Corey Hillebo thought it was going to be a routine day of filming content for the Farm4Profit podcast. The fifth-generation farmer from Polk City, Iowa, who farms corn, soybeans and raises pigs, was expecting to meet with Jackson Laux, the 10-year-old farming influencer behind the social media accounts Just a Jackson Thing, which have more than 1.3 million followers across TikTok and Instagram. What he didn’t expect was for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to walk through the door carrying a John Deere cooler.

“We were all just starstruck,” Hillebo told the Des Moines Register. “I was speechless for a while.”

The surprise visit in September 2025 was part of John Deere’s Field Meals initiative to celebrate farmers during harvest. But it also represented something bigger: the growing influence of Farm4Profit, the agricultural podcast co-hosted by Tanner Winterhof and Hillebo that has become one of the most trusted voices in modern farming.

Building a Platform That Attracts Major Brands

Farm4Profit, which Winterhof co-founded, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with impressive metrics: 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, making it a cornerstone in the agricultural community.

Hillebo, who is sponsored by John Deere and has collaborated with “Just a Jackson Thing” in the past, said the plan that day was initially to meet with Laux and shoot some content for the podcast. When dozens of John Deere staff arrived at the farm hauling cameras and equipment, he knew something bigger was happening. A director gave them the rundown without revealing who was coming, telling them to act natural. Then one of the doors opened, and in came Brock Purdy with Jackson Laux.

For Hillebo, a multi-generational Iowa State Cyclones supporter who graduated from ISU in 2010, seeing the Iowa State legend was particularly meaningful. The surprise visits took Purdy and Laux across the U.S.

The Man Behind Farm4Profit

Tanner Winterhof first conceived of the Farm4Profit podcast during his time working in finance. Born and raised on a swine and row-crop farm in Aurelia, Iowa, Winterhof earned a degree in business administration and financial services from AIB College of Business in Des Moines. He spent 15 years in banking, working closely with farmers and agricultural businesses, where he gained a deep understanding of the financial challenges they faced in managing their operations.

“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,” Winterhof has said. “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.”

Initially, Winterhof focused on financial literacy and business management issues, exploring topics like loan management, profitability strategies, and the economic realities of running a farm. But as the audience grew, something interesting happened.

The Power of Listening to Your Audience

“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.”

Farm4Profit began prioritizing audience-driven content, understanding that the listeners had valuable insight into the topics that mattered most. By paying attention to feedback from social media, emails, and direct listener comments, the team could tailor episodes 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 content.

The Corey Hillebo Connection

The partnership between Winterhof and Hillebo began at Winterhof’s Farm4Profit conference in 2014. Hillebo was four years out of college, having returned to full-time farming from a corporate job. He attended the conference looking for young go-getters in agriculture.

Their relationship deepened over the years. In fall 2019, when Winterhof needed to attend a conference, he sent Hillebo to run a grain cart for his in-laws’ farm so the event could go on and the farm could continue operating. By March 2020, when the podcast started going weekly and Hillebo appeared as a guest to discuss how social media helped his farm, their friendship had reached a point where Hillebo felt comfortable offering brutally honest feedback.

“Your content’s good, but your delivery sucks,” Hillebo told them after recording. “You guys are trying to give lectures through your car radio.” Hillebo was listening to podcasts outside agriculture like Barstool Sports and Pat McAfee, and he understood what made content engaging. That honest conversation led to Hillebo eventually joining as a co-host, bringing a more entertaining delivery style that helped Farm4Profit reach new heights.

Beyond the Podcast: Live Events and Community Impact

Farm4Profit has evolved into a burgeoning media company, complete with a newly renovated podcast studio that they also offer up for rent to support budding content creators. At the 2024 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, Farm4Profit hosted live podcast recordings featuring Jackson Laux, Zach Johnson (Millennial Farmer), and the Welker Farms family. The podcast’s annual after-party at the event brought together over 350 partners, fans, and influencers with a combined following of over 100 million across social media platforms.

“On digital platforms, engagement is typically one-sided,” Winterhof noted. “Creators share their content, and followers consume it, often without any direct, real-time connection. Likes, comments, and shares are valuable, but they don’t provide the same depth of interaction that an in-person conversation does.”

The podcast has also mobilized its community during crises. When devastating spring tornadoes tore through Iowa and Nebraska in 2024, Winterhof and Hillebo led a fundraising campaign for Go Serve Global, an organization offering aid to disaster-stricken communities. The fundraiser attracted major donors including Sukup Manufacturing with a $25,000 matching donation and the Sukup Family Foundation with $10,000. Together, Farm4Profit and its community exceeded their $50,000 goal.

What’s Next for Farm4Profit

As Farm4Profit continues to grow, its audience has expanded beyond farm operators. Recent survey results show that only about 60% of listeners are farmers or farm operators, with the rest being business professionals attracted by discussions of topics applicable to any business: accounting software, tax strategies, building resiliency, and diversification.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the Farm4Profit Podcast,” said Winterhof. “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 2 million downloads later, it’s clear that our listeners appreciate the content we provide, and I am excited for what the future holds.”

Looking ahead, Farm4Profit will continue to explore cutting-edge topics such as climate-smart agriculture, AI technology, smart equipment, and the evolving farmer-retailer relationship, ensuring the podcast remains a relevant and valuable resource.

Back on Hillebo’s farm, the Brock Purdy visit concluded with photos and an autographed Hillebo Family Farms sign. The John Deere crew shot footage of Purdy interacting with the family for about 45 minutes, discussing everything from Purdy’s recently signed contract extension to the possibility of him purchasing Iowa farmland in the future.

“It was a great conversation with him, and you could just tell he’s very down to earth,” Hillebo said. “Brock is still a champion for Iowa State, and we love to see that he still comes back and supports the community.”

That community support extends both ways—from Iowa State legends to Iowa farmers, and from John Deere to Farm4Profit. When major brands want to reach and honor the agricultural community authentically, they turn to platforms like Farm4Profit that Tanner Winterhof has spent years building on trust, quality content, and genuine relationships.