Head Shepherd
Mark Ferguson from neXtgen Agri brings you the latest in livestock, genetics, innovation and technology. We focus on sheep and beef farming in Australia and New Zealand and the people doing great things in those industries.
Head Shepherd
Successfully Navigating the Wool Industry with Nicola Peddie
This week Nicola Peddie shares her insights into the wool industry, the power of sustainable innovation, and the potential for personal growth when you put your mind to it.
Born and raised on a sheep and beef farm in New Zealand, Nicola's passion for wool came from a black and coloured stud flock her mother ran. "From a young age, I used to prepare the wool with Mum and become naturally very fond of it," she says.
Nicola gained her wool-classing ticket, but found it difficult to find a run in New Zealand. So, with her usual determination, she headed to Kangaroo Island and got her Australian wool-classing ticket as well. Nicola worked to gain enough experience to get a run in North Otago and she also began instructing part-time, which Nicola says was a fantastic experience and gave her exposure to mentoring others.
"Following that, I got an opportunity and I worked for three months in the wool store. I worked hard and made a point that I wanted to get on the road and they gave me the opportunity to do that. But it was a hard road," Nicola explains. "I didn't get a client list, so I was cold calling and knocking on doors and utilising my network. I was lucky that through my family I had some contacts - and also through wool handling and wool-classing. I worked for them for a couple of years and then got an opportunity with The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM)."
Nicola's hard graft and tenacity shine through, showing that with a strong work ethic and professionalism, you can shape your career's trajectory to reach your goals. Her latest role for NZM, 'Northern Regional and Offshore Manager', involved building a strong nucleus of influential growers in Australia, focusing on ethical sourcing. She was also highly involved in developing the strong wool supply from North Island farmers.
A few months ago, Nicola left NZM to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA). "I was always an ideator in the organisation, and it was something I enjoyed. However, you also need to know the mechanics, and that's the next stage of actually being able to drive change," she explains. "When I think about the future that I want after the MBA, I want to be able to support and drive transformational change in the agricultural sector and support growers and make sure that they're set up for the future, and to be able to do that effectively, I needed to round out my skill set.
Nicola's story serves as a testament to the potential of professionalism, personal development and seizing future opportunities. Whether you're an aspiring young professional in ag, or someone older seeking growth in their career, we hope Nicola's story encourages you to take that next step.
Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited. We help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best: info@nextgenagri.com.
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Welcome to the Head Shepherd podcast. I'm your host, mark Ferguson, ceo at Next Gen Agri International, where we help livestock managers to get the best out of their stock. I want to take this opportunity to thank our friends at MSD Animal Health in Orflex for sponsoring Head Shepherd again this season, and I'm also excited to introduce our mates at Heinegger as brand new sponsors of the show. Msd in Orflex, or perhaps better known as Cooper's Animal Health in Australia, offer one of New Zealand, australia's, largest livestock product portfolios, with a comprehensive suite of animal health and management products connected through identification, traceability and monitoring solutions. Like us, they see how the wealth and breadth of information born out of this podcast can help their men and their farming clients achieve their mission of the science of healthier animals.
Mark Ferguson:Heinegger will need a little introduction to our audience. A market leader and one-stop shop for wool harvesting and animal fibre removal, together with an expanding range of agricultural products and inputs, the Heinegger name is synonymous with quality, reliability and precision. The Heinegger team have a deep understanding of livestock agriculture, backed by Swiss engineering and a family business dedicated to manufacturing the best. It's fantastic to have both of these sponsors supporting us and bringing Head Shepherd to each week, and now it's time to get on with this week's episode. Welcome back to Head Shepherd. This week, we're excited to have Nicola Petty join us. Welcome, nicola.
Nicola Peddie:Hi Ferg, how are you doing?
Mark Ferguson:I'm doing well, so I don't know how to describe you, but we're going to run with something like a wool enthusiast recently taking up some time off to study an MBA, which is exciting, and we'll get to that.
Nicola Peddie:Yeah, probably a good explanation.
Mark Ferguson:So obviously a previous role ends then, which we'll cover a bit of New Zealand Merino Company, sorry, and then we'll walk through a few questions, but it'll be good to just get your background sort of, I guess, family farming, and then your time in the wool industry and how that's evolved, yeah, awesome.
Nicola Peddie:Well, I was lucky enough to be brought up on a sheep and beef farm up in North Canterbury, so why carry specifically? It's just a small property but mum and dad were always passionate farmers and they're still doing it today, although they're meant to be semi-retired. But like many farmers, it's hard to sort of pull them back. But my interest from wool probably came from my mother's side more, as she had a black and coloured sheep stud called Carrotoo Colour, and from a younger age I used to prepare the wool with mum and just become naturally very fond of it. During that I did my wool-classing, my wool-classing tickets, one in New Zealand, and actually I found it difficult to get experience in New Zealand and get a start. It's probably one of the challenging things when you become a wool classer is actually to get a run. So to do that I went to Australia, to Kangaroo Island, and wool handled there for a season. The sharing contractor, paul McMahon, or we used to call him Jack-O, he said to me like if you do your Australian stencil and you come back next year, you can have the run. So there was my foot in the door really. So I went and studied at Taif in Dubbo, new South Wales, a wool-classing ticket for Australia and then did that run for another four seasons. Midway through that it gave me the experience to be able to get a run in New Zealand in North Otago, sikura and Marama area. And following that, what did I do? I ended up actually instructing part-time for a training provider which was once called Tectra Many of the listeners will probably still remember Tectra, but they did end up finishing up. But that was a fantastic experience and gave me an exposure to mentoring others and it was something I really enjoyed.
Nicola Peddie:Actually. Following that, I got an opportunity with. The company at the time was Alders Primary Wool and then the car family from Ashburton, also known as Carfields, bought out the Alders side and I did probably three months in the wool store, worked hard and made a point that I really wanted to get on the road and they gave me the opportunity to do that. But it was a hard road. I didn't get a client list, so I was cold calling and knocking on doors and really utilizing my network. I was lucky that through my family I had some contacts and also through wool handling and wool-classing. I worked for them for a couple of years and then got an opportunity with the New Zealand Marine Ocamp me originally as an area manager, so which is essentially what we're presenting to them?
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, yeah, cool. And so that's where we obviously cross paths. At New Zealand Marine Company and, and I guess, as NZM, as we called, has moved into Australia, we've ended up at lots of similar events and and with you, I guess, both With fairly similar ideals in terms of the people we end up working with. So it's um, yeah, it's been been a good road, but I guess, yeah, maybe for those who don't, haven't come across you at a party after a ram so what was your role at?
Nicola Peddie:I had many, but I've had a lot of long the way, I must say. But my, yeah, my latest role at NZM was the northern regional manager for New Zealand and then the offshore manager. But what the northern regional manager actually is that titles are always a hard thing, it's what does it mean? But what that actually entailed was managing the area managers on the ground for the northern half of New Zealand, so supporting them in their day-to-day Work and supporting growers essentially. So that was for Canterbury area, malbra and also North Island. A big part of that role was developing the North Island as well in the strong wall side of things. Then the other part of the role was offshore manager, which really was concentrating on Building our procurement arm in Australia.
Nicola Peddie:New Zealand marina got to a point where the demand outstripped the supply, which is an awesome, like a fantastic thing, a fantastic problem to have. So it meant that we needed to look at, you know, offshore Procurement. It's interesting because I'm just picking up on myself, I was doing this in class as well. It's so recent working with NZM I still say we Excuse me, excuse me in that I do love the company and I am really passionate about it. The offshore component. A huge piece of that as well as as well as a New Zealand side, but even more so in Australia was building a really strong foundation and nucleus of growers and influential growers in Australia so that we get the right people on board, especially through that ethical sourcing piece with ZQ and ZQ RX.
Mark Ferguson:Cool, yeah, so some Roles that obviously grew over time and will continue to once the MBA is finished and you're back chasing your next, next adventure. But I guess, if we cover off on New Zealand marina a bit and we've had previous guests that along the while and we've talked about it a bit, but I'd be, yeah, just a good to hear your perspective for a bit. I guess NZM's has had many, does have many, partnerships with, with some pretty big brands across the world. I guess, from your perspective, what are those big collaborations that you've found really interesting or or challenging or both?
Nicola Peddie:Yeah, one that I found find particularly interesting, and especially Now doing this MBA, is VF corporation. Vf corporation, for those of you that don't know are the US parent company and they own the likes of Icebreaker and also Smartwall. So they own also Icebreaker and also Smartwall. They're the two key brand partners for New Zealand Marino, along with over 120 others. However, under the VF Corporation umbrella you also see many other brands, the likes of the North Face they turn over over one billion and revenue a year Ultra Dickies, timberlands. So in terms of the scope of a business like that and making greater change, it's huge.
Nicola Peddie:When I overlay that with some of the learnings that I've been having in the last couple of weeks in my MBA. There's this real need in this complex environment and it's only getting more and more complex. How do we lean into and make the most of the macro environment and essentially look there's so much change coming over the horizon with AI and in that technological space and huge opportunities that go with it. But those organizations that aren't leaning into that, I would say we'll have some real challenging times in front of them, and that's for the whole agricultural industry. But I wanna sort of make sure that I'm ending on a note where there's huge opportunity in that space as long as these organizations are leaning into it.
Nicola Peddie:Vef is a really good example of having a very clear strategy at a corporate level. And then there are brands that they oversee. They still get the ability to have the unique set of values in store while still achieving the corporate strategy. So, yeah, vef is one that's certainly top of mind as I'm going through this MBA and finding it really, really interesting, and they're the organizations that agriculture, in terms of an industry as a whole, should really be listening to and understanding to make sure that they're set up for the future.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, excellent, certainly really interesting to see their very deliberate strategies across the different brands and like nothing left to chance, I suppose, is how you have to be to run a business at that scale. And, yeah, it is really interesting to see how they, rather than just having a heap of brands under the same umbrella, each of those brands has its own story, its own and a very deliberate strategy that obviously targets the people that align with that brand, which I'm sure you'll really enjoy exploring further when you get some time with the MBA.
Nicola Peddie:Yeah, absolutely. I think the other key thing is, you know, these large organizations still actually having the ability to be able to be nimble within their strategy because, like we were saying, the world is so complex, things are changing all the time. So, yeah, ensuring that they can, you know that they can move and pivot when they need to.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah for sure. A quick interruption here to remind you of Head Shepherd Premium and our consulting services at Next to Niagara International. If you love this podcast and want to hear more of them, visit the hubnexttonagrycom and sign up for Head Shepherd Premium and get an extra podcast each week. If you're listening to this and thinking you really do want to maximize the genetic gain of your livestock and feel more confident around the decisions you're making on farm, then send me an email at mark at nexttonagrycom and we'll get in touch and see where that takes us. I guess, as we've been sort of in New Zealand and sort of around the New Zealand Minor Company for the last decade and it's always really interesting to see the companies that come forward and the uses of wool that we probably don't expect what are the some unexpected things that you've seen across your career in terms of where the wool ends up?
Nicola Peddie:One which is actually strong wool, and it's a business called Share Edge, who Logan Williams started and Logan, obviously. He innovated this product which essentially was adding wool to an existing polymer, which might be a plastic polymer or it could be 100% natural, using cornstarch. Such an amazing innovation and so many applications. When you think about it on a global scale, in particular, when you think about the manufacturing process and I think by the sounds of things from the entrepreneurs that I've talked to and innovators that I've talked to, and also some of the learnings that I've had again in the MBA to date that next step. It's one thing to come up with an innovation, but the next step in ensuring that it can actually be applied is another whole sort of beast in itself. And the powerful thing about that share-edge technology is it can just go into an existing manufacturing facility through an injection mold that plastic is already being used in. So, yeah, bit of a self-a-login there. I think share-edge is actually for sale at the moment. Yeah, but amazing.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, and Logan's obviously insanely innovative and creative and, yeah, we actually have been trying to get him on. Yeah, I'm going to need to continue on that and chat about some of this, all that technology and all the other stuff that he's sort of done along the way. Obviously, recently you've decided to take a bit of time out of the working part of your career to advance, I guess, get some different skills, different knowledge. So you decided to go into an MBA. What's how you're finding that? And I guess, yeah, what's? You've only been in a little bit of time, but it sounds like you're enjoying it so far.
Nicola Peddie:Yeah, I'm loving it. I've always been one that's wanted a challenge in front of me and I'm really grateful for the opportunities that I've had, especially in New Zealand, marino, in the last six and a half years. So the MBA just seemed like quite a natural fit or next step for me. It's interesting one of the things that, as you go through the process of your careers, to go through a lot of personal growth and personal development and self-awareness as part of that and look, I was always an ideator in the organization it was something I really enjoyed. However, you also need to know the mechanics, and that's that next stage of actually being able to drive change. I suppose, when I think about the future that I want after the MBA, I want to be able to support and drive transformational change in the agricultural sector and support growers and make sure that they're set up for the future, and to be able to do that effectively, I needed to round out my skill set.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, yeah, awesome and yeah, they're always. You're right there's, I guess. Careers are full of crossroads and some of you don't notice, and then some of them are rather major life decisions, like getting rid of a salary and going and doing an MBA is always like this. Obviously that can be quite a scary thing to do, but when you believe in something it's. I guess you know that within that period of time, doing it wholeheartedly rather than trying to do it part-time, I think, is obviously a different way, of a much more focused way, and you get a lot more out of it that way, rather than trying to juggle it with work. Was that your thinking?
Nicola Peddie:Yeah, absolutely. The powerful thing about an MBA is you go on with work experience. So everything that I'm learning, I'm thinking about the application and I knew, like I was so passionate about my role at New Zealand Marino, if I was trying to balance that with study, I wouldn't have been able to put 100% into the learnings. So, yeah, that was the key thinking behind it.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, for sure I guess anyone listening to this there'll be some, hopefully some young women that are part way through their career or just starting out in their career in Ag and I'm sure there are those listening and to hear your story from that real, I guess hard graph really from trying to get the first sheds through to an area manager's job without an area and all of the tenacity that would have taken to get this far in your career. Obviously you're set up for a big influence in the career. I guess have you got any tips for those around there who want to be involved in Ag or want to be involved in the wool industry and some things that you had to learn the hard way that you think people could save a bit of time and go and get some, a few tips from you?
Nicola Peddie:Yeah, absolutely. I think you touched on one of the key things you know for people to really lean into and that's work ethic. I think work ethic that's gained me credibility and that trust from growers which is absolutely key in a business environment is having that trust and transparency to go with it Along the way as well is around building meaningful relationships, and that's right. From the start of my career through to the end, I've always done my best to understand other people's perspectives. Sometimes I don't agree, but you know, at the end of the day there's their perspective and still have respect for that.
Nicola Peddie:One of the things, probably early on in my career, that I learned the hard way is there's this analogy that Professor Barbershiv from Stanford University uses and it's, you know, be the elephant, not the hippo. So the elephant has big ears and a small mouth, so they're good listeners and the hippo has a big mouth and small ears. So I think the earlier you know in your career that you can learn that are the better, and it sort of goes along as you build out to becoming a more of a leadership role is leading, but then actually listening and being a really present listener is one thing to hear someone, but I think quite often you're sitting there having a conversation with someone and while they're talking to you the whole time, you're thinking about what am I going to say, rather than really being in that moment and really listening to them and leaning into it and giving you self-time time to respond. The other key lesson, or more advice, and this is something. Look, I'm not a real patient person anyway.
Mark Ferguson:so in terms of personality traits, that's not why I wouldn't describe you as patient.
Nicola Peddie:But you know, at the same time you have to be like some things. You need to be patient. So that's a daily challenge that I go through, you know, and again it's sort of that self-awareness piece of knowing oh look, you know, this is actually a trait that I have. You need to be patient, you need to give it time, because quite often your first idea isn't the best idea as well.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, I think that's probably golden. We all know We've all come through careers and been younger and full of our self-importance and full of energy and, yeah, it can be easy to think that all those around you are just trying to hold your back, but often it's yeah, some of that is just like us, but some of that's just wisdom from people getting knowing a bit more than we do as or did as young. And so, yeah, I think that's a really good tip to be patient where it's necessary to listen hard, when as much as you can. It's very easy to be trying to sound smart or sound whatever and have the right thing to say, but you tend to get a lot further in life if you're spending the time listening and rather than talking. I guess to get to that level of self-awareness, as there have been anything you've done personally to kind of understand it, there was multiple ways to skin a cat.
Nicola Peddie:Yes, I've had a combination of things Mike Hargerton, who was my manager for about five and a half years at New Zealand Marino and an amazing mentor. It was something that he would talk to me a lot about, more so in the last three years as I developed out into a more managerial position Go on Breckenridge as well. At times I'd say he drilled me. Sometimes these conversations are, or they are, they're confronting. I probably couldn't encourage enough for managers to give that real feedback, I think. Don't get me wrong. I understand the PC environment that we're in today and there's an absolute necessity for approaching things the right way. But often I think managers are almost too nervous to have those courageous conversations. And that's how people really grow and that's what I've been very lucky with in NZM, that I have had those.
Nicola Peddie:Another opportunity actually I had within New Zealand Marino was a leadership development program. That was a couple of years ago. We went through the Clifton Strengths, 34 strengths through Gallup and it was a program with Jill Atkinson. We had to do a project towards the end with a group of our colleagues, which was a fantastic experience. But yeah, that was really, really. I can't explain the power of that whole journey and the level of trust and relationships that were built with the fellow colleagues out of that as well. We went deep and talked about our past and our experiences and I think when you have conversations with people and at times you wonder why someone reacts the way they do, quite often it's because of their past experiences that's led them to have that reaction. So, yeah, I think that Clifton Strengths you can do it online. I would encourage anyone to do it because it really opens up a can of worms. It also goes into your blind spots and that was the piece that I found gold in terms of progressing forward and really developing out myself for Wemos.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, excellent. Yeah, some great tips there. I haven't, I think you have told me to do it, but I haven't done it yet. But I'll get there. And yeah, that'd be interesting to. There's plenty of blind spots to find, so that'd be good. I guess one thing that has always inspired me about you and how you've conducted yourself, I guess it's been the ultimate professional, and I mean we both take time out to enjoy ourselves. But also, yeah, obviously every time you present yourself out in public, it's in a professional manner, and I think that's something a lot of people could learn from or to look up to. People like yourself. Is that always presenting yourself in the best possible manner, and that's something that always gets noticed, I suppose, and is those kind of things is what opens doors? What's next for Nicola Petty post-MBA?
Nicola Peddie:That's the big question, and it's one that I really don't have the answer to. I am building an incredible network through the MBA from people from all different industries. So, yeah, the opportunities are endless. I do want to end up back in food and fibre in some way, shape or form. I think that that's where I can have the most impact, especially when you look at the future and the need to be really leaning into digitising organisations and then actually building them through into digital transformation. I see that as a really exciting opportunity. That's one of the papers that I'm doing at the moment, and the application of that already I'm just finding amazing. I'm geeking out a wee bit, maybe something like that, who knows, but I'll certainly be around in the agricultural industry to support those primary growers on the ground.
Mark Ferguson:Yeah, that's good to hear. How has it been to go back to the books? Has that been a hard transition back or has it been a nice something that you actually find quite easy to do, finding quite easy to go back and study?
Nicola Peddie:all of a sudden, I think I feel a real sense of responsibility which is interesting when you try and name feelings and I think, because I'm at the age I am, I've got a bit of life experience under my belt, I know the opportunity cost of what I'm doing and it is a real commitment. So I feel this real responsibility but at the same time far out some of the things that I've learned in such a short period of time in the application. It's so powerful. I'm so excited to get out the other side and really hit the ground running.
Mark Ferguson:Excellent. Well, thanks very much for your time today and thanks for all of the collaboration we've had over the years and really all the best for these next little chapter, getting through that and studying, and then I look forward to seeing where you go to next. Obviously, you'll get a few phone calls after this interview and people hitting you up for jobs hopefully, but probably a little bit premature. But yeah, thanks for your time. I'll let you get back to those hitting those books and learning a bit more.
Nicola Peddie:Thanks a lot, fergo. I really appreciate being able to come on and I've loved every moment working with you and your team, and I just want to echo your words about professionalism, both on and off the field.
Mark Ferguson:Thanks, negla Cheers. Thanks again to our mates at Heinegger, who are proud world leaders in the manufacturing and supply professional sheep shearing and clipping equipment. They understand that their customers rely on the quality and performance of their products each and every day. Also, thanks to our friends at MSD Animal Health in Orflix, the Alfa and Extensive Lifestyle product portfolio focused on animal health and management, all backed up by exceptional service. Both of these companies are wonderful supporters of the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries and we thank them for sponsoring the HLP podcast.
