Built on Iron dives into how machinery dealerships deliver exceptional service. Brilliant Harvest CEO Remi Schmaltz talks with dealership leaders about operations, technology, customer experience, and the stories that define this industry.
Built on Iron, A Brilliant Harvest Podcast
Claim This Podcastby Remi Schmaltz
7 episodes
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Podcast Overview
Built on Iron dives into how machinery dealerships deliver exceptional service. Brilliant Harvest CEO Remi Schmaltz talks with dealership leaders about operations, technology, customer experience, and the stories that define this industry.
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Publishing Since
2/6/2026
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Recent Episodes
July 27, 2026
The Dealership of the Future Starts with Customer Data with Jon Rossi
<p>The competitive advantage for equipment dealerships is shifting. Iron still matters, but the businesses pulling ahead are building stronger customer relationships through better communication, smarter technology, and more effective use of data.</p><p>Jon Rossi, founder of Modern, and Managing Director of Digital Iron Group, joins Remi Schmaltz to discuss the technology trends reshaping agriculture and construction equipment dealerships. Drawing from his experience building one of the industry's first dealer communication platforms, Jon explains how something as simple as replacing phone tag with structured digital communication improved technician productivity, reduced service delays, increased customer satisfaction, and strengthened dealership profitability.</p><p>The conversation expands beyond communication into the broader forces transforming the industry. Jon shares why OEM acquisitions of technology companies are accelerating, what dealership leaders should make of manufacturer-owned territories, and why ownership of the customer relationship remains the dealer's greatest strategic asset. He also explains why the next generation of dealership software will depend on open integrations rather than closed systems and why modern Dealer Management Systems must become platforms instead of walled gardens.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Key topics include:</strong></p><ul><li>How faster customer communication improves technician efficiency and service margins</li><li>Why open APIs will determine the next generation of dealership software</li><li>The impact of OEM technology acquisitions and manufacturer-owned territories</li><li>AI adoption strategies that start with business problems, not technology</li><li>Predictions for dealership consolidation, private equity, autonomy, and equipment-as-a-service</li></ul><p><strong>About Jon Rossi</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Jon Rossi is the Managing Director of Digital Iron Group, a market intelligence platform focused on the technology, investment, and business trends shaping the heavy equipment industry. He is also the founder and former CEO of Modern, a customer communication platform purpose-built for equipment dealerships and rental operations that helped modernize service communication across dealer networks throughout North America.</p><p>Jon brings a unique perspective from working across equipment dealerships, software startups, and OEM partnerships. His experience spans dealership operations, customer communication technology, AI adoption, and the evolving dealership software ecosystem. Today, he advises organizations on digital transformation while closely tracking the trends influencing the future of agriculture, construction, mining, and equipment distribution.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Resources discussed in this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.tbpn.com/">TBPN (Technology Business Programming Network)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.salesforces.com">Salesforce</a></li><li><a href="http://www.zapier.com">Zapier</a></li></ul><p>—</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Contact Remi Schmaltz | Brilliant Harvest: </strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://brilliantpowered.com">BrilliantPowered.com</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/remischmaltz/">LinkedIn: Remi Schmaltz</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/brilliant-harvest-inc/">LinkedIn: Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BrilliantHarvest">YouTube: Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="http://brilliantpowered.com/equipment-dealers-ai-guide">The Equipment Dealer's Guide to Creating an AI-Powered Customer Experience</a></li><li><a href="https://meetings.hubspot.com/remi-schmaltz">Make Your Equipment Experience Brilliant — Schedule a Demo<br></a><br></li></ul><p><strong>Contact Jon Rossi | Digital Iron Group: </strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://digitalirongroup.com">DigitalIronGroup.com</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonrrossi/">LinkedIn: Jon Rossi<br></a><br></li></ul>
July 13, 2026
Nathan Johnson on Building the Dealer of the Future
<p>Technology is transforming equipment dealerships, but successful change starts with people. After more than two decades helping lead technology strategy at Titan Machinery, Nathan Johnson joins Remi Schmaltz to share what he's learned about scaling innovation across a growing dealership organization while keeping employees and customers at the center of every decision.</p><p>Nathan explains why the most successful technology initiatives follow a simple formula: people, process, and technology—in that order. From dealership staffing and technician retention to AI adoption and digital transformation, he discusses the importance of earning employee buy-in, running effective pilot programs, and selecting technology that genuinely helps teams serve customers faster and more effectively. The conversation also explores the growing role of AI in reducing administrative work, the importance of data strategy, and why open integrations are becoming critical for modern dealerships.</p><p>As customer expectations continue to rise, dealerships face increasing pressure to deliver faster service, greater uptime, and a more connected experience. Nathan shares his perspective on how dealers, OEMs, and technology providers can work together to meet those demands while preparing for the next generation of equipment service and support. </p><p>To learn more about building an AI-powered customer experience, download <a href="https://brilliantpowered.com/equipment-dealers-ai-guide">The Equipment Dealer's Guide to Creating an AI-Powered Customer Experience at BrilliantPowered.com</a>.</p><p><strong>About Nathan Johnson<br></strong>Nathan Johnson is a technology leader and entrepreneur with more than 21 years of experience in the equipment dealership industry. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Information Technology at Titan Machinery, where he helped guide technology strategy, digital transformation initiatives, and operational growth across one of the world's largest agricultural and construction equipment dealership networks. </p><p>During his tenure, Titan expanded significantly while navigating major shifts in cloud computing, SaaS platforms, data management, and emerging AI technologies. Having grown up around the dealership business, Nathan developed a unique perspective that connects the realities of the shop floor with the opportunities created by modern technology. </p><p>Today, he is focused on entrepreneurship and business ownership while remaining closely connected to the equipment industry. His experience leading large-scale technology initiatives, evaluating software ecosystems, and helping dealerships adapt to changing customer expectations gives him a practical perspective on the future of dealership operations and technology.</p><p><strong>Resources discussed in this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.brilliantpowered.com/">Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="https://claude.com/product/claude-code">Claude Code</a></li><li><a href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT</a></li><li><a href="https://brilliantpowered.com/equipment-dealers-ai-guide">The Equipment Dealer's Guide to Creating an AI-Powered Customer Experience</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>—</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Contact Remi Schmaltz | Brilliant Harvest: </strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://brilliantpowered.com/">BrilliantPowered.com</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/remischmaltz/">LinkedIn: Remi Schmaltz</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/brilliant-harvest-inc/">LinkedIn: Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BrilliantHarvest">YouTube: Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="https://brilliantpowered.com/equipment-dealers-ai-guide">The Equipment Dealer's Guide to Creating an AI-Powered Customer Experience </a></li><li><a href="https://meetings.hubspot.com/remi-schmaltz">Make Your Equipment Experience Brilliant — Schedule a Demo<br></a><br></li></ul><p><strong>Contact Nathan Johnson | Titan Machinery:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-johnson-4ab2679/">LinkedIn: Nathan Johnson<br></a><br></li></ul>
June 29, 2026
From Microsoft to the Farm: Casey Niemann’s AgTech Bet
<p>As farm equipment becomes more complex, the pressure on dealership service teams keeps climbing. Customers expect faster answers, less downtime, and support that works as quickly as the machines they depend on. The challenge is that most dealerships are trying to meet those expectations with teams that are already stretched thin.</p><p>Casey Niemann has spent the last decade working on that exact problem.</p><p>Casey is the former CEO and co-founder of AgriSync, the communication platform built to help equipment dealerships support customers remotely through messaging, video, and connected service tools. After growing the company from a basement startup into a widely adopted dealership support platform, AgriSync was acquired by John Deere in 2021. Through his consulting company CatapultAg, Casey advises technology companies, agriculture equipment OEMs, and ag entrepreneurs — bringing firsthand experience from both worlds.</p><p>In this conversation, Casey and Remi unpack what the industry learned during the rise of connected support and why the next phase will be shaped by AI, proactive diagnostics, and better knowledge distribution inside dealerships.</p><p><strong>During the episode, they discuss:</strong></p><ul><li>Why dealership teams are burning out under reactive support models</li><li>The hidden cost of equipment downtime for both dealers and farmers</li><li>What Casey learned while building AgriSync during the early days of smartphone adoption</li><li>Why connected support became strategically important to OEMs</li><li>The tension between closed ecosystems and open integration models</li><li>How AI can help dealerships attract younger talent and improve work-life balance</li><li>Why the future of dealership service is proactive instead of reactive<p></p></li></ul><p>The conversation also explores a broader shift happening across agriculture: dealerships are no longer competing only on iron. Increasingly, the differentiator is responsiveness, communication, and the ability to keep customers operating during critical windows like planting and harvest.</p><p>For dealership leaders thinking about how AI and connected support fit into their organization, this episode offers a grounded look at where the industry is heading and what practical steps leaders can take today.</p><p><a href="http://brilliantpowered.com/equipment-dealers-ai-guide">Download The Equipment Dealer’s Guide to Creating an AI-Powered Customer Experience at BrilliantPowered.com.</a></p><p><strong>About Casey Niemann</strong></p><p><br>Casey Niemann is the former CEO and co-founder of AgriSync, a connected support platform built for agriculture equipment dealerships and agronomy teams. Raised on a farm in Kansas, Casey began his career in agriculture before spending more than a decade at Microsoft, where he worked during the early expansion of cloud computing and helped support emerging Azure initiatives.</p><p>In 2014, Casey founded AgriSync to help dealerships improve communication and remote support for customers facing increasingly complex equipment and technology challenges. The platform grew into a widely adopted connected service tool across the agriculture industry before being acquired by John Deere in 2021. Casey continues to work with and advise agricultural technology companies focused on improving customer support, dealership operations, and the future of connected agriculture as the founder and principal of CatapultAg.</p><p><strong>Resources discussed in this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.brilliantpowered.com/">Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-ca">Microsoft Azure</a></li><li><a href="https://www.deere.com/en/autonomous/">Autonomous Equipment Technology</a></li><li><a href="https://www.precisionag.com/">Precision Agriculture Technology</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>—</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Contact Remi Schmaltz | Brilliant Harvest: </strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://brilliantpowered.com/">BrilliantPowered.com</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/remischmaltz/">LinkedIn: Remi Schmaltz</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/brilliant-harvest-inc/">LinkedIn: Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BrilliantHarvest">YouTube: Brilliant Harvest</a></li><li><a href="http://brilliantpowered.com/equipment-dealers-ai-guide">The Equipment Dealer's Guide to Creating an AI-Powered Customer Experience</a></li><li><a href="https://meetings.hubspot.com/remi-schmaltz">Make Your Equipment Experience Brilliant — Schedule a Demo<br></a><br></li></ul><p><strong>Contact Casey Niemann: Founder & Principal, CatapultAg</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/machinery/new-machinery/john-deere-acquires-agrisync"><strong>Learn more about </strong>AgriSync’s acquisition by John Deere</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyniemann/">LinkedIn: Casey Niemann<br></a><br></li></ul>
7 total episodes available
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