Aug 25, 2025

Unlocking farm profitability

Charlotte Smith to deliver powerful keynote at GLEXPO 2025

At the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO 2025, attendees will gain actionable insights from keynote speaker Charlotte Smith. As a marketing and mindset coach for farmers and growers, host of The Profitable Mindset podcast and a farmer herself, Smith understands the unique challenges farmers and growers face year after year. Smith is also the author of “Farm Marketing From the Heart,” a book on profitable farming strategies. In addition to her keynote, Smith will also lead a breakout session.

Working in the agricultural marketing industry since 2013, Smith focuses on helping farmers and growers shift their business strategy by moving away from price-based competition and instead building strong, sustainable, relationship-based businesses.

In her keynote, “5 Mistakes Farmers Make That Keep You Broke,” attendees can expect practical business strategies they can implement immediately.

5 Mistakes Farmers Make That Keep You Broke

1. Not knowing who their ideal customer is and what problem you solve
2. Using price instead of marketing skill to sell
3. Adding too many products and jumping from product to product
4. Scaling too many sales outlets
5. Not investing in learning marketing or mindset

Smith wants farmers to know that marketing is a learning process, and with the right tools and mindset, they can create strong relationships across their business.

“My goal is to give attendees the confidence and concrete tools they need to stop undervaluing their work and start building truly profitable operations,” Smith said. “When you get specific about who you serve and focus on building genuine relationships, profitability follows naturally.”

Smith is most excited for the interactive elements at the EXPO and getting to work directly with farmers and growers during the breakout session.

“I love the workshop format because it allows for real problem-solving and lets attendees walk away with specific action plans tailored to their operations,” Smith said. “Plus, I’m thrilled to be able to provide copies of my book to attendees — it’s a resource they can take home and reference as they implement these strategies.”

Smith’s keynote will include 10 minutes of Q&A, while her breakout session will be a more intensive, hands-on workshop diving deeper into practical steps for building profitability.

5 Mistakes Farmers Make That Keep You Broke

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

Charlotte Smith’s breakout session

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

New to the Great Lakes EXPO 2025

This year, the Great Lakes EXPO will feature a new and improved EXPO Social. Last year’s inaugural event was a hit — guests enjoyed dedicated networking time, a presentation of awards and more. A custom Michigan-made grazing table was prepared for the event, with items locally sourced and grown in Michigan. Plus, the EXPO offered Michigan craft beer, including a non-alcoholic beer produced in Hastings, with a dedicated hard cider bar sponsored by the Michigan Cider Association.

The EXPO is excited to announce that the EXPO Social will return for 2025 with improvements to the overall floor plan to allow the flow of traffic and lines to remain accessible.

In 2024, the EXPO introduced food trucks to the show as an opportunity to support local businesses while providing a designated area for attendees to connect. The EXPO received positive feedback as attendees were excited to try new food options and connect with others. This year, the EXPO will offer three food trucks to attendees, including vegetarian options.

Roundtables will also be revamped for 2025. The EXPO plans to include a round-up of topics early on, ultimately improving time management and ensuring each topic is covered. This approach gives people the chance to share ideas and make large group discussions more efficient.

The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO takes place Dec. 9 – 11 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Learn more about this year’s show and more at glexpo.com