Thad Shively Reflects on Career in Farm Equipment Dealer Biz

Machinery Pete Podcast

Machinery Pete talks with Thad Shively, Dir. of Pre-Owned Inventory for C&B Operations, a 37-store John Deere dealership with stores in MN, IA, SD, WY, MT and ID. Shively is retiring in April '21 after a lifetime in the farm equipment dealer biz. Thad and Pete talk about the current farm equipment market, trends and cycles over the decades, where the farm equipment has been and where it’s headed. Shively also shares his key takeaways/truths from 30+ years in the farm equipment biz and shares his advice to young folks hoping to work someday for a farm equipment dealership.

• [:28] - Machinery Pete teases the episode’s interview with Thad Shively
• [2:15] - Used equipment market update - strong prices from the latest auctions
• [7:59] - Interview with Thad begins
• [9:36] - The history of C&B Operations and Thad’s start in the business
• [16:20] - Evolving technology and selling equipment
• [21:30] - What the farm equipment business was like during the ethanol push
• [28:50] - Working through the pandemic
• [34:15] - Thad’s family and farm equipment
• [40:21] - Advice for those getting into the farm equipment business
• [49:43] - Parting words from Thad as he heads into retirement
• [52:34] - Closing thoughts from Machinery Pete

Machinery Pete was founded in 1989 and has grown from its humble beginnings to a full-fledged marketplace for farming equipment. Greg Peterson, founder and host, has also released Machinery Pete content across platforms including YouTube with his long-running Machinery Pete TV show.

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