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Client Spotlight - Rockin Arrow Ranch

Posted by Admin Posted on July 07 2016

Client Spotlight - Whatever It Takes

 

Sometimes I get struck by an image, and the power behind it.  That happened when I saw this picture Dana Keller Owner of http://www.rockinarrowranch.com/  posted on her FaceBook page.  What an amazing example of perseverance in the face of adversity, and truly keeping her eye on not only the business target, but her life target.

A few years back, Dana approached FLEX to help her with her dream of running her own Horse Training and Boarding center.  We sat down, discussed options, and laid out several short and long term goals.  The timing was perfect, her location key, and she jumped in.  We were excited to see her successful and doing the things she loved.  A little business planning, accounting management, market review, and she was up and running.    

But then, life happens.  Dana was faced with the option of continuing her business full time or having to go back to work for someone else full time.  She found herself as the only bread winner, after her husband was hit hard by the down turning economy.  Again, we discussed options and goals.  Do you go back to the work force, ‘saddle’ the training business, and make sure the family stays on track?  Is the risk worth the feeling of security?  Can you do both?  Being the strong individual that she is, she made the leap to go back to doing of all things – construction work.  Working two full-time jobs (her business and construction) and continuing to volunteer for 4-H and local shooting groups. 

Then I received another phone call, which kind of tapped back into my Athletic Trainer and football coaching days.  “What do you think of me running marathons?”   A few months later we are standing at a triathlon and I am cheering her on!  With the help of http://2riversbicycle.com/  I negotiated a sweet deal for her first Tri-bike.  Training helped her stay focused and grounded when the day-to-day got to be a bit overwhelming and a stress release mechanism was needed.    

Then, as with life, it changes yet again. 

Again I received a call, but this time, it was for another shift in her life.  We discussed the options of new roles that she would be taking on and the opportunities they would present.  Key opportunities would be more time for the horses, for competing, and additional 1:1 training for shooting clients.  Together we discussed the pros and cons as well as the impacts to both the ‘now’ and the ‘future’.  There is more than a little risk with this new adventure – but knowing Dana, she will take it in stride and stay the course.  

I don’t know of many firms which take this kind of a hands on approach over the years, but this is what makes us unique.  When she first started out many years ago, she received lots of information – but not really the ‘how to do it’.  Our backgrounds allow us to look at more than just the business, but the individual as well, and work with them to achieve their dreams – even when the dream turns into a nightmare.

So, when you’re feeling like the world is against you both professionally and in life, think of this picture of perseverance.  Life happens, but no matter how many times that target shifts – be confident that eventually you will successfully hit it.

 

-Shannan De Witt, FLEX CEO