Elite Membership Program

Top-Shelf Strategy and Conceirge Service

Your operation is too complex for generic advice. You need people in the room who understand agricultural finance, succession planning, capital strategy, and the operational realities that keep you up at night. That's what Elite Membership delivers: our team as an extension of yours, working through the decisions that matter most.

This is not a workshop. This is not a subscription to content. This is ongoing access to agricultural strategists who have navigated these waters before.

What Elite Membership Includes

  • Year-Round Strategy Access

    Members have direct access to the Empire Ag team for ongoing strategic consultation. Think of us as your internal advisory board. You're managing financial strategy, capital access, operational efficiency, or preparing for succession. We're in the conversation, helping you think through the implications and opportunities. No project is too small. No question gets redirected to a lower-tier service.

    You also gain access to our private member community, where you connect with other operators running similar-sized businesses. It's a closed network for real conversation.

  • Concierge Access

    Your questions don't fit neatly into quarterly calls, and they shouldn't have to wait. Members get direct access to the Empire Ag team via text and phone calls for strategic questions, financial analysis, operational troubleshooting, or just thinking through what's next.

    No queuing or "let me get back to you in two weeks."

    We prioritize member questions because your operation moves faster than that.

  • Operational Consulting

    From labor efficiency to equipment utilization to systems that scale, we help you optimize the moving parts of your business.

    We bring outside perspective grounded in what actually works in farming and ranching.

  • Financial Planning

    Cash flow forecasting, profitability analysis, tax strategy, break-even modeling.

    We work with your accountant and your team to make sure your financial foundation supports the operation you want to run.

  • Capital Access Strategy

    We help you understand your financial position in the lending landscape. What does your operation look like to a lender? Where are your strengths? Where might a lender ask questions? We work through your numbers, help you prepare documentation, and guide you toward the financing structures that actually fit your operation. No surprises when you walk into the conversation with a lender.

  • Member-Only Special Projects

    Succession planning. Multi-generational strategy. Brand development. Expansion analysis. Capital restructuring. These are the deep-work engagements—the ones that take months, not weeks, and reshape how your operation runs or transitions. They're available exclusively to members at a project fee on top of your annual membership. This keeps our capacity reserved for members and ensures we work with operators we already know and understand.

Who This Is For

Elite Membership is built for agricultural operators running $250,000 to $5 million in annual revenue. You've moved past the startup phase. You're thinking about legacy, risk management, and growth with intention. Your operation is complex enough that you need outside expertise, but you're selective about who sits at your table.

You value direct access and ongoing relationships over transactional advice. You want a team that understands agriculture, not consultants explaining farming to you.

How It Works

  • The Annual Membership

    You commit to an annual membership fee. In return, you receive direct access to the Empire Ag team for strategy and counsel, concierge-level support for your questions and priorities, and a suite of tools and community that keeps you sharp between engagements.

    Here's what that actually looks like: quarterly strategy sessions with our team, weekly community calls where members share wins and work through challenges together, access to budgeting and forecasting tools powered by Figured, gender-specific small group sessions (Brotherhood Calls for men, The Group Chat for women) where real operators have real conversations, and guest experts who bring proven experience in agriculture and business.

  • Special Projects

    When you're ready to tackle something deeper—succession planning, capital restructuring, multi-year operational strategy—you request a special project proposal.

    Members receive member pricing and priority scheduling. Non-members don't have access to these services at any price.

  • The Retreat Advantage

    Members receive a discounted rate for the annual Elite Retreat, a curated gathering of 50 agricultural operators held each February in San Antonio.

    It's where membership happens in person—and where the real relationships form.

“The Empire Ag Elite Program isn’t just about spreadsheets and strategy. We look at the whole picture—mental health, physical health, business health. Because if we’re not checking everything under the hood, we can’t honestly say we’re setting ourselves up for financial success.

We have to evaluate our relationships. We have to make sure we’re being good humans, good dads, good partners. We’ve got to be honest about our books and willing to do the work.

Every part of your life impacts how you run your operation. This program is about making sure it all gets stronger—so you don’t just survive, you lead.

If you’re ready to dig in, ask better questions, and build something that actually lasts, we’ve got a seat for you.”

— Jonathon Haralson

  • Lucas Criswell, Pennsylvania

    As an Elite member, I’ve really enjoyed working with Jonathon. He has a down-to-earth personality and explains things in a way that actually makes sense—no jargon, just straight talk. I’m working with Jonathon on marketing, business growth, and expansion planning, and we’re just starting with Figured this year. Whether it’s financial strategy or big-picture decisions, I never feel like there’s a dumb question with him. Jonathon might be 10 years younger than me, but he communicates like he’s got 10 years more experience. His insight and practical approach have been invaluable to my business.

  • Jordan Morris, Iowa

    I’m a first-generation farmer who started with nothing—just one pig barn. During the past 11 years, I’ve built my operation from the ground up expanding into a custom feedlot. I’ve done in a decade what most do in a lifetime. But I hit a point where my vision outgrew my banker’s mindset. That’s where Jonathon and Empire Ag changed everything. They’ve kept my vision alive and refueled my path. I’ve dealt with a lot of bankers who don’t understand the reality of agriculture—who won’t let you have a bad year, month, or even a week. No bank around me has experience with a custom feedlot operation. They don’t understand the cash flow. Jonathon does. With him, it’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet. He helps me align my business, my books, my cash flow, and my vision to create the life that works for my family. When I go to the bank wanting to invest in an asset, the answer is always “no.” With Jonathon, we take a deeper dive—he helps me identify the root cause of financial challenges and align everything to fix it. Because of Empire Ag, my bookwork is clean, my business is stronger, and my mental health is a priority. Jonathon doesn’t just understand how the business works—he understands how to keep my vision going.

Ready to Add Strategy to Your Team?

Elite Membership is for operators who are serious about thinking differently about their business, who want people in the room who understand agriculture at a real level, and who are ready to invest in sustained strategy work.

If that sounds like you, let's talk. We'll spend 30 minutes understanding your operation, what you're working on right now, and whether membership makes sense for both of us. No sales pitch. No obligation. Just a direct conversation about whether we're the right fit.

FAQs

  • How do I apply?

    We'll schedule a brief call to understand your operation, what you're working on, and whether membership makes sense for both of us. There's no obligation on either side.

  • What's the difference between this and hiring a consultant?

    Consultants come in, do a project, and leave.

    Membership means we're thinking about your operation year-round. We know your numbers, your team, your goals, and your constraints. We're faster, more effective, and genuinely invested in your success because we work with you over time.

  • Can I do special projects without being a member?

    Special projects are exclusive to members. This keeps our availability open for member priorities and ensures we work with operators long-term.