Stock Show Sisters

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/]

How to Chart Your Own Course in Agriculture with Mae Boedecker

Mae Boedecker, Livestock and Rodeo Coordinator for the American Royal Association in Kansas City, shares her nontraditional path into agriculture from growing up in Frisco, Texas, starting with showing pigs through FFA. She discusses how being new to ag was intimidating, but built strengths like teachability, humility, and asking for help. Mae recounts attending Oklahoma State, switching from pre-vet to animal science production, and building community through a sorority, an ag dorm, and church. She explains how she pursued a stock show career, landed her role at the American Royal, and describes responsibilities such as DNA deadlines, stall layouts, trailer flow, breed scheduling, and planning youth and pro rodeos. Mae also offers advice on dating with faith and boundaries, job searching through persistence and networking, being open to relocation, and avoiding comparison by trusting God’s timing. 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/]

Building Brands & Balancing Life: A Conversation with Carole Arriaga

Rachel interviews Ranch House Designs colleague Carole Arriaga on the Stock Show Sisters podcast about her 15-year journey from licensed veterinary technician to self-taught web designer and the team’s go-to Shopify expert. Carole describes her busy routine as a working mom, 4-H leader, and mentor, emphasizing handwritten to-do lists, preparation, and learning to say no to protect family time. She discusses evolving web technology, common client gaps when starting Shopify, and why businesses shouldn’t rely solely on social media due to outages or hacks. Carol outlines the wide range of products clients sell online—especially agriculture items like beef, semen, and embryos—covering complexities like shipping, subscriptions, apps, and syncing with brick-and-mortar inventory. She also shares her interest in teaching through speaking engagements, expectations around AI and compliance, and her sourdough baking and weekly raw milk routine. 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/]