Cowboy craft becomes award-winning business
Reading Time:4minutesBy India GrigsonMillie Aitken’s road to success has taken her from the largest ranch in BC Canada, to becoming one of New Zealand’s most sought-after makers of custom tack and cowboy. . .
Reading Time:4minutesBy India GrigsonMillie Aitken’s road to success has taken her from the largest ranch in BC Canada, to becoming one of New Zealand’s most sought-after makers of custom tack and cowboy hats. The Central Otago entrepreneur, and owner of Bar M Custom Tack, recently won the Young Businesswoman category at the NZI Rural Women Business Awards. “I was absolutely blown away while reading the email and in disbelief when it said congratulations, you are the winner!” Millie said. Millie’s business journey began while working on ranches in Canada. “I spent four years cowboying on ranches in Canada when I left school. We were in the middle of nowhere in cow camp with not much to do in the evenings. The cowboys often had a craft they would do at nights . . . I learnt how to braid. “When you’re in the cowboy culture and cowboy world, you don’t get paid very much and trading is a really big thing. Because I was new to cowboying, I didn’t have a lot of gear. So, I would braid reins and use that as my currency to trade,” she said. What began as a practical way to make ends meet evolved into a small business when a visit home to New Zealand in 2020 ended with Millie unable to return to Canada. “Because we were in lockdown, it gave me the time to really put into Bar M and hone the craft,” she said. A major turning point came when respected horse trainer Ben Longwell of True West Horsemanship approached her about taking over production of their company’s popular rope halters. “With that came all of their clients, so that really launched the business to the next level. ”Since then, Bar M has expanded into what is now one of the business’s most recognisable offerings, custom cowboy hats. “I make all sorts of different custom hats. I fit them to your head so that they’re nice and comfortable. They don’t come off, don’t give you a headache, don’t give you the dreaded red line after wearing it all day. “I make them into anything that you dream of,” she said. Bar M is deeply influenced by the ranching culture that first inspired Millie. “I’ve built the brand off my personal story and my time cowboying on the ranch,” she said. “I’ve tried to bring a big piece of that back to New Zealand in terms of the culture, the values and the way of life because I think it’s so great. ”However, maintaining the high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that defines the brand comes with its own challenges. “I really struggle with the turnaround time and getting things out quickly. I have a big backlog of orders that I’m always working through . . . It’s a constant thought of how I can improve this and get things turned around faster. “Sometimes you have to put a hat down, walk away and come back to it tomorrow because you’ve just looked at it for that long that you can’t see the straight lines anymore,” she said. Millie credits much of her success to the support of her family and mentors, including her long-time mentor, Glenn. After this year’s record-breaking Fieldays, she messaged him to share the news. “He said, ‘I knew you would be able to do it if only you got out of your own way, and you did. ’”Aitken encourages other young businesswomen to back themselves and take the leap. “[Backing yourself] It’s such a hard thing to do, but by doing that, that’s what’s grown the business so quickly for me,” she said. “I sort of wrote it off as a side hustle for a long time. But, If I had gone all in right at the start, I would have been even further ahead now. ”She also encourages other young rural women to enter the Rural Women New Zealand Business Awards, saying the process itself is invaluable. “We spend so much time working in the business that we don’t often make time to work on it,” she said. “There are so many great businesses out there . . . It’s really neat to see women chasing that dream and making it happen for themselves. ”Beth Davie, Head of Impact Partnerships at New Zealand Young Farmers, says Millie’s achievement is incredibly well deserved. “She reflects the unbounded creativity and adventurous thinking that characterises our young people in rural communities,” she said. “We’re proud to celebrate her success alongside Rural Women New Zealand. Partnerships like this allow us to recognise and champion the diversity of leadership in the food and fibre sector, and Millie is a fantastic example of what’s possible when passion meets hard work. ”The next step for Millie is to continue growing Bar M, while maintaining the quality the brand is known for. Heather Sorensen, RWNZ national president, says the judges were impressed with Millie’s story. “As the inaugural winner of our Young Businesswoman Award, Millie embodies the entrepreneurial spirit we see emerging across rural New Zealand. She has taken a unique skill, built a thriving business around it and stayed true to her values every step of the way. ”Find more information on this year’s winners, and see photos from the Gala Dinnerhere. Rural Women New Zealand has been providing support and connection for 100 years. For $50 a year you will join a community of support, connection, and inspiration. Joinhere. RWNZ has established a news and insights partnership with AgriHQ, the country’s leading rural publisher, to give the farmers of New Zealand a more informed, united and stronger voice. RWNZ news and commentary appears each week in its own section of the Farmers Weekly print edition and online.