Interview with Jessi Roesch
Jessi Roesch
APRIL 24, 2024 | 00:49 | Episode 6
Farming and startups share similarities explains Jessi Roesch
Jessi Roesch, founder of Downland, discusses her journey from banking to starting a climate-smart farming marketplace. She highlights the similarities between farming and startups, such as the need for resilience, the importance of understanding customer needs, and the pursuit of a legacy. Jessi also explains the concept of regenerative agriculture and its benefits for soil health and nutrient-dense food.
ABOUT MY GUEST
Jessi Roesch (rhymes with "fresh") has over a decade of experience driving transformation at startups, unicorns and enterprise companies. She is a Terra.do Climate Fellow, member of the Soil Health Committee at BCarbon, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Antler, a global venture firm, and 3x startup executive, having led her prior company to #10 in Financial Services on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list, which recognizes companies for high growth.
Jessi is the founder and CEO of Downland, a startup that aims to remove barriers for a new generation of regenerative farmers and ranchers
Takeaways
Farming and startups share similarities in terms of resilience, understanding customer needs, and pursuing a legacy.
Regenerative agriculture focuses on improving soil health and producing nutrient-dense food.
Crowdfunding platforms like WeFunder provide opportunities for everyday people to invest in startups and support innovative solutions.
The founder journey requires resilience, grit, and a willingness to embrace challenges and personal growth.
Support Downland
Friends & insiders (that's you!) can invest in Downland via Wefunder before it opens to the public on May 1st. Early investors have access to preferred terms.
Landowner Letter of Intent (LOI)*
*Landowners who may consider making their land available (in part or in whole) to a regenerative farming/ranching apprentice can share their interest using the form at this link. This is a non-binding letter of interest. The landowner will follow the link, enter their email address, then receive an email from DocuSign to complete the form. Think of this like a petition that Downland should exist and is helpful.
For more info, visit Downland’s website.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Small Talk
08:19 Taking Risks and Embracing Change
16:30 Introduction to Downland and Regenerative Agriculture
32:53 Crowdfunding and the Opportunity for Everyday Investors
39:15 Investing in Downland and Supporting the Future of Food Systems
46:02 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Founders
