Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in agriculture but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nancy Thomas, Founder of Riverkist, located in Gypsum, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We custom hatch and sell beautiful poultry and game birds, as well as teach courses for their care, training, and benefits.
Tell us about yourself
As I was laid up with major surgery and homebound, my daughter, Terena, asked me to watch over one of her incubators with tiny eggs of special birds. I thought it would be interesting, and the plan was she would pick up the birds right after the hatch was complete. Well, THAT is not what happened. The tiny quail each struggled out of their shells as I cheered them on and encouraged them. I was in love with each before they even stood up. They had names as their wet, gloppy feathers dried and changed into cuddly fluff. When the hatch was done, I was totally captivated by my first batch of Japanese Coturnix Quail. My husband built them a beautiful sanctuary here on our ranch, and the next batch of eggs arrived..... Neighbors heard we had these amazing birds and wanted fresh eggs, so we sold some birds. Happy customers spread the news, and the next thing we knew, Terena and I were in business! We now have a gorgeous website that I built myself (I am 71 years old!) I used Kajabi, and it was super easy. We have folks come for photo shoots to see the vibrant pheasants, the Russian ballet-type Sabastepol Geese, the array of multi-colored quail, and 20 breeds of spectacular chickens. To see them free range and content here in the magnificent mountains of Colorado is a trip. Our business took off and is flying! My daughter and I have so much fun together with our birds and love to share our joy with other fellows, "bird brains."
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I built a gorgeous website with pictures from one of our photo shoots and wrote a blog sharing ideas to help others. That blog draws traffic to our site.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The licenses and sanitation of the flock. This past year with the Avian flu situation, we had to keep our birds away from all wild birds during the migration time, and they were not happy, and neither were we. Thousands of birds were killed to stop the spread, and we did not want our birds to be on the kill list because of contamination. We worried and worked super hard to keep them safe. We were successful, even though the Colorado River wraps around our ranch, and the geese and ducks migrate through here often. Every bird was saved!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Find something you love and sink your teeth into being the best there is in that area. Once you have read, studied, and proven you are an experienced expert, create some classes and share your knowledge and your product. The excitement you share is contagious. Other people want to be happy and excited too, so they will join you in your positive, forward movement. Gather your flock around you and soar!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.riverkist.com/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.