Mitch Highett

From building a business to building a lifelong network

When Mitch won the Zanda McDonald Award in 2023, he was in the early stages of building his business. With a team of around five people and a client base largely made up of SME farms across Central West NSW, Mitch was navigating the realities of growth; employing people, choosing the right clients and establishing a business that could genuinely outperform for both its clients and its people.

Winning the Award didn't change the direction Mitch was heading. Instead, it accelerated it.

“I think the Award accelerates the direction you’re heading, not necessarily alters its course. If I hadn’t won the Award, I hope I would have headed in the right direction, but it would just take a bit longer to get there.”

Learning from people who had walked the path before

For Mitch, the Award experience was as much about the people and conversations as it was about business.

A visit to Devoncourt and time spent with the McDonald family gave Mitch a deeper understanding of the man behind the Award and the values that continue to shape it. An evening sharing a Scotch with Zanda’s father Don McDonald and hearing his wisdom became a particular highlight.

Another significant experience came through meeting Garry Edwards (AAMig), who was open and candid about his fund and its operations. Mitch was working with an investment fund at the time, and the opportunity to see agricultural investment through a different lens gave him valuable perspective.

But perhaps the most transformative conversations were not about business at all.

Travelling alongside fellow winners Harriett Bremner and Charlie Perry created an environment where conversations moved well beyond growth, careers and business strategy. Spending so much time together meant they began having frank, personal conversations about their lives and the things they might want to do differently when they returned home.

For Mitch, those conversations changed his future direction dramatically.

Building a business that can grow with purpose

One of the practical lessons Mitch took from the Award was the importance of systems.

As a business grows, he recognised that strong foundational systems are essential to prevent things from becoming difficult to manage. Rather than waiting until a business becomes complex and then trying to introduce structure, Mitch has made systems a priority from an early stage.

“When things scale, it is important to have foundational systems otherwise it is easy for the wheels to fall off the tracks.”

It is an approach that has become part of how he thinks about sustainable growth and leadership.

A network that crosses the Tasman

Ask Mitch about the most valuable long-term impact of the Award and his answer is immediate: the people.

The Award brought together emerging leaders from Australia and New Zealand in a way that Mitch says is rare. What began as a professional network has developed into genuine, lifelong friendships.

“Without doubt it is the people. I have got new lifelong friends that I genuinely don’t believe I would have the opportunity to call friends if it wasn’t for this Award.”

The connections have continued well beyond the Award experience. Mitch stays in weekly contact with many members of the network, while other relationships are maintained through regular video calls and updates. For him, the trans-Tasman nature of the Award is a key part of what makes it so powerful.

With opportunity comes responsibility

Winning the Award brought Mitch something else: credibility.

Being associated with the Award - and with Zanda himself - gave him a level of credibility and gravitas that he believes has changed the calibre of opportunities and enquiries coming his way.

“Winning the Award gives you exposure but the people you meet along the way give you opportunity and bring with it a level of gravitas.”

He has seen this particularly clearly at Beef Week, where the recognition associated with being a Zanda winner has opened doors and created opportunities.

But Mitch doesn't see that recognition as something to simply benefit from. He sees it as a responsibility.

“This comes with responsibility to ensure you are a great steward of the Award.”

That sense of stewardship has become an important part of how Mitch approaches the network and his own leadership.

Paying it forward

For Mitch, receiving the Award is only the beginning.

One of the strongest lessons he has taken from being part of the Zanda network is the importance of giving back. He actively looks for ways to contribute through his work, his networks and his involvement with the Impact Summit committee.

“Receiving the Award or being a part of this network is just the beginning.”

That philosophy reflects what Mitch believes leadership in agriculture should be: not simply building your own career, but using your experience, relationships and opportunities to help others develop too.

He believes programs like the Zanda Award play an important role because leadership is built over time through a combination of skills and experiences. The Award can compress that learning curve by connecting emerging leaders with people who have already mastered many of those skills.

The impact that lasts

The Award has given Mitch access to people, perspectives and opportunities that have accelerated his journey but perhaps more importantly, it has given him a community of people who continue to challenge, support and inspire him.

And that is the legacy he now wants to contribute to for those who come next.