Oliver's Farrier Service | Application Preview
Oliver's Farrier Service is seeking government grants to fund the purchase of a horseshoeing trailer, pay off their existing truck, and build a well-stocked supply inventory. The business plans to expand its client base over the next five years by providing services not only to local residents but also to those in other parts of the state. This effort will be supported by word-of-mouth referrals, social media marketing, and a professional website collaboratively managed with his wife.
With a solid background in farriery since graduating from the Pacific Coast Horse Shoeing School in 2007, Oliver has developed a passion for helping horses and educating clients on horseshoeing mechanics. He has experience in various equine disciplines, which has strengthened his expertise and reputation in the field. After a period of working in a different career while continuing to shoe horses part-time, increasing referrals from local clients and farriers have prompted him to transition back to full-time work.
The funding will enhance Oliver's professionalism by providing a suitable trailer for his equipment and supplies, ensuring that he can maintain a clean and organized appearance while working. He emphasizes his commitment to client education, availability, and customer service, which sets him apart from competitors, including self-taught shoers and longtime local farriers. With a strong focus on building trust and satisfaction among clients, Oliver's approach is rooted in word-of-mouth referrals, which he believes are essential for success in the horseshoeing business. Ultimately, he envisions passing the business on to his sons in the future.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: Oliver's Farrier Service
Location: Snowflake, AZ, United States
Length of Operation: 13 years
Number of Employees:
Annual Gross Income:
Annual Gross Expense:
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
The amount requested is to help with the purchase of a Horseshoeing trailer, along with paying off the remaining balance owed on the truck we currently use for the business to alleviate costs per month. This is also to help get a good stock of supplies to be ready for any job that arises.
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Business Plan
In the next 5 years, I plan to have a full calendar of clients for my business. I plan on servicing not only the local areas in which I live but I plan on traveling around to the state to better serve clients that do not live in the white mountain area full time. In doing this I want to gain more clients by word of mouth, social media, and my website. My wife travels with me to help promote my business as well by taking before and after pictures of my work. I just took on a client that is an Equine Vet tech at one of the local vet clinics, she has asked if she can start referring me to people as well. I have a long record of working closely with veterinarians to help horses. Graduating from Pacific Coast Horse Shoeing School in 2007, I have made it one of my passions to help horses in need and to help all of my clients develop a better understanding of the mechanics behind shoeing horses. Working under some of the best shoers on the west coast developing my skills by working in different equine disciplines such as hunter/jumper horses, dressage horses, polo ponies, trail horses, roping horses, raining horses, barrel racing horses, and even horses that were being trained for the Olympic Grand pre. Many of my clients were sad to see us move out of state back in 2012. After moving I had to take on another career but I have continued to shoe horses on the side, trying to build my business back up. I feel like I am steadily gaining enough clientele that it is time to go back to full time. Recently we have been getting more and more referrals from local farriers that are not taking any more clients at this point in their career or they are simply retiring, along with calls for clients who have found our advertisements on social media or on the web page my wife created. Just having my tools and a limited supply in the back of my truck, I don't feel is very professional. My success has always been based on my professionalism, always answering phone calls of potential clients, returning calls as quickly as possible, showing up to a client's house on time, in a clean and organized looking truck. I need a trailer to put all my equipment into in order to do it though. This grant would help me get a trailer and pay off the remainder on my truck so I won't have to worry about it. Along with advertising costs, and getting stocked up on supplies that the stores in my area do not carry on-hand all the time. I have proved this once before when I was shoeing full time after I graduated horseshoeing school 13 years ago. I got a cap on my truck that could hold more equipment and look professional at the same time. I gained even more business just from looking professional. Since then I have acquired more tools that are required for my trade such as a forge for hot shoeing horses and grinders, a drill press, etc. Eventually, I want my sons to take over my business one day if that is what they want to do.
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Self Identified Competition
My three top competitors are people who shoe there horses themself to avoid the cost of someone doing it for them. Self-taught shoers (backyard shoers) that try to talk a good game, and can end up hurting themselves or a client's horse. and lastly, the local shoers that have been around the mountain longer and are not into trying new disciplines of shoeing. I am different from my competitors because I graduated from one of the best shoeing schools on the west coast. I also love educating my clientele about there horses' feet and what I am doing. If a shoe comes off before the next shoeing cycle in 6-8 weeks I will come out and tack it back on at no charge. I give multi horse discounts, I answer my phone, and try hard to work with my clientele on when they will be available. I have even met clients at events to get there horses done. One of the things that I have noticed in the area that I work in, people are just not educated enough on the shoeing of horses, and I am here to provide that as best as I can, every client that I have gained has referred me to one of there friends to have me do their horses as well. The best advertisement in the horseshoeing profession is by word of mouth.
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