Some people recall the precise moment when they knew they needed to initiate a change. For Montana rancher Jaimie Stoltzfus it was the birth of her first child, when motherhood brought on a new sense of accountability and an overwhelming number of decisions.
Realizing she was 100% responsible for another person prompted her to question, “What am I feeding my family? How can I get the best nutrition into my child?”
In true cowgirl spirit, she took a leap of faith into entrepreneurship and started Cowgirl Meat Co. in 2015. From its humble beginnings of a litter of pigs, Stoltzfus’ locally raised pork and beef are now sold nationwide. For Stoltzfus, this venture was always bigger than business — it is a means to connect families with wholesome food for better health and well-being.
Jaimie Stoltzfus has many irons in the fire, but all serve a common goal: healing, growing and connecting others.
Margin for grace
When her son was born in 2014, Stoltzfus faced a sea of information about proper nutrition to support childhood development. As a rancher, she felt assured of the quality of beef her family raised.
“That’s one decision I can make that feels really simple and that feels really good,” she says. “I’m giving my family nutrition — done.”
Her passion for providing pure, wholesome food for her family was something she wanted to share with others. So, one day she came home with a litter of piglets. She sold the home-raised pork to family and friends, who inquired about buying beef. Inspired, she launched Cowgirl Meat Co., a direct-to-consumer business offering pork and beef products and, most recently, poultry. The Stoltzfus’ raise all animals that supply the brand, and product is shipped all over the continental U.S., with the biggest market being within 100 miles.
Stoltzfus takes pride in knowing the care that went into raising each animal, and providing that sense of comfort to other families. For the last two years, Stoltzfus and her husband, Austin — who met at Colorado State University — have managed P Bar Ranch in McLeod, Montana, south of Big Timber. Under the ownership of Tom and Kristi Patterson, the working cattle ranch operates with regenerative practices to protect biodiversity on the ranch and the surrounding Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Beef raised here goes directly to supplying Cowgirl Meat Co. products.
“I’m really passionate about raising good meats that are really good for the land and sharing that with others — that’s my heart behind Cowgirl Meat Company,” Stoltzfus says. “If I were not ranching I’d want access to really good meat. It feels like that’s my responsibility to provide that.”
While interest in Cowgirl Meat Co. was there, logistics of managing the business proved complex. She finds success asking questions, staying tethered to her “why” when things get tough, and following this piece of advice: “If anything’s worth doing, it’s worth being willing to do it badly at first.”
Jaimie Stoltzfus is passionate about providing the best nutrition to her family and sharing that opportunity with others. In 2015, she started Cowgirl Meat Co. to offer her family’s locally raised beef direct to customers.
As she explains, it is not required to be an expert to start something new, but rather to learn with humility. It also means allowing some margin for grace and accepting “really good” instead of “perfect,” which has helped her navigate the biggest hurdles of the direct-to-consumer meat business. This proved especially important during the pandemic, when processing issues prevented harvesting across the board for feedlot and regional food marketers, and meat cases in grocery stores lay empty.
“It was a huge enlightenment for a lot of people,” Stoltzfus recalls. “All of a sudden it became really important to have food because there were food shortages, and so that was an unexpected, good thing for Cowgirl Meat Company.”
Food shortages sparked consumer interest in where food comes from, and Stoltzfus received a lot of inquiries on how to purchase her locally raised products. However, she also struggled to find processing time and space, and at times had little-to-no cuts available to sell. So, she focused on growing loyal connections and when processing revamped, she had a solid clientele. Her preferred outreach is face-to-face interaction to build personal relationships, but she also relies on marketing tools like digital advertising, email marketing, search engine optimization strategies and providing a positive online buyer experience.
“I think to have a successful business in this day and age, you have to be out there digitally, and even though it’s not my favorite thing, online marketing is so important to grow a business.”
As someone who seeks connections, digital platforms offer Stoltzfus a way to reach and help more people. She navigates the drawbacks of information overload and comparison traps by making intentional choices about her social media presence and filtering information. And, by finding means to reach more people, Cowgirl Meat Co. continues to stay true to Stoltzfus’ passion: sharing goodness and health with others.
Originally from Phoenix, Jaimie Stoltzfus always dreamed of ranching in Montana. Today, she lives out her childhood dream in McCloud, Montana, managing the P Bar Ranch with her husband, Austin, and sharing her passion for the Western lifestyle.
Inspiring positive change
Even before the days of Cowgirl Meat Co., Stoltzfus worked to generate growth in others. After graduating with degrees in equine science and agribusiness, her career started with a corporate desk job. She recalls a moment of clarity in realizing, “I don’t think this what I want to retire doing.”
Leaning into her passions for horses and healing, she became certified in equine therapy. In 2013, she started an equine therapy business, Spurring Change, to coach others through trauma.
“I knew how much horses helped me through life and teenage years, and I wouldn’t want to think what my life might be like without having that horse piece threading through,” she says. “I want to make a difference in this world and have a positive footprint… and to do that we have to be mentally and physically healthy.”
Spurring Change offers retreats, workshops and personal sessions to help people discover positive ways to transform their future. Unlike Cowgirl Meat Co., Stoltzfus allows this business to evolve organically. “It’s always been my heart, and I just surrendered that to any business plan,” she says. “I trust people will find me when they need it. And oh my gosh, they do.”
Mother, rancher and entrepreneur Jaimie Stoltzfus finds purpose in growing connections in all her endeavors.
That sense of fate also led Stoltzfus to another opportunity with Art of the Cowgirl, an event which celebrates artistic contributions to the Western lifestyle. Growing up in a Phoenix suburb, Stoltzfus was always drawn to the cowgirl lifestyle and dreamed of ranching in Montana. Now living out her childhood dreams, it was only natural for this budding entrepreneur to cross paths with Art of the Cowgirl founder, Tammy Pate. The event immediately struck a chord with Stoltzfus.
“Art of the Cowgirl is so much about empowering others wherever they’re at and connecting people,” she describes. “I so believe in that mission of preserving the Western lifestyle and giving others the opportunity to build their own dreams and share the Western lifestyle because I live it, and so there's a huge connection for me in that.”
She now acts as Pate’s right hand in executing the event, which debuted in 2019. In her role as the sponsorship director and fellowship director, she manages everything from fellowship, sponsorship, foundation, marketing, public relationships and logistics. The program supports emerging artists and preserves trades, from horsemanship to bit making to saddle making — skills that Stoltzfus hopes to protect.
“Culture is moving fast in society, and it feels important to preserve the things that are portrayed and represented in the Western lifestyle in its most authentic form,” she says.
Stoltzfus also loves the responsibility that comes with ranching, especially the opportunities it lends for teaching her own family to do hard things, together. Motherhood remains her most important commitment despite her many business irons in the fire, and she finds peace in knowing her work is setting the best example for her kids. She is most proud of watching her son and daughter — now 8 and 6, respectively — develop her passion for people.
“They already have this compassion and heart for giving and thoughtfulness around people, that showing of love,” she shares. “And that’s a huge victory, because at the end of the day what matters is how we love and impact people.”
Through opportunities like Art of the Cowgirl, Jaimie Stoltzfus connects with other cowgirls and artists to preserve the Western lifestyle in its authentic form.