Growing Our Future

Aaron Alejandro
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

Hosted by Aaron Alejandro, the Growing Our Future podcast is focused on strengthening agricultural science education in America so that students can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace. This show is sponsored by the Texas FFA Foundation. Learn more at https://mytexasffa.org/

  1. 2d ago

    Success is a Decision Away with Billy Cox

    A car gets repossessed. A bank account empties. A choice gets made in desperation that becomes the hinge of everything that follows. Three sales that day. Decades forward from there, a $2 billion enterprise across five companies. This is what happens when someone learns to read the patterns that separate those who break through from those who don't. Billy Cox built his empire on a single discovery: success leaves fingerprints. In this conversation on Growing Our Future (FFA), he reveals the specific architecture behind sustainable growth—the daily skill deposits that compound, the clarity that silences doubt, the inner transformation that must happen before you're ready for the next level. He speaks about duty as a cornerstone virtue, gratitude as an abundance multiplier, and why the market no longer rewards faceless brands. People buy from humans willing to be seen. Aaron Alejandro, host of Growing Our Future, recognizes something in Cox's framework that mirrors his own worldview shaped by agriculture—where failure isn't theoretical and consequence is immediate. When you don't do the work, something dies. That sensibility frames this episode: not as inspiration, but as the repeatable mechanics of transformation, the competitive edge that comes from small improvements made daily. About the Guest: Billy Cox is an entrepreneur and business leader who built a $2 billion enterprise across five companies. He specializes in teaching the practical patterns and daily disciplines that drive sustainable growth and personal transformation.

    41 min

  2. Apr 16

    The Hat That Outlives You — Keith Mundee

    There's a moment when someone stops talking about success and starts living it so visibly that the room shifts. It happens quietly—not in grand statements, but in the way a person describes picking up trash from a factory floor at dawn, or remembering the name of the one employee who sweeps each morning. This is what happens when values aren't decorations on a wall; they're reflexes. Keith Mundee, president of American Hat Company since 2011, brings a legacy built on something larger than commerce—a cattle brand turned mantra, a symbol that means "positive times," and a commitment to the next generation. In this episode of Growing Our Future (FFA), you'll hear how a simple hat becomes a mirror for who you choose to be, and how one person's decision to show up every day changed everything. This conversation is about discipline, consistency, and what it means when your choices finally match your values. Aaron Alejandro, host of Growing Our Future (FFA), has spent his career in agricultural education watching young people discover their own potential. He recognizes something in Mundy's approach—not because it's theoretical, but because it works. They're both architects of the same future, just building in different spaces.

    45 min

  3. 10/03/2025

    "Who Factor"

    Author, speaker, and life coach Brad Lomenick sits down to discuss life strategies like the "who factor" people in life that encourage, equip, and empower.  Be a positive catalyst in an organization and the importance of being humble, hungry, and full of hustle. We explore how gratitude beats entitlement, why access plus hustle changes careers, and how H3—humility, hunger, hustle—becomes a durable edge for students, educators, and leaders in agriculture. Brad shares the “who factor,” feedback loops, and the art of creating mile markers that last.• gratitude as a leader’s temperature setter• entitlement contrasted with service and hospitality• R2A2 framework for turning ideas into action• Brad’s journey, mentors, and the who factor• building networks and using access without entitlement• curiosity as a core leadership habit• H3 framework: humility, hunger, hustle in balance• rhythms that prevent burnout and enable generosity• agriculture’s future: tech, relationships, communication• feedback loops and practical self-awareness• memory moments and creating mile markers for othersGo out and do something great for somebody. You might just plant that tree under whose shade you may never see Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

    46 min

  4. 09/26/2025

    Meaningful Impact by Living Your Brand

    On this episode of the Growing Our Future podcast, we have the chance to sit down with Kerri LeDoux, Executive Director of the Live Like Johnny Organization and mother to the late Johnny Callan.  Kerri shares a heartfelt testimony of Johnny's life and the example he led.  She shares his desire to help others and how the FFA became the vehicle for him to live his brand.  At the time Johnny was a Ford Leadership Scholar and President of the Area IV FFA Association, Tyler Koch was the Leadership Development Coordinator.  He shares the following about Johnny, "Johnny Callan wore the blue jacket like so many before him, and set the gold standard for genuinely selfless service like no other."  He went on to say, "In my office at the Buzbee Law Firm I keep two photos, one of my daughter Meadow, and the other is of Johnny’s Dock. Johnny’s dock is my daily reminder to try and live, work, serve, and love like Johnny, so that my daughter just might live like Johnny too."You'll enjoy this story of Johnny and how we too can "live our brand" to make a meaningful impact on our community. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

    51 min

  5. 09/19/2025

    Great History to Greater Opportunities

    On this episode of Growing Our Future, host Aaron Alejandro welcomes Lorie Vincent, Founder & President of ACCELERATION by Design LLC. Lorie shares her inspiring journey from the Texas Panhandle to national leadership, her mission to empower rural communities, and why gratitude, collaboration, and bold vision are essential to growth.  🎥 In the video, Lorie shares her journey from growing up in the Texas Panhandle to leading efforts that empower rural communities nationwide. 💡 What you’ll learn: Why gratitude is the foundation for building strong communitiesHow listening and collaboration spark real changeWhy honoring heritage and thinking boldly can shape a thriving futureHer story is proof that when we plant seeds of greatness in our lives and communities, the harvest can impact generations. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

    42 min

  6. 09/04/2025

    Don't Be Scared to Try

    Aaron Alejandro sits down with Kat Villarreal, an agricultural science teacher and FFA advisor in South Texas, to trace her journey from a non-farm kid to building a thriving IDEA Public Schools FFA program (now ~350 members). Kat shares how mentorship, grit, and student leadership took her chapter from zero to state-level achievements.What You’ll Learn• Three leadership skills Kat drills into students: confidence, responsibility, vulnerability• How to build a program from scratch in an urban, non-traditional ag setting• Why mentorship and access (college visits, contests, public speaking) unlock opportunity• Practical ways FFA shapes real-world skills: handshakes, advocacy, communication, teamwork• The mindset that it’s “okay to win”—and how to earn itLearn more at MyTexasFFA.org

    50 min

  7. 08/21/2025

    Grow Good

    🎙️ On this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Arron Alejandro sits down with Melissa Rosenbusch-Spicer, a lifelong educator and champion of agricultural science. 🌱 👩‍🏫 Melissa shares her journey from growing up in a family of ag teachers to shaping lives as a 29-year ag educator, and now carrying her passion into her work with Bloom for Good. ✨ What you’ll learn: Why faith, family, and purpose are the foundation of lasting leadership.How agricultural education builds life skills that go far beyond the classroom.The leadership traits every student—and professional—should practice: communication, work ethic, dependability, and compassion.💡 Melissa’s mission is clear: to pour into the next generation so they can grow their future with confidence, character, and heart. 👉 Tune in to be inspired by the power of ag education and the mentors who make it possible. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

    36 min

  8. 08/14/2025

    Agriculture ... Chase the Dream

    In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Aaron Alejandro sits down with Kade and Morgan Hodges, owners of Hodges Livestock, to share their inspiring journey from meeting in college to running a thriving family ranch.You’ll hear how they:✅ Turned major setbacks—like losing half their leased land—into breakthrough opportunities✅ Pivoted into innovative solar grazing with 1,300 sheep✅ Built their business on faith, resilience, and creativity✅ Lead with purpose as stewards of God’s creation💡 What you’ll learn: Practical leadership tips, how to adapt in challenging markets, and why relationships and persistence are game-changers in agriculture.🌱 Their mission: To be faithful stewards of God’s creation, producing profitable, productive livestock for consumers and fellow ranchers while preserving the ranching way of life.🎧 Tune in for a story of grit, vision, and purpose that will inspire anyone chasing a dream. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Hosted by Aaron Alejandro, the Growing Our Future podcast is focused on strengthening agricultural science education in America so that students can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace. This show is sponsored by the Texas FFA Foundation. Learn more at https://mytexasffa.org/

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Alejandro
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    87
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Growing Our Future