Selling a successful operating business is one of the hardest decisions an owner will ever face — not just financially, but emotionally — because for many leaders, the business isn't just what they do… it's who they are.
In this episode of MATCHplay, Thad Miller sits down with retired farmer Jim Harger, a second-generation operator who made the rare decision to sell his equipment and seed processing operations while intentionally keeping the long-term assets that matter most: land and real estate. Jim shares what it really feels like to exit something you built, why stepping away can create an identity crisis for high-capacity operators, and the tension that comes when your success makes more people rely on you than you ever expected.
While this story happens on a farm, it's not just about agriculture — it's about leadership, responsibility, and what happens when you stop being needed every day.
If you've ever built something people depend on — a company, a team, an operation, a practice — and wondered what life would feel like after stepping back, this episode is for you.
In this episode, we cover:
✅ Why successful operators struggle to step away (identity vs. ownership)
✅ How Jim grew from "running his farm" to becoming a resource others depended on
✅ The weight of responsibility that comes with scaling beyond yourself
✅ Family ownership dynamics — and what happens when siblings share equity but not operations
✅ The difference between owning a business and operating it every day
✅ Letting go of the "iron" — the hardest equipment to sell and why it isn't just financial
✅ Selling the operation while keeping the moat (why land was non-negotiable)
✅ What life feels like after closing, and redefining success in the next chapter
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