NRHA Professionals find themselves on the road more than ever. How can you manage your business, string of horses and customers when you’re constantly away from home?
By Jennifer Paulson
With opportunity comes new puzzles to solve. As more and more high-money events pop up on the reining calendar, you probably feel like every single one of them is a can’t-miss chance to win a big check, demonstrate the success of your program, and promote yourself to gain new customers. While it’s time to make hay while the sun shines, that can leave your business at home—from your accounting and marketing to your billing to your string of horses—in the shadows and your customers wondering where they fit into the puzzle.
We consulted with three NRHA Professionals situated in different corners of the U.S. to get their insights into how to manage your time more efficiently. Here, Jordan McBurney, Matt Palmer, and Andrea Fappani share what they’ve learned as they’ve built—and expanded—their businesses during reining’s boom.
Part 1: Matt Palmer, The Constant Traveler
Part 2: Andrea Fappani: The Central Veteran
Part 3: Jordan McBurney: The Working Parent
The Constant Traveler: Matt Palmer
Growing up in the business in the northeast, Pennsylvania’s Matt Palmer has long known the extra effort required to chase titles—even before the explosion of new reining events hit the scene. Here’s his best advice, acquired in his own business as the past head trainer for Santa Hill Ranch and now at his own facility.
Know Your Calendar. Planning your show season, from major events to affiliate shows, plays a big role in your planning process. In December of each year, I look at the next year to identify those big shows that I’ll have to haul a great distance to, as well as those that are closer and even our affiliate shows. Once I have that calendar set, I share it with my customers so we’re all on the same page with where we’ll be going when.
Be Up Front. Anytime I get a new customer, I explain our riding schedule, show calendar, and what happens when I’m away. I explain that the horses that are at home aren’t just being ignored—they’re actually on a strategically timed break, especially for the young horses. We work toward riding goals before we leave for a show, so they’re ready for a mental break by the time we head out. Explain that you can’t ride these horses 365 days a year and get the results you’re looking for, and that when you get back, their horse is ready to go while the show string gets a break.
Consider Your Costs. Starting out as a young trainer, if you plan to take your younger horses with you to the shows, carefully think about what you can charge and if it makes sense for your business. You might not yet have the caliber of clientele that can afford to send a young horse down the road with your show string. Communicate with your customers to see what’s feasible for them, their goals, and your program.
Keep Up With the Business. For many of us, our partners run the business side of our operation. My wife handles our books and billing, on top of her full-time job. We have systems in place and use programs that allow us to work on billing and other business needs remotely. Find a program that suits your needs and abilities, and use it during your downtime at shows.
Know When to Say No. Understanding your limits means you won’t put yourself in a situation where more is expected of you than you can serve. As you grow in your career, more people will approach you about putting horses in your program—and some will be impossible to turn away. But knowing your limits and the limits of your help, from assistant trainers to barn managers, keeps your business manageable. Then you can plan for sustainable growth that sets up your future.
Live Within Your Means. When you’re starting out on your own, it might not be financially feasible to go to all the big shows, and that’s OK. You and your customers might not be financially positioned to be everywhere all the time. Instead, live within your means, whether that’s within your training program or your personal life. When you earn a big check, think about if you really need that fancy, brand-new rig or if a nice used one will suffice for now. If you don’t over-extend yourself, and don’t expect your customers to invest beyond their means, it removes some of the pressure that can lead to burnout and letting people down.
Read the rest of this article at the links above.
