31 AGCAREERS FOOD & AGRICULTURE CAREER GUIDE When most of us imagine a “successful career,” we picture a straight line—one job leading neatly to the next. But for many professionals in agriculture, the real story looks a lot more like a winding gravel road: full of turns, detours, unexpected opportunities, and the occasional bump. Austin Todd’s journey is exactly that kind of story—one that proves you can take multiple career paths, shift directions completely, face challenges, and still build a meaningful and rewarding career in agriculture. Today, Austin is a Territory Manager with SQM, covering a large portion of the central United States. But the path that brought him there shows just how valuable flexibility, curiosity, and persistence can be. Austin studied agricultural science at Texas A&M before launching his career in research and technical development at Bayer Crop Science. That experience gave him a front-row seat to how ag innovations move from lab to field, and a foundation he’s built on ever since. Through these experiences, Austin realized his true passion: communicating, educating, and helping others succeed. He discovered he wanted to work in ag sales long-term—an area where his speaking, teaching, and relationshipbuilding skills could shine. That realization led him to his next career chapter. Austin transitioned into a sales trainee and agronomist role with Wilbur Ellis, where he began supporting growers more directly. However, like many people in the industry, he faced unexpected challenges when his employer underwent internal changes, ultimately leading to a layoff. And then, later, another layoff at a different company because of international market shifts. Life transitions (including becoming a parent) made these changes even more difficult. Instead of giving up, Austin adapted. He built a daily routine. He stayed active in his job search. He connected with his network. One resource that proved especially valuable was AgCareers.com, helping him understand what jobs were out there, which companies were hiring, and what people with his skill set were worth. “AgCareers helped me understand my value,” he shared—allowing him to avoid undervaluing himself or settling for roles that didn’t align with his abilities. Through determination (and lots of applications), Austin found roles with Climate FieldView and later with Gradable. These roles expanded his skill set even further, from customer relationships to regulatory requirements. He even found contract work and long-term professional connections through the relationships these roles created. His final transition—into his current position at SQM—came through LinkedIn outreach. His diverse background made him stand out as someone capable of building new territories and handling complex business growth. What makes Austin’s story powerful is not that he followed one perfect path—it’s that he didn’t. He explored. He adapted. He learned what he liked—and what he didn’t. He built skills across research, agronomy, sustainability, remote work, sales, and leadership. And most importantly: He succeeded because of his winding path, not in spite of it. PHOTO: Austin Todd A SUCCESSFUL CAREER ISN’T ALWAYS A STRAIGHT LINE BY CLARA TAYLOR, DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR, AGCAREERS AUSTIN TODD TERRITORY MANAGER, SQM
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