Why a Corporate IT Executive Started a Farm to Feed Strangers

About this episode

John Smith shares his journey from corporate IT to starting a nonprofit farm to combat food insecurity and foster community connection.

Most people dream about “giving back someday.” John Smith actually did it. After years in corporate IT, moving from Arizona to Hawaii to Illinois, John and his wife realized something was missing: community, purpose, and real human connection. So they did something radical. They started a nonprofit farm designed to grow fresh food for people facing food insecurity—and they’re learning everything from scratch. But this episode isn’t really about farming. It’s about loneliness. Disconnection. Modern life. The quiet emptiness so many people feel after chasing success for years. And it’s about what happens when you finally decide to build something that matters. In this powerful conversation, Kellan and John unpack community, technology, purpose, failure, service, family, meaning, and why helping others may be the thing that saves us. Key Takeaways: Why John and his wife launched Dizzy Goat Farms Food insecurity and disappearing community connection The emotional emptiness of modern corporate life Why technology can increase isolation The importance of service and contribution Learning farming from scratch Building something meaningful later in life Parenting, identity shifts, and…

People in this episode

Host: Kellan Fluckiger

Guest: John Smith

Topics covered

• community
• food insecurity
• loneliness
• modern life
• service
• meaning
• personal growth

Keywords

• food insecurity
• community
• loneliness
• service
• Dizzy Goat Farms
• corporate life
• personal growth
• technology
• farming

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Dizzy Goat Farms

Places: Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois

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