How 80 Acres Farms made coaching feel like part of the job, not added to it.
Employees
retail locations served
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total funding raised
80 Acres Farms is one of the largest vertical farming companies in the United States, based in Hamilton, Ohio, with ~300 employees and farms across multiple states, producing pesticide-free produce for 1,300+ retail locations.
The email that showed up mid-morning.
Earlier that day, Kathy Quarles, Head of People at 80 Acres Farms, got an email from two team members. They'd both received the same Cloverleaf coaching insight. And they'd decided to share it with each other.
The message was simple:
"Oh, this is why we balance each other out so well." Both sides of the equation. Constructive feedback on how each of them likes to work. The parallel made real visible in a moment that happened without any facilitation, without any program design, without anyone prompting it.
It was unique to see this parallel of that's why we're such a good team and we balance each other. It makes it real."
- Kathy Quarles,
Head of People
Development that doesn't feel like development.
80 Acres Farms operates in a fast-paced, growing environment where the people doing the work are also figuring out the work. Development programs that feel like programs, workshops, mandatory sessions, off-site days, compete with the pace of a company that's scaling.
Cloverleaf fits differently. It shows up in email. It shows up in the daily flow. Team members share tips with each other not because they were asked to, but because the insight felt relevant right now. That's the difference between a tool and a habit.
Coaching, development, self-assessment, made fun. Made real. Made part of the job rather than something added on top of it.