What’s keeping you from seeing your potential competitors as potential collaborators? Discover practical ways you can embrace collaboration over competition as an equine business owner.
Welcome to the show notes! Remember, this is a brief summary from the How to Market Your Horse Business podcast. You'll want to listen to the entire episode for all the good stuff!
Are you competitive by nature?
You know who you are. Everything is a competition. From card games to sports to business.
On many levels, competition can be a great thing. It can push us to give our absolute all, think creatively, and not give up.
For my listeners who are competitors in the equine sports arena, from reining to barrel racing to jumping and even mounted shooting, I see you. A drive to win is required to compete at any level consistently.
But, sometimes there might be a downside to that competitive nature that’s gotten you where you are.
I’m talking about relationships with your fellow business owners.
“Although competition promotes performance, collaboration promotes learning.” ~ Marvin Marshall
And even more than that, collaboration promotes growth.
Collaboration promotes growth for your equine business and growth for you, personally and professionally.
Here’s the reality – if you view everyone as your competition then you’re short-changing yourself – you could receive so much from collaborating and you could give so much to others by collaborating.
So, why do so many business owners hesitate to collaborate with people in their field?
It’s that little “ugh” in your stomach when you see someone on social media that's basically doing the same thing as you.
Almost immediately you start to compare and wonder why people would choose that business over yours.
Before we get to the practical tips, let’s address the most common mindset roadblock or false belief behind why we so often naturally feel threatened by competition – it’s called a scarcity mindset.
A scarcity mindset is thinking there’s not enough to go around so I need to grab what’s mine, protect what’s mine, and be careful not to share too much or else I won’t be taken care of.
One example of how it shows up when you see someone else succeed and then fear that means there’s not room for you to also be successful.
Scarcity thinking keeps you from even wanting to collaborate because in the back of your mind you just don’t believe there is enough for everyone, so you have to look out for yourself.
An abundance mindset says the opposite: There’s enough to go around, so I can afford to be generous.
An abundance mindset as an equestrian entrepreneur doesn’t mean you aren’t smart with what you have. It just means you don’t hold it all with a tight grip out of fear.
Instead, you’re generous with your time, resources, and business because you truly believe there is enough to go around.
There are books and podcasts specifically dedicated to this idea, so if it’s opening your eyes to something you’ve never really considered, I hope you’ll dig deeper. What I want for you as we get into the practical side of things in the interview is for your mind and heart to be open to the idea of collaboration — and aware of why you may feel a bit hesitant at first.
Mindset shifts don’t magically happen overnight for most of us, and they certainly don’t magically change the reality. But, when it’s a positive shift or intentional change of thinking, it can enable you to live in your reality in a way that’s aligned with the person and business owner you want to be.
Which brings me to today’s guest, Jamie Samples with Yellow Barn Media. Jamie is a beautiful example of someone living from a place of believing there is more than enough to go around. She freely gives referrals, makes connections, and shares what she’s learned or is learning for the benefit of others.
You’ll hear me retell the story to Jamie of when we first connected back when I first started the podcast, so what I’ll tell you here is that it underscores why she’s the perfect person for us to talk with about practical ways you can embrace collaboration over competition as an equine business owner. Because she lives it.
5 Practical Ways to Embrace Collaboration Over Competition in Your Equine Business
Focus on your business building.
If you can get so wrapped up in how you serve your customers and clients, and always look at doing better with what you have to offer, you won' have to worry about your competitors. Instead, you'll create our yown group of people that will be drawn to you. And they're going to come, use your services, or buy your products.
Actively engage in your personal development.
From podcasts to books to in-person or virtual events. The key is to find people you respect to learn from, engage in learning, and apply what you’re learning to your own personal growth and mindset.
Intentionally engage with people in your space in the equine industry.
Start looking at other businesses similar to yours that offer not necessarily the same, but parallel services. Jamie’s tip is to search related hashtags for potential connections.
This is easiest when you know your personal sweet spot or zone of genius. Then, start a conversation for the sole purpose of building a relationship or connection. (If you do it for the purpose of serving your business they may be a bit jaded or feel threatened.) As you get to know one another, the question, “How can we collaborate?” will be the next natural step.
Give referrals generously (when it’s right).
Ask similar business owners they love to do most for the purpose of sending referrals their way. Perhaps you both train horses but your specialty is beginner hunter jumpers and they love to work in Western disciplines. When a potential customer reaches out to you and you discover they’re actually looking to learn to jump, you’ll have a place to send them!
Potential customers will appreciate your honesty about what and who you’re best suited to serve, and your counterpart will appreciate you sending business their way.
Choose to be a cheerleader.
Look for ways to encourage, cheer for, congratulate, or high-five your fellow equine business owners. Entrepreneurship isn't easy, so when you take the time to both publicly and privately be a friendly and encouraging voice, you never know the difference it could make!
Aside from addressing your mindset around scarcity vs. abundance, one of the keys to embracing collaboration as a horse business owner is to truly know who you’re for and who you’re not for.
As Jamie said, “There are always enough customers out there if you are marketing yourself correctly.”
There is a confidence that comes from knowing exactly who your equine business is best suited to serve and that you as a brand and business owner are not for everyone — and, that it’s okay.
That’s why the first step in the Saddle Up & Go framework I take my Take the Reins 1:1 coaching clients through is to get crystal clear on your audience and your messaging.
It is the groundwork that sets you up for success in marketing your business.
And, it’s also why I put together a new free guide to take you from overwhelmed to optimized when it comes to marketing your horse business.
The first step is your messaging. Then, you’ll also learn the additional 3 steps that build your solid marketing foundation which will give you long-term, sustainable success for your horse business.
🆓 FREE 4 Steps to Successfully Market Your Horse Business (Even If You Get Horses More Than Marketing)
Of course, you'll want to listen to the full episode to dig into each of the insights shared and discover how you can apply each one in your horse business!
Links Mentioned In This Episode
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