Beyond the Show Ring: Taylor Kelner's Leap into Cowgirl Market and Beyond

Beyond the Show Ring: Taylor Kelner's Leap into Cowgirl Market and Beyond

This week on the Stock Show Sisters Podcast, co-host Rikki interviews Taylor Kelner, founder of Cowgirl Market and Top Hand Media and Director of Communications and Youth Activities for Santa Gertrudis Breeders International, about entrepreneurship rooted in agriculture. They share how they met in a Fort Worth staging line, Taylor’s fifth-generation Arkansas cattle background, and why she chose Oklahoma State for agricultural communications, including saving a year of college via concurrent credits. Taylor describes evolving from early photography to Top Hand Media, running an online boutique, and launching Cowgirl Market in Stillwater in 2023 with 18 vendors to create an NFR-style Western shopping experience that supports small businesses; she later expanded to Texarkana and College Station. She discusses taking leaps of faith, researching and planning before starting, outsourcing, delegation, building teams, balancing a remote full-time role with multiple ventures, and prioritizing supportive relationships. 00:00 Meet Taylor Kelner 01:11 How We Met 04:46 Arkansas Ag Roots 06:07 Choosing Oklahoma State 08:10 Saving on College Credits 11:15 Mentors and Mindset 15:17 From Bedroom to Business 23:23 Leaps of Faith 26:18 Advice for New Founders 31:32 Why Cowgirl Market Exists 34:14 Vendors and Experience 36:42 Expanding to Texarkana 38:37 Why Start Multiple Businesses 39:21 MagnaWave Hustle Story 42:28 Outsourcing and Delegation 45:06 Interns and Building Teams 49:33 Landing the SGBI Role 56:41 Balancing Work and Life 59:19 Engagement and Support 01:02:33 Relationships and Values 01:07:03 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up This podcast is made possible because of Ranch House Designs. Join the Facebook group and become a Stock Show Sister today: https://www.facebook.com/groups/380565635976997 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/380565635976997] Learn more about Stock Show Sisters here: https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/ [https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/] Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067628719688 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067628719688]

Planning for Success in Livestock Judging: Conversations with Lexi Hunt & Madison Fisher

This week on the Stock Show Sisters podcast, co-host Ricki interviews Lexi Hunt and Madison Fisher about their backgrounds and advice for women in the stock show industry. Lexi, from Buckeye, Arizona, began with goats then sheep, attended South Plains College, earned an animal science degree at Texas Tech, and judged collegiately; Madison, from Hempstead, Texas, grew up showing Red Angus/Red Brangus, judged at NOC in Oklahoma, earned an agribusiness degree, and will attend Kansas State. They discuss what drew them to judging (proving themselves, teamwork, networking, improving livestock), surprises in college (uneven experience with oral reasons, especially for Texas FFA), misconceptions about the intense time commitment, and the value of public speaking. They cover handling disagreement and disappointment, lessons from coaches (“pressure is a privilege,” competing for teammates), transferable skills (work ethic, humility, time management, decision-making), judging fashion tips, and next steps, including Lexi’s remote work and judging shows and Madison’s pre-law plans. This podcast is made possible because of Ranch House Designs. Join the Facebook group and become a Stock Show Sister today: https://www.facebook.com/groups/380565635976997 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/380565635976997] Learn more about Stock Show Sisters here: https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/ [https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/] Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067628719688 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067628719688]

Crafting Success Through Community and Courage with Heather Welper

This week on the Stock Show Sisters podcast, co-host Ricki interviews Heather Welper, a production manager at Cultivate Agency, content creator, Hereford cattle producer with her husband Calvin, and a 2025 Cowgirl 30 Under 30 honoree. Heather shares how relationships led to her career path after earning an agricultural communications degree from Tarleton State, and why early-career in-office work builds professionalism before remote roles. She explains how her social media platform began during COVID while seeking infertility community, later evolving into stock show lifestyle and fashion guidance, emphasizing authenticity and confidence amid online criticism. Heather discusses trusting God’s timing through infertility loss and adoption of their son, Crew, and how surrender shaped major life moments. She also covers lessons from marriage, motherhood, judging local shows through reputation, personal style tips, and where to find her online. This podcast is made possible because of Ranch House Designs. Join the Facebook group and become a Stock Show Sister today: https://www.facebook.com/groups/380565635976997 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/380565635976997] Learn more about Stock Show Sisters here: https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/ [https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/] Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067628719688 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067628719688]

Growing the Future of Hereford with Amy Cowan

This week on the Stock Show Sisters podcast, co-host Ricky interviews Amy Cowan, executive director of the Hereford Youth Foundation of America and director of youth activities for the American Hereford Association, about her nearly 28-year career and the value of staying with one organization. Cowan shares her northwest Iowa farm upbringing, SDSU degrees in ag journalism and animal science, a key internship with the American Shorthorn Association, and mentors who helped her grow from magazine communications to editor, marketing, and ultimately youth and foundation leadership. They discuss how junior associations and HYFA support youth through scholarships ($230,000 awarded last year), education programs like the Fed Steer Shootout, and leadership events, plus advice on planning, details, being present in-office early in careers, avoiding phone distraction, taking initiative, and adopting a “do it now” mindset. This podcast is made possible because of Ranch House Designs. Have a question you want to submit to guests on the show? Learn more here: https://ranchhousedesigns.com/stock-show-sisters-website-design/ [https://ranchhousedesigns.com/stock-show-sisters-website-design/]

Balancing Ambition and Faith with Clancy Gunn

This week, Riki interviews Clancy Gunn, brand experience lead for Vermeer’s Forage Solutions and former livestock coordinator at the National Western Stock Show. Clancy shares growing up on a Colorado farm, studying agricultural communications at Oklahoma State with an animal science minor, and being influenced by mentors who encouraged her design skills. After a first job in Texas didn’t work out, she returned home, took a data-entry role at National Western, asked for opportunities, moved into marketing and then livestock marketing, and worked on the National Western Center redevelopment involving the city, county, CSU, and the nonprofit. She later joined Vermeer after a podcast connection, began as a contractor traveling the dealer network, and now leads a forage marketing team handling paid media, trade shows, sponsorships, and product launches. This podcast is made possible because of Ranch House Designs. Have a question you want to submit to guests on the show? Learn more here: https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/ [https://ranchhousedesigns.com/grit-and-grace/]