Success Story…The Rustic Ranch, LLC

Emily and Dereck Franks began the process to create The Rustic Ranch in February of 2011 with an inquiry on the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (OKSBDC) website. The Rustic Ranch is a retail store specializing in western apparel, tack and home décor. Emily has years of experience in a local western outfitters store and Dereck, a disabled military veteran, works with leather crafting.

They initially sought help in creating a business plan to acquire a loan for inventory. Morgan Gould was the lead counselor on the project. In addition to assisting with their business plan, Morgan helped them find training opportunities that fit their needs as new business owners. Emily attended the Oklahoma Tax Workshop and completed several Small Business Administration courses online. In April of 2011, they received their requested funding through a SBA loan program called the Patriot Express. In the same month, Emily hosted a “sneak peak” of The Rustic Ranch with great reception from the community.

In July of 2011, Emily and Dereck opened The Rustic Ranch in a small boutique area in a building owned by the City of Indiahoma. They hosted a Grand Opening at the end of the month and made over $1,000 in sales in the first day and an additional $1,000 in pre-orders. Through the next several months business continued to grow and new items were added to the inventory. Tradeshows also became an active part of the work schedule.

In the spring of 2013, they decided to move the store closer to home to allow more time with their son. In June of 2013, the newly remodeled store was opened on their home property with more space and more inventory. Emily said that she sees the business “continuing to grow for a long time.”