Assignment 11A

Who Am I?
I am a bakery manager for Publix Supermarkets, a previous art student, cake decorator, and florist. I've spent most of my almost 30 years in the service and hospitality industry. At one time I was taking the culinary route and working in kitchens while pursuing my culinary arts degree. I am a very hands on person and excel well in an artistic setting. This is one of the main reasons I am so good at my current job. But I also have a passion for horses(and all animals), specifically rescues and rehabs
However, none of these things apply to what I actually wish to do when I retire from Publix. I'm pretty decent at running the financials of a business and understanding what it takes to make those things work, and watching my parents do it for so many years. This will help my future endeavor tremendously.
My dream business revolves around horses. I myself have 3 horses, two of which are mustangs that I adopted from the BLM wild mustang program. I have trained them from the ground up and have put countless people on them, from novice and children, to experienced and elderly. My business concept revolves around rescuing animals like this and not only finding them new jobs and homes but also using them to rehab others. Weather that would be handicap individuals, war veterans, children, abuse cases etc. I have volunteered with a few horses for handicap programs over the years and have always held a passion for it.
This business would never generate a huge profit, in fact it would most likely be a non-profit organization.

What am I offering? I'm offering 2 things.
Professionally trained BLM mustangs that are safe for beginners all the way to expert riders.
I am also offering therapy horses to those that need rehabilitation themselves
At some point I would like to host training clinics and help promote the adoption of these animals that need homes.

Who am I offering it to?
This is really going to be for a very specific demographic. Age and sex really plays no part in this business. The sale of the horses would be for the fellow equine community. But horse like these are also used in the Marine Core, the mounted unit for the U.S. Border Patrol, and several other law enforcement operations. This type of horse is also the ideal mold for endurance riders and those traveling across rugged terrain. They are a good sturdy horse with strong feet due to their background and living on the wild plains across the country.
The riding program would be geared more towards handicapped children and adults, war veterans, those with mental illness, or even those that are just rehabbing from a bad accident.

Why do they care?
People are willing to pay for programs that help their children and loved ones. This also gets them out of the house and into the fresh air. Most people have a kind heart for animals and they've been proven to help with things like PTSD and depression. Riding horses get's an entirely different grouping of muscles working, while teaching you balance and stability.
The sale of these horses will be a little harder for people who look down upon this breed. A lot feel they have no honorable blood lines and therefor should not be worth much. There is however a growing recognition for these horses. A lot of people in the horse community love the story behind them and wish to add one to their family.

What sets me apart?
There are already several rehab programs like this throughout the country, A lot do not survive due to funding, this is where the sale of horses helps out. But the trick to this business would be location and teaming up with a licensed psychologist.

I believe all these elements fit together but any equine business is a risk due to the high costs involved. It's all about teaming up with the right people and getting your name out there.