Level up your career through key conversations

It’s okay to not have all the answers when it comes to how you want your farm or agriculture career to look in five, 10, or 20 years down the road.

Steph Kowalski, agronomy lead for Sollio Agriculture, says she ended up in her leadership role somewhat accidentally, but not without significant commitment to getting there.

“I knew I wanted to kind of level up, and go to the next step. I didn’t know that that next step was,” says Kowalski, adding that navigating that decision making process meant talking to the people around her that supported her career and ambitions.

“It’s okay to not know what you want,” says Kowalski, “but there are methods to help you sort that out, to take the next step and be happier.”

In aiming for a leadership role, Kowalski says not to be afraid to ask for help, be humble, and build a team around you that helps support your own success. Early on, Kowalski says she chose to surround herself with positive role models both from the ag industry and from outside the industry, as well.

This strategic networking — a term that’s made to sound so formal — is really just talking to people, she says, and it’s key to building sustainable relationships in business. It’s also a great way to get to know people in the roles you’d like to fill one day.

Listen below to Steph Kowalski in conversation with RealAgriculture’s Bern Tobin at the recent Advancing Women in Agriculture conference.

Check out more coverage of the Advancing Women in Agriculture conference.

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