I often feel uncomfortable when people say to or about me that I’ve built Red Mountain Trails, that in some sense I’m the queen bee, boss, or guru of the operation. It doesn’t feel legitimate.
Is the business my heart and soul, and would it die without me? Yes and no. It’s my heart and soul. It might not die without me, but it would change dramatically.
The reality is (and any entrepreneur who tells you otherwise shouldn’t be trusted), I set a lot of things up for this business, but I also tapped in to a lot of good energy and loyal supporters. First and foremost would be Jeff. Without his support and enthusiasm, this thing never would have left the ground. He was the one who encouraged me in the first place. I scoffed at the idea at first, believe it or not.
We’ve had a ton of support and assistance in many forms — from our amazing staff, to friends who come and help out when we need it, to business people who advise us, and people who share about us through social media and word of mouth. We’ve had amazing horses arrive at our doorstep, ready to dote on our guests. I can call our staff at a moment’s notice to throw together a tour at the last minute and they never let their high standards of customer service slip even a little. No matter how tired they might be.
It’s an amazing thing.
It feels more like having a business is a creative endeavor engaging the community, rather than a strategic game of number-crunching and market analysis.
So that’s why I feel awkward if people ever refer to me as “boss” or somehow the heart of the operation. The business is the heart of US.
And it’s a blast.
Thanks!
