Patti Durand - Brightrack Consulting

Patti Durand - Brightrack Consulting Practical tools for fearless transitions.

Family Business Succession Expert
Keynote Speaker & Author of “The Future Leader"
Podcast Host of "How Could I Know?"

Empowering families to navigate tough talks & secure legacies.

06/14/2026

If stepping up to the microphone terrifies you... you are in good company! 🎤😅

Today, Henry Prinzen is a confident Agronomy Lead who speaks to crowds effortlessly. But just 3 years ago? He was sweating, shaking, and making his wife sit through painful practice rounds in their living room!

His advice for getting over the fear? Just keep doing it. Growth happens on the other side of discomfort. The more you put yourself out there, the faster that terrifying task becomes second nature. Keep practicing, keep working on it, and believe in yourself! You’ve got this. 👊

Check it out on the How Could I Know? podcast on the RealAgriculture ! 🎙️

06/09/2026

Imagine being handed a 1st place trophy for a 10K race you never actually ran. 🏆

How do you maintain it? What does it actually mean to you? Did you even have fun?

I recently heard a farmer who had farmed for decades say, “With regards to succession, the fun is in the run.” When a founder builds a successful business and hands it to the next generation with the mandate to simply “protect it and keep it safe,” it can unintentionally suck the joy right out of the job. Successors don’t just want to be caretakers of a legacy. They want the entrepreneurial opportunity to build something of their own.

Founders: Are you giving your successors the chance to build? Successors: Are you taking chances and forging your own path?

Remember, the fun is in the run! 🏃‍♀️💛

06/07/2026

You can have an entire team of people believing in you, but if you don’t believe in yourself, you will always struggle to move forward! 🛑

In Episode 5, Chris points out a brilliant nuance in Henry’s story: Surrounding yourself with supportive people is crucial, but it’s only half the equation. The other half is cultivating that deep, internal trust in your own gut.

Whether you are buying a farm, starting a new job, or navigating a massive life pivot, you have to be your own biggest believer.

How do you build your own self-belief? Share your tips in the comments below! 👇

06/02/2026

A great advisor doesn’t give you their answers. They help you find yours.

When you are stuck in the weeds of a family business, it is so tempting to just hand the reins over to a professional and say, “Tell me what to do.”

But a good advisor knows that their personal opinion is irrelevant. Our job isn’t to build the business the way we want it. Our job is to help you articulate your own preferences, explore your options, and find the path that brings your family’s vision to life.

Trust your gut, articulate your goals, and find a team that supports your preferred outcome!

05/31/2026

Are we asking the next generation to step up, or are we just telling them to wait?

For decades, the long-term pattern in agriculture has been to tell the incoming successors to simply “work hard and wait.”

At Brightrack Consulting, we want to shift that mindset. We want to hold successors capable. We want to equip them with the tools, the perspectives, and the confidence to engage with their families and start leading sooner rather than later.
They are capable of so much more than just waiting. Let’s empower them to lead! 🌟

Read The Future Leader today to start building the skills your farm needs for tomorrow.

Listen to the full episode on YouTube channel for the 3 questions you need to ask! 🎧

05/26/2026

Are we making this business decision for the right reasons... or just because it’s what we think people want? 🤔

Henry Prinzen and his dad were far down the road of building a massive new barn expansion because Henry was finishing school and coming home. The easy answer was to say “yes” and just build it.
But instinctually, they realized it wasn’t Henry’s true dream.

It takes incredible courage and self-awareness to pull the pin on a project when your gut tells you it isn’t the right path forward.

If a business decision feels heavy instead of exciting, listen to your gut. It’s okay to walk away and find the path that actually fits. 💛

Check out Henry’s incredible story on the How Could I Know? podcast! 🎙️
On the network.

05/24/2026

“Make a good plan in pencil.” ✏️

When we leave school or step into a family business, we often think we need to have our entire future mapped out perfectly in ink. But life rarely follows the exact blueprint we drew up!

In Episode 5 of How Could I Know?, Henry Prinzen shares how he went to university certain he would return home to farm, only to find an unexpected passion for agronomy that led him down a completely different (and amazing!) career path.

It’s okay if your path pivots. The world is a big place, and you don’t have to get it perfectly right on the first try. Give yourself the freedom to plan in pencil!

Have you ever completely pivoted from your original career plan? Let us know below! 👇 Listen to Episode 5 of How Could I Know on the .

05/19/2026

If you find yourself rewriting a text message more than once today... delete it. 🛑

As we get into the busy, high-stress weeks of seeding and planting, our communication tends to get short and urgent. But when we rely on text messages for difficult conversations, we strip away the tone, the speed, and the empathy.

If you are typing a message and your gut tells you it could be misinterpreted, that is your cue to pause.

Pick up the phone. 📞
Get in your truck and drive over to them. Say it in person so your intentions are clear and you take care of each other.

Have a safe and successful season! 🚜🌱

05/17/2026

What is the most valuable thing you will leave to the next generation? It might not be the land or the cash. 💰

Question #2 to ask your non-farming children is: “Are there any specific items that are meaningful to you that you would like to inherit?”

You might be shocked by the answers! It isn’t always about the bank account. Sometimes it’s Grandma’s tea set, the old woods where they used to play, or Dad’s old cribbage board. These items might not fetch 50 cents at a garage sale, but the emotional connection is absolutely priceless.

Don’t guess what matters to them—just ask.
Catch this conversation on YouTube channel for the 3 questions you need to ask! 🎧

05/12/2026

"Do you have any expectations for your inheritance from me?"

That is a massive, heavy question. But it is one of the most important questions you can ask your farming and non-farming children.

The secret to making this conversation safe and constructive? The preamble. Before you ask the question, set the table by saying: "I am not giving you authority over this plan. I am not promising that what you say will happen. But I care to know how you feel."

This simple boundary allows you to hear their perspective so you can honor it, explain it, or gently truth it—while you are still here to guide the conversation.

Have you asked your kids this question yet? Let us know in the comments! 👇

Listen to the full episode on YouTube channel for the 3 questions you need to ask! 🎧

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