Podcast Summary: My Digital Farmer Podcast

Episode 336 – When Your Best-Selling Farm Product Disappears – Inside a FMS Coaching Call
Host: Corinna Bench
Date: October 29, 2025

Overview of Episode Theme

In this episode, host and CSA farmer Corinna Bench features a live coaching call from her Farm Marketing School. The episode revolves around a real and pressing issue: what happens when a farm’s best-selling product – in this case, beef – disappears from inventory, perhaps for months or even years? Through a direct coaching conversation with farm member Stacy, Corinna guides listeners through the tangible fears, scarcity mindset, and business anxieties that such a situation creates, while modeling how to reframe these challenges as opportunities for growth, innovation, and mindset evolution.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stacy’s Dilemma: Running Out of Her Best-Seller

• Situation: Stacy runs a farm membership offering meat (beef, pork, chicken) to monthly subscribers. Her beef inventory is entirely depleted, with no more expected for at least 9 months.
• Primary Concerns:
  • Fear of Customer Loss: “If beef is not on the table, people may leave. Will my members see value if they can’t get beef?” (10:30–12:34)
  • Revenue Impact: Worrying about a significant drop in sales and losing momentum, given that beef has historically seemed to “bring people in.”
  • Competitive Pressures: A new market competitor is selling beef (and pork) at significantly lower prices.

2. Scarcity Mindset & Catastrophizing

Corinna identifies that Stacy, like many entrepreneurs, is following a natural tendency to anticipate worst-case scenarios:

• “Our reptilian brain decides to warn us by creating a scenario in our head of the absolute worst thing that could happen…” (19:52–21:46)
• Assumptions Stacy voiced:
  • “If we don't have beef, we're not gonna sell as much as we have been.” (15:39)
  • “They’re going to find somebody else that has beef more consistently… they don’t buy from us anymore.” (14:38–14:52)

3. Challenging Assumptions with Reality & Data

Corinna pushes Stacy (and the audience) to look at actual sales data and customer behavior:

• Beef isn’t necessarily the highest revenue generator; pork actually is for Stacy.
• Other products (pork and chicken) might be what regular customers value most.

Corinna: “We assume our customers care about the thing that we are fixated on, even when the real data is telling a slightly different story.” (19:52–21:00)

4. Mindset Shift: From Crisis to Opportunity

Corinna introduces the idea of reframing the situation:

• Learning to Let Go: Being forced to be still and realizing you can't always control everything as a business owner. (26:31–27:09)
• Resilience Through Uncertainty: “It’s not an emergency… I’m still going to be successful no matter how many beef I have on the ground.” (27:20–27:42)
• Creativity Under Constraint: “What if you discover another really cool moneymaker because you had to?” (28:06–28:16)
• Innovation Trigger: Necessity often forces entrepreneurs to innovate and discover new revenue streams or improve their systems.

Corinna: “Every time we've faced a systems issue in our business… I'm so grateful now for that circumstance because our business became better because of it.” (29:40–31:04)

5. Practical Strategies and Advice Offered

• Communicate Authentically: Be transparent with customers about supply issues; many will be understanding and loyal.
• Leverage Scarcity: Being sold out can increase future demand (and price elasticity). Use this period to build anticipation and waitlists.
• Experiment with New Offers: While beef is absent, bundle other products, run special promotions, or offer classes and experiences.
• Monitor Data: Track actual retention and preferences, so decisions are data-driven, not just fear-based.

6. The Entrepreneurial Journey: Evolving Through Challenge

• Growth Mindset: The best entrepreneurs use difficult periods to become more resilient and creative.
• Practice Makes Progress: Mindset shifts require active practice through journaling and reflection.

Corinna: “Your business is not defined by a single product. Your business is defined by your ability to create value no matter what.” (44:10–44:30)

• Invitation to Growth: Situations like Stacy’s are “the crucible in which you are becoming” the next-level entrepreneur you need to be.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stacy (Farm Coaching Member), on her fear:

  “If I'm not gonna have beef for another 8 months… I don't know if they're that loyal to, like, hang around for this farm membership if beef is not on the table.” (11:28–12:34)

• Corinna, on mindset:

  "We create stories in our head. We assume our customers care about the thing that we are fixated on, even when the real data is telling a slightly different story." (19:52–21:00)

• Stacy, realizing it's not all about beef:

  “Even with the beef we had, it's still not our top performing category by a long shot. Pork is.” (15:03–15:28)

• Corinna, reframing the crisis:

  “What if losing beef is the thing that forces me to finally build the most profitable, creative, exciting version of my business yet?” (31:04–32:00)

• On authenticity and customer loyalty:

  “I found the understanding customers are the ones I want.” (36:53–37:48, C)

• On growth opportunities:

  “Be grateful for the challenges you get, because they are always a teacher and you may just not see the lesson yet.” (41:08–41:41)

• Corinna, final wisdom:

  “The reason it’s an issue and a challenge is because you simply haven't become the person that you are required to become to manage that situation.” (44:10–44:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction of Stacy’s Problem: 10:30–12:34
• Unpacking Fear & Scarcity Mindset: 13:39–19:52
• Discussion of Data vs. Stories: 15:03–17:49
• Reframing: Opportunity & Mindset Shift: 26:22–29:42
• Peer Advice on Communication: 35:36–37:48
• Addressing Competition and Price Wars: 37:48–39:44
• Future-Oriented Strategic Planning: 41:08–44:09
• Final Takeaways and Mindset Recap: 44:09–end

Episode Structure Highlights

Tone & Language:

• Candid, encouraging, and relatable, with Corinna frequently sharing her own challenges and mindset hurdles.
• Stacy is open, vulnerable, occasionally anxious but receptive to new perspectives.

Key Takeaways

• Most business crises are won or lost in the mind, not in the marketplace; mindset shapes strategy and results.
• Don’t let fear and assumptions drive your decisions—look to your actual data and listen to your loyal customers.
• Temporary shortages or setbacks are not business-ending; they can be invitations to innovate, improve, and grow into a more resilient entrepreneur.
• Practice reframing obstacles as opportunities: “Who is this challenge asking me to become?”
• Transparent communication and a willingness to experiment will deepen customer loyalty and sustain your farm through hard seasons.

For farmers (or any entrepreneur) who fear losing customers when a flagship product disappears, this episode is a must-listen for learning actionable mindset shifts and practical strategies to come out stronger on the other side.