Beth Ford: From $2 an Hour to Leading a Fortune 500 Company

Before she became one of the most groundbreaking CEOs in American business, Beth Ford was a 12-year-old kid in Iowa making $2 an hour working on a farm. Today, she leads Land O’Lakes, a $14 billion agricultural cooperative and one of the largest food and agribusiness companies in the U.S.

Her story is not about headlines or hashtags. It’s about grit, humility, and showing up fully as yourself, even when the world isn’t ready for it.

Early Lessons in Work and Identity

Beth Ford was born in Sioux City, Iowa, the fifth of eight children. Her mother worked as a nurse and her father was a long-haul truck driver. Money was tight, but ambition was not.