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In this episode of the Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, Mark Jewell interviews Chris Abbott, CEO of Pivot Bio, a company revolutionizing crop nutrition with gene-edited microbes that replace or reduce synthetic nitrogen fertilizer.
Chris shares how intentional leadership, customer-first strategy, and bold cultural standards have shaped Pivot Bio’s growth — even in the wildly volatile commodity and fertilizer markets of recent years. Whether you’re leading a small team or scaling a fast-moving startup, this episode brings practical and powerful insight into building companies that win by doing right — for the business, the farmer, and the environment.
Be Intentional or Be Left Behind
For Chris, intentionality begins with time ownership. “It’s my most limited resource,” he says. Whether with family or work, Chris has learned to compartmentalize, plan his days, and preserve sacred blocks for what matters most — including personal health and leadership reflection.
Microbes, Markets, and a Mission
Pivot Bio engineers nitrogen-fixing microbes, enabling farmers to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers — and save money in the process. Their products now cost 30% less than synthetic nitrogen and can be shipped to any acre in 48 hours. It’s a disruptive, scalable, and sustainability-positive solution in a world hungry for lower-cost crop nutrition.
Culture Is a Strategy — Not a Slogan
Chris drives a culture that’s customer-centered and values-driven. His hiring rules?
This rule has reshaped everything from hiring decisions to dropping distribution partners who mistreated the team.
Lead Through Cycles, Not Headlines
Commodity volatility, geopolitical impacts, investor pressure — Chris has lived it all. But instead of reacting, he narrows focus to 3 pillars:
These guiding principles keep the team aligned, even through turbulent markets.
