Last week, I had the opportunity to be part of something rare: the 100th Anniversary convention celebration of the Dude Ranchers Association.
Milestone events like this don’t just celebrate longevity. They ask a harder question: How do you honor the past while still serving the people who are building the future?
That question sat at the center of everything we did.
What It Takes to Get Ranchers to Leave the Ranch
There’s an important detail that’s easy to miss if you’ve never worked in this space: asking ranchers to attend a convention is no small thing.
Leaving a ranch means more than stepping away from a desk. It means animals that still need care, guests who still need attention, weather that doesn’t pause, and operations that run 24/7. When members choose to attend, it’s because the event has earned their trust.
That’s why curating a centennial celebration required more than banners and branding.
It required:
Programming that respected members’ time and intelligence
Speakers and sessions rooted in real-world application
Space for peer-to-peer conversations, not just presentations
Logistics that removed friction and honored their reality
I’ve had the unique experience of seeing this from both sides. When I worked with the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, it was just after their own 100th anniversary. I heard what worked, what didn’t, and what members carried forward with them. Being able to apply those lessons here was deeply meaningful.
Anniversaries aren’t just about looking back. They’re about proving you still understand the people you serve.
When the Business Is the People
Another conversation that stayed with me throughout the week centered on succession and sustainability.
Working alongside the Liberty Group of Nevada has sharpened my understanding of what it really means to buy or sell a business. And nowhere is that more complex than in the guest ranch industry.
These operations are deeply personal. Guests don’t just come for the land or the buildings. They come for the people. The owners. The culture. The experience that can’t be easily replicated.
That creates both opportunity and risk.
The challenge becomes this:
How do you preserve what makes a ranch special while also building systems that allow it to grow, transfer, or eventually change hands?
Succession planning in this space isn’t about removing the founder or owner. It’s about separating identity from operations. It’s about ensuring the business can thrive without losing its soul.
That balance is what creates optionality, and optionality is what allows owners to lead confidently in the present while preparing responsibly for the future.
Leadership, Strategy, and the Space to Think
Events like this are reminders of why I do what I do.
They also reinforce something I see again and again in my work as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and consultant: leaders need space to think. To zoom out. To pressure-test ideas with people who understand their world.
That’s why coaching and consulting calls have become such an important part of my work.
Sometimes the conversation is about:
Navigating growth or transition
Preparing for succession or expansion
Aligning marketing with real operational capacity
Building systems that don’t depend on one person
Sometimes it’s simply about clarity.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
If you’re navigating growth, transition, or simply need a trusted sounding board, I offer one-on-one coaching and consulting calls designed to meet you where you are.
These are not sales calls. They’re working sessions.
A hundred years is a remarkable milestone. But what matters most is what comes next.
The future belongs to organizations willing to honor their legacy while doing the work required to carry it forward with intention.