The highs and lows of an equestrian PR - Tara Punter PR

A chance encounter has led equine and rural business PR professional Tara Punter to land her dream job, that today she wouldn’t change for the world.

We caught up with Tara to find out where her rural business journey started and to share some of her tips and tricks she has learnt on her journey so far. And, if you are like us, you can’t help but admire and feel inspired by her self-determination and motivation to create a successful business that is centred on helping people achieve their business dreams.

So, where did it all start for you?

I always knew I wanted to do something in the equestrian and rural industries having been horsey all my life, but fresh out of university I didn’t quite know what this was.

See also: Business start-up guide - Freelance writer

My first job was working as a manager of a local pub then I moved on to manage a tearooms and boutique hotel. It was while working here that I was fortunate enough to get talking to a gentleman who was setting up an equestrian lifestyle website. I jokingly asked if he needed any journalists or guest writers, and a week later I was a journalist at Hickstead.

This was the break I needed, and so in June 2015 I started my career as an equestrian journalist, spending a lot of my time on the road, attending world-class events and interviewing top riders.

From this, I was asked to be the web editor and social media manager for the same company, and as a result other individuals and businesses also asked me to do the same for them.

How did you then move into the world of PR and marketing?

It was early 2016 when I had a light-bulb moment. People were asking for help with PR and marketing and I realised that perhaps there wasn’t the support out there for equestrian and rural business owners who wanted to be seen in the media.

This was an area of business I knew I could support and, as a result, I started designing my website and officially launched the brand, Tara Punter PR, in October 2016.

Was it always your intention to be self-employed?

Growing up I had always thought it would be nice to be my own boss but didn’t intentionally set out to be self-employed.

See also: Top ten things you must do when going self employed

In the early days, when I was working for a couple of clients, I was offered a marketing job, but decided at this point I didn’t want to go back to working for someone.

Now, I am probably unemployable as I like my current routine and freedom, but I can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing.

Starting a business is never easy, what have been your main challenges to date?

1. Cash flow

Cash flow management has been a huge learning curve for me. My first client nearly left me high and dry as I wasn’t being paid on time, and so since then I always invoice up front and won’t start work until I have payment.

It is a well-known statistic that 80% of businesses fail in the first year and for 95% of these businesses, poor cash flow is the reason. For the first couple of years in business, it’s a good idea to rein-in extravagant spending and make sure you take the same amount home each month even if you have had a successful period.

See also: The importance of a cash flow forecast

You never know when things may go a little quiet, or there may be a big bill to pay, and having a ‘back-up’ pot could be your saving grace.

2. Asking for help

When I first started my business I was guilty of not reaching out for help and this led me to make mistakes that could have been prevented. I got to a point in 2017 when I couldn’t actually afford a business coach or external help, but it was the point at which I realised I needed one, and it’s an investment I haven’t regretted.

Asking for help isn’t a bad thing. Recognising I needed help was the start of me turning my business around.

3. Expanding the team

In October 2017 I had got to a point where the business had plateaued. I was maxed out and couldn’t take on any more clients and I couldn’t earn any more money without increasing my prices. This is the point at which my business coach suggested I expanded my team with the help of freelancers.

As a control freak, this was something that was hard to get my head around. But with the help of my coach, we implemented a strategy that allowed me to expand the team while remaining in control. I know have a team of two freelancers and a girl in the office, Jo, who is our head of marketing and communications.

4. Work-life balance

You live and breathe your business when it’s your own and therefore switching off can be hard. But, it has to be done.

Where I can, I now try and have weekends off, or at least some down time where I can get outdoors and clear my head. I find that I have to have rest time to feel refreshed to ensure I can get back ‘on it’ come Monday morning.

For me, the time spent outdoors is when my mind is under a lot less pressure and I will subconsciously think of new ideas for articles and blogs. Being in the outdoors is what inspires me.

How have you grown your business?

Word of mouth and social media have been the main ways I have grown the business. The power of social media these days is incredible and if you can get in front of your target audience, it can be a very lucrative tool to make the most of.

See also: Why digital marketing is an essential tool for even the smallest rural businesses

How important is self-investment to you?

I have always said that for people to invest in me, I need to invest in myself to ensure I am giving the best business advice and support I can.

For me that means working regularly with my business coach and investing in training to ensure I am at the top of my game.

On a personal level, it’s also important to invest and look after your mind and body. I have recently started doing a morning ritual where I start my day with gratitude’s and going over all the things I am grateful for, followed by a short meditation and visualising my business goals.

It only takes 20 minutes and is now an integral part of my day that has made a real difference to my mindset and ability to cope with significant workloads.

Where do you see yourself and your business in the next five to ten years?

In the near future, I want to start doing more work internationally. I already have one client in Kentucky and another in the pipeline, so this is an area I am keen to progress with.

I would also like to keep building the team and grow the office. Personally, I would like to do more travelling with my husband, as my business means I can work from anywhere in the world, and also start competing more with my horse.

Long-term, my dream is to be the ‘go-to’ equestrian PR. What do they say, ‘go hard or go home!’

Final words…..

As much as I have my own personal goals, my business is all about helping others and this is what I love. I know how hard it is to start a business and now it’s my turn to help businesses and individuals in an area they may not have experience. It’s my chance to give something back.

The feeling of getting clients featured in magazines or increasing their social media reach is something that I will never get tired of and is my motivation for getting out of bed each morning.

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