Last month we did an overview of all of the opportunities available to you regarding the promotion of your business. Well, the Foreman's Notebook is going to focus on business improvement in 2007 and will start off by detailing each opportunity that we mentioned last month.

I grew up on a ranch in South Texas. Recently my wife and I began showing our family’s horses, picking up where my father and uncles left off back in the 70s. We have been raising horses for a long time and its time to turn this deal into a formidable business. Let me tell you, this is not a cutting edge operation in any sense. However, we do need a consistent business name by which people can recognize us.

At the same time, I am blessed with the opportunity to be involved with one of the most cutting-edge, ag-related companies that exists today. RanchForeman Equine Software delivers software-as-a-service (SAAS) applications via the Internet for large breeding farms, training stables and boarding facilities. At one time, RanchForeman needed an identity as well.

So here I sit at two completely opposite technological ends of the equine industry. I described my situation to be sure you understand that the process of defining one’s business does not depend upon the type of business. The process is the same for everyone.

• Decide who you are.



• Define the specific product or service you provide.



• Determine what it is that makes you different from everyone else.

Decide Who You Are.
Deciding who you are always sounds easy. However, if I just came out of the blue and asked someone, "What defines John Doe as a human being?", ol' John, not you of course, would spend the rest of the week trying to figure out what it was I was asking him. The reality of the situation is that the question is quite simple and John should be contemplating who he is, not what I want. Life is going to happen whether you want it to or not. And if you let it, Life will make your decisions for you.
DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!

Enough philosophy, let's get on with it. To help figure out what you stand for, compress into three words or less the definition of your existence. If you feel that your name gets this done, "Great!", but still come up with one or two other three word phrases.
For example:

• Traditional Fatherly Outdoorsman
• Fun Spontaneous Photographer
• John MiddleName Doe

Define the specific product or service you provide.

Q What do you offer the industry? A Horses.

Q Ok, what kind of horses? A Quarter Horses.

Q Great. What do you, or the people you sell them to, do with them? A Western performance events like roping, reining, cutting, etc.

Q Specifically, what do the majority of those horses excel in? A Cattle events.

This was an example dialogue we had with one of our clients. Ideally, more specificity is desired, but this is already better than the sign you see on the highway sometimes that says ‘Horses for Sale’. Really? Miniature Paint Pleasure Drivers or what? I always laugh at those signs. The more general your message, the more ignorant your customer. If your client knows what they are getting before they walk through the gate, it will be a more pleasent experience for both of you.

Determine what it is that makes you different from everyone else.
It's time to put it all together. Do this by determining what makes you different. Whatever it is should lead you to an innovative way of combining who you are with what you provide.

The best business names include the product as part of the name.
Apple Computer
The Brent Loseke Colt Company
Apple is a wonderful example of simplicity. That is what sets them apart from all things tech. They are simple and their name reflects that. However, for the genre we focus on here at RanchForeman, I'd like to discuss the brilliance of Mr. Loseke.

Operations in this industry that end with Quarter Horses, Paint Horses etc. are a dime a dozen. James O'Brien Quarter Horses. Yea, that could be a business name. A poor one, but it could be a business name. Brent Loseke sales started young horses for competition in the performance arena. I have heard of Brent. Why? Because he has a business name that tells me more than the hundred others I have forgotten about.

His natural ability with young horses sets him apart. His innovation was to include that ability in his business name. The name alone, conveys and heir of authority in his field. He becomes the goto-guy for young horses without spending one marketing dime. His business name alone does his marketing for him.

Next month we will focus on what comes after a good business name. Your Logo.

Recommend someone for the newsletter if you think they might be interested.

About the Author: James O'Brien is a veteran of the horse industry and develops RanchForeman, Ltd.'s namesake product RanchForeman Equine Software. Business Image improvement projects are a favorite of his because every one of them is a new and exciting challenge. In order to contact him directly, email jamesobrien@ranchforeman.com.

Owner:
Bobbie Cook

Concentration:
Reining
Working Cow Horse

Stallions:

• Easy Otie Whiz
• Starlight N Lena
• Shining Starlight
• Sting N Color
• Sayos Shining Sun
• Teninas First
• NFR Wiconi Warrior

Bloodlines:
Top Sail Whiz
Grays Starlight
Color Me Smart
Shining Spark
Smart Little Lena
Hollywood Dun It
Bob Acre Doc
Colonel Freckles

Location: Scottsdale, AZ

RanchForeman Member Since: 2004

Your training, boarding, or breeding facility is bursting at the seams. Time to sell and move on, but putting a specialized property on the market is not the same as selling your basic residential property. There are special facets to consider before the “for sale” sign goes up…like hiring the right Realtor, getting your barn up to designer standards and honing up on all the information that buyers will want.

FIND THE RIGHT AGENT..A SPECIALIST
Your beginning smart move will be to find an aggressive and knowledgeable Realtor who specializes in horse properties. Someone who is actively involved with horses is a good choice usually. There are a multitude of agents from which to choose, but you need someone who truly understands what is important to buyers who want a specialized property. There is value in features such as arenas, round pens, barns, and pastures. An agent who does not understand this might not even mention these features in the marketing material, or even on the multiple listing report. Real horse people are usually less interested in the home features; they want facilities for their horses! These things must be clearly named and advertised. And you really don’t want the wrong type of buyer making frustrating visits to your property. It is a waste of your time and only brings disappointing appointments.

PRICING YOUR PROPERTY
Of course you have an idea of what you would like to receive from the sale, but you need to have a real heart to heart conversation with your agent. If you impose too high a price, your place will sit on the market. It needs to be priced realistically and your agent will help you. A comparative market analysis will help you arrive at a realistic price for your property, and your agent is vital here. If your property is actually an income producing one, your agent will know how to bring this into the sales equation also. Also, keep in mind…barns, arena, round pens, etc., are much like swimming pools to appraisers. Yes indeed! Those features do add value to your property in the mind of the horse property buyer…but they are not considered heavily by the appraisers for those buyers. Main point: price your property realistically.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
If your property is in a great location, be sure that this is highlighted in your marketing material. Trainers and those wanting to run a boarding facility need easy access for clients. Be sure to point out positive aspects. It would also be helpful to research your property’s zoning so that you are totally informed and up to date. Visit with your county planning people or go to your county website. Your county appraisal district property tax identification number will be needed to access your account, and your agent can help you with this. And know everything about your property! Know about your well…how deep, what aquifer or what water system. Septic system? All about your utilities and suppliers. What are your taxes? School district? Know it all. And make sure that your agent has all information.

VISIBILITY!
Your agent will advertise your property and market it aggressively. Your property information will be entered into the local multiple listing system which automatically makes it visible on numerous web sites. Most likely, your agent has a web site also, and will be advertising through all the horse industry publications too. This is important. Be sure that it is done.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
You never get an opportunity to re-do first impressions. Present your property just like you would present yourself in an interview. Keep your place clean, neat and attractive. Remove the manure, and take measures to repel flies and other nuisance bugs. Keep your tack room and office neat and tidy. Remove all clutter..no old buckets, feeders, etc.

Clean and bed the stalls everyday. And clean the water troughs too. Everything needs to be in good repair, and the horses should be cleaned, groomed and healthy. Aesthetics are important and make an impression.

EASY ACCESS
Final point. Make your property easy to show. Give your agent easy access and don’t restrict days and realistic times. Also…let your agent know that you want to make it easy for other agents to show your place. For rural locations…a good combination lockbox is best so that agents from many locations and MLS systems can easily show the property.

Selling your property can be a challenge, no doubt about it. Align yourself with good and accurate information about your place, a good agent, realistic pricing, high visibility, and you will be looking for a new place soon. (For hints on buying…see the previous article!) Thanks so much folks!

About the author: Lee Allen is a farm, ranch, and horse property specialist with Realty Executives in San Antonio, Texas, and works with properties and buyers all over much of Texas. She is well known in the horse show world and especially in the cutting horse industry with many championship trophies and buckles as credit to her experience. For more information on horse properties or on Lee, visit www.horsepropertiesbylee.com or call (210) 494-3239

There are times when I have been going somewhere and something will catch my eye and stop me in my tracks. That is exactly what happened at the NCHA Cutting Futurity trade show when I walked past the M/E Iron Works booth. There were metal silhouettes and the most beautiful metal signs I had ever seen. I had to learn more information about how to attain one of these beauties.

Matt and Eva Piearcy are the genius team behind the signs. What started out as a hobby has put them in business full-time. Making anything from small patterned cutting horse silhouettes to hang in your barn to 16-foot multi-colored powder coated entrance signs, these guys can fill your order.

“We try very hard to accommodate our customers,” Eva said and attributed their success to that along with good communication.

So how do you go about getting one? With the accommodating nature of their business, they make it pretty simple. The first question you have to answer is where do you want to use the sign? For this example, let’s say you want an entrance sign. How big? While any size is available, we will use the 4’ x 2’ sign.

So we have decided on a 4’ x 2’ entrance sign.

What is extra-nice about this ordering process is that it can be done through telephone and e-mails. You will give the Piearcys your brand, your logo, or whatever custom work you are looking to have put on your piece, along with colors.

Now we have decided on a 4’ x 2’ entrance with the business name, the brand and a custom silhouette using the colors of black, brown and white.

After talking with you, Eva will work up a computer-generated image including the names and artwork with specific colors, which she sends to you for approval.

“People know exactly what they will be getting before we ever cut a piece of metal,” Eva said.

After approving the design, the metal goes to the table. Using a computer program, a cut table and a plasma torch , a sheet of metal is artistically transformed into a custom sign comprised of names and silhouettes sure to be one of a kind. Finishing touches require powder coating the sign in the customer’s choice of colors.

“Metal signs last much longer than the wooden signs,” Eva said. “The powder coat is a baked-on finish that increases the sign’s longevity and keeps it looking new and fresh.”

Budget is something that will have to be factored in when ordering the sign. The Piearcys keep their signs affordable so more people can enjoy them, and they start their prices for a custom sign at $400 (for a 4’x 4’ sign). Signs are priced by the amount of metal and number of colors, and more customizations will add to the cost.

“We try to keep the cost down to where working-class people can afford them,” Eva said.

One of their inventions is the popular multi-layer sign. They combine several layers, each a different color to stack and give a great 3D-effect. They often start with a business card and use the logo from it to create the sign, but sometimes the opposite happens.

“Sometimes our customers will take what we have made them and turn it into a business card!” Eva said.

If you need a beautiful, durable sign that will attract eyes and last, give M/E Iron Works a call. Describe what you have in mind and approve your design. Then just wait patiently, or as patiently as you can. You will have your custom sign in five to six weeks from start to finish.

About the M/E Iron Works: Matt and Eva Piearcy have been in business as M/E Iron Works for 7 years. What began as a hobby keeps them busy making signs and traveling to trade shows throughout the year. Be sure and stop in their booth to take a hands-on look at their amazing abilities or look through their book of samples. For more information on M/E Iron Works or to get more information on have a custom sign created, call (405) 969-3267 or visit www.meironworks.com.

Bobbie Cook found a niche when she purchased a boarding facility in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, and turned it into the first-class breeding and training facility that we now know as Out West Stallion Station and Performance Horses. Currently, Out West stands seven stallions and is home to the successful Matt Mills Reining Horses.

The Facilities
The 27-acre facility holds three barns, each reflecting the Santa Fe style of the area, to house the stallions, foaling mares and horses in training. The facilities fully equip Out West as a full-service breeding and foaling station as well as a performance horse training facility. The state-of-the-art breeding lab is equipped with all the amenities to perform successful stallion collections and shipments, semen freezing, artificial insemination and embryo transfer. Adding to the beauty and functionality of the facility are the outdoor riding arena, the covered arena and cutting pen.

The Team
Bobbie Cook purchased Out West Stallion Station in 2001 as an interest-oriented investment opportunity with intentions to make it a top-notch breeding and performance facility. She has always loved horses, and decided she wanted to be more than just a ‘weekend’ horsewoman. She took classes at the Scottsdale Community College to properly prepare herself for success.

The successful businesswoman got the place started in the right direction and then called in reinforcements. While she maintains an active role with the operation, she keeps an excellent team on the ranch to which she attributes her continued success. The team is comprised of Debbie Mills - general manager, Dr. Jerry Longworth - attending veterinarian, Rachel Weese - vet assistant, Matt Mills - head trainer, and Ori Ostrowsky and Romain Ampe – assistant trainers.

Breeding Program
A breeding program requires a knowledgeable veterinarian. Dr. Longworth’s expertise lies in breeding, and he is highly experienced in advanced breeding procedures such as embryo transfer and frozen semen. His year-round involvement with Out West has resulted in well-mannered stallions and high conception rates, even with mares that are hard to get in foal.

“Our breeding program is so successful because Dr. Longworth is so good at his job,” Cook said. “He’s great with the stallions and with difficult mares.”

While the crew stays busy breeding their stallions to resident and non-resident mares, the operation also makes itself available as a receiving station for shipped semen from outside stallions, allowing local clients to bring in their mares to be bred to any stallion on which semen has been purchased and shipped in. They also take in stallions for collection and phantom training.

Debbie Mills, general manager and breeding manager, explained that while they work mainly with the Quarter Horse (www.aqha.com) breed, they do not limit themselves to that industry alone. Out West services horses in the Friesian and Warmblood markets as well.

Along with the local audience, Out West services international customers. The stallion station was approved by the United States Department of Agriculture as an international semen shipper in 2005. After passing the lengthy list of requirements, including quarantine facilities, mare and stallion housing, along with breeding and lab equipment, the operation has been shipping semen to Europe ever since.

“Bobbie is single-handedly responsible for setting things in motion for the international shipping approval,” Debbie Mills said. “Getting approved was a big step for us. It allows us to accommodate the large amount of European interest we are getting.”

Training Program
With having a training program on the same grounds as the breeding operation, it opens new doors of opportunity for their customers. This one-stop-shop assists clients with achieving their goals, from conception through the performance pen. Matt Mills has been training professionally since 1997, and this young trainer continues achieving his goals at Out West. He trains and shows the horses belonging to Out West as well as those belonging to outside clients. Additionally, he maintains a reputation of a successful Non-Pro coach. Matt prepares horses for reining futurities and derbies, NRHA, NRBC, USEF and AQHA events. A few of his many accomplishments include 2005 NRBC Open Intermediate Champion, 2006 Denver Summer Slide Open Futurity Champion, and 2006 USEF Open Reining Champion. His lifetime NRHA earnings are over $219,000.

The Horses
The horses that reside at Out West have one of three jobs - either breeding, having babies, or performance training. In the situation of showcase stallion Easy Otie Whiz, he has two jobs – performance stallion and breeding stallion. ‘Easy’, a son of Top Sail Whiz out of Miss Poco Easy, is a proven reining horse with earnings of over $243,000. His accomplishments include 2006 USEF Open Reining Champion, 2005 NRBC Intermediate Open Classic Champion, 2004 NRHA Derby Intermediate Non Pro Champion, and 2002 NRHA Futurity Finalist.

“We are very happy with Easy,” Cook said. “He is throwing good qualities – his athleticism, good head, and overall just pretty babies.”

Besides Easy Otie Whiz, Out West stands six other stallions including Starlight N Lena (Grays Starlight x Shanda Lena), Shining Starlight (Bay Starlight x Doc Roan Hovey), Sting N Color (Color Me Smart x Maria Sting), Sayos Shining Sun (Shining Spark x Miss Sayos Freckles), Teninas First (Smart Little Lena x Little Tenina), and NFR Wiconi Warrior (North Forty Rocket x Falcon Slew).

The operation averages about 30 resident mares, with many additional outside mares coming and going as the breeding season dictates. Resident mares are remarkable mares with notable lineages, including Hollywood Dun It, Shining Spark, Bob Acre Doc, Colonel Freckles, and Doc O’Lena, just to name a few.

“Easy Money” Incentive Program
Along with a capable breeding operation and proven training accomplishments, Out West maintains an impressive marketing program, including the creative “Easy Money” campaign, a $75,000 Cash Incentive for the highest placing Easy Otie Whiz offspring in the 2010 and 2011 NRHA Open Futurity and $15,000 to the highest placing Non-Pro rider. The incentive program applies to offspring foaled in 2007 and 2008.

Out West Stallion Station and Performance Horses has much to offer the horse industry both here in the United States and abroad. Putting together a good team, setting high standards, and achieving impressive goals has put Out West on the continued road of success.