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!