Work, Work, Work

Ok so in 5 minutes I'm heading out for a coffee with friends, so not technically work lol! Not that I need any, I'm so jittery with excitement! But was up early this morning and at the office getting stuff done, up late last night working out some last minute details over email with my web developer. Looks like everything is going to be up and running for January 1st! Then for the month of January we'll be working on improving services and design so remember that suggestions are always welcome!  And with this quick post, I leave you with: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I hope everyone has a fun and safe night!  With a little luck my developer and I will both be out partying and not working! hahaha

IT'S SO FLUFFFFFFFYYYYY!!!

I mean, IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!! hahaha sorry I was watching Despicable Me the other night. I love that movie. Anywho... the launch of HRN is almost here! I'm so very excited :D 

Just a quick note that I'm still accepting adoptable horses to be posted to the site prior to launch.  Help increase you exposure and promote your rescue organization - all for free!

If you don't get a chance to send me the info prior to January 1st, then by all means check out the site and sign up for a free account.  For the entire month of January 2011 all ads are either free or 50% off FOR EVERYONE!  Any questions? I'm always available by email - megan@horseresourcenet.com.

Happy New Year everyone!

Arthritis and Joint Pain

Another great article from thehorse.com about the anti-inflamatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids.  If it's effective on dogs and horses I wonder if it'd work on humans too?!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Treat Arthritis

Refeeding the Starved Horse

Great article from thehorse.com if you're planning on fostering and/or rescuing abused horses.  Always a sad subject but good to know that there are people out there who take rehabilitating horses seriously. 

Feeding the Starved Horse

Merry Christmas

Merry Christma, seasons greetings, happy holidays, etc. to everyone! Wishing everyone a fabulous holiday season! Don't forget to give your ponies an extra hug :) I'm hoping to give mine one tomorrow - alone with some Mentos hehehe

Christmas-time fun

Saw this video on Barnmice and had to add it - too cute :)

Photos

Ok, well I did try to upload some photos to my blog but the blog didn't want to upload them sooooo there are some cute photos of my horse and the other horses at barn up on HRN's facebook page

www.facebook.com/horseresourcenetwork

Shopping vs. Working, big surprise which is winning!

1 week and 4 days left until the launch of HRN! I spent half of today working on various site design details and the other half running around to the printers and to the post office.  I arrived home only to remember that today is December 20 and I haven’t started my Christmas shopping! Why I couldn’t remember this when I was driving around, dangerously close to shopping malls, I don’t know.  I do know that at the beginning of the month I ordered myself two new shirts and a messenger bag online.  I think maybe my shopping methods are a little askew.  

Anywho, just a reminder that we are planning to open our metaphorical doors prior to January 1^st so be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter and/or barnmice for the most up to date news on HRN!  And help spread the word! We are working on a referral program… :)

Off and running... literally

With only two weeks until the official launch of HRN I find myself just a tad stressed out.  We are working very hard and very long hours to get this site up and running as far in advance of January 1^st as possible.  Because, while the official launch may not be until the new year, I want to make the services HRN will be offering available as soon as possible – especially to the rescue agencies I’ve been talking to.  They have some very deserving horses in need of good homes and sponsorships.  I’ve started toying with the idea of offering some type of donation button/system on HRN to help these rescue organizations keep up the good work.  Maybe even have some sort of sponsorship button where people who want to can pledge some funds to individual horses.  It’s just an idea for now but I will definitely be looking in to this further once things calm down a bit.  ß It’s kind of difficult to research when you’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off! (wonderful, Christmas-y imagery there.  Methinks I need to update my cliché repertoire). 

The Dancing Donkey

Thrush

Article from thehorse.com on thrush and how to identify, prevent and treat it.  Something every horse owner should know and be on the look out for - especially in winter! Although, and here's something I wasn't expecting, my horse got thrush last year mid summer from cold hosing his leg daily!

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=10253

Graduation Day

Today was the last day of phase 2 of the SEEDS program: our graduation day.  Ok, so I'm still in class at least once per month for phase 3 but it was kind of nice to graduation nonetheless - it's been a while since I've done it! hahaha  To all my fellow SEEDS graduates: Congratulations! It was an intense program and I hope everyone found it as valuable as I did.  Also, thanks to our lovely valedictorian - even though she may not have wanted the job! Your speech was beautiful, especially for having done it just the night before!  Good luck to everyone and I'll see you in the new year! :D

Horse Rescue Organizations

Between yesterday and today I’ve sent out 20-30 letters and emails to horse rescue organizations throughout Canada.   I used to volunteer at the SPCA (until I adopted a puppy... who didn’t see that one coming!) and I loved it there.  It’s sad, of course, that some people treat their animals badly, but the love and attention they receive from the volunteers and the way the animals can bounce back from their hardship is just amazing.  Anywho, I really wanted to start helping out again but starting a new business kind of takes up a lot of time.  So I thought, why not offer free horse ads to rescue organizations for their adoptable horses?  Well, maybe it’s not entirely free because I did ask them to reciprocate by putting a link to HRN on their site or something like that – but I guess I view this more as helping each other out.  And really, if they don’t to offer any form of advertising for HRN, I’ll still post their horses for free.  It’s about helping the horses more than anything – and I hope that came across in my letters and emails!

Below is a copy of the letter I sent out so if you know of someone who runs a rescue organization for horses, please send them a copy or get them to contact me because I’m sure I didn’t get letters out to all the rescue organizations in Canada – but I would like to!

Horse Resource Network (HRN) is an online website dedicated to helping people in the horse community buy, sell and market horses and horse-related products and services.  HRN is committed to providing clients with the best service possible by continuously striving to improve your online experience.

HRN is taking an active role in the horse community.  2011 will see HRN sending out direct mail advertising, attending shows, clinics and other events, hosting contests and giveaways, and sponsoring events and athletes!  These activities are geared towards driving, and increasing, traffic to the HRN website. 

We would very much like to work with rescue organizations like yours to find new homes for adoptable horses.  Therefore, we’d like to propose a reciprocal marketing arrangement in which we’ll list your adoptable horses for free on HRN (including their own spot on the homepage ad rotation).  In exchange, we would appreciate if your organization would provide some form of marketing exposure for HRN.  This could mean a link back to HRN from your website, periodic social media mentions, etc.  We would be more than happy to discuss the different possibilities with you in more detail.

Advertising on HRN can help increase knowledge of your organization throughout the Canadian horse community.  This could lead to more donations and volunteers to help the horses!

All services offered on HRN will be free for the month of January 2011.  Regardless of any reciprocal marketing, we would be honored if your organization would list your adoptable horses on HRN during this free trial period.  Better yet, if you email me your horse’s photos and information now, I’ll make sure they’re up on the website prior to launch (January 1) and will be among the first to be on HRN.  This way, your adoptable horses will receive even more exposure!

We would be proud to work with your organization to help the horses.  Please feel free to contact us at any time with any questions you may have.  

HRN Update

At this moment, there are exactly 3 weeks, 5 days, 10 hours, 49 minutes and 5 seconds, 4, 3, ... I had a countdown put up on the website so people would know when the launch is (January 1) and because I like to add something to the homepage every once in a while so that people who come across that page know that it’s not just another abandoned homepage. 

It is less than a month to launch and we’re hard at work trying to get everything finished and ready to go as soon as possible so that we can get some ads on the page before January 1^st.  Not sure if I’ve mentioned it in this blog but from launch to January 31 all services on HRN will be free.  So if you know of anyone looking to sell a horse or that wants to market a business, product and/or service – tell them to check out HRN!  There will be frequent updates on Twitter, Barnmice and Facebook and I will do my best to update this blog at least once a week. 

Next post: December events HRN will be attending – that’s right, there are a few shows that I’ll be attending, putting up posters and taking pictures with my new camera!  Pictures will be posted after each show on Facebook – www.facebook.com/horseresourcenetwork

Entrepreneurship is a bumpy road...

Ever have a day where you question absolutely everything that you’re doing and wonder if it’s all worth it?  I am definitely having one of those days – mostly because I’m having to rethink my entire marketing plan after encountering a few “road blocks” that I had not anticipated.  I’m not too concerned that I was blindsided, because no one could have seen this coming, but I do find that I’ve taken people’s responses personally, even when they were not intended that way.  The people I have been dealing with have been nothing but courteous and professional and yet I find myself taking their rejection personally – I honestly feel like I’ve been dumped! Haha

So now, I’m sitting at my computer, thinking to myself: now what? Time to get creative with my marketing!  At least with that particular avenue closed it frees up a lot of my marketing budget!    Time to brainstorm!  The entrepreneur in me does love a challenge…

I guess today’s lesson to anyone starting their own business is that there are always going to be set backs and it’s ok to wallow for a bit, but never take your eyes off the big picture.  Always remember why you’re doing what you’re doing and work towards your goals one step at a time.  If you approach your goals that way you’re (hopefully) less likely to feel completely overwhelmed – you’re just whelmed :P

The Horse | Horse Hoof Anatomy: A Guided Tour

Good article on the hoof from thehorse.com - great, informative site.

The Horse | Horse Hoof Anatomy: A Guided Tour

Amazing Story

Just wanted to quickly post this to the blog for people to read and help get the word out there about wonderful people like Belinda March

Click the title "Amazing Story" or go to:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/aldergrovestar/news/108794409.html

About Me & HRN

Here’s a quick “about me” - kind of what I’d like to accomplish in the near future and what my goals are for HRN. 

My name is Megan and I’ve been riding for over 15 years now.  I got my first horse almost 10 years ago and my second shortly after that.  I’ve still got Carbo but unfortunately couldn’t afford two horses and had to give my other one away.  I’ve spent a lot of time in the industry trying to figure out how I fit in because I’ve always known I want to work with horses, but have also always known that I wouldn’t be a trainer or a competitive rider, which kind of limited my options! 

About two years ago I was working with my then trainer, helping her sell some clients horses and at the same time, sifting through for-sale ads and trying to find some projects for her.  I was finding that I was spending a few hours each day on the internet trying to help this trainer out and I realized that this was insane!  Who has that much spare time to spend searching the internet? Especially among horse people? So I started thinking about what was missing from the sites I was visiting.  Then I started thinking about what I would do differently… and thus the idea for HRN was born!

I was lucky enough to get laid off September 2009 (I might not have felt lucky back then, but I do now).  This gave me the opportunity to spend more time on creating and developing HRN.  After a few (read: several) unsuccessful months of job hunting, I stumbled upon a government sponsored program – the Self Employment and Entrepreneur Development Society.  At the same time I also found the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF).  So I applied for entry to the SEEDS program and applied for a loan from CYBF, got lucky on both accounts and started SEEDS in September and received a loan from CYBF in October. Since then I’ve spent every waking hour thinking about HRN and how to improve upon my original ideas and hammering out the details with my brilliant web developer. 

My goals are for HRN to provide value to the Canadian horse community in a variety of different ways.  We’ll start by helping you buy and sell horses, market your businesses, and sell your horsey odds and ends.  I hope that HRN will be able to grow and develop into something much more – maybe we’ll have educational webinars, articles, interviews with professionals! Who knows?!  No matter what direction HRN takes, the underlying theme will always be towards providing value to the equestrian community by offering easy to use and intuitive services.

So, have I piqued your interest?! HRN is currently due to launch January 1, 2011.  We are already in the process of developing a unique and innovative service for people wanting to buy horses and hope to launch this in February.  Follow HRN on our social media sites (links are on the right side bar of the blog home page) for site updates as well as info on shows and events we’ll be attending, contests and prizes we’re plotting and much, much more!

To be or not to be... Canadian?

We had our last class on marketing today at SEEDS (Self Employment Entrepreneur Development Society – seedsbdc.com – excellent program if you want to start your own business).  I’m going to miss marketing! And not just because the rest of our classes are going to be harder and taking us closer day by day to the presentation we have to make to a panel of local business bigwigs! –although that is a big part of it! Haha

I’ve been thinking a lot about whether or not to gear the site towards Canadians and really push the fact that HRN is developed by a Canadian specifically for the Canadian market. I would appreciate people’s input on this.  Would you be more likely to purchase from a site because it’s Canadian? Or would you pick the site that is more functional and a better value regardless of where it was developed?  I ask because I don’t want this site to be exclusionary, I don’t believe in that. I’m going to be marketing to Canadians because that is the market I’m familiar with and can reach right now, but at the same time I’m certainly not going to turn away clients from another country!  So please, tell me if the Canadian aspect makes a difference to you. 

A major mindset of the site is wanting people to participate and feel like they have a voice, a say in the direction the site goes.  I want to know what people think of the site and if they have any suggestions for improvement.  After all, I am creating it to make life easier for horse people on the internet.  :)

HST and taxes are the devil

I've spent the better part of this morning trying to figure out HST and the different tax rates of each province and how they apply to HRN, or even if they apply to HRN.  Still not sure.  I've temporarily given up and asked my accountant to take over.  At least he went to school and has the experience in dealing with government speak. Still not entirely clear on why the government can't just answer a direct question with a direct answer.  They have like 5 different scenarios and while I appreciate the examples for those of us who aren't fluent in government-ese, these examples don't cover my situation! I'm a little bit frustrated.  Oh well, off to play with my pony.  Will probably do something silly later, like go and buy the new camera I have my eye on. Sounds like a plan to me :)

New Camera?

So, I’ve decided to buy a new camera.  I’ve always wanted to get in to photography and now my lovely website is giving me just the excuse I need.  I’m finally going to let myself buy a decent camera that a rank beginner (present me) can use and grow to become a not-so-rank beginner (future me) hahaha.  I’m thinking of going with the Canon Rebel and have heard good things so far – does anyone have this camera? What do you think? Is it worth it to get the T2i over the T1i?

I spent the better part of today in the pouring rain with my amazing horse.  No, he wasn’t amazing today, he was actually pretty annoying.  There I am, braving the pouring rain (and no, living in Vancouver does NOT preclude me from complaining about the weather :P ) and he’s so focused on some imaginary bogeyman in the neighboring field that he’s completely forgotten me!  My feelings are a little hurt.  But still, alls well that ends well.  Carbo was happier for having been worked and I felt better for having spent some quality time with him.  I’ve been shamelessly ignoring him while working in class and on getting my business up and running.  Although somehow social media doesn’t really feel like work…

Tomorrow’s goal: get through sales class without strangling anyone.  Wish me luck. 

Here's a picture of Carbo on his first day at the new barn a couple months ago.  He made friends with the little colt next to him :)

Hump Day!

So I spent the better part of one of the few sunny winter days in Vancouver inside a windowless room in front of a computer. The majority of people start their own businesses to avoid just that – maybe I’m already doing something wrong :P  Seriously though, what they keep reminding us, and what I already know to be true, that for the first 2 years (at least) you work twice as hard as you ever did for anyone else – and for less money! All in the hopes that somewhere down the road you make it – either monetarily or because you’re doing something that you truly love, or if you really lucky, both.  For me I hope it’s the money! No just kidding – I wouldn’t have spent two years working on this business in what little free time I had if I didn’t already love it. 

In class today we went over social media.  So far I’ve set up a twitter account, facebook, youtube, barnmice, linked in and this blog (duh).  Now the challenge is coming up with relevant and somewhat interesting content – all of which needs to be in line with the image, or brand, that HRN strives to uphold.

*on a side note, as I’m writing this I’m listening to “No Matter What” by Boyzone and it has totally turned me into a sappy romantic.  Seriously, the slightly jaded and cynical businesswoman has fled the building! LOL*

I think the most important thing I learned today, aside from the how-to’s which of course are too long to put up on this blog – is just how easy it is to lose track of time and to get caught up in the somewhat crazy world of social media.  Honestly, the day flew by for everyone in the class, including our instructor and our class actually ran late.  So my recommendation: keep an eye on the clock when you’re doing this stuff and budget your time.  Know what you need to get done and how long you want to get it done in and budget accordingly.  Having said that, I had budgeted an hour for social media tonight and had already blown through that before I started writing this… we all have our goals!