Agriculture was no stranger to Andrew Lauver, Golden Harvest sales representative. In fact — he was sure he wanted to be just like his father and grandfather and become a farmer.
“When I went to Iowa State, I thought I would study for four years and return home to the farm,” Lauver says. “After attending my first career fair, I realized the world of agriculture was much larger than I had ever imagined.”
And his interest was piqued from there. He went on to take several trips abroad to Costa Rica, Ireland and Brazil, plus a number of internships in the seed industry, in order to further his studies.
One particular experience that gave him an appreciation for the industry? Being selected as a Campus Connections student by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). Lauver says getting the opportunity to attend their annual meeting amazed him due to the dedication of the industry.
“We are blessed to have so many leaders that have come before us and paved the way for American agriculture,” he says. “I consider it a great honor to be a small part of the industry that serves as the backbone of America.”
One key to his success? His listening skills.
“Listening is absolutely critical to understanding a farmer’s operation,” he says. “Nearly every farmer I have worked with has wanted a partnership, not just a product. That means someone they can truly trust and share information with to better their operation and strengthen their relationship with.”
With new clients, Lauver says he tries not to pull out a computer or iPad until at least 30 minutes into the conversation, because asking questions, listening and looking the customer in the eye is the best way for him to retain the information that’s most important to them.
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