Farmers Business Network moves into new office with room to grow

Jan. 23, 2019

Fast-growing Farmers Business Network has a new home.

The company has moved into the second floor of the former Globe University building, where it eventually envisions a larger campus.

“We’re a hybrid – a financial center, a tech office and a call center,” said CEO Kelby Kleinsasser, who set out to create what he refers to as “an un-call center.”

That means eliminating offices, ensuring all employees have access to natural light and creating a fun, welcoming vibe.

An employee break area features a ping pong table and is stocked with snacks and beverages.

A training center and meeting room allow the growing team to collaborate. Farmers Business Network has 105 people in the Sioux Falls office, an office in California and 80 people working remotely nationwide.

Kleinsasser estimates the staff size will grow at 30 percent to 40 percent this year.

That’s because the company is diversifying rapidly. It began as a network allowing farmers to share and leverage data to improve their operations. That network now includes 7,500 farms and 30 million acres.

The business then branched into offering chemicals for farmers, seed, crop insurance, financing and, most recently, health insurance, where demand has been overwhelming, Kleinsasser said.

“It’s totally clear this is a huge pain point for farmers, so we will be building out the support for it,” he said.

To accommodate longer term growth, the company has the ability to lease the first floor of the former Globe building at 5101 S. Broadband Lane, and there’s a plan to connect the building to a new one built beside it.

The company also might be the most dog-friendly one in town. There are about 20 canines who regularly come to work with their owners.

“People keep their dogs right at their feet with them. A lot,” Kleinsasser said. “There was already a dog area because Globe University had a vet school here. Going out the west door, there’s a walkway to an attached dog park, which I would like to expand.”

Farmers Business Network will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new office at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

“It far exceeded our vision,” Kleinsasser said.

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Farmers Business Network moves into new office with room to grow

Fast-growing Farmers Business Network has a new home.

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