As Farm Equipment rolls out its annual multi-media special Dealership of the Year coverage — comprised of print features, digital/web exclusive articles, podcasts and a video series — here’s a condensed Q&A from my discussion with Bill Hartzler, president and co-owner of Wooster, Ohio-based Lowe & Young. The single store dealership, which also operates a stand-alone parts hub in Ashland, Ohio, has 50 employees (including 5 part-time) and realized more than $43 million in revenue in 2024.
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned and what can other equipment dealers learn from what Lowe & Young has done to succeed?
"Do what you do well. Just don't focus on something that you can't be the best in the world at. You've got to focus on what you do well. We learned some valuable lessons there. If you dabble in it, that's probably not going to work for you, but focus on what you do well and pour your energy into it. As Jason (Steiner, vice president, co-owner and New Holland Hay & Forage specialist) has said before, we’re a hardcore agricultural business."
What are some key challenges to your business now and over the next 3 years?
"For me, probably the biggest challenge is managing growth. It seems like it comes at us faster than I'm comfortable with. Finding and retaining good help is probably one of those stress points. It's just harder than it used to be."
How do you handle marketing and communications efforts to maintain and grow the customer base?
"One of the nicest things we were able to do once we reached the size of a business, we were able to hire a full-time marketing and communications manager. She handles that, focuses solely on it and does it very well…not only advertising and billboards and that type of thing, but social media and email and text message blasts and messages in our showroom and everything on our website that she's upgraded — and done a super job at. Just having her focus on that 100% is key. Instead of us dabbling in it, we hired a young professional who really knows what she's doing and does it quite well."
How does it feel to be the Farm Equipment Dealership of the Year in 2025?
"For me it's quite humbling. I'm not sure how to answer that question, but again, all the glory to God. We try to run a good solid business here and treat people the way we want to be treated and pay our employees well, treat them well, take care of the customers like we want to be treated. It seems to work."
