AC Coaching

What a week of conversations, connections and learning across agriculture & food leadership.

On the farms.
In the conference rooms.
In conversation.

Grateful to AgCareers, I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and to everyone (too many amazing folks to name) who shared their perspectives, experiences and questions throughout the week.

Across the Executive Forum and the keynote experiences I presented, a few important questions kept surfacing for me:
✨ What keeps us motivated when the path ahead is uncertain, and how does understanding that help us navigate challenges together?
✨ How do we continue to work well together when pressures, complexity and conflict increase?
✨ What happens when the conditions that help people work well aren't the things we routinely strategize for, or measure?

These aren't simply questions about employee engagement or workplace culture.

They are leadership questions.

Because strengthening leadership starts with understanding what drives us, and creating the conditions for people to communicate, make decisions, navigate differences and work well together, particularly when the pressure is on.

The future of work in agriculture, and beyond, will undoubtedly be shaped by technology, markets and changing workforce demands.

And it will also be shaped by how well we lead people, and ourselves, through them.



Watch the highlights: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db8VYVexi4G/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

What a week of conversations, connections and learning across in agriculture & food leadership. On the farms. In the conference rooms. In conversation. Grateful to @agcareers @ihotelcu @ler_illinois and all who attended. The key questions addressed in the Executive Forum and within the keynote we delivered included: ✨What keeps us motivated when the path ahead is uncertain, and how does understanding that help us navigate challenges together? ✨How do we continue to work well together when pressures, complexity and conflict increase or are not well understood? ✨What happens when the conditions that help people work well aren’t the things that we routinely strategize for, or measure? Enhancing our leadership starts with understanding what drives us and creating the conditions for people to work well together. Connect with us today to start recreating and setting the foundation for the conditions that drive and sustain organization, even in the face of uncertainty. www.amandacalzolaio.com #agriculture #agribusiness #leadership #workplaceculture

We had a great time last week presenting on and the fatal flaws to avoiding making during the journey.

Great turn out and connections made. Special thank you to Navjot Halton Business Halton Region Shivali Discover Burlington, Joshua Futurpreneur and the great team at TechPlace.

Thank you to Halton Business Discover Burlington Futurpreneur Canada for inviting me to present on and the fatal flaws to avoiding making during the journey.

Great turn out and connections made.

Yesterday, entrepreneurs from across Halton came together at TechPlace in Burlington for another successful Halton Small Business Centre Networking Series event!

Thank you to everyone who joined us to connect, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships within our local business community. We also extend our thanks to Amanda Calzolaio for sharing valuable insights on succession planning, as well as Discover Burlington and Futurpreneur for helping make this event possible.

A special shoutout to our Summer Company students who shared their entrepreneurial journeys and provided attendees with a closer look at their businesses. Thank you for showcasing your hard work and passion!

For more information about our services or to register for one of our upcoming events, visit: https://ow.ly/cuRk50ZrXah

Workplace civility doesn’t begin with a policy.
It begins with a conversation.
✨ The way we ask questions.
✨ The way we listen.
✨ The way we disagree with respect.
✨ The way we choose curiosity over assumption.

Recently, during a team engagement, I invited a team to create conversation starters they could use with one another at work.

Not scripts.
Not perfect responses.
Just simple ways to begin the conversations we often avoid.

Some of my favourites were:
💬 “Can I check my understanding?”
💬 “Help me understand your perspective.”
💬 “Can we slow down for a moment?”

Sometimes, a few thoughtful words are all it takes to shift the direction of a conversation.

And over time...
Those conversations shape relationships.
Those relationships shape culture.
And culture shapes how people experience work every day.

These are the workplaces I leave behind every organization I support:
🙌 Grounded in respect, not assumptions.
🙌 Where kindness and accountability exist together.
🙌 Strong enough to navigate pressure and uncertainty.
🙌 Willing to work through conflict instead of avoiding difficult conversations.

Better conversations strengthen relationships.
They improve decision quality, build trust, and increase confidence.
And that’s where healthier teams and organizations begin - or begin again.

Choose clarity, with care.

Where would choosing clarity, with care, change the conversation this week?

Grateful to Halton Region Halton Business Discover Burlington Futurpreneur for the invitation to present on succession along the business journey and highlighting the common ‘fatal flaws’ that can quietly undermine long-term continuity.

Looking to connect and expand your network?!

Join the Halton Small Business Centre Networking Series, presented in partnership with Discover Burlington and Futurpreneur! This free event is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs across Halton to connect, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships within the business community.

We’re pleased to welcome Amanda Calzolaio as our keynote speaker, sharing insights on Supporting Businesses with Succession: What You Need to Know and the Fatal Flaws to Avoid. This session will explore why succession planning starts earlier than many expect, along with practical strategies to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and position your business for long-term success.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow, you’ll have the chance to exchange insights, expand your network, and learn from fellow business owners, all in a welcoming and collaborative environment.

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: TechPlace, 5151 New St, Burlington

Register today: https://ow.ly/b3aQ50ZelJB

Grateful to the Transworld Business Advisors team of Ontario for inviting me to discuss the human side of M&A. We explored why good deals fall apart and how understanding emotional dynamics, stakeholder interests, and communication can make the difference between a transaction that closes and one that doesn’t.

We wrapped up the day by watching Team Canada together in its FIFA World Cup match - a great way to end a productive day with colleagues.
FIFA World Cup

Grateful to Halton Region, Discover Burlington City of Burlington, Ontario and Futurpreneur for the invitation to present on succession along the business journey and highlighting the common ‘fatal flaws’ that can quietly undermine long-term continuity.

Limited seats available.
Registration remains open:
https://lnkd.in/g7SfpXQM

👋 I’m speaking on civility in the workplace soon.

Why?

Most people don’t set out to be uncivil at work.

But pressure, stress, conflict, and repeated frustration can quickly wear down how we communicate, respond, and show up with others.

And when that happens, civility is often the first thing to slip.

Join me in an upcoming talk on this topic.

🌟 Civility at Work: How to Practice It When You’re Frustrated, Tired, or Done 🌟
🗓️ June 15, 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM ET

Register
Eventbrite: https://lnkd.in/gwUhA4Qk
Luma: https://luma.com/r4i2qoqz

Subscribe to the Thrive Together Community📩 : https://lnkd.in/gQ25BqAV (https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnkd%2Ein%2FgQ25BqAV&urlhash=dxZ9&mt=QnJooISkq3Dbp9EjsxfAQ-wFycmhTvNcv4XI0qBCzJO0KV983yLKtyEqphnzofO0GprzDNnNn2eV4BbeqGCP5_UqOs5-oJvxhQk-wOnw5UlyJ5fTNTdVNZUZ&isSdui=true)

The hardest business problems are rarely financial.
The numbers are usually the symptom.

What sits underneath is often:
🛑 unspoken expectations
🛑 unclear roles
🛑 inherited assumptions
🛑 loyalty conflicts
🛑 fear of difficult conversations
🛑 decisions shaped by history instead of strategy
And none of that shows up neatly in a spreadsheet.

A business can look healthy on paper while trust is quietly eroding inside the leadership team or family system.

That’s why I choose clarity, with care.
Because clarity changes how decisions get made.
And care is an essential foundational element for it all.

It helps families separate ownership from emotion.
It helps leadership teams speak honestly before conflict becomes structural.
It helps businesses transition, grow, or exit without damaging the relationships that built them in the first place.

The real work is often invisible.
But the cost of avoiding it never is.

Mental Health is not a side conversation.
It’s part of how we lead, live, work, parent, and show up for one another every single day.

Mental health affects all of us. It impacts families, workplaces, communities, and future generations.

🇨🇦 In Canada, 1 in 5 people experience a mental illness every year (CAMH, 2025;  Smetanin et al. 2011)
🇺🇸 In the U.S., 61.5 million adults experienced mental illness in 2024, that is more than 1 in 5 adults (NAMI, 2024)

Why does this matter more than ever?
🛑 Because burnout is being normalized.
🛑 Because stress and emotional exhaustion can be found everywhere, even at work and even more so with the acceleration of technologies.
🛑 Because many people are carrying struggles silently while continuing to show up every day.
🛑 Because workplaces are still not truly focusing on or equipped to support their people to show up at their best.

Awareness matters.
Access to support, real conversations, care, compassion, and prevention matter even more.

One of my favorite mental health recharge moments lately was spending Mother’s Day at iFLY Indoor Skydiving (https://www.linkedin.com/company/iflyus/). Laughing, being present, and making memories reminds us of the importance of joy and connection to our well-being.

Sometimes our mental health requires support.
Sometimes its rest.
Sometimes its creating memories you’ll never forget.

This month, and every month, check in on yourself and the people around you. You never fully know what someone may be carrying.