Learn more about the open roles available at FBN.
Jan 27, 2023
Our ‘Why I Chose FBN’ series features stories from employees across different roles, teams, and geographies on how they got to FBN, what it’s like to work here, and how their teams help fulfill our mission of putting Farmers First®.
When did you join FBN, what is your current role at FBN, where are you based, and what are your responsibilities?
I joined FBN a little over a year ago, in September 2021. I joined as the Senior Talent Sourcer, and my responsibility, initially, was to go out and find talent in the market.
I would search and find passive talent, especially for our hard-to-fill jobs, whether it’s a niche skillset or a difficult market or just a really competitive role (software engineers or drivers, for example).
My job has since evolved to continuing sourcing, but now also doing full-cycle recruiting. I’m based in Dallas, Texas.
What was your previous work experience before joining FBN?
I have only ever been a recruiter. That’s all I’ve done since I graduated college. I love it! I love talent acquisition. I love hiring people and building strong teams for organizations, so I’ve been recruiting for the better part of a decade. Actually, this is my 10th year.
What did you first find compelling about FBN that led you to want to learn more?
I was very happy in my job, and I was not looking nor was I interested in changing jobs. A friend of mine worked at FBN and she kept telling me that I needed to talk to this company. She kept saying, “Just have one conversation.”
Once I had the conversation, I found that the one thing FBN offered that my other employer did not was meaning - being attached to something that mattered in the world. In my mind, there’s nothing as wholesome as supporting family farmers.
Having just had my first child, I cared a lot about the food that went into her body and where it came from, so it really resonated with me that I could be a part of an organization that’s supporting those farmers.
Why did you ultimately decide to join FBN? What did this thought process look like for you?
Because I was really happy in my other company, it was a tough decision. I wasn’t looking, and I wasn’t really planning on taking an offer.
Ultimately, I decided that leaving something I was really comfortable with was worth the risk to join an organization that was in its early stages, had a lot of growth opportunity, and had a mission that I could connect to more than my previous employer.
Also, the people. Everybody that I spoke to was very progressive and forward-thinking, and they really care about the organization.
They were also just kind people. It was really lovely to talk to people who weren’t jerks - haha! There were no egos on the team. All of those things factored into the decision.
Now that you’ve joined, how would you describe life at FBN?
The people are wonderful. They’re the best people I’ve ever worked with. They’re the kind of people that I actually want to go to happy hour with after work.
Before, I would say yes to happy hours out of obligation or I would avoid the events at all costs, but now I’m the one organizing the events because I really love the people that I work with.
It’s also very challenging, but in a way that helps you grow. Not in a way where I’m getting burnt out or beat down or overworked, but in a way where challenges are new to me and I get to learn to do things in a new way. It’s helping me grow a lot as a professional.
What kind of impact are you and your team having on the company’s future?
Recruiting at any organization is very impactful, because you’re building the team. People are literally the lifeblood of the organization, so we get to be very strategic in our role.
We get to have a lot of influence on why someone should or shouldn’t be considered for a role, or even why a position might not be what the team needs.
We can partner together with hiring managers and think through what skillsets are needed, and therefore what roles are truly needed, to help build a stronger team. I think that building strong teams is the impact we’re having.
How does FBN’s mission come to life in your day-to-day work? How does your work positively impact farmers?
We get to hire for really interesting roles - roles that I never would have hired for at any organization prior to working in Ag.
We hired a Beef Specialist, a title I never would have heard of before. We’re hiring people who are supporting farmers. We see every single day in the interviews we conduct that people really care about not just the farmers, but the entire agriculture industry.
I love seeing the wholesomeness of wanting to support farmers. People really do have that genuine desire, and it’s very heartwarming.
Everybody resonates with it! Because it’s not just the food, it’s our energy, it’s our clothing, it’s everything. Ag is an industry that we literally couldn’t survive without.
We know you have a life outside of work - what kinds of things do you do for fun?
I have a toddler now, and we’re expecting another. So our life right now really revolves around kids. We really enjoy being outside. We love to go on walks, have picnics, explore the city, try new restaurants, and find new parks.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone considering FBN?
If you’re somebody who’s hungry for growth and you want to be part of something that matters, this is a great place for you.
In a startup organization, you’re going to be challenged in new ways. There is very little red tape, so you have a lot of ability to create and innovate in ways that I certainly haven’t had the freedom to do in the past.
Come into it with a very open mind and a hunger and drive to make things better for your organization, for farmers, and for yourself.
What is one thing you are looking forward to in the future at FBN?
I’m so excited to see where we grow. We went through a really rapid growth period, and now we’re in a “sustain” period, if you will.
But we are organically growing and it’s really nice to see, so I’m excited to see where we expand, or if we do expand into other countries.
I love seeing how farmers really connect with our business and hearing those success stories, like at Farmer2Farmer. Those are the things that I get excited about seeing more of.
Outstanding companies are built by outstanding people. The FBN team goes to work everyday to ensure farmers stay profitable while they feed the world.
Learn more about the open roles available at FBN.
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Jan 27, 2023