.Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism ControlsThe Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism ControlsFind out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com

Turning Deviled Eggs into a Shark Tank Success Story with Raechel Van Buskirk

Send us a textA slow Sunday at a neighborhood lounge turned into the spark for a national brand. Raechel Van Buskirk shares how a grumpy regular, a tray of sriracha bacon deviled eggs, and pure curiosity unlocked a simple truth: everyone loves deviled eggs, no one wants to make them. That insight carried her from bar brunches to trailers, a mall push-cart next to a missing Santa, a full-service restaurant, and now a franchise model with nationwide shipping and high-protein bowls built around eggs.We get into the gritty details operators care about: testing flavors with real customers, pricing a labor-heavy product, making the line a show instead of a secret, and turning a nostalgic side into a year-round habit. Raechel breaks down the Shark Tank journey from the first email to a deal with Barbara and Mark, and the moment Damon called her food the best he’s eaten in 16 seasons. More important than TV praise, she explains the systems that let a humble egg travel well: chilled whites, sealed fillings, toppings, and instructions that land a “deviled egg bar” in your kitchen.This is also a story of cost and courage. Raechel and her husband sold assets, reinvested relentlessly, and kept building through a cancer diagnosis. The leadership lessons are simple and sharp: hire for strengths, trust quickly, let experts work, and fail fast without shame. We look ahead to a Dallas-area shop where guests watch their deviled eggs, egg salads, and hot protein bowls assembled Chipotle-style—think egg whites instead of rice, big flavor, and serious protein for GLP-1 era appetites.If you’re hungry for resilient entrepreneurship, category reinvention, and the craft of turning a commodity into culture, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves bold ideas and better snacks, and leave a review so more builders can find this conversation.Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism ControlsThe Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism ControlsFind out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com

Before the Burnout: Electrical Wisdom from Interstates Superintendent Cody Pommer

Send a textPower problems don’t announce themselves—they show up as dead fans, stressed birds, and energy bills that creep higher every month. We invited superintendent electrician Cody Pommer of Interstates to walk through the electrical decisions that quietly decide whether a poultry site runs smooth for years or limps from fix to fix. Together, we unpack where farms get into trouble—moisture, dust, untrained panel work—and the simple, proven steps that keep people safe and equipment alive: correct NEMA ratings, low-point drains, GFCI protection, better cable selection, and a disciplined maintenance plan.Cody breaks down why electrical rooms pay back in longevity and safety, and why grounding and bonding are non-negotiable in wet, high-dust environments. We dig into smart controls and VFDs that fine-tune ventilation and lighting, explore modern fire detection with aspirating systems, and call out the shortcuts that cost the most—skipping VFD-rated cable, ignoring voltage drop on long runs, and leaving new equipment to soak in the weather. We also talk resilience: generator strategies that share load across houses, peak-shaving to tame demand charges, and design choices that make future add-ons cheap rather than painful.Looking ahead, we connect the dots between reliable power and better data. AI is accelerating everything from egg counting accuracy to anomaly detection and design workflows, but it needs clean signals and thoughtful integration to shine. For smaller and mid-size barns, we highlight accessible control options that unify ventilation, feed, and lighting with mobile monitoring—practical tools that deliver immediate clarity and long-term savings.If you care about flock health, uptime, and a utility bill that doesn’t spike when the weather does, this conversation is your blueprint. Subscribe, share with a producer who needs a safer setup, and leave a review with your top electrical headache—we’ll tackle it in a future show.Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism ControlsThe Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism ControlsFind out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com