Michele Johnson
Michele Johnson is the founder of Rural Success Architect, a Georgia-based consulting firm dedicated to helping farms, ranches, and rural operations close what she calls the “Success Gap”—the space between how systems are designed to work and how they actually perform in the real world. Based in Cochran, Georgia, she brings more than 25 years of hands-on experience in land and livestock operations, blending practical field knowledge with research-driven insight. Through on-site and remote consulting, she supports clients ranging from first-time rural property owners to established agricultural operations seeking to improve profitability, resilience, and operational performance.
Johnson’s expertise spans animal science, wildlife management, livestock nutrition, pasture systems, breeding programs, conservation practices, and infrastructure evaluation. A graduate of McNeese State University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Animal Sciences and Wildlife Management, she also earned a Diploma of Animal Acupuncture and Animal Health Therapy from the International College of Equine and Canine Therapies. Her background includes work in high-precision surveying for DOT and USGS-related projects, commercial feed operations, robotics exposure in industrial settings, and decades of heavy equipment operation in construction and aircraft-adjacent environments. This diverse foundation enables her to evaluate not only animal and land systems, but also the equipment, workflows, and infrastructure that support them.
In addition to consulting, Johnson owns and operates a 25-acre farm where she manages livestock, permaculture systems, horse breeding and show preparation, and conservation-focused land stewardship. Known for her field-first philosophy, she prioritizes logic, evidence, and real-world testing over theory or presentation-driven strategies. She also conducts performance validation for tools, equipment, footwear, and operational systems in demanding environments, identifying failure points before they become costly or dangerous. Through Rural Success Architect, Michele Johnson remains committed to building operations that work reliably, safely, and effectively—where it matters most: on the ground.
• McNeese State University - BASc
• National Association of Professional Women - Woman of the Year 2010/2011
• Local Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month
• Horse awards
• National Association of Professional Women
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a hunger for knowledge. Whenever I find something I don't know about, I'll usually do a deep dive and just get into it. I want to know how it works, why it works, and how that applies to what I need to make happen. Even in college, I took way more credits than were required for my major because if I wanted to know something, I just took the class. I never took less than 18 credit hours a semester, and a lot of times I had to get written permission to take over 20. I had semesters where I've had 26 credit hours, and I completed all the classes.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is that if you love what you do, it's really not a job. I've always heard people saying that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. The other thing is that I really want to help people improve what they have, or help them make the best out of what they have. So basically, just do what you love.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do what you know and put your passion into it. I think women have a more keen eye for details than the guys do. We have more finesse and we know how to work and fine-tune things much better. I think guys kind of get the job done, and I think women are the fine-tuners. We have the eye for detail, and we can fine-tune it, where the guys are just kind of, like, basically, they do the bulk. They do the heavy lifting, and we do the fine-tuning. It's the muscle of the operation.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is that a lot of people don't like to hire women. They think that we don't have the knowledge because it's an outdoors industry. I find that here in my state of Georgia, though when I lived in Florida and Louisiana, I didn't really find that challenge, so I think it's state by state. It used to happen a lot, but it's not as often as it was. I try to deal with it by not speaking above men when I'm talking to them, because a lot of men don't like that. I try to speak on the same level and be very knowledgeable, but not like a know-it-all, so that they'll like me and want to hire me. As far as opportunities, I've had a lot of women's organizations call me and want me to write little articles for things they publish and send out to young women entrepreneurs. I've had offerings to write for livestock magazines like The Goat Ranch and different small circulation publications. I've been invited to different places to speak and talk to 4-H and FFA students.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is the most important value to me in my work and personal life.
Locations
Rural Success Architect
Cochran, GA 31014