From Podcast to Media Powerhouse:
When Farm4Profit Media announced the addition of Cody Vanderholm as their new Project & Digital Media Manager, it marked another milestone in the remarkable evolution of a company that started as a simple podcast just five years ago. For CEO Tanner Winterhof, the hiring represents more than just team expansion—it’s validation of a vision that has transformed how agricultural content is created, distributed, and consumed.
“What stands out most about Cody is his ability to level with our partners and create content that truly reflects their vision and goals,” said Winterhof. “We’re excited for the fresh perspective, expertise, and creativity he brings to our team.”
Vanderholm brings extensive experience in photography, videography, marketing, and client relations, having successfully run his own media business and collaborated with several agricultural companies. His addition brings Farm4Profit Media’s team to approximately 10 people, including writers, video editors, audio editors, photographers, and social media experts—a far cry from the podcast’s humble beginnings.
From Banking to Broadcasting
Tanner Winterhof’s journey to building a media company began on a swine and row-crop farm in Aurelia, Iowa. After earning a degree in business administration and financial services from AIB College of Business in Des Moines, he spent 15 years immersed in the banking world, working closely with farmers and agricultural businesses.
During those years, Winterhof witnessed firsthand the financial challenges farmers faced. “I saw how difficult it was for many farmers to navigate the complexities of agricultural finance, often lacking the tailored resources and tools necessary to improve their business management skills,” he explained. “This realization sparked the idea for Farm4Profit—a platform that would not only address these financial challenges but also create a space where farmers could share knowledge and learn from one another.”
What started as a podcast focused on financial literacy and business management has evolved into something much bigger. “I’ve built my career around a love for farming, intertwined with a real passion for bringing innovation to agriculture,” Winterhof said. “One big part of my philosophy is seeing farms as businesses. I always tell ag professionals to put together a team of advisors—people who know their stuff about finance, crops, marketing, and whatever else matters.”
Building a Full-Service Media Company
Today, Farm4Profit Media is far more than a podcast. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services including audio editing, video editing, custom social media posts, commercials, and content preparation. With a team of approximately 10 people, they’ve built the infrastructure to serve agricultural brands at every level of content creation and distribution.
“We’re already a media company,” Winterhof explained in a recent interview. “We do offer services from audio editing, video editing. We’ll make custom social media posts for your company. We do commercials. We will write for those. We do content preparation. We’ve got a team of 10 around us, so we’ve got writers and video editors and audio editors and photographers, as well as those that are social media experts.”
The expansion came organically, driven by listening to their partners’ needs. “We’d run a podcast campaign with a client of ours and they just miss utilizing it to the full abilities,” Winterhof noted. “And when you explain to them how they missed, they go, oh wow, we thought it was great. We didn’t realize it could have been excellent.”
Farm4Profit Media has also invested in infrastructure, including a newly renovated podcast studio that they rent out to support budding content creators. This commitment to supporting the broader agricultural media ecosystem reflects Winterhof’s philosophy of building relationships that last.
The Partnership Approach
What sets Farm4Profit Media apart is the depth of relationships Winterhof and his team have cultivated with their partners. “We have a lot of partners that are, they’re truly partners,” co-host Corey Hillebo explained. “I mean friends of ours that we have developed this relationship that we almost find ourselves in consulting roles.”
This consultative approach extends beyond traditional marketing services. The team spends significant time strategizing with partners about their business beyond just marketing, offering insights drawn from years of experience in agriculture and media. It’s this kind of relationship-focused approach that makes the addition of someone like Cody Vanderholm so strategic.
“I was taught at a young age that it takes 20 years to build a reputation and seconds to ruin it,” Vanderholm said. “I’ve carried that mindset into every partnership and project, striving to help brands grow while building relationships that last.”
In his new role, Vanderholm will manage social media accounts, connect with partners, and help guide the development of elevated content across all platforms. His unique ability to step into the shoes of partners and understand their needs ensures that the content Farm4Profit produces not only engages audiences but also strengthens brand relationships.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The Farm4Profit Podcast recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with remarkable achievements: over 400 episodes produced, more than 3.5 million downloads, and nearly 64,000 subscribers on YouTube. The podcast has built an online community of over 350,000 followers across platforms.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the Farm4Profit Podcast,” Winterhof reflected. “When we started this journey, our goal was to create a resource that would help farmers and agribusiness professionals stay ahead of the curve. Five years and 3.5 million downloads later, it’s clear that our listeners appreciate the content we provide, and I am excited for what the future holds.”
The podcast has covered a wide array of topics, from renewable energy projects and agritourism to niche agricultural markets and the latest in agricultural technology. This comprehensive approach has helped listeners stay informed and inspired, while also demonstrating Farm4Profit’s expertise across the agricultural spectrum.
The Secret to Success: Listening to the Audience
When Farm4Profit first launched, Winterhof focused on the financial literacy and business management issues he knew from his banking background. But as the audience grew, something important happened.
“While this approach worked, we quickly realized something interesting: as our audience grew, we started getting more and more suggestions from listeners,” Winterhof said. “And the more we listened to their ideas, the more popular our episodes became. It became clear that our listeners knew exactly what topics we should be covering.”
This listener-driven approach transformed the podcast and became a core principle of the entire media company. By paying attention to feedback from social media, emails, and direct listener comments, the team could tailor their content to address real concerns within the farming community. Whether exploring new farming techniques, addressing financial management, or diving into market trends, audience suggestions became the key to delivering compelling, timely, and valuable content.
This same philosophy extends to how Farm4Profit Media serves its partners. The expansion into full-service media offerings came from listening to what clients needed. The team structure—with specialized roles for writers, video editors, audio editors, photographers, and social media experts—reflects what the market demanded.
Investing in the Next Generation
Part of Farm4Profit Media’s growth strategy involves engaging and mentoring young talent. Winterhof has enlisted a younger staff member who is a member of the Future Farmers of America to ensure that every podcast episode is shared across multiple social media platforms. This approach allows the company to leverage the social media expertise of the younger generation while tapping into the network and credibility of the FFA.
“Winterhof has said he is proud to have served in a mentorship role for the young employees he has brought on to his team at Farm4Profit,” according to company materials. This commitment to developing the next generation of agricultural media professionals ensures that Farm4Profit Media continues to stay current with evolving digital trends and platforms.
Looking Ahead
As Farm4Profit Media continues to expand, the company remains focused on exploring cutting-edge topics such as climate-smart agriculture, AI technology, smart equipment, and the evolving farmer-retailer relationship. The addition of Cody Vanderholm positions the company to further elevate its content across all platforms while maintaining the authentic, relationship-focused approach that has fueled its growth.
For Winterhof, the journey from banker to podcast host to media company CEO has been guided by a consistent philosophy: see farms as businesses, build teams of advisors, and adopt technology and data-driven strategies. “I’m a big advocate for farmers and farm professionals adopting tech and data-driven strategies,” he said. “The way I see it, these strategies are essential for bringing innovative ideas to agriculture and ensuring its sustainability for years to come.”
With a team of 10 talented professionals, a renovated studio, a comprehensive suite of media services, and over 350,000 engaged followers, Farm4Profit Media stands as proof that when you listen to your audience, invest in relationships, and build the right team, you can transform an industry. The addition of Cody Vanderholm is just the latest chapter in a story that shows no signs of slowing down.
