Did you miss previous weeks' Small Business Spotlight Series? If so, not to worry! Please see below for prior weeks' spotlight pieces:
1) Equivont – An Online Marketplace
2) Rose of Sharon Equestrian School – Therapeutic Riding Facility
Have you ever found yourself on Instagram? You swear to yourself that you'll limit your usage to five minutes – only to find yourself mindlessly scrolling through dream barns two hours later.
We often have a similar experience with Pinterest. We promise to limit our screen time, but end up pinning 200 pins and creating six boards full of home decor ideas, dream barn ideas, and more!
If you're nodding your head, chances are that you're familiar with this week's Small Business Spotlight Series feature – the popular Stable Style blog.
Stable Style, founded by Raquel Lynn, is a website dedicated to inspiring you as a reader with beautiful barns and stables. The goal is to excite you with barn and stable tours, renovations, and more.
Our team has enjoyed working with Stable Style in creating pieces about our American Stalls equine equipment. Over the years, we've found that Stable Style delivers tremendous value and inspiration to its readers.
We recently had a chance to sit down with Raquel and ask a few questions about her story. Read more below!
Q: What is your background?
A: I'm a full-time blogger and freelance writer for several equestrian publications. My first blog, Horses & Heels has been around for ten years. It started out as a passion project which I was able to monetize and turn into a career.
I grew up on a 400-acre dairy farm in northeast Ohio. I was lucky enough to be one of those girls who grew up with a pony. My mom rode and passed on the horse crazy genes. I grew up showing just about every discipline. Eventually I decided just to stick to barrel racing and competed throughout Ohio with the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA). My whole life has been based around horses and so is my career.
Q: Do you have any horses yourself? If so, what kind?
A: I have a registered Paint Horse, HH Indys Nu Daisy aka Fira. I'm lucky to keep her at home in my urban neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Q: How did Stable Style begin?
A: Stable Style started out as a section on my blog, Horses & Heels. I loved sharing my "Stable Style" content so much that inspired me to create a dedicated platform for it. I realized it was a popular niche and that I wanted to start its own blog.
I grabbed the Instagram handle in December of 2015 and launched Stablestyle.net in the spring of 2016. I've always loved interior design and architecture - this is the way I fuse that passion together with horses.
Q: What products/services does Stable Style offer?
A: Stable Style generates free content for readers all around the world. I offer a variety of advertising packages and listings for equestrian brands, especially barn related niches.
Q: What do you enjoy most about operating Stable Style?
A: I enjoy sharing barn tours, chatting with owners, architects and owning a happy platform. My goal is to be a source of inspiration for every equestrian.
“A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life’s true priorities are clear. When you take a step back, it’s not just about horses — it’s about love, life, and learning. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage and willingness to give. Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out fields of personal battles. Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart.”
– Lauren Davis Baker
Q: How has COVID-19 affected Stable Style so far?
A: My blog traffic is up 40% right now, so that's wonderful. Advertising network rates have dropped over 50% which is taking a toll on revenue for me. However my private advertisers are benefiting from the traffic. I am lucky enough to always work from home so that hasn't changed for me.
Q: What tip would you give other businesses similar to StableStyle (i.e. online retailers, online tack shops, etc) during these tough times?
A: Remain active on Instagram and social media during this time. Your customers are spending more time online right now. While sales might be down, there are still lots of active shoppers looking for a deal. Take the time to tackle projects you wouldn't normally get to do during this time.
To learn more about Stable Style and its fantastic barn resources, please check out the website here.
