Simon Sinek once said "People don't buy what you do or how you do it, they buy why you do it."

Like many businesses, pecan companies do not come with instruction manuals. There is not a book of “dos” and “don’ts” that keep you on the fast-track to success. When Miller Pecan Company opened its doors, brothers Justin and Jared did not really know what to expect, but in the fall of 2014 they took a deep breath and started their new adventure anyway.

Growing pecans was nothing new for the Miller family. Since 1988, Justin and Jared had been growing and harvesting pecans with their father, Lenny. After the loss of their father in 2010 from a tragic harvesting accident, the Miller brothers looked for more opportunities to expand Lenny’s legacy.

Regardless of the industry, every business owner has to have a why. That one thing that keeps them going, equally in the great times and the trying times. For our family-based business, our why is especially pronounced.

“I have 2 children that will hopefully want to be involved in our family farm just like I was with my dad.” says Justin, “That’s also why conservation is so important to me.  It all ties into leaving our piece of the world better than how we found it for the next generation.”

For Jared, “I enjoy diversity. Finding new, more efficient ways to process pecans all the way from the tree to the table challenges me to find extraordinary solutions.”

At the end of the day, both brothers love seeing things evolve. From clearing timber to make a new pecan grove to planting young trees to form a new orchard, the hard work is worth watching fresh ideas mature. Similarly, that desire comes full circle with the goal to build a successful business for the next generation to take over one day, just like Lenny did for Justin and Jared.

Characteristic of their vision, the Miller family is always planning for tomorrow. According to Justin,“We are planting new trees every year. Trees can have a long life. They can grow old with us.”