The job that even his Dad is jealous of with Josh Ledingham
We love finding out what those early memories of people are from their time in Agriculture. Josh Ledingham’s makes you laugh and smile, “I just remember my old-man telling me to hold the bloody spanner”.
His career in the industry started while still at school, spending his holidays at home from boarding school helping out where he could. Before he could come home to work fulltime, his Dad told him and his brother that they weren’t coming back to the farm unless they had a degree... So he figured he better get one.
“I actually wanted to be an engineer when I was growing up, just because my grandfather was and I found the industry really interesting.”
“But, I wasn’t smart enough!” So Josh went into a Bachelor of Physics, Applied Science. He did really well at the maths and physics units, but not quite as well with the biology and chemistry units… Refocusing his studies he decided to pursue a new career avenue in Property Valuations.
Josh had just changed companies working in valuations when the COVID-19 pandemic hit… Being the last person they hired, Josh was the first one out the door! Returning to his roots, Josh enjoyed a break on the farm for around six months, planting that years winter crop.
It wasn’t for too long before the next chapter started…
Josh’s phone rang and became one of the inaugural team members of LAWD,
“We have a photo of the first six of us in our first meeting and to see how it’s grown so far, it’s pretty awesome.”
“At the time, it was something boutique and professional, so it kind of fit right up my alley.”
“Finding a small team of like-minded professionals and mentors really enticed me.”
It didn’t take Josh long to sign the paperwork and start work in Transactions, servicing the New South Wales region. The new role came with some challenges, none bigger than being separated from his now fiancé, who was across the border in Brisbane.
“We had a conversation and said ‘look, we’re here to build our careers and that’s what we want to do’.”
From there, they spent about eight months apart until the lockdowns finally lifted and he shifted to work out of the Brisbane office.
Seeing an emerging opportunity to expand to Western Australia, Josh was tasked with settling up the new office in Perth and across the Nullarbor they headed! It turns out it was a pretty good one too,
“It was a three to five-year plan but we’ve turned around and bloody love it! We’re not ready to go back [to Eastern Australia]. We have our friends, a really good support network and we haven’t looked back.”
“We’re actually looking to buy a place and set up stumps!”
“When I started with LAWD in 2021 there was only six of us, so I was part of growing the team. And now that I’ve moved over here [to Western Australia], I'm growing the team here as well, which I really enjoy.”
“I enjoy the learning experience too. It’s just different country, you know, I’ve done a fair bit of work on the East coast, now I can absorb what’s going on over here.”
But mostly, Josh loves to spend the day with his clients and get to know them, “Having an in-depth conversation with them and sharing stories is something I find really rewarding.”
“It’s something that drives me. And seeing different types of management techniques, soil, rainfall.. It’s invaluable.”
“My dad even says to me, ‘you get to look at farms for a living, I’m bloody jealous!’”
So what does it take to work in a fast-paced environment and keep across everything that’s happening?
Getting into the office early to set his day out definitely helps, as well as going over what’s been achieved each week and setting the agenda for next week.
“They become my goals, deadlines and non-negotiable.”
“I’m a big planner, but it’s hard in this industry. I can have my whole diary planned but that’s not to say I won’t get thrown a curve ball. So you have to juggle things around.”
When Josh told us his story, it was clear he has the ability to problem-solve and focus on the task at hand. When we asked him what advice he has for young people looking at a career in agriculture, it turned out that wasn’t always the case,
“Stay determined, stay disciplined. Which I wasn’t in school I might add… I had to learn that later on.”
“Having an agricultural background is helpful, but that’s not to say you can’t learn it.”
Image supplied by Josh Ledingham.
Way back in 2021 LAWD came on as our first partner, as part of our partnership in 2023 we wanted to meet more of the team behind their growing business. Check out any opportunities and find the latest news, content and properties available on their website.