Season 6 | Forestry Consultants | Episode 10
#95 | When I put ACF behind my name, people know they will get value
January 16, 2019 | Mike Warner, ACF
Mike Warner, ACF, CF, is the Owner of Arbor Terra Consulting, which is located in Lizton, Indiana. Mike earned a forest management degree from Purdue University in 1976 and served with the USDA Soil Conservation Service after graduation. Mike then became a general partner and president of a company that developed a production system to grow containerized trees and shrubs for conservation markets throughout Indiana. With over 40 years of experience and always being an entrepreneur at heart, Mike lists some of the benefits and challenges of owning your own business. He also details the importance of writing out your dreams and goals early in your career, so you always have your vision in mind. Find out more about Mike and his expertise on this week’s show!
Key Takeaways:
[1:05] A message from Leadership Nature.
[1:45] A quick intro about Mike’s background.
[4:20] How did Mike get into forestry?
[7:40] What was Mike’s first job like?
[8:40] Mike was inspired by his first boss, Fred Woods, and he helped Mike along the way with his sage advice.
[11:00] Mike remembers another mentor, Jim Akers, who helped him set firm career goals early on.
[13:45] What kind of transition did Mike go through to successfully start two businesses (at the same time).
[16:15] What kinds of skills do people need in order to be considered a good forestry consultant?
[20:10] Mike knew the Latin names of trees, but he didn’t know how to run a business until he got his feet wet!
[20:25] What does Mike wish he’d learned sooner about managing people?
[23:50] What is Mike most proud of, so far?
[25:20] How does Mike find talent for his business?
[27:15] What makes Arbor Terra different compared to other consulting companies?
[29:30] What kinds of surprises has Mike discovered along the way?
[31:05] Where is the future of forestry headed for the younger generations?
[33:15] How has being a member of ACF helped Mike’s career?
[40:30] Don’t be afraid to try some new directions, especially if the current one isn’t working!
Mentioned in This Episode:
#forestproud
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