GROUNDBREAKERS: Stories Of Rural Innovation!

“Building Beyond Agriculture - Expanding MJE Capabilities with Jeff Skidmore”

This episode introduces Jeff’s long-standing role at MJE and explores how our work in highways, municipal landfills, wastewater facilities, and other infrastructure projects strengthens both the company and the communities we serve. Not every project has cattle in it — but every project carries the MJE standard. This episode broadens the perception of who we are. Yes, we design dairies and feedyards. But we also build roads, wastewater systems, and municipal infrastructure that serve entire regions. Jeff represents the steady leadership and field experience behind those projects. MJE builds more than feedyards and dairies. We build highways, wastewater systems, and infrastructure that keep rural communities operating. * Visit mjellc.net

Leading from Rural Kansas to the State Capital

Highlight the leadership, financial discipline, and long-term vision behind MJE — while recognizing Heather’s role as President of the Kansas Contractors Association.  This episode positions MJE not only as a 50-year construction company, but as a voice helping shape the future of heavy civil and rural industry in Kansas. Leadership doesn’t start in Topeka — it starts in rural Kansas. This episode explores what it takes to: ● Carry forward a 50-year legacy ● Grow responsibly in heavy civil construction ● Retain talent in rural America ● And represent Kansas contractors at the state level Heather’s leadership connects Montezuma to the State Capitol.

Smarter by Design: Building Better Cattle Flow with Larry Deges

“Good cattle flow doesn’t happen by accident. It’s designed that way.” This episode is both a masterclass in facility design and a story of evolution — how Larry’s years in feedyard design and his work with dealers across the U.S. have shaped smarter, more efficient systems for ranchers of every size.   Key Message: * Scaling wisdom down — how feedyard design shapes small-system efficiency. * The core of the episode — designing for behavior, not blueprints. * Lessons learned the hard way — and what made them stick. * Innovation meets instinct.   Great Quotes: “Every bad design starts with someone guessing how cattle move.” “You’ve got to walk the ground before you ever draw a line.” “CattleLine™ was built to make good design more accessible — not to replace it.”

Smarter by the Yard

This episode explores how MJE is using its 450+ piece heavy equipment fleet to learn, train, and improve performance on real-world jobsites — with an emphasis on operator development, data-informed decision making, and field-tested changes that drive safety and cost savings. But it’s not just a highlight reel: Ryan opens up about what’s been tough, what we’re still figuring out, and what others in the industry can learn from our experience. Key Messages * The Smarter by the Yard campaign isn’t about fancy tech — it’s about usable insight. * We’ve made mistakes, found inefficiencies, and learned a lot the hard way. * Our operator training system is practical, structured, and focused on safety first. * We’re building tools and processes others can learn from — even if they’re starting small. * Transparency matters — we’re still improving, and we don’t have it all figured out. https://mjellc.net/why-we-test-a-better-way-to-build-smarter-by-the-yard-mje/ [https://mjellc.net/why-we-test-a-better-way-to-build-smarter-by-the-yard-mje/]    https://mjellc.net/careers/ [https://mjellc.net/careers/]

Built To Serve: Western Ranch Supply's Legacy of Grit, Growth, and Staying Connected Across the Miles

On this episode of Groundbreakers: Stories of Rural Innovation, we sit down with Joe Carl, Sales Manager at Western Ranch Supply.     During today's episode, they will discuss how communication, trust and relationships drive innovation - even across hundreds of miles of rural landscape.   In our conversation, Joe will share about: * Building the Business:  The Roots of Western Ranch Store * Joe's Carl's Role:  Working Across the Map * The MJE Partnership: Communication that Works * Business That Lasts:  Why Communication Is a Competitive Advantage They will wrap things up with discussing Western Ranch Supply investing in the next generation and what is ahead for Western Ranch Supply.   This was an exciting and fun conversation, and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did.