In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with New Zealander James Grafas to unpack how purpose-led governance and people-ownership are reshaping horticulture—especially in gold kiwifruit. James shares lessons from chairing boards across ag and tech, from large-scale orchard development to irrigation automation, and why clarity beats busyness every day of the week.
From orchard summers to the boardroom: James’ path back to ag and why food, jobs and strong returns drew him home.
How NZ’s kiwifruit model works: single-desk exports, demand growth and the real constraints (land and capital).
The economics of development: why licences and capex now top $1m/ha—and how the returns stack up.
Labour that lasts: hiring for preferences (outdoors, hands-on) and team fit over quick CV wins.
People-ownership in practice: inviting staff to co-invest, creating genuine buy-in and retention.
Purpose that performs: giving to community and paying top-quartile wages while delivering shareholder returns—no waste, no trade-offs.
Eliminating waste through clarity: structure first (e.g., Business Excellence, Community leads), then continuous improvement.
Governance that serves people and planet: risk appetite (debt, biosecurity, climate), opportunity scanning, and when boards should “overreach” on culture.
Abundance vs scarcity in sales and growth: why generous businesses think bigger and execute better.
Leading yourself: journalling, evaluated experience, OKRs, and helping your team win the week.
Hire for fit (preferences + values) and train for skill.
Offer ownership pathways to lift engagement and retention.
Make purpose operational: assign clear owners; measure impact as hard as EBIT.
Set risk guardrails (especially around debt); pause projects when conditions change.
Create clarity at every level: 3–5 outcomes per quarter with clear success measures.
Reflect, don’t just grind: “Only evaluated experience makes you wiser.”
The Infinite Game — Simon Sinek
Winners Take All — Anand Giridharadas
Greenlights — Matthew McConaughey
Shows: The Morning Show, Slow Horses, The Diplomat
James Grafas — Chair across ag and automation companies in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand; governance adviser and community-builder.
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