This week, three very different conversations all pointed me back to one fundamental truth: success starts with the soil.
When Jesse White came out to Iron Mountain Organics this week to see the farm in person, he was full of thoughtful questions about compost, how I make it, how I use it, and why it is central to everything I grow. Compost is not just a byproduct; it is the foundation of a sustainable growing system. I appreciated his curiosity and realized much of the conversation circled back to things related to healthy soil.
Later in the week, at Valor Coffee Natalie Broadus Corona asked how I deal with bugs on the vegetables. My answer was simple: I do nothing. Nature does the work. When the soil is healthy, everything stays in balance. Strong plants and natural diversity make sure pests do not overrun the garden.
Finally, my week ended with coffee at Barrell House Coffee in Ball Ground with my good friend Thomas Schwab. Over the years, coffee at BHC has been a steady rhythm for us. This time, his generosity went beyond conversation when he offered to help me fill five 10 gallon totes with used coffee grounds. Spent coffee grinds are a rich nitrogen source for compost. To me, those grounds are black gold.
Each of these moments reminded me that soil health is at the heart of everything. And it is not just true in farming. In business, the “soil” is our culture. In the ThreeWill Productivity Manifesto, I compare culture to soil because it is the bedrock of true organizational productivity. Healthy soil produces healthy plants. Healthy culture produces motivated, thriving people. That is what allows us to focus on what matters most.
If you have not yet read (or listened to) the Productivity Manifesto, I encourage you to download it and give it a listen (DM me if you need some “productivity tips on how to do that” 😉). Car rides are my favorite time to take it in. Just like tending soil, investing in culture is a habit that compounds over time.
This post first appeared on September 26, 2025 in Sowing Success, my weekly LinkedIn newsletter on leadership and organic farming. Read the original on LinkedIn.
