Episode 3 Recap: Growing the Next Generation of Auctioneers with Justin Kennedy

An Unlikely Beginning

Justin Kennedy never planned on becoming a central figure in the auction industry. In fact, he was an ag teacher, FFA advisor, and later a school superintendent in Oklahoma before the thought of auctioneering ever crossed his mind. His world revolved around classrooms, students, and agricultural education—not chants, clerking, or bid cards. But when he moved into career and technical education, where new programs could be created if they met community demand, someone mentioned the idea of an auction school. Justin had never called a bid in his life, but his instinct kicked in: he could learn anything if he had five minutes and a reason.

“Give me five minutes and I’ll figure out how to get this plane off the ground.”

He started researching. He called world champion auctioneers. He studied up on the industry. He showed up at auction conventions simply saying, “Hi, I’m Justin. I’m starting an auction school,” even though he had never actually been an auctioneer. And then, just when he was preparing to launch the first class in 2020, the world shut down.

The Pause That Built a Program

COVID delayed everything—but strangely, it became the gift he didn’t know he needed. Instead of scrambling to teach, he now had time to refine his curriculum, deepen industry relationships, and build the kind of program he wanted: one built entirely on community.

“Life isn’t about who you know — it’s about who knows you.”

When Oklahoma Auction School finally launched, it wasn’t just a training course. Students live together, eat every meal together, practice together, and learn from instructors who stay for more than a lecture—they mentor, support, and often hire. It’s immersive, it’s relational, and it’s designed to mirror the reality of the auction world: success comes from connection.

Planting a Seed in FFA

As Justin built the school, he was still deeply connected to FFA, an organization he believed could be a perfect gateway into the auction industry. So he pitched the idea of an FFA auctioneering contest. At first, it stalled. But then one advisor said the words that changed everything: “Let’s stop asking and just do it.” The contest launched with 44 students and drew over 25,000 livestream viewers. As soon as the event ended, states across the U.S. were calling Justin wanting their own.

What followed became a youth-powered wave the industry hasn’t seen in decades. Justin now travels state to state hosting auctioneering camps for FFA students, where beginners learn everything in a single day—from lot descriptions to chant rhythm to stage presence. Some students pick up a microphone for the first time that morning… and sound like rising auctioneers by afternoon.

The 14-Year-Old Who Stole the Show

The story everyone keeps coming back to is a 14-year-old girl who walked into the very first Oklahoma contest with zero background—no family in auctions, no experience, no stage history. She won. And the next year? She won again.

“She sounded like she’d been selling for years.”

Now she sells at major events, standing shoulder to shoulder with seasoned professionals. Stories like hers spread quickly through communities. Churches started holding benefit auctions. School groups replaced chocolate bar fundraisers with live sales. People who had never attended an auction before suddenly understood how fun, fast, and meaningful they could be.

The Pipeline That Changed Everything

Justin believes this is where the industry transforms. Only a small percentage of people ever see a true auction in their lifetime, but FFA is changing that. Kids are being exposed early. Communities are learning organically. And as these young auctioneers grow up, auctions won’t feel like a niche—they’ll feel familiar, accessible, normal.

“We’re not on a train ride anymore — we’re on a jet ride.”

In Justin’s most recent auction school class, eleven of the students came straight from the FFA pipeline. The energy shifted instantly. Adults learning the craft found themselves inspired—and challenged—by teenagers who had already been practicing for months. Those young voices model confidence, rhythm, and stage presence, and they raise the entire room.

Becoming an Auctioneer by Osmosis

While Justin didn’t intend to become an auctioneer himself, years of listening, practicing, and teaching eventually pulled him into the craft. What surprised him most wasn’t how hard it was—it was how quickly the chant develops when people train consistently. Today, Justin’s voice is a familiar presence at benefit auctions, especially those supporting youth programs and special needs organizations, something deeply meaningful to him as a father of an autistic, nonverbal son.

“When you believe in the cause, it changes everything.”

The One Rule: Don’t Quit

Ask Justin for advice for new auctioneers and he won’t hesitate: don’t quit. Keep showing up. Don’t resign from your day job on day one. Expect the path to be long, and sometimes slow. But every event, every convention, every room filled with auctioneers becomes an opportunity to grow your craft and your network.

“Every time I show up at an event, it ends up making me more money.”

His message is simple but powerful: the auction industry is built on presence. You get better by being around people who are better than you. You build a career by earning trust. You become known by showing up—again, and again, and again.

The Kids Who Are Already Leading

And if you want to understand the future of the auction world, Justin says: don’t look only at the established champions or the marquee sales. Look at the kids in blue FFA jackets, warming up backstage, adjusting their first microphone. Look at the 14-year-old who walked in shy and walked out a champion. Look at the communities cheering on their young auctioneers.

They aren’t just the next generation. They’re already here.