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Articles by Mike Lessiter

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To The Point: New Ideas from the Newly Merged

By Mike Lessiter posted on October 13, 2011 | Posted in Manufacturer News
With the first-ever “Dealership Minds” edition on Birkey’s Farm Stores in February 2011, we set out to detail how each of the“cogs” in a benchmark-worthy dealership function together as one “machine.” What became the most talked-about project of the year created challenges for our editorial team when it came to this year’s encore performance.
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To The Point: Ethics: You Still Out There?

By Mike Lessiter posted on October 13, 2011 | Posted in Best Practices
Lots going on these days. Weather challenges, rapidly advancing technologies, crazy markets, uncertainty on government programs and another year-end buying rush, to name a few. But just as critical as these things are to your operation, we, as a business magazine, also find an obligation to cover other management issues from time to time.
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Palouse
How to Sell

Leveling Systems Increase Harvest Productivity on Sidehills

The desire for less grain loss and faster harvesting are putting sidehill leveling systems into the sales conversation throughout the Midwest.
By Mike Lessiter posted on April 11, 2011 | Posted in Niche Equipment Markets
Anyone who has ever watched with awe the harvest on the steep hillsides of the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest knows how critical the combine leveling system is to a farmer's ability to work the steep hills (up to 60% slopes) and its extremely fertile soils. Without this technology, agriculture, at least cost-effective agriculture, in the region would be severely limited.
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triple_3
How to Sell

Butterfly Mowers Boost Capacity, Fosters Better Use of Tractor

Putting the self-propelled windrower out to pasture and coupling 3 mowers to the already-owned tractor allows customers to increase capacity to achieve ‘hay in a day.’
By Mike Lessiter posted on March 10, 2011 | Posted in Niche Equipment Markets
Putting the self-propelled windrower out to pasture and coupling 3 mowers to the already-owned tractor allows customers to increase capacity to achieve ‘hay in a day.’
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Dealership Minds

Navigating the Numbers for Growth

By Mike Lessiter posted on February 7, 2011 | Posted in Best Practices, Operations & Finance
Spend time with Mike Hedge at his office in Rantoul, Ill., and terms like number cruncher, prognosticator, teacher, purser, and analyst all come to mind. And when it comes to the subject of balance sheet management, “evangelist” is also a fitting word. As CFO & Treasurer of a $240 million company, Hedge must manage all the details yet remain at a 50,000-foot view to pilot the finances of a growing company.
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