TEKWOMEN Female Founder Series: Bec Lindert

Growing Business the Sustainable Way

Bec Lindert grew up with red dust in her hair and agriculture in her blood. Third generation on the family property in St George, she’s been part of a long lineage of producers who know what it means to build, adapt and start again. After boarding school and a brief detour into environmental engineering, she found her way back to the land, first through agronomy and sustainable land management, later through supply chain innovation and business strategy. Her career has moved between paddocks, boardrooms and mentoring sessions, each chapter adding a layer to her understanding of how regional businesses thrive. For a decade, Bec helped steer her family enterprise, Australian Super Cotton, building a premium cotton supply chain that connected growers, designers and manufacturers, what she calls “ingredient marketing.” Later, she discovered her deeper skillset lay not just in growing crops, but in helping other businesses grow well.

Now, through Bec Lindert Advisory, she supports agribusinesses and rural enterprises to scale sustainably, mitigate risk and build strong systems for long-term success. It’s strategy with dirt under its nails, pragmatic, people-centred and grounded in real experience. Alongside her business, Bec contributes her expertise as a Director on the AgForce Finance and Audit Committee, keeping her connected to emerging trends, governance and the broader financial landscape of Australian agrifood. It was from our homes in Queensland that we sat to talk about her journey, her frameworks, and why technology and trust are shaping the next era of agribusiness.

Anna: Bec, you’ve worked across so many parts of the ag industry. How did your journey unfold?

Bec: Agriculture’s always been in me. I’m a third-generation farmer on our current property, but it goes back six or seven generations if you trace it. I went off to study environmental engineering at first, which, in hindsight, was a mismatch, then switched to agronomy and sustainable land management at Gatton and then later went on to complete a bachelor of Agribusiness at Armidale.

I worked in seed production, then as an agronomist, and eventually realised I loved the sustainability and business side more than fieldwork itself. I joined the Cotton Industry’s Best Management Practice program, leading campaigns on sustainability before moving home to help run the family business.

That became a decade of wearing every hat imaginable, business manager, marketer, logistics coordinator, strategist. We built Australian Super Cotton, which grew into a premium supply chain connecting Australian cotton to international manufacturers and designers. It taught me a lot about branding, partnerships and resilience.

Anna: What did those years teach you about running a business?

Bec: That sustainability has to be practical. We learned that progress isn’t a straight line. Some years we were in fashion magazines, other years we were battling seed shortages or factory shutdowns. But it showed me the value of relationships. Managing bank managers, buyers and contractors is just as important as managing crops.

That’s really where my love of business strategy grew. I started seeing patterns, what made businesses stable or shaky. And when I stepped back from the family enterprise, I realised I wanted to help others find that balance, growth without losing footing.

Anna: And that became Bec Lindert Advisory. What does your work focus on now?

Bec: I describe what I do as “real experience, real strategy, real growth.” Everything I offer is grounded in lived experience. I work with rural and regional businesses, not just farmers but those who serve the ag sector, helping them streamline operations, understand their numbers and strengthen relationships.

I’ve built a framework I call the Rural Growth Methodology, centred on three pillars: money, systems and people. Every business bottleneck falls into one of those categories. Once you identify where the blockage is, you can address it with clarity and confidence.

Sometimes it’s as simple as improving cash flow by renegotiating supplier terms; other times it’s redefining customer segments or rebuilding systems from the ground up. My goal is always to make growth sustainable, not just fast.

Anna: I love that you talk about risk mitigation rather than just “growth.” What does that mean to you?

Bec: It means protecting what you’ve already built before you chase the next opportunity. Think of it like farm insurance. You wouldn’t leave your property uninsured, so why leave your business and intellectual property exposed?

Business advisory isn’t a luxury; it’s a risk-mitigation tool. I help founders test ideas before they leap, make financial decisions with better data, and grow without gambling everything they’ve worked for. My job is to be the sounding board that saves you from the costly mistake you didn’t see coming.

Anna: Many founders hesitate to bring in advisors because they think it adds another layer to manage. How do you approach that?

Bec: I tell them, “I’m the employee you don’t have to manage.” My role is to slot into your workflow like part of the family. I understand the quirks of ag businesses, the seasonality, the stress, the language, but I’m also there to give perspective and tell the truth.

I work on a retainer model with one structured session a month and unlimited short check-ins. It removes the pressure of hourly billing, and clients can call when they need quick clarity. It’s about being a trusted partner, not another task on the list.

Anna: You mentioned technology trials on your family property. How do you see technology shaping the future of agriculture?

Bec: I’ve always been an early adopter. When we ran the family farm, we hosted some of the first LoRaWAN network trials in Australia and worked with DPI on smart-farm projects. Technology has huge potential, but only if it’s fit for purpose and fit for scale.

In agtech, there’s a tendency to build solutions that look great in theory but don’t integrate into everyday operations. If tech adds workload instead of removing it, it won’t stick. The best technology disappears into the background. It just works.

Anna: And AI? Exciting or intimidating?

Bec: Exciting, as long as it’s used wisely. I use AI every day as my “second brain.” It doesn’t replace my thinking; it sharpens it. I dictate ideas, use it to sound-check content, or help structure strategy notes.

I’m dyslexic, so AI has been a game-changer for efficiency. It lets me focus on the human side of business, the creative and strategic thinking, while automating repetitive tasks. But ethics and transparency matter. People should always know when they’re talking to AI, not a human.

Anna: You’re part of the TEKWOMEN Startup Studio. How does that tie into your mission?

Bec: It’s been such a great community. Being surrounded by other female founders in Agrifood-Tech keeps you grounded and inspired. We all bring different experiences, from early-stage startups to established businesses, but we share that goal of creating real, lasting change for rural industries.

The Startup Studio gives me space to reflect, refine and stretch what’s next for Bec Lindert Advisory. It’s a chance to collaborate with peers and mentors who genuinely understand both business strategy and the realities of the paddock.

Anna: You’re clearly passionate about sustainability, not just in production but in people. What keeps you motivated?

Bec: Honestly, seeing clients succeed. When someone calls and says, “Hey Bec, I tried that thing we talked about and it worked,” that’s my fuel. Watching regional businesses grow confidently, that’s why I do it.

I also love staying connected to industry. I sit on boards and committees, go to field days and networking events. It keeps me close to the ground, literally and figuratively. You can’t advise well if you’re not in touch with the real world your clients operate in.

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Closing reflections

Our conversation left me with a simple truth: Bec is both a strategist and a steady hand. She brings the lived experience of a grower and the sharpness of a business advisor, the kind of ally who helps you build not just faster, but stronger.

From her frameworks to her philosophy, her work is about balance: growth with stability, innovation with purpose, technology with humanity.

To connect with Bec and follow her work, you can find her via her Website, LinkedIn and Facebook, where she shares insights on sustainable business growth, technology and life in regional Australia.