Business Lessons Learned From A Cowboy

Last week I returned from Montana. I spent the prior week out there doing a “City Slicker” cattle drive. The trip was amazing on so many fronts. Embedded in all the different experiences were a bunch of entrepreneurial lessons that I thought you would like.

Here is what cowboys can teach entrepreneurs:

Do One Big Thing Every Day

Instead of tackling a million little tasks, every day the drive started with defining one big objective and then doing it. Today we move the cattle from point A to point B. Or today we do branding. Or today we fix the fences.

Lesson: Tackle the biggest challenge or opportunity first. Do the small tasks later.

Joke A Lot

When the conditions were worst (one day we had freezing rain, snow and wind for 8 hours straight), the cowboys joked the most. It kept spirits up and helped keep us moving forward.

Lesson: Laugh at your problems and it will help push your forward.

Have An Emergency Pack

When we faced morale issues (the rain and snow were really getting to a few folks), the cowboys pulled out the whiskey flask. It helped.

Lesson: Have a reserve of cash and contacts that can help you out when times are tough. Sometimes whiskey doesn't hurt either.

Know Your Team

I always thought the most important part of a cattle drive was the cowboy. I was wrong, they are the 3rd most important. The horses come second. The herding dogs are the most important. The cowboys know this, and manage their team accordingly.

Lesson: Even though you may be the top dog, that doesn’t mean you are the most important team player.

Gather At The Campfire

After the work day came to an end, the cowboys circled up around the campfire and shared stories. They discussed what had worked and what didn’t work that day. They joked around. And they bonded.

Lesson: Meet regularly but not formally. Have meetings where you recap what is working and what is not working, and everyone is encouraged to share.

WARNING! This video is from when I was branding cattle – it is a little tough to watch. According to the cowboys, Montana has a state law that mandates branding of cattle to show ownership. It was tough to do (I only did it once), but it was good to see the calf jump right up and go out an graze in the pasture only minutes later. - Mike

By Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

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http://www.epicstartup.com Cory Huddleston

Hey Buddy,

I like the lessons! Sweet and simple! I really like the “Gather at the campfire” point. I think it’s important to meet with others who share your goals to discuss what has and hasn’t worked, but most of all for keeping each other motivated and focused! By the way, your video has inspired me to brand my dog.

Thanks for sharing Mike!

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Cory – I could have used you out there on the ranch. I was only strong enough for the little calves… the big ones needed the big guys to handle ‘em.

http://www.margoforanimals.org Margo Biblin

Excellent words to live by for any reasonably sized team or business. I have a daily rule I live by that allows me to feel a sense of accomplishment each day: 1) Learn something new each day and 2) Contribute something each day.
It works!

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Margo – GREAT TIPS. Thanks.

Naresh Vij

Dear Mike,

Greetings!

Thanks for sharing lessons with us. They are valuable.

Best Regards

Naresh Vij

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Naresh – THANKS!!!!

https://www.kevinpuls.net Kevin Puls

Guess you are his/her daddy now.

Does it make you feel like a pimp?

You know, branding your ‘girl’ so you can keep her in your stable- ha, ha!

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Kevin – LOL. It is bizarre…. they are beautiful animals… and I never appreciated the relations they build in their community. Mother and child were constantly seeking each other out. Very cool stuff.

http://www.ghostqueen.com MarVeena

Mike, you look like a natural there.
Working livestock is really hard, we raise Thoroughbreds on our ranch in TX.
We have to lip brand ours, they do it at the race track so I dont have to deal with it here. Thank goodness. I do have to geld here though. Not my favorite thing to do, and I suspect it is not the colts either. LOL
Thanks for sharing your adventures!
MarVeena- The Ghost Queen

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@MarVeena – Good to hear that from someone who has been there and done that.

http://www.CookseyConnects.com Scott Cooksey

Having grown up in Oklahoma, I have some friends who are real cowboys. The lessons you note are right on for the unique perspectives these guys and gals bring to the world. The world could use more of THIS TYPE of cowboy!

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Scott – I couldn’t agree more. I actually pulled the ranches “boss” aside before I left and said how much I appreciated and respected the wisdom of him and all the cowboys. His response… “It’s a shame, we are a dying breed.”

http://www.creatingwords.com Harry Husted

I agree with your points, Mike, and do my best to follow them. However, I must say I am somewhat disturbed by the video. How could Montana order such cruelty on an animal. There has to be another way to brand an animal instead of burning them.

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Harry – thanks for checking in. It is the strangest thing. And I am not sure why it is allowed…. actually required. The calves were out grazing about 10 minutes later and seemed fine. Very strange.

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http://www.allpathstovictory.com Gaye WIlson, Productivity Blogger & Coach

I love the Do One Big Thing Every Day.

If you do the Big Thing first, you will reach your goals.

If you do the little things first, your Big Thing will never get done, and your goals are likely to just be dreams.

Thanks for this post!
agnes

thanx for sharing, that was very inspiring especially for a cow girl like me. there is lots of stuff i didnt know

thanx for the post

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Agnes – Cowgirls RULE!

http://www.theresasheridan.com Theresa Sheridan

Good tips, it’s nice to get a “different” outlook on ranching. My boyfriend is a full time cowboy and I work with him regularly. Most, if not all, states require branding. You can’t send animals over state lines without brand inspections. It’s not as inhumane as a lot of people make it out to be. The animals think about it for about as long afterwards as our daughters do when they get their ears pierced – or even their belly buttons or lips! – truly.
The biggest thing I learn from my cowboy every day? How to live life to the fullest. Work will always be there, we may not be. Yeehaw.

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Theresa – Live to the fullest! Amen to that!!!

http://www.shipwire.com Product Fulfillment (Nate)

@Mike This is fantastic. I’ve been feeling a bit ADD and overwhelmed by a million little tasks. The first 1 hit home like a truck! As we build a business that helps entreprenuers build their global businesses (We offer a global warehouse network that a retailer or manufacture plug into on demand)…we’re constantly struggling to build our team moral!!!!

Thank you.

Nate
http://www.shipwire.com/blog

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz

@Nate – Happy it helped. And nice, subtle way, of plugging your business. Wishing you continued success in the entrepreneurial market.

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