Launching summer 2023, Boss Mares, Inc. is giving a leg up for cowgirl entrepreneurs through workshops and grants for business and education. A non-profit, the organization aims to kick off by hosting two “Lead The Herd” workshops and awarding 25 grants to women working to either start or further their business in the Western industry.
Co-founded by Anna Morrison, PhD, Patti Colbert and Kate Bradley Byars, Boss Mares, Inc. will support female business owners and entrepreneurs by providing access to resources in five key areas: Accounting and finance support, continuing education, leadership and career coaching, legal counsel and marketing expertise.
“Our mission is to develop a collective of high-powered, women-focused resources to support female professionals in the Western industry in launching, re-envisioning or furthering their careers and businesses,” Morrison said. “What started as a passion project is already gaining momentum in the Western industry, and Boss Mares, Inc. is poised to host its first Lead The Herd empowerment workshop in January 2024.”
With the workshops, Boss Mares, Inc. will meet Western women where they are already gathering to provide powerful expertise from inside and outside the industry in a setting that supports high-impact learning, open dialog between presenters and attendees, and social networking with peers and potential employers or clients.
In addition to workshops, the group plans to award 25 cash grants in 2024, enabling women entrepreneurs to invest in themselves by calling in personalized support where they need it most. This provides a targeted leg up in key areas that impact professional success.
“As a business owner, I cannot stress how vital having access to resources such as a banker or accountant versed in the agriculture industry can be when starting a Western focused business, so to be part of Boss Mares is something close to my heart, and Patti’s and Anna’s hearts,” said Bradley Byars. “Whether a barn owner, horse trainer, craftsman or photographer starting a business, these resources will lead to a more profitable endeavor at a faster rate than if each business owner had to struggle through these lessons alone.”
The leadership role in a herd of horses is held by a mare, known as the “boss mare.” That is the aim of Boss Mares, Inc., to support cowgirl entrepreneurs that want to step into that leadership role in their own lives and careers. Find out more, pledge support or connect with the Boss Mares at bossmaresinc.org.
