Where this was said
Steven in Dayton — 18-Year-Old Cattle Farmer and the $250K Debt Question
At 1:01:46 · chapter starts 52:45
Steven is a remarkable 18-year-old entrepreneur who has already run one profitable cattle batch (buying 200 calves at $100K, selling at ~$60K profit). Now the barn-fill cost has risen to $250K due to a US cattle shortage, and he's weighing borrowing to own the next batch versus doing custom feeding for another farmer at a simpler $35K annual profit. George listens carefully but holds the Ramsey line: debt-financed agriculture amplifies both profit and catastrophic downside (one disease outbreak, one market shift). His prescription is to custom feed for now, stack cash living at home with minimal bills, and restart as a debt-free operator. The episode's sharpest line arrives here: 'This show only exists because everybody's plans didn't go to plan.' [1] — George Kamel "An 18-year-old entrepreneur made $60K profit on his first cattle batch using borrowed money. Now he wants to borrow $250K for the next run.…" 53:50
An 18-year-old entrepreneur made $60K profit on his first cattle batch using borrowed money. Now he wants to borrow $250K for the next run. The math looks great until one outbreak, one market shift, or one bad hand at the blackjack table wipes it all out. George's counter-offer: custom feed for someone else, stack cash, restart debt-free.
A US cattle shortage drove barn-fill costs from $100K to $250K, making debt-financed cattle farming far riskier for a young entrepreneur already operating on thin margins.
An 18-year-old cattle farmer cleared $60,000 in profit on his first borrowed-funded batch of calves — but borrowing for the next batch at $250,000 would multiply both reward and risk dramatically.
