Paul Ramirez: Welcome to another Western Ag Life Voices Podcast, where we celebrate the people that make up the rich fabric of the Western lifestyle. Please do us a favor and thank the sponsors, because without them, we couldn't bring you these free podcasts. Well, hello, ladies and gentlemen, this is Paul Ramirez with the Western Ag Life podcast. I have a fantastic episode that we're going to get into today. But before we do, I want to give a little kudos to our national sponsor, Arbuckle Coffee. Remember, Arbuckle Coffee is the original cowboy coffee and it's just second to none. It's available. You can purchase it at Whole Foods and you can also purchase it on Amazon and then you can also buy it directly and order it at home. at ArbuckleCoffee.com. Absolutely the best coffee in the whole wide world. Also want to let you know that those of you that know on regular basis, my day job is a realtor and I sell farms, ranches and agricultural properties. So if you have a property either that you want to market or that you're interested in buying, please step out and reach. I still have this wonderful property in Senoia, Arizona for sale. Our owner becomes more motivated each and every day. great, great property, has ⁓ solar option to it and just fantastic views. So if you're interested in this property, please reach out to me. I'd love to talk with you about it. Well, with all that being said, let's go ahead and get right to today's episode. I have a wonderful guest on here this morning. And so ladies and gentlemen, today on the Western Ag Live podcast, we're excited to welcome a remarkable guest. who has truly represented the spirit, creativity, and determination of the Western lifestyle. Lorinda Graham Van Kirk is going to be on today. Lorinda has built an impressive reputation as an entrepreneur in the Western fashion industry, blending tradition with innovation and style. Through her work, she has helped elevate Western fashion while staying true to our heritage and authenticity that makes our Western lifestyle so special. Her journey reflects the grit. vision and passion that it takes to build something meaningful in our industry and that celebrates both culture and individuality. From creating opportunities within the Western fashion space to influencing how Western style is represented and worn today, Lorinda has made a lasting impact. She continues to inspire others who are pursuing their dreams in agriculture and the Western business. Creativity and industries connected to our lifestyle. We're honored to have her join us today and share her story with entrepreneurial journey and her perspective on the future of the Western fashion industry and the people who live it every single day. Lorinda, welcome to the Western AgLife podcast. How are you doing this morning? I'm doing fantastic. Thank you for having me. I love when people say entrepreneur journey because it is a journey. There's no other fancy word than it's just a journey. No, no, no doubt. And so One thing just for our listeners, it what precipitated this and ⁓ started my journey down this to want to have you come on was the ⁓ podcast that I had with your father Earl Graham. And so those of here on the West coast and probably throughout the United States know, Lorinda's father Earl is ⁓ certainly one of a kind and an entrepreneur in spirit too. so when he was on ⁓ Lorinda, when he was on with me, I, started talking about, know, your girls. And it's just remarkable. And my goal is to have all three of you on now. And that's great that, you know, you guys have an absolutely incredible story. And so I want to get back to it. So I know you're super busy. And so let's go ahead and just start, you know, for our listeners that that that don't know you or don't know about you as much as you would tell us about, know, you know, your father. But more importantly, I want to talk a little bit. Let's go ahead and start right there. Your childhood and how you guys grew up and. And that's going to lead us into the end of this podcast to find out where you are today. probably would say it's child abuse today. Really? Working family. ⁓ I grew up in Southern California ⁓ in Victorville, Apple Valley, the most beautiful desert you can see ever. And the wind never blows. ⁓ And then we also always had a ranch up on the central coast of California where we brand cattle. ⁓ My dad has always had either a construction business, cell barn, we had a horse trailer lot. ⁓ Everything we did was a business we owned and we all worked. And growing up, we used to put on little rope ends and team pennings and all kinds of events at our family arena. And at the age of eight, I ran and owned the snack bar. That was my business. I took a loan from my uncle, my dad's brother. And he took me to Spartan Final to buy everything. And so that was really my first glimpse of if I sell it for X, I make Y and wow, I have money. So that really computed in my brain. And from there on out, I mean, I've tried to have real jobs that I call them, but that just it doesn't really work out for me. But my dad had us. I mean, I've driven water trucks, flagged traffic, dug holes. ⁓ I'm sure you bucked a little hay too, No, no, no, none of that. I've been sent down into LA with truckloads of horses or sheep or pigs and tires blown out, no running lights on the trail. I've done it all. And then also too, being a daughter of an auctioneer, ⁓ you never know what one day is going to bring in the next. close out at right now now and ⁓ I was very heavily involved in for each and FFA growing up. I showed cattle huge on the leadership side and I was slated for state office and didn't win and so my life I was completely devastated so my dad decided what he thought he had a great idea he sent me to auctioneering school so I am also an auctioneer along with my sister and did not I don't. love it. I hated selling day old at our cell bar for good practice. My sister and I, we ever so often, I will help her with a charity auction or something. We'd have a great time ringing together and selling. It's a, you know, we have a great chemistry, but it's just not, you know, something I absolutely love. I'll do it if a school need, you know, somebody canceled, but you know, I'm going to be 52 this year. It's not my passion and it's really hard to do when you haven't done it, you know, for any length of time because you don't have your breath built up. But I still, you know, I'll do tongue twisters for my nieces and you know, it's fun. It's fun. Yeah, that's of fun. I bet you're way better than you're letting on that you are. But anyways, I know your sister's a real production. I'm not doing it. Yeah, I don't want to even try. She's a really good option here and you know like we said here in the in preface where we got recording is that I worked a couple horse sales with her and sold together and then also We competed in a few auctioneer contests. So and your father too So I've had the pleasure of being around them. They're both great auctioneers, but yeah, you guys are just fantastic people so you So then, you know, we come out of there and in your early upbringing, did you go to school after high school? happened? So I wasn't going to go to college. I had zero desire to go to college. And then when I was about 19, I was like, maybe I should try it. And I never was very smart in school. And teachers also told me I wasn't very smart in school. But, you know, I want people to know just because high school wasn't great doesn't mean college isn't going to be amazing. and going to college for me was fantastic. Living in the same town, knowing the same people that my dad grew up with was a great blessing, but also a double-edged sword because I wanted more. I wanted to know more people, know what else was out there. So I did leave and go to school up around the Fresno area. ⁓ And I went to Fresno State. I did not finish, which has been the biggest blessing for me now because both me and my husband are college dropouts. He's the only college dropout on his Vanu Kirk side of the family. ⁓ But it did pay off for us because our youngest daughter got accepted to TCU here in Fort Worth, which is a ridiculous amount of money. But she transferred in as a sophomore. So she got a sophomore scholarship, an academic scholarship, and then she also got a first generation scholarship because both her parents are called his dropouts. So for the first time in years, the guilt, it's, I'm so glad we didn't finish school. It's paying off. know, isn't it remarkable, you know, I listened to a lot of podcasts and business podcasts, but you know, one thing that all, you know, it seems like there are a lot of lot of major, ⁓ influencers and entrepreneurs that, know, didn't don't have college degrees and I'm beginning to think there's an element about people that somehow another I think maybe you're just ⁓ things need don't happen quick enough while you're in school to keep you motivated and so consequently you're like I don't need this I need to move on right. Well and I think everybody you know everybody has their own journey and me going to college was part of my journey and giving me the confidence ⁓ that I needed and the new friendships and I still have those friendships or that network today. So for me, it was a great thing. It wasn't really about the degree. you need, if you're going to be a doctor or a lawyer or something that you have to, you know, have that degree, then yes, you have to go to college. But going to college does not guarantee you anything more than not going to college in today's, in my eyes in today's society. And I've, you know, I've told both our daughters, you know, if you're going to go to college, You better get good grades and everyone better know who Charlie and Charlie and Jaylee Van Newkirk are when you leave there. You better have the biggest. I mean, old school here, black book than anybody. And because that is what's truly how you get around in this world is your network, you know, heart, put your head down, go to work. And it's all comes down to connections and who can connect you to where. And it, you know, some people may say that's wrong. You know, it's who does the best job. Well, you've got to do the best job and you got to have connections. It takes all of it. But, know, I. Like for college, for me, you know, I would I remember being in one of my my business classes and that we had to do this project and, know, do this business. And so I would, you know, he'd lay everything out and I and but I would be like, but where did the money come from? to start the business. And he's like, well, you don't need to worry about that, Lorinda. We're just practicing going through the motion of the business. And I'm thinking, that's the easy part. How do I get the money? ⁓ And that's, know, I can, still consult a little bit with some people in the industry. And that's the biggest struggle is the money part. They don't teach you that part in college. You got to figure that out out here. Well, I think what happens to, know, in, in, and education system, you know, they get tied up in the theory process. And unfortunately, you know, a theory in a classroom, a lot of times does not match up when you put, you know, down when it has to make when I mean, when it has to make a profit. Yeah, you know, when a business has to be black, then that's where the theory goes out the window. And like you said, the other elements, and I'm sure we're going to get into some of those that you're very good at, that allowed you to be successful, you know, without Olly, I know what this business is. Yeah, sure. And so ⁓ let's go ahead. we come out of college and then at some point in time then where did you work for somebody else or what started you, you know, down the path that where you were going to be probably doing your own deal? Well, I mean, my dad always said, you know, you're you're going to have a hard time working for other people, which I tell my kids the same thing. ⁓ but I always let me, I want to back, want to back there just a little bit. So what, why did he tell you that? Well, what, what precipitated him telling you that that your personality or what? Person out thinking just ideas and thinking and, know, working inside a timeline, you know, when you work for somebody else, you work nine to five or you work, you know, especially as a kid, they're not going to give you any responsibility. I wasn't a normal kid because of how I was raised. So, know, I worked in a Western store because I loved fashion. I wanted a store. I loved to sell things. I loved the cash register. I loved the whole everything about it. And, you know, I would have wanted to stay after work and re-merchandise the store or clean or just how can I make it better? I just had a different mindset where other people, you know, other people that just want a job and show up. They're fine getting there from nine to five or whatever their eight hour clock in and clock out is. And an entrepreneur does not have that mindset. And some people are born that way. Some people train themselves to be that way, or some people just want to be that way, but they don't have the hustle. So it doesn't work. Yeah. And so you knew right away then at a young age that you probably weren't, you're going to be signed in the front of the check, not the back of the check, right? Yeah. Well, I don't know that I knew that. Yeah. Yeah. I knew I wanted to be LHPA. So. There's pluses and minuses with that. So what was your first venture that you actually did on your own that you were? I would say my first, so. All my money that I had from 4-H and FFA, my parents, we never were allowed to use till we got into a four-year college. So I went to JC colleges and everything. And then ⁓ I finally went to Fresno State. But before I got to Fresno State, I decided I wanted to have a mobile tack trailer. So I had $13,000 and I had met a guy named Joe Pope here in, down in Waco, Texas. And what, I met him in Reno. He was like, sold all the Willard ropes, different saddles. Anyways, he told me, if you come to Belton, Texas, I'll get you set up. I got all the tack, I got everything. It'll be the cheapest way. So I left my parents, drove to Utah and bought a cargo trailer from our friends that owned Charmack trailers way back when. And I remember my dad telling me back then it's maps and I'm in our, when the first Dodge Cummings came out and you could drive. 40 miles to the gallon on that sucker. And leaving Utah, my dad's like, you fill that truck up and you when you head across Utah, you do not stop because if you break down, you're all in Indian reservations and blonde girls don't come back. I was so scared. My dad, I don't know that that was the best advice, but whatever. So anyways, I drive to drive to Texas, get to Belton, my dad flies in. ⁓ And so he meets Joe Pope with me and we, spend about 20,000, you know, I didn't save budget at all. It's my whole life. ⁓ and loaded up and came back to California. And that's pretty much when it started. And I called that one stop cowboy shop and I sold, I don't remember how many years I had that company, but, geographic area where you would, did you have all California, Nevada, Arizona, I did some shows in Texas like San Antonio. I mean, some of the bigger major rodeos, but I would do 46 shows a year. And I got to the point where I had a freight liner, a living quarters with the whole tack part, my own saddle line. I had my own clothing with, you know, logo clothing. jewelry, I had a complete jewelry line. And so I sold that company. I woke up one morning in Reno at the cutting and I just thought, I don't want to do this anymore. I'm done. And so I, I sold it to a girl and I kept the jewelry part of it. And I took that, the jewelry and I put jewelry and high end day spas up and down the coast of California. Because by then I was living in Paso Robles, California. And so every other week I would go into those high end day spas and switch out the jewelry and collect my money. And those ladies that own those spas would tell me the days that their most shopping type of customer would be in. And so I would go and bring extra jewelry those days. So it was great. And then I met my husband. mean, then I decided I wanted to move to Texas and then met my husband and here we are 25 years later. And so you've so now we're going to talk. ⁓ You had several businesses that you've started, you know, from the ground up and built in there and then sold those. So ⁓ what started you down some of those businesses? And why don't we talk just a little bit about those businesses? So my biggest company that I've ever owned or the one I feel it's the biggest company. mean, Joel and I own a landscape company and we still do to this day. But in the the Western industry, I started a company called Gypsy Soul. and I took Swarovski crystals and put them on flip-flops. And that company, it was insane. was literally the craze. I mean, we couldn't make them fast enough and they sold anywhere from $300 to $1,500. Our average customer has had 42 pair of flip-flops. ⁓ Literally all of China, India knocked me off. Like when people post about I got knocked off, I'm like, ⁓ honey, you don't even know. So no, yeah. But I would tell people we are the Neiman Marcus of the flip flop company. I mean, they were beautiful. The women that still wear them. I mean, I still have people today beg me to start that company. And what was so neat about that company, I would get emails or, you know, actual letters because that's, it was I started it so many years ago ⁓ from women that would say, I've gained weight, I wear black all the time, people don't even notice me. But when I wear your shoes to the grocery store, people talk to me, people notice me. And they were just so grateful that I gave a product that would fit anybody. And not everybody could afford them, but you could save and buy them. But it was so emotional for me to know that I gave people their happiness back. They felt positive about themselves. I had that true engagement. with all, in all the consulting I do is when you have a product or something, how are you going to connect with your customer? What is that emotion that's gonna connect with them? And so we do, now I have Lucky Chuck, the sock company, and we make boot socks, which you can see several of them behind me. ⁓ I wanted something, the first thing it had to be, They had to really fit and really be a great boot sock. But I wanted an emotion of a quote, a color, something that somebody connected with. So every day when they got up and put their socks on, they're like, I am so lucky and I'm going to go kick ass and I can accomplish anything in my day. So that's, you know, every, for me, every business that I do, that is the mindset that where it all starts. So I want to go back just a little bit to the, to your to your sandal deal there. What, I mean, what started you down that road? mean, what was the thought about? you look at the sandals yourself and said, ⁓ I can do this or tell me. I saw a girl at a rope in and she had some flip flops on with some cat glued cowhide on them. And I just thought, huh, I think I could make those. And so I literally found a saddle guy. went around and bought flip-flops from Payless shoe stores, which I don't even think those stores, they're not even around anymore, but literally all over the DFW area. I would just go buy these cheap flip-flops, take them to a saddle guy in Denton, Texas. He'd click out the pattern in leather or cowhide and put studs on them. And then I would sit and glue the crystals on with like fabric glue or E6000. They weren't set or anything. And I still had a, so at that time I had jewelry And Tuskees, this is before Tuskees had any clothing. They were just tack. Michael and Anissa only sold tack. And Michael had come to me and said, hey, I've got these jewelry counters I bought. Do you want to supply all the jewelry? And I'll just make a percentage. And I'm like, heck yeah. You man it. Do everything, all inventory at once a month and put new stuff in. It was a great deal. And so he'd also reached out to me and said, I have this extra 20 by 20 space at NFR when it used this. The Rio used to be the sands and NFR or the shopping at NFR. And he said, do you want to take this booth? And I said, sure. So I know from my experience with trade booths, you got to have something different than everybody else. Why are people going to pick your booth over somebody else? If you're, you know, if you're not known. And I've kind of been out of not doing booths for years. So I decided I was going to make these flip flops. And so I made up all of these flip flops and tied them together with Raffia and they were 59.99 and 69.99, which Michael told me I was nuts. They were never going to sell. I completely sold out at NFR. It was insane. And then a lot of the people that bought them were stores. And so they reached out to me and they're like, Hey, we'd really like to get these for our stores. So I just slowly started making these. ⁓ I had Jaylee in the midst of it. It was just a really slow build for about five years. And then I finally was like, I think I could really like, people really want these, but it took it to a whole new level. And then, you know, at the end I sold the company in 2015, ⁓ but we had, you know, 25 employees, full production line. ⁓ We would make 350 pair a week. I mean, was insane. It was just crazy. And we had a gene line, purses. Perfume makeup bags t-shirts jewelry. I mean it was a full lifestyle brand when we sold the company all under that gypsy Yeah, women unleash your soul women that live by their own rules And so and so did some and I don't want to get too too personal But so did you did somebody come to you to offer to buy or did you start to I was? Unwonders how business how business is transfer? So we were always looking for investors because we needed money to grow. And that was the main thing. ⁓ We sold 60 % of the company to a bigger brand in the industry. And it was great for 18 months. we were bought for, and this is when so many people, want to partner and invest, they just think that's going to solve all their problems. Because I've been through like almost all the problems. ⁓ We were bought for a tax write off for their larger company and then we were shut down as a tax write off 18 months later for that same company because the owner is a very, very intelligent man. He knows the laws. He's a CPA. He's a lawyer. He's a tax specialist. you know, I get it. It's business. Was I sad in that moment? Absolutely. Am I sad that gypsy soul's over? Absolutely. So many people love the brand, but I'm a true believer. God makes everything happen for a reason. I mean, it was worse than ripping off a band-aid to something that you built for 13 years. your baby. Yeah, it's your baby. Yeah. But I have no ill will. have no hatred. I chose to sign 60 % of my company away. I chose to take that risk. Would I do it again? Hell yes, because that's what an entrepreneur does. If I'm going to be a little smarter about it this time. ⁓ But it's, you got to have money to make these brands grow. mean, this sock company, it's so much a baby. And this last year was the first year I did not feed the baby. It had to feed itself and it's been tough, especially with all the tariffs, but you can't get caught up. in just what's happening right now. I'm looking at what this sock company is going to be in 10 years or what it's going to be worth in 10 years. So is it something my daughters are going to take over? Maybe I don't know. Is it going to be a retirement income stream for me and my husband? Could be. Am I going to sell it? Absolutely. If I get the right offer. But every, every business is always for sale and I always have how I'm getting started and the far goal, the in-between kind of gets a little messy. And you know and so you know this really I want to stay around the Entrepreneurship deal because that's kind of one of the reasons that I really wanted to have you on here was obviously you're really good at that but not every person and one thing that I noticed that's a common thread between entrepreneurs of course not everything you do is a home run and There's the hills in the valleys for sure and being an entrepreneur and it's not for everybody for sure but more importantly, you know, I like you said alluded to the fact that you didn't like something but I think one thing entrepreneurs really have to under fundamentally understand is that It's just business like it like they say in the Godfather, you know, he says it's just business, you know And that's just basically what it is, It's not personal. Yeah, even though you had a different plan But at some point in time you had to leverage right in order to go forward my mom, know my sweet mom and all the businesses of my father, God bless her soul, because my mom, you know, she is an entrepreneur, but not like dad. mean, she's the balance of dad. But she I mean, I would be calling her upset, upset or whatever. And she'd be like, what's the worst that can happen? They can't take away your birthday. And like, I mean, it sounds stupid, but it's so true. And that's what I tell, you know, people, just get to work, stop focusing on what's not happening. focus on the negative with movement and action today, what can you make happen? And once you step into that mindset, it changes everything. And that's what so many people have ideas. And you see quotes all the time on Instagram, you're never gonna be ready, you just gotta do it, all that stuff. Yes, that's true. But I just tell people, what's one thing today that will get you to where you're going? So if that's starting a business. Did you get your business license? Did you make a phone call? Did you, is there someone in your network that could help you put that product in front of the right person to get an order? Like just think of it in little micro mini doses. Well, then I think one thing that you alluded to that, you know, in my little ventures that I'm nothing like you guys, but I am an entrepreneur. Also, I have several things going on. But the one thing that I know that you alluded to, and I want to backtrack there a little bit because I think it's one of the key elements that somebody is going to be successful is you have to align yourself with the right people to go forward and whether it's mentorship, you know, like even like I told you one of the prefaces, you know that meeting your father and your father used to send me little work, you know, when I was just starting as auctioneer, he'd tell hey, call Paul or do this or somebody guys has a tractor to sell. Hey, Paul, call Paul. You know what I mean? So those connections are crucial. And so I'd like for you to go back because I know that, you know, certainly all of the grams are very, very good at staying connected to people in the right places. No, 100%. You know, I mean, I grew up with I would go to the tire shop and I would say, Hi, I'm Lorenda. And they're like, ⁓ you're Earl's daughter. Like I had zero I did not have a name. I, Johan, love that. I hated that. I am Lorenda. I and Earl is my dad. And so it's been fun as I've grown up, know, people will come to the, to the house and buy cattle or panels or hay. they're like, when I had gypsy soul and they're like, ⁓ my gosh, you're gypsy souls dad. It was so great. But it made my day. Here's the thing. I bet he smiled and said, yes, I am. I mean, in the same now, you know, your booze, your booze, your cattle dad. you know, it's great. guys ⁓ know your connections are everything. And even, you know, All my connections I had in California, which, you know, I had friends, so many friends move from California to Texas here when I moved. So I brought a lot of those with me and then marrying my husband and his mom, Brenda Van Newkirk that just passed away last month. I mean, she was so huge. mean, she is why there, you know, you guys aren't still wearing Wrangler. There was only Wrangler jeans, you know, for men and He she was a creator of cinch and she's the one that made Rocky Mountain jeans famous. I mean, she's a powerhouse. Yeah. mean, truly an icon. And here I've been over on my side on the West Coast, you know, doing my thing. But when not that my mother in law called or made all, you know, I mean, she probably told stores to buy my shoes once they got bigger, you know, once I was a bigger brand. But. having those connections and people to make phone calls or just open a door. And I do the same thing for my girls. Charlie's in sports media. I am not sports media. I don't know anybody, but I knew Jeff Meadors from the Cowboy Channel and RFD. So I got introduced to him and just said, can we visit? Because of him, he lined up her seeing the dean at OSU for sports media. And it just opened that and then she took it from there. You that was just one lunch mom lined up and my kids, I will make the connection for them, but they got to walk through the door. And it's the same thing in my life or is a person, if they just have one little connection, you know, that next person can open the door for you to walk through, but you've got to do the work. And that's the biggest thing in life, especially now with social media and the way the world is, you know, You go to a coffee shop or a restaurant, you're at the airport. Nobody talks to each other. You know, all your connections. at their phone. Yeah, they're looking at their phones. you know, I even I'm bad about it, you know, so I try to make myself visit a little more. But even on social media, we just do it through social media now. So it's, you know, slide into somebody's DMs and be like, hey, we know the same people, you know, can you hook me up with something? But Really building that network and not being afraid to step into that is huge. And so many people are like, well, I don't know them. I'm like, call them. What are they going to do? They're going to tell you they're going to talk to you, you know, go visit with them and being, you know, being comfortable and stepping into that is so hard for so many people. Yeah, for sure. I'll tell you a funny little story. There's a really prominent auctioneer here in the United States. And his name is Tommy Williams and he had a large real estate auction company. And I, like I told you, I got in the auction industry really late. I was 38 years old when I started the auction business and started actually auctioneering. so, know, being grown up in the auction business, that's a late time to start. But anyways, I got into it. But he, I met him and he said, Hey, if you're ever in Tulsa, we'll come and see me. said, okay. So just the way I roll, didn't, wasn't going to be in Tulsa for any reason other than to go see him. And so I booked the plane ticket and I loaded up and I went and I knocked on his door and his wife answered the door and she said, you know, she said, who are you? well, I'm Paul Ramirez. heard see Tommy Williams. So she shuts the door and goes in. Then pretty soon Tommy comes out and he said, Well, you are here to see me. said, yeah, I am. So anyways, he brought me in his house and we sat there and we talked for a couple hours and so, and then what, you know, that was so instrumental in my auction career, ⁓ the opportunities that he gave me in the industry. know, I think so many people alluding back to what you're saying is that, you know, you got to knock on those doors and you got to, and I think those people correct me because I'm sure you mentor people too. Correct. Yes. And I'm pretty sure when you see a girl show up and she's at your door, you know what I mean? Or makes an effort to meet you or go somewhere. You know, she said, I heard you were going to be speaking here, come in there and gets a plane ticket. I think right then for you, it's hard for you as an entrepreneur not to say, Hey, I'm going to help her out or I'm going to give her some advice. Correct? Yeah. Oh, a hundred percent. mean, anybody that calls me, I, uh, a gal, she's not even in the industry. She's an arborist here in Dallas. But she just, how did she, how did she, ⁓ she found our landscape business. And then she was like, ⁓ you know, reading about Joel. And then she, you know, then she said she decided to research me. And then she found my podcast, my From Fear to Focus. And I just talk about, you know, how people allow fear to take away all their focus. mean, every, all the decisions, most of the decisions people make are out of fear. They're not focused on what they're doing. So she wanted to meet me. And so she emailed through the website and I was just like, who is this girl? I was kind of confused and it was when I had a lot with my mother-in-law being sick and I'd just had neck surgery. Anyways, long story short, I met her last week. This girl for months has been trying to meet me and about every two, three weeks she would check in. And so I met her at the Bowie house here in Fort Worth. It was just, mean, and that place was hopping just like it is on land, man. Everybody was crazy. But we met at the Bowie house there in Fort Worth. And I just thought, you know, I was just going to have a drink and hi. I was there with her for over three hours. It was phenomenal. Just a remarkable 26 year old gal that is finding her way. And I feel so lucky and blessed. I got to share that time with her and I look forward to the next time. And like, know, sharing your talents, you know, are so crucial and, you know, the tenacity, know, young entrepreneurs are listening to this. You know, certainly I think one thing that you and I agree with it, tenacity is just about over does anything. And you can't make bad business decisions and you can't be, you know, doing things that aren't, you know, that aren't correct and ethical. as a whole, wouldn't you agree that Sinacity is so so important. I'm gonna use one example I know you had lots going on in your life, you know in the lead-up to this podcast, but I kept bugging you. It's great I'm so I kept bugging you cuz I'm like and and you know, I know you had lots going on but I'm like now I want because you were one of the people that I really wanted to have on my podcast because I just knew what the story was gonna be, you know, I just knew already, you know because I mean like there's a I think there's an old phrase that I've heard a lot. Success usually is not a secret. No, there's no secret sauce. Yeah. And hard work and being tenacious and doing what you say you're going to do. But more importantly, you know, and I think this is something we're going to backtrack one more time to is that you do have to get around good people. They certainly shorten the path for you dramatically when you're around people, you know, and I know what a what a blessing it was. like you said, maybe maybe not all, but you know, growing up in an entrepreneur home like you guys did. Wow. You know what? We were never told we couldn't do anything. My dad would be like, it's an especially in our industry, you guys being female, you know what I mean? Your dad's like, that's not going to be an excuse either. Right? No, we were raised like your sister being really one of the first girl female auctioneers. I mean, I remember I worked a horse sale with her and this guy, he says, hey, ⁓ he had, you know, he had hired me to do the horse sale. And ⁓ I got a lot of horse sales in the early 2000s because I'm bilingual and I could sell in Spanish and English. And of course in the racehorse industry, you know, there's a lot of Hispanic people. So that was one of the things that I brought to the table. This guy tells me, well, I'm a little, I want to tell you that, well, he was kind said, what, what's up? Well, I got a, there's a girl coming to help me. I said, a girl? Yeah, there's a girl coming to help you. I'm ⁓ great. You know what I mean? So of course everybody has their little ideas and you know the ringmen and stuff like that. And so, but anyways, when your sister showed up, listen, she handled herself very, very well. She was prepared. She was prepared to sell horses. No, I can remember driving the water trucks and I came home one day mad and dad's like, well, you need to learn to handle it. You want people to respect you. You don't need your daddy calling up there. So that next day I was like, Okay, so they just drive their equipment right to be a jerk. Guess who got showers. And then I just, yeah, oops, I don't know how to pull the handle right. I'm a girl. Or more importantly, let them start grading some stuff that didn't have any water on it. That's right. Yeah. I mean, I was just like, you don't need to be a turd. ⁓ I do want to go back to you like you were talking about tenacity. Just so to put it in perspective. with my, you know, I have great contacts, know so many people in the industry. And last year I thought I was going to get to do that, be the official stock for NFR and do the NFR stock. And that all fell through at the final, like they ghosted me at the final hour. So this year they came back, PRCA, they came, talked to me, we're going to do it. So now I've recent samples, they're dealing with a new company, met the people, they're fan, They seem to all be great, just on a personal level, great. But I'm still, I'm doing every week, or they'll tell me, can we circle back in two weeks? I'm emailing to get this deal done. And it is just, I just want to really hit this home that it doesn't matter what stage you are in the game. That never ends. trying to get the next account or meet the next contact or the next business or the next deal, whatever that is, people get distracted or in a different space and you have to keep popping up. So you just have to keep going. And I just wanted to say, I'm trying to be this. So hopefully when you guys go to NFR in Vegas, you're going to see lucky check socks with the NFR. Yes. So hopefully I'll hear from you. But I want to, I just wanted to bring that up and just like reiterate how important. Like when you really pointed that out, how important that is in business. But I can promise you one thing. If the PRCA doesn't take lucky chucks, there'll still be lucky. Yes. Right. Yeah. It doesn't matter. You're forward regardless. And that's what we should all do. Right. Hey, if that's a blessing and it comes, but then if it doesn't, you know, it's amazing. And then us as entrepreneurs, we how many things that didn't happen that when we look back, say, ⁓ I'm glad I didn't I had at, well, we used to call it Denver market, but January market for the Western industry is the biggest market of the year. And zappos.com, this was pre Amazon. So Amazon bought Zappos, but Zappos was the biggest internet shoe seller. And they made appointments with me for three years in a row and no showed me. And every quarter I knew the buyer. Kathy, we're still friends to this day. She doesn't work up for Zappos anymore, but we're friends on Facebook. We'll chat, whatever, greatly. I would send her every quarter a gift. So Q1, she got Sherry's berries on Valentine's. let, know, check it in. So every quarter I would send her. And so by the time the end of the year came and she was booking appointments, she would book an appointment with me and then didn't show up. And the first two years devastated. And then that fourth year, I think our first order was $110,000 worth of those flip flops. It was insane. And I look back, my boxes were wrong. I didn't have barcodes. I could have never handled that business. so striving to get that account, I kept doing more things to make my company better. okay, we need better boxes. need better, whatever it was. So when I did get that account, The only thing I needed to learn was their program, their EDI program. I didn't have to worry about anything else. My shipping warehouse was on point. just everything was perfect. And so for three years I had a lot of disappointment, but that fourth year it was like glorious. And in that time from getting that Zappos account and that timing is when the 08 09 2010 11 recession hit. We were in over 1,100 stores. It was insane how many stores we were in. After the recession, we were down to 500 stores, but Zappos bought, took what we were, the money we made from the 1,100 stores, Zappos became all of that. So we never had, I never had any fluctuation in income from the recession. It was insane. And I don't know it's because I was such a high price point. I mean, it was crazy, but I, know, when I would look back over, you know, look at reports over the years and I would just think if I would have not, if Zappos like just God's timing. I mean, it's just, it, you know, I'm so grateful to Zappos for that. the first thing back to the beginning when you said that, you know, you weren't ready. And the first thing that popped into my mind is a lawsuit city too. Yeah. Right. Cause then you weren't able to fulfill the contract and that could have been. terminal for you, correct? Yes. Yeah. Really? Yeah. And I mean, it wasn't, you know, it always wasn't Rosie was Zappos. We started making our own kind of UGG boots and putting crystals on them. And so I had those, you know, brought in my own brand, everything. And I remember being super busy helping the warehouse. We were down people in the warehouse and I was out shipping and I ran in my office to answer some emails and I had to approve the sole of the boot. And it's just, you know, like a grippy UGG boot. looked at it, yep, yep, yep, approved out to the warehouse. Never thought about it again till we get boots made, shipped a huge order to Zappos and I get an email from corporate and they're like, we are so sorry, Lorenda, but we cannot sell any of these UGG boots because they say UGG, because UGG is a brand. They say UGG on the bottom. I'm like, I mean, I'm looking at the email like, what? And I see the, send a picture and I, run out to the warehouse and I just start pulling boxes, pulling boxes down, ripping boots out. Well, when China sent me the picture, it was reversed. So I didn't notice it. All those boots, I couldn't sell the Zappos and I specifically designed those boots for them. It was awful. mean, we still, yeah, we were still undercover. I don't advise you to do this. This is not legal advice in any way, but I was like, we're still selling them. We're just not talking about it. We just got to get them gone. But it was crazy. Yeah, for sure. Hey, so let's go ahead. Let's start talking about Lucky Chuck now. And what was your what was the infancy on that? And what started you down this path? I'm a huge sock snob. I cannot stand gross, disgusting socks. And in Texas, you sweat. or this side of the world, you sweat where you don't want to talk about it. And there was nothing more gross to me than having socks that just did not perform when you rode, especially, you you're out riding several head in and out of the wash rack, just all the issues. So I wore bombas, smart wool, stance. I would buy men's stance and wear those. But the biggest thing I noticed is all those socks have a weird slickness to the bottom. So in a cowboy boot, it almost creates a friction. If you're walking a lot of horses in and out of the wash rack, you're just on your feet and not just in the saddle. And then none of those socks are made for an actual equestrian athlete of the pounding being on a horse. So that socks not gonna stay up. And if they are tight enough, they're cutting you in half. So that was kind of all the things going through my mind. And in 2016, I knew I wanted to start a stock or do another company. And I had thought up the name Lucky Chuck because everyone needs a pair of lucky socks. Why would you only have one? You should be wearing lucky socks every day. And both of my grandfathers are Chuck and my oldest daughter is a Charlie. And I just also thought I'm gonna start this company and see where it goes. And someday if my girls wanna jump in, they can, they don't, it's okay too. So 2016, trade market, get the Instagrams, do everything. I don't do anything, I park it. I'm just consulting, still licking my wounds from my company being jerked away from me, being mom. Life is good. ⁓ And then in October of 2020, I decided to launch the company for brand recognition. I just did t-shirts and baseball caps. So I did that. No socks. couldn't get, I could not get the formula right. I could not figure out how to, how, like, I couldn't find the right manufacturer. So that's October, April, I go to my brother-in-law's 50th birthday party. And at his birthday party, one of his best friends from college were visiting and he's asking me, what are you doing now? What business? And so I'm telling him about I want to do the sock company and I can't get these socks right. And he looks at me he goes, you know, that's what my brother's done his whole life, his socks. And I'm like, what? And so my brother-in-law's college roommates, instantly, you know, he got me connected. That was April. I had my first generation of socks shipping out to stores that November. They were not high enough. They were a little too tight. They weren't perfect yet, but the material was spot on. I mean, I mean, he's still, I had a call with him yesterday and he just is like, I never in my life ever thought about cowboy boot business. I mean, he's in the sock business and he makes socks for all the big, you know, free people, urban outfitters. I mean, he makes thousands of socks for people. ⁓ Great guy. And it's great because he has me direct with the factories, but I'm protected through him. So he helps me make sure my product stays. Perfect. But we've had several generations of the socks. So we launched those that November. And then I went to three launches a year, four launches a year. And now we launch a new sock every week. Now, a brand new style. And so we have about 24 replenishment socks that are always in the line that are fan favorites because people collect them. And then every week there's a brand new sock. really is like a high demand. It can move into replenishment, but you have to collect them. They may or may not come back. They may come back in different colors. It just, it just depends. You just better buy them. One off. Yeah. So they're, they're, I mean, $20 socks. So, Lorenda, I mean, yeah, when you're telling me that story, I kind of almost get goosebumps because I mean, How does that happen that you're at a wedding and you talk to a guy that makes socks? It is. It's a God thing. I that's why I could not. I mean, I literally was so frustrated. Like, how can I not figure this out? I've been in this business forever. And so I just kind of like paused it. maybe I'm just supposed to like I know Lucky Chuck has there's something there, but it just wasn't right then. Timing is so important and you can't teach that sell it box it up You just have to keep kind of trying and then you got to be ready for when the timing is right And I was ready. I let's go. Here's my money I guess that's the definition of serendipity. Huh is that you know, you sent that energy out, you know and and and to the to the to the osmosis and it It just marinated for a while, right? And then it landed in the right person. know, I'd just, yeah, that's well, and, being, you know, talking about it, I could have just been like, ⁓ I'm just being mom, like, and not being, you know, not being insecure about it, because here I am helping other people get other products made and I can't even get my own product made. So you can't be insecure or super private about it. you know, because if I went to talk to him about it that day, it would have never happened. But I was saying, I'm trying to make these amazing socks and people are looking at me like socks, like that. was crazy. They literally thought I was nuts. They're like, there's plenty of socks. But my point, you know, I still go back to cinch area, all those companies. Yes. People work for them that ride. Yes. They have athletes that give them feedback. The owners do not. they're not out riding and washing their horses out in the barn. They're not, I, this product is truly built by a person that's doing what they're doing. So I know when somebody tells me how they feel or they fit or when something's not right, I know exactly what they're talking about. So that's what's why I feel like I know my socks are the best ones out there because of what I'm doing in them. And especially like it's crazy. You'll, take your socks off and you know your feet, they're not wet like normal socks because of the moisture wicking and that's been the main thing. But it's just, I'm very passionate about it as you can tell. And not, you what's even the craziest thing is the conservative men that wear these socks. They, cause they're unisex. And I made up my own size between a smidium and an large and an extra large and mushed them together. And as the company gets bigger, I'll come out with other sizes. But right now there's only one size. ⁓ And I like John Bruner that runs Durham Trailers that sells all the bloomers. I mean, that man is like six foot four. I don't he's a big man and he wears them and loves them. It's I mean, it's crazy. So we did we launched solids for people that don't want crazy stuff on their socks. And we're almost sold out of them already. It's been crazy. Mm-hmm. Yeah, who woulda I mean who would have thought but more importantly I guess it leads me back to you know, there's a spiritual component to it I think you'd have to agree, you know that God tells us that he'll give us the desires of our heart and How can I mean how could you refute something like that for you? You know that the lead-up into that story Yeah, yeah, and that's what you know, I on on the label of our socks. We have Ephesians 6 11 and you know, I mean, everything here is glory to God for us. mean, my life, but the path, mean, hindsight is so great, the path that I've been on and where he's taken me and the path that he's taking with my daughters. you know, through everything, my number one always priority is that me and my husband are 100 % solid and we have a great relationship. And then my children and outside of that, it's just a business. It's just. This is just like my dad's always said, life is a game. Business is a game. If you're going to, you know, if you're going to wear all your feelings on your arms, your, on your shoulders, you're going be miserable. This is a game and you've got to be a problem solver, you know, so get up every day and think, okay, God, I'm ready. got my lucky check socks on and I know you're going to bring me problems, but I got this. And so being able to know that life. If you think of it like a game and it, you know, there's really no right or wrong answer. The right answer is the decision you make and the quicker you make a decision, the faster you get to move on to the next one and solve it. And that's, mean, it's really simple. We just make it difficult. True. One thing about it though, you know, you know, getting back into the entrepreneurship though, but I think you'd have to, you'd agree with me is you, but you do have to be in the game. You have to be. You have to be playing. Yes. In order to score. Yeah. And I think a lot of people for whatever reasons, you know, are intimidated about getting in and, know, and, know, because I guess failure, you know, probably I think failure is a greater motivated than success if you really think about it. Unfortunately, and it shouldn't be that way. Well, and that goes back to why I call my podcast from Fair to Focus. And I mean, I remember Joe, me and my sister, Johanne, were having a really deep conversation one day and she finally just stopped me and she said, if you are making a choice out of fear, you're making the wrong one. Because I was like, well, what if this happened? You know, and that has stuck with me for so long that and I'll literally be, you know, thinking about something and I'm like, is this because it's not going to work out? But what if it did, you know, or, you know, my old business partner and I, when I had Gypsy Soul, Amy Morehouse, we used to say failure is not an option. So it's not even like it was not discussed in the building. It just didn't happen. But fear is stifling to people. I worked with I've worked with so many people over the years. And sometimes I can't help that. I can't get them out of their own head or out of their own way. And so if that's where you're at, know, saying that to one of your listeners, I mean, that's you got to work on that. I mean, there is no mentor. There's no magic potion. You got to get right with yourself and really understand why you're allowing that fear to overtake you. Well, for sure. You know, unfortunately, we could probably have a whole nother podcast on this about raising about raising children. You know what I mean? And. And some of this stuff, and I think you'd agree with me, Lorenda, is that we set some of this stuff up in not infancy, but toddler stages where we start too much no and bad boy and you can't do that and this and that. And we just get people, you know, wired up. You know, we get children wired up where they're afraid. mean, why are they afraid? I mean, you and I both know when you watch toddlers, I mean, they get up and they're not afraid they're going to hit their head. They're not afraid they're going to fall. mean, thank God, you know, I was watching one the other day. My wife has a little her first grand nephew and he's he can't walk yet, but he's getting ready to walk. But how's he going to learn to walk is by falling and getting back up and falling and getting back up. And somewhere I think we get wrong with children is that we start to teach them to just be afraid or, know, or they can't do that. Yes. And for you, think one thing that, you know, we could come back and hopefully you will come back on because I'd like to have a session where we just talk about ⁓ women in the industry and about, you know, and your sister being auctioneer. have a daughter that's an auctioneer and just the perception in the Western industry. You know, I think it's fantastic now that women have this strong presence. And let's just go ahead to your mother-in-law. mean, my goodness, she must have broke down some barriers that were. Cowboy barriers. I mean we were at we were at dinner last night with a longtime friend of hers and he's staying with another long somebody in Stephenville he's down here roping and he's in his 70s and they were telling stories the other night and The man that he was talking about Arnold Phelps was telling him about the first time he saw Brenda Van Nuysker That she came in in a car at some roping with two little kids And then all of sudden out of her car were all these jeans. And she said, I'm here to sell these jeans. And he said, back then people didn't do that. You went to a store. You didn't buy clothes from somebody out of the back of the trunk of their car or their van or whatever. However, there's a woman. Yes. And then he said, you went to the next event and there she was again. And then there she was again. And I mean, I had a lady, we were at dinner. This was like two months ago. We were at dinner and Joel ran into. a guy that babysat him when Bob and Brenda owned the snubbing post in Torrington, Wyoming. And his wife told me that she started using cloth diapers so when they went to roping, she could buy Rocky Mountain jeans from Brenda. So she could save enough money to buy the jeans. mean, it is the stories and the people that, know, Martha Josie. bought her jean, Rocky Mountain jeans from my mother-in-law. That's, you know, it's just at a barrel race. I mean, that's how it all started. It's just crazy. no, she talk about influencer, whatever you want. And today society, she has blown those doors away. That's, mean, she's epic, epic. Well, then I think one thing she did, and I think you'd have to agree and probably I could find lots of your colleagues that would agree that she opened the door for all of you guys to come in there and. and do these deals and know this merchandise, western merchandise now is just I mean off the charts and I think it's blowing over into even the general public and certainly you know fashion you know all over the world you know that you see people now you know my wife's a big big double D fan and so she goes and she sees people even you know in different countries she's that's a double D she knows that she knows the product that well. And I just, think that's, I don't know. just, that's those kind of things. I'm so excited about that. So listen, I know you got plenty to go and I've taken an hour out of a very, very important person's time. can't thank you enough for coming on here. And all of these sentiments that I thought I was going to get from you, I certainly did. And certainly ⁓ now your job for me is I got Earl to get you on and now you got to Johan Joe on. And then I to get your other sister on and I'll get the lawyer. Yeah, the lawyer. Yeah, she'll be making you sign a contract. So no, no, we're all we're very much alike, but very different. Yeah, what a great story. And I just can't imagine how proud your father must be of all you guys. So, ⁓ you know, Earl, you did a good job, Well, he he and your mom, too. Yeah, that's not Yeah, no, both of them. They I mean, they gave us everything we needed to fly and and I tell my daughter's the same thing. I said, when you're 34 and you have decided to get married and have kids by that point in your life, maybe I don't know. But if I ever hear you say, I wish I should have would have I said, because I have told you your whole life. Run, run and fly and dream as big as you want. We're here. We'll catch you for a period of time. But I you know, I want them to fly like my dad allowed all of us to do. Amen. I'm gonna let you go. Thank you. Thank you so ⁓ much. really do appreciate it and I wish you well and hopefully ⁓ I got some ideas and so we'll circle back and hopefully have another episode. love to. Okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen, you've been on here on the Western Ag Life podcast and we have just had a fantastic episode with Lorenda Van. new Kirk on this morning and don't forget to pass this Western Ag Life to your friends and family. Tell them about our podcast. That's how we grow. Thank you. All right. If it's Western, it's probably us.