We Are LDI: Aaron Koelling - KS and IA Ag Equipment Dealer

Please introduce yourself, and your position, and tell us how long you have been working at LDI.

I’m Aaron Koelling, a salesman in Salina, and I’ve been working for the company for 11 years.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your responsibilities?

I live a couple of miles north of Salina in Minneapolis, KS. I have a large family with seven children. My day-to-day duties would be trying to introduce myself to people unfamiliar with me and following up with those familiar with me to promote our product and our company!

What do you look forward to when coming to work every day?

Every day I come to work, I look forward to new opportunities and friendships. Never is it the same day-to-day, there’s always a new adventure or a new obstacle.

What's the best thing about working at LDI?

The best thing about working at LDI is it is an individual-owned company. If you need to, you can get direct communication with the owner of the company. It started as a small company and grew. They are just a good, down-to-earth group of people.

What's the most important thing you've learned while working at LDI?

The most important thing I’ve learned while working at LDI is hard work and doing the right thing and you’ll be successful.

Describe a challenge that you faced that your teammates helped you overcome.

A challenge I’ve faced would be trying to keep a customer in the field and keep them going. At the store level, multiple departments help with that process, all the way from parts to service to sales. We all must work together to keep that person running. It’s not just one person’s job.

Why would you recommend working at LDI to someone seeking employment?

I would recommend working at LDI to anyone out there seeking employment just because of the wholeheartedness of the company and what we stand for and our goals. They are a company going in the right direction.

How is LDI changing the game in the ag industry?

The way LDI is changing the game in the ag industry is of course by bringing the Fendt in and promoting it as well as making the salespeople be in the field, at the locations, in front of the farmer, and not expecting the farmer to come to you.

How has LDI better shaped you in your career?

I would say LDI has done a really good job of bettering me as an individual and an employee. I started with the company on the service side and worked through that side up through management, store manager, and sales. Every step in the process of this company has taught me a lot about myself and other people and respect for other people.

How did working in the Service Department before Sales help you succeed?

Being in service, as a service manager, and moving to sales has been a huge advantage for me over my competitors in the sales industry. I’ve worked with all the equipment, hands-on, worked through problems, and gotten to know the piece of equipment inside and out much better than my competitors. So, I would say going into sales has made it so I’m a better benefit for my customers with the amount of ability I have after hours to help them out in a jam and get them up and going on the service side of things.

How do you apply "Doing What it Takes" to your job every day?

The way I apply “Doing What it Takes” to my job every day is just every day going out there and getting it. I must do whatever I need to support the customer, support the location, support the business, and support the ownership. Whether that’s being a good person in public, going the extra mile to help a guy out, not quitting, and trying to extinguish all your options before giving up.