An Interview with Reed Nolan of Nolan Performance Horses
Here at EPC, we strive to connect every equestrian and equine professional across all backgrounds and disciplines. Reed Nolan, a young horse and roping trainer, was one of EPC’s very first members, and has posted two horses for sale on our EPC Marketplace. While temporarily living and offering services in Virginia, Reed is currently in the process of building Nolan Performance Horse’s home base in Nocona, Texas.
Introduction to the Equine Industry:
Initially growing up in the suburbs, Reed didn’t get his start with horses until his family moved to live on a ranch in Texas, horse country. Upon moving to the ranch, Reed got his first horse and started roping under the instruction of a local professional roping trainer.
Education and Career Development:
After graduating high school 4 years ago, Reed currently attends Abilene Christian University pursuing a degree in Business Management. He plans to use this degree within his business, Nolan Performance Horses, as well as in other careers outside of the equine industry.
Reed has always had his own businesses, so when he started working with horses, it was no coincidence that he ended up having clients within the industry. While he wasn’t initially looking to start a business with horses, multiple people noticed his talent and ability at local shows. Reed emphasized that in public environments, people are always watching. They are watching how you interact with your horses, utilize training techniques, and perform. Reed’s personality and patient nature while working with his own horses in public was attractive to bystanders, and led him to his first client.
Changing Locations:
Since construction took place on Nolan Performance Horse’s home base in Nocona, Texas, Reed temporarily moved to Virginia with a few of his horses. Reed mentioned how moving locations with horses is difficult, and finding professionals in that area is not a smooth ride either. Luckily, he knew someone who could provide him with the names of some local professionals in the area but had limited knowledge about them. While he hoped each one of those professionals would have been the perfect match, Reed had to make changes and search for other options. He expressed how time consuming and challenging it was to get established in a new locale.
Services:
At this point in time, Reed starts colts and works with a variety of young horses from roping, to pleasure, to reining. In the future, Reed plans to expand his client base and offer boarding services as well as roping and barrel racing competitions upon moving onto Nolan Ranch.
Earning and Navigating Sponsorships:
Currently sponsored by Roping Dummies Texas, Ferrini Boots, and Ranch Fuel, Reed has navigated relationships with multiple sponsors. While each sponsorship differs in the number and kind of commitments and requirements, the common factor that determines each one is your pre-existing follower count. Reed mentioned that your ability to have a sponsor is not only dependent on your social media following, but how you portray yourself, and how you interact with others via social media. Your feed must be more than pretty pictures and accolades; it must include your own character and personality. He emphasized that companies sponsor you, not solely your ability to do certain things, but the person you are.
You have to be successful as an individual before sponsorships and shouldn’t rely on them to keep your business running. Most of his sponsorships came about because he was in the right place, doing the right thing, at the right time. Reed views his sponsorships as an extra bonus that he got along the way, instead of the key to his successes.
These extra bonuses can be tough, as it is difficult to please all of your sponsors and maintain personality and character in your feed. Reed makes this effort to include original and authentic content of his own in addition to his posts promoting sponsors.
