Western Life & Style Trailblazers
Western Life & Style Trailblazers
Ep 14: Interview with Amanda Haradon - The Neon Cowgirl
When Amanda Neon Wrangler first attended NFR in 2017, she had "no fashion sense" by her own admission – just a barrel racer who threw on whatever was comfortable. Fast forward to today, and she's transformed into one of the most recognizable faces in Western influencing with her signature vibrant style that breaks all the neutral-tone norms of the industry.
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Welcome to the Western Life and Style Trailblazers podcast. I'm Allie D. With me, Nicole James. We are the co-founders of the Best in the West when it comes to Western everything, and today we are so excited because we also have one of the best in the West when it comes to Western influencer extravaganza. All the boldness, all the colors. We are welcomed today by Amanda Neon Wrangler. Welcome to the house.
Speaker 2:Hi, thank you for having me, guys. I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we have really been looking forward to this podcast. I feel like I have a zillion questions that I want to ask you. Nicole, I'm sure you're feeling the same thing. I feel like you are one of the OGs, in a way of Western influencer I don't know what to call it like the world of Western influencing and the way that you stepped into it was really unique as well. So I don't know, can I just jump into it? Can we kind of like step back and go to the beginning?
Speaker 3:Probably, because we have seen her grow Like. I feel like we both have seen her grow like from zero. So like that's why I feel like it's like you're, you're like part of like this, like community that we have helped grow to, seen it grow from the beginning, and like we're so proud of you.
Speaker 2:I know I feel like I started around the same time as your Western life and style page, so we literally have seen each other grow from a hundred percent.
Speaker 1:Perfect. So take us back to the beginning. What made you decide to and I'm really curious about this what made you decide to step into the western influencer world? And then, when you, when you did decide to do this, did you already know that you were going to be neon wrangler and that this style of branding, if you guys don't know, she's very bold. Her colors are very bright, very different than the normal neutral tones we're used to seeing in Western world. So was this like part of your master plan or where did it kind of just?
Speaker 3:get marketing. It's like a great marketing shit Cause you definitely stood out from everybody, like there's like your page, like completely, you know, stood out.
Speaker 2:It was. It was all part of the plan. Guys, that's your plan. I'll be completely honest. Okay, I'm a yapper, so this is like gonna be a long story. I don't feel like I'm one of the OGs, like I, before I even started influencing, I was watching like Shaylee and Marika and um Blaze and Bleacher Babe I can't remember her name right now, but she was Bleacher Babe.
Speaker 2:Back then. I was watching like that genre and I was just a barrel racer and I actually had no fashion sense. Like I wore like t-shirts and basketball shorts to ride in every day, like I just put on what was comfortable, what I could grab the quickest. I don't know, I had no fashion sense. And, um, for my wedding present, we went to NFR for the first time in 2017. Okay, that was not our honeymoon, but one of my best friends owns Spur West and he was going and setting up for the first time and he asked if we wanted to go and help work his booth. And when we told him, yeah, my friend that is a fashionista was like hey, you know you have to dress cute for that, right? I was like wait what I was? Like you know, you have to dress cute for that right. I was like, wait what I was like? I can't just like pick up a t-shirt and jeans every day. Just wear a spur west t-shirt. She doesn't know, she does like nfr is like a fashion thing. Like you, you have to dress cute. So she came over and she helped me pick out my outfits and literally from I've been going to nfr ever since then, since 2017. That was your first time. That was my first time in 2017. I I'm gone every year since then and then I would say my first year going as an influencer was 2021. That was my first year going like literally stepping out as Neon Wrangler.
Speaker 2:I was at the NFR in Texas in 2020. When I had noticed people had cool names like Retro, amiga West, desperado I'd been noticing like this trend of like cool names on Instagram and I was walking past Neon Moon Saloon and I looked up at the sign and I was texting Kip, who I'm Spur West, and I was like I was like I really want to come up with a cool name. I was like I love the word, I love Neon Moon Saloon, like I love that vibe it gives, and he just like rapid fired some names at me and I was actually thinking of a name for a boutique. That's like my, that was. My plan was I was going to start a boutique that has yet to happen, but like, well, what about Neon Wrangler? And I was like, oh, I don't like that as a boutique name. I said, but I love that as like a page name.
Speaker 2:And that's when Neon Wrangler was born 2020 at the NFR and I came up with the name and at first I posting colorful stuff. I was just still me, a barrel racer, just just posting. And, um, I did a Barbie photo shoot and I ordered a pink wig. I was like I don't want to do blonde. I was like I want to wear a pink wig and something about that pink wig really like. I was like neon wrangler. I was like, wait, I need to do neon colors, because back then everyone was very neutral and still kind of and I was like that would help me stand out. And I was like, and ever since then I've just literally ran with it so I remember that shoot.
Speaker 3:I remember that shoot, yeah, I remember your photos and everything sounds like this is so cool, like I think we even like posted it on Western Life and Style. Like so cool, this is so different, this stands out, like you with it, and I did like I did um kind of wear some colors.
Speaker 2:I really love western, um, retro western wear, so like those like shirts from like the 90s that were really colorful and stuff. My dad rodeoed. He was a bull rider so in the night in the 80s and 90s like I was a little taught going to rodeos with them and I kind of remember like the ladies wearing really colorful pants. And actually Fallon just did a podcast the other day. She said it was a rule in the nineties you could not wear jeans, you had to wear colorful, colorful pants. That's why I went and wore those colorful Rockies and stuff. So that's what I remember.
Speaker 2:It's like the really fun patterns, the really bold colors and any chance I could find one of those shirts thrifting or something I would I would buy one. So you know, when you're starting influencing, you're just kind of wearing stuff you thrifted and threw together and so I wore those shirts a lot and so that just kind of like started picking up on the color aspect and I was like you know, I do like color. So I just kind of rebranded, redirectioned my fashion sense and the Neon.
Speaker 3:Wrangler was born. That's so awesome. I love the name story. I had no idea that's how you chose your name or that's what you're thinking of, because everybody does have. Some of them have changed it back to their names, but that's how everybody was standing out with the crazy cool Western name. I mean, I did the same thing for my marketing company. I'm not an influencer, but I did it for that and it stuck. But Neon Wrang marketing company I'm not an influencer for that and it like stuck but neon wrangler. That's so cool, yep.
Speaker 2:There's a whole little story. It wasn't just a random, I mean it was. It was random, but it was a well thought out thing. And then it just kind of like fell into my lap as it played out and I was like, wait, I do have a degree in psychology, so I kind of do like think about the way people think about things and I was like, wait, if I start wearing neon colors, like that will help me stand out Like I'm not the youngest, I'm not, you know, just here to be another pretty face on the app, like I need something to help me, kind of. You know, stand out a little bit, I love that.
Speaker 1:What do you feel like? Like so, looking back, you know then, when you were starting, what has been like I don't know what was one of like the early lessons you had to learn, jumping into something where you're really putting yourself out there and I think people don't really understand how much being an influencer affects. It's not just business. It's kind of like I mean, you can't help. You're human, so you can't help but feel the personal side of it as well, Like you're showing up, putting yourself out there, you're trying to figure out how to create a business. What was that part like?
Speaker 2:Honestly, the biggest lesson was just learning how to put myself out there. One, learning how to talk to like brands and stuff and like really important people. I still struggle with that. I have a hard time talking to important people and I have a hard time like marketing myself. I don't know. I'm a very blunt person so I'm like, well, if't know. Like I'm a very blunt like person, so I'm like, well, if you like me, hire me.
Speaker 2:Like I don't like like fluffing myself up, like I just like laying my cars on the table and being like if you like what I do, here's what I do. I don't like trying to make myself seem bigger or better than I am and some people say I have imposter syndrome, but maybe I, maybe I do okay, and just putting yourself out there on the internet in general can be tough. Like I have a really hard time sharing horse related content Because it's like the fashion content. Like, yeah, like I don't have your same sense of fashion, so I can take those comments from haters and kind of like roll with it. Like, yeah, you don't like my outfit, it's okay, wear whatever you want. But when it comes to like people critiquing like my writing or like what I'm doing with my horse. I want to be like I've been doing this for 20 years, like I appreciate it, but I don't need your critique.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Yeah, and everyone, when it comes to like anything horse related, everybody has an opinion on how that should be done and kind of everybody has their own style and their own thing. So yeah, I could see how that would be way harder to deal with than the fashion stuff, Because the fashion stuff you're like listen, if you don't like it, where would you want? But the horse stuff and also that's like personal, You're like, excuse me.
Speaker 2:It is. It's so personal. I'm like I know how to take care of my. These are my babies, like I know how to take care of them. I know, like I know everything about them. Like the disciplines are like Western English people, how different we are approaching like our disciplines. You get on the English side of TikTok or Instagram and your your things going viral, but your comments are not looking so good because English people think we are just the trailer trash of the freaking horse community.
Speaker 1:That's so funny. Can I tell you a quick story, because I grew up writing English. Okay, so the first time I rode Western I was with my well, at the time I was dating him, my cute little boyfriend. He's now my husband, and so this was like I don't know 18, 17 years ago, and we went to work cows and I was like I got this, I've been riding, you know, I'm good, and so I have no idea how I had the guts to do this.
Speaker 1:But he was like saddled up my horse and I was like, oh my God, you know, and I just I got on the saddle and I was like prim and proper, sitting up straight, like post trot, you know, reins, like he's like hold both reins in one hand. And I was like what? No, like I was just freaked out by the whole thing and somehow I had a great horse. So he literally did like all the sorting and everything, but I hung on, which was part of it. But yeah, it is a totally different discipline and you, just you grow up in a very different. It's just, yeah, it was like jumping more, it's just, and he was just like just chill in the saddle and I'm like what? No, like he's always his knees from a western writer. Yeah, and I and to this day I still can't help it like I just have to sit up straight because it just feels weird to just like you do have good posture.
Speaker 3:Actually, maybe that's what it's from just writing like I can't. I have no calm, I can't ride a horse for the life of me. So it's like my husband. I'm like farm girl, grew up farm farming and then husband is rancher, team rover, cowboy, you know whatever. But yeah, you do have good posture.
Speaker 1:Maybe that's what it's from Only when I'm on a horse.
Speaker 2:Western, like I don't know, we get really comfortable and we round our backs and stuff and I have like terrible rounded shoulders. So I'm trying to correct my posture right now. I'm like I need to ride a boat more, like in English.
Speaker 3:My posture right now. I'm like I need to write a book, more like in English. In English, I have noticed, amanda, that that is something that, like you, when you first started, you weren't really showing like the horror side.
Speaker 3:you were like more like fashion and so, like you were like the go to fashion page and I just talked about this with I think it was Sophia from Westside, because she was trying to find somebody who was more like you know, showing more writing she's like she does show I was like, yeah, you are starting to now show it. Right, I think you created not a lot of people know this or maybe I just like randomly like saw your video pop up but are you creating like different pages now for your writing and your fashion and tell us a little bit, okay, yeah, okay, yeah, I am, and it is a little confusing, but I just felt like, um, first I didn't start posting horse stuff.
Speaker 2:I think it's because it's something I have done my whole life and to me it just felt kind of boring. And also I was going through like a burnout season, um, when I started doing the fashion and I fashion just felt new and fun and something I really wanted to like focus on and I even I kind of like take a step back from barrel racing for a couple of years and there was like a full year ride and go to any barrel races and just got to like focus on my fashion side. So I think that's why I like my page started as fashion and like I would integrate and throw in horse content just a little bit here and there, but it was just never what performed well for my page. And now I feel like, especially on TikTok, if I post horse content and fashion content, it just feels so muddy Like it feels like it makes my feed I don't know it doesn't like flow well together. So I was like you know what, let me just create a totally separate page for my horse related content and see where it goes. So far it's been doing really good.
Speaker 2:I actually decided a video hit a million views on my new page that I just started and I've barely posted on. But I like, I like it. It just feels in my brain, it just feels organized, to like have a place for all the horse related content and then on this page to have a place for all my fashion related content. And I even created one just for boots in general, because I like doing when I get people sending boots, I like doing like little like hand unboxings where you just see the boot and not my face, and so I created a page like just for that too, just so people can like just want to see like styles of boots being unboxed, that they can have that too that's awesome.
Speaker 3:Is that just on TikTok, not on Instagram?
Speaker 2:not on Instagram. Um, I do have the name saved on Instagram. If I ever decide like that, I can take on that task of having two Instagrams and like 14 TikToks. At this point it's a lot my dumping ground, like you can literally just like make videos and kind of like dump them there. Instagram like a little more selective about what I actually post on it as reels and stuff if it's not like a paid collab. I'm a little more selective about what I actually post on it as reels and stuff if it's not like a paid collab. I'm a little more like selective about what goes on Instagram. So everything you see on TikTok it might not all end up on Instagram, but TikTok definitely like is more so like where I just post whatever.
Speaker 2:I want TikTok is so fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah, me too, like none. My page makes no sense at all. It's like all over the place like it's so fun, yeah exactly that's how I felt.
Speaker 2:I was like my page, like it just wasn't it's so fun.
Speaker 3:What is your um name for your horse?
Speaker 2:content on tiktok um, it is only cans instead of only fans, only cans Instead of OnlyFans, onlycans.
Speaker 3:You have a good marketing, Like it's very strategic.
Speaker 2:I have to credit ChatGBT for that one. It kind of like it gave me some blur. It wasn't OnlyCans, it was only something else and I was like wait, onlycans rhymes with OnlyFans.
Speaker 1:That is hilarious. I love that. Okay, you briefly said the word paid collab, so let's talk about this side of the influencer world, and what was it like getting your first paid collaboration, and how has that part been?
Speaker 2:It's changed a lot. It has changed a lot. It's definitely I think it's because our market is kind of getting like so oversaturated with people that want to be content creators, which is great, like I love opening. There's a space for everyone, no matter what your following is like there's a place for everyone in our market at this day and age. But there are just a lot of us and I do. I get how brands can get very overwhelmed very easily with the amount of people to choose from, to work with and and create and give product to. At this point, like I can imagine, it can be very overwhelming. But it was a lot, definitely a lot easier around 2021 because there weren't that that many of us that were doing this like kind of what I would consider professionally. You know, um, there's just a handful of us that were doing it and it. You just had to be able to take good pictures and post them and be professional with brands.
Speaker 2:And I don't even remember who my first paid collab was. I think it might have been Gina T's, but I'm not 100% sure. I know she was one of my first ones. I definitely did like the Barbie box collab with her. I remember that for sure. But I know she was one of my first ones. I definitely did like the Barbie box collab with her. I remember that for sure. But I remember it was really exciting and I think in 2022, I was able to quit my full-time job and make the same. I was training horses a little on the side too, so I kind of like two separate incomes coming in. But I was able to quit my full-time job and kind of do that. And then after 2022 and 23, I was able to quit even taking outside horses in and just solely do collabs. And I'm still at that today that's so awesome.
Speaker 3:Oh my god, you should be so proud. It's like so fun too. You can tell that you love it, like you can see it in your post, because you can also see on some of like the influencers or content creators sometimes it comes off a little like they're like it's like here I do this, it's a job you can kind of see. They're like light in their eyes, like kind of like I'm over this, you know, but like yours, you do so good, like even like you're very professional at your stuff, so I love it.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that Video content and like talking content is not my forte. Like I literally nearly dropped out of college because of my public speaking class. I've never had a panic attack until that moment. I was like Mom, I hate public speaking, I can't do this, so I'm not the best like at even talking to a camera. But I am significantly working on that and I'm going to start doing like a lot more talking and editing and video foreign content. That's just a big step and it definitely takes it's a lot out of you, like the editing process and like having to map out exactly how you want to form. It's like literally being a director, like how you want to direct your scene and how you want it to come across and look in your phone or camera you're using and then know exactly how you want to edit it before you even start the editing process. That's what's different for me. I used to just make a video and then figure out how I wanted to edit it.
Speaker 1:Now you have to like know exactly how you want to edit it before you even finish filming. Right, when you work with brands, are they telling you and I'm curious, like the girls listening are probably wondering this too when, when you work with them, are they saying here's the product and here's the type of video that I want you to make, or are you saying or you know, or is it like truly a collab, where it's like they're hiring you and then you're using your expertise as a content creator to come up with the entire concept, or is there like a back and forth conversation that goes on there? How does that part work when it comes to they hire you and then now what?
Speaker 2:Very rarely do they have a specific brand or like idea that they want for a video. Honestly, the only time I really do ever get that is if a company from China reaches out to me and they're they they want. They always have like very specific ideas for what they want because I guess they reach out to so many different people and normally it's for like a very like small amount they've offered you or like a really small product they don't want to ship you. China is like very specific about how they want their stuff, but usually if it's like a western brand, it's 100 my create creative direction.
Speaker 2:Um, if I reach out to them which I very rarely reach out to people unless I have like an opportunity coming up or if I have a brand and I'm like I have this idea in my head for something I want done and I know this brand that I really love and have a relationship with is'm like I have this idea in my head for something I want done and I know this brand that I really love and have a relationship with is going to be perfect for this idea, then I'll reach out and I will pitch this idea and be like, hey, I have this idea. I think you'd be perfect. Are you interested? And a lot of times they're like yeah, we love that idea, what about this? And then we'll kind of go back and forth a little bit with the idea, figure out what product works best and what makes the most sense. But usually if they should brand and they've just hired me, they're like yeah, whatever you want to do, let me know how it goes.
Speaker 1:Is there a difference between because I know you've worked with brands like all levels, you know, from smaller brands, boutiques, all the way up to probably the big boys Is there a difference in how they operate? You know, like, are you speaking to? You know the social media girl, for you know what I'm saying not like um, exactly, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:Bigger brands always have like a social media person you're speaking with and maybe even like a couple people like a team that you speak with and they do kind of more. So have like a little more of a plan down on what they want and like when they want it posted, and they're a little more particular. I won't say like I've worked with anyone that's like super picky and it's like hey, this is the idea we got, stick to this script and stuff like that. They still like to give you like a little creative direction.
Speaker 2:But, um, usually smaller brands they're just, they're kind of like really low-key chill. They're literally the owner or the maker and the social media person all in one. So it is a little easier working with them because you don't have to go back and forth so much because they are them in one, one brain, versus like working with someone bigger. They may have to be like oh, let us check with production and see if that's a good. You know they have to like go back and forth and kind of check with things and it takes a little bit longer those processes, for sure, when a small brand you can like figure it out in a couple hours. Just bang it out with them.
Speaker 1:Right, is? It sorry, nicole, I just got another one.
Speaker 3:You're okay, I know you're excited.
Speaker 1:I know. I'm like are you nervous when you hand over the video and or the photos? And you're like okay, I just spent like I don't know three days working on this idea and now I have to send it to them and I hope it like is there this thing where, like, I hope it blows up, I hope it does well for them? And how do you manage that emotion?
Speaker 3:That's true, I never even thought of that. Like the part where it's like oh gosh, it needs to like perform well.
Speaker 2:It's literally like constant stress. It's like creating it, like you have to make sure it looks good and you're constantly worried about how it turns out and if it represents your idea well. And then you got to edit it and that takes. I'm just slower than most people, I think, when it comes to like editing and stuff. I'm like really picky about the way lighting looks and stuff.
Speaker 2:So once you finally get your finished product that you're happy with, then, yeah, you have to want to either hand it over to them for them to critique or but the majority of the time, they just want you to post it, like they don't even want to approve it, especially smaller brands.
Speaker 2:So then you post it and then you have to wait and see if it does good, and you have to literally sit on pins and needles and hope you posted and you prayed to the god enough, it's gonna perform well, share all your stories over and over and over at just the right time on just the right day and the weather's perfect, and like if you're looking at their phones at that time. Um, so, yeah, it can be frustrating with the ever-changing algorithm, for sure. Um, it is definitely something we've all. You guys too, have to really navigate and try to think every day of my life, every day of my life, I'm like can we not just keep the algorithm the same for just a little while, comfortable please, and then like every year, like give us a date that we know the algorithm, like let us get mentally prepared social media is so stressful, I'm like why did I do this?
Speaker 3:like this is my profession, I quit my job to be a full-time social media manager it's so stressful.
Speaker 2:Nothing will humble you faster and make you feel like you're literally a professional, like you have a video doing good and you're like, oh yeah, I'm doing good, this video is going great. Like I'm, my page is popping off. I'm professional. Again. This is fine to like when your engagement is not good and you're down in the slums. You're like did I even do this?
Speaker 3:like nothing will make you question your worth faster your stuff always does good, though, like you are, so you're very popular. Like your stuff, just like. I see it all over the place. I'm like good job. I'm like so proud of you honestly. It's like your stuff, just like. I see it all over the place. I'm like good job. I'm like so proud of you honestly. It's like your stuff does take off and it's so cool seeing you now do like aren't you doing more of like um, like concert stuff now, or like it's like a whole like um events? I guess yeah.
Speaker 2:I did um kind of more last year and the year before. I did a lot of country concert festivals. I quickly realized, honestly they're not. I love concerts but I don't like going to that many a year Like I don't like being in a super tight crowd. I've learned, especially when I'm not a very like I'm loud talker, I hate like screaming or raising my voice. And when you're there and you're kind of like with one other person, know, and you're stuck around a bunch of other like influencers that you don't know and the music's so loud you can't even talk and you're all just kind of standing there awkwardly like by each other, I learned that like that kind of wasn't my vibe.
Speaker 2:Now, if it's me and my husband and a bunch of our friends going to one, sometimes they would give me more than like just me no one plus one. They'd give me like four or like six tickets and I could take a bunch of my friends. That was so much fun. Like concerts are so much fun. When you're going with like people you love being around, you already know you're comfortable with that is a great time.
Speaker 2:So I have decided I'm going to lean this year and next year a little back more into the rodeos, go to some more of like the big um prca rodeos, and I'm really loving not to like like shameless plug the bulls bands and barrels event, because you you get it like a rodeo. You get my favorite events, which is the barrel racing, the bull riding, and then they have bull fighting and then you get a concert afterwards. I love when a big rodeo has a concert too, like houston and cheyenne, and Bulls Bands and Barrels does it too. Like that to me, the best of both worlds. Like you're, you're getting a little bit of a party, you're getting to watch something you love like I don't know, that's my favorite thing to go to.
Speaker 3:I love that. I've been seeing more of that. The what, what is it? Bulls, bands and Barrels. The other comment I've been seeing that being promoted a lot more. So I um Leah with Elmo Saddlery. She has been like doing a lot of work with that as well, so she was telling me about it. I'm like what is this? I need to look into it. So, yes, their awards.
Speaker 2:Um, they always like give something to the musician, um, of whoever it is, like you have a knockoff or whoever they have and like she's done. Like some of my might stands for them and some other like really cool things for them and I think like saddles for the year and winter the last one I went to.
Speaker 3:I never go to like any rodeos or anything but lately. But the I saw you there. It was at the kinrock pbr one.
Speaker 2:I love that I didn't see you there on time, but that's one of my favorite events of the year right now, like that's just so fun.
Speaker 2:It was so much fun cool and it's so different and I just I don't know I like how they like really mix rodeo up, because sometimes it can't I'm not gonna lie, sometimes it can get kind of boring. I mean, I know the guys get bored with the barrel racing. I get bored with the team roping like it's fine, it happened, but it's, it's so nice, like how kid rock like came in, was like hey, we're gonna do this totally different. And I'm like it keeps you literally interested in all the events like women's rodeo too was like a part of it.
Speaker 3:So they had the women's rodeo like doing this too. So it was like that got to be there plus, I mean they had it was so it was so fun like I can't wait.
Speaker 2:That's a really fun like week to be in for more yes, it is amanda. The 30 over 30 event also happens that week too oh wait, I have to come to as an alumni as I'm like I've got to go to that next year for our listeners.
Speaker 3:Amanda is one of our winners of our top 30 over 30, and so we had our first event last year, and so she's invited, like all of our past winners. And it happens that same week as the Kid Rock Rodeo as well the Women's Rodeo, everything I promise, okay since you are so involved in rodeo, women's rodeo what, how do you feel about this?
Speaker 1:like surge of excitement that's been, you know, really exploding around women's rodeo. I feel like, especially the past, like year and a half, two years I feel like there's really been this, you know, have you experienced that like someone who's in it, or are we just? Is that just like those of us that are watching feel that?
Speaker 2:I think it's a little bit of everyone. I think Western in general is just on fire because it's so mainstream right now. I mean love or hate Beyonce, like what what she has done, bringing attention to the Western industry, like it has worked, and then like Post Malone and all those following up, like we have huge eyes on the Western industry right now, and even seeing McDonald's share, like that little campaign that y'all posted the other day, like well. So I think in general, rodeo is just on fire. But it is awesome seeing the women's sports side, because when I grew up I never learned to rope. I never learned to breakaway rope, but there was.
Speaker 2:I'm on the East Coast, I'm in Georgia, and there was just no money in it. Not that many people did it when I grew up. It just I didn't see to me like I had so many nice barrel horses they're right I just didn't see me use and learning how to rope. I regret that now I would. I should sit down and learn, but um, there's so much money being added to breakaway roping now.
Speaker 2:Like where it is, it makes sense to go down the road as a breakaway roper and like try to make some of these big events, because you can't make a living doing it and like hopefully I know it's in the nfr, but hopefully one day they'll actually like put it in the performance, like it's one of the quickest events to run. Like why not just throw that in the performance? You know it would take, it would take 20 extra minutes to do. But and even just barrel racing in general has gotten it's blown up in the last since about 2020 it's just been blowing up with the amount of entries at shows. I know specific. I'm on the east coast, so specifically on the east coast, the price of horses is sky high right now. Like it's just good to see the western industry doing good this?
Speaker 1:this is probably a silly question and there may be someone doing this, but is anyone going down the road that's barrel racing and breakaway roping and like double dipping, entering both events, or is that just totally not happening?
Speaker 2:I know of a rider specific, but I'm sure there are. Like I know there are, like on the east coast, on our little like rodeo circuits, um, like the um, ifr and stuff like that. I know there are girls that do that, but, like when it comes like the WPRA, I'm not sure of one specifically, but I bet there are. Yeah, like no, there are some jam up barrel racers that are really good breakaway ropers too. Yeah, I don't know if I mean, I know men can do it, so I doubt there's any stipulation on the women doing it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's what I was thinking about. You know, cowboys who are in multiple events and I was this. This would be a really cool thing for you know a cow to go out there and do, but I'm sure it's. You know obviously different horses, different skill levels, all the things, but just putting it out there, yeah, amanda.
Speaker 2:I would never have good hand-eye coordination. I I was a cheerleader for playing any ball sports. For that reason We'll be rooting for you. But if anyone listening knows of a girl that um does, do that please like, comment or let us know so we can shout out because I would love like or follow journey if she's in the w the wpra entering both the events.
Speaker 1:Really cool to watch yeah, okay, so nfr is going to be here before we know it. What is it, august? Oh my gosh, I can't. I know august. This is insane. What are you already in prep mode, cause I know Western life and style like we are already in full prep mode for NFR, is it the same for you?
Speaker 2:I was supposed to be in prep mode but I'm not yet. I'm in. I'm in mental prep mode. I am mentally trying to pull things together and talking with I have a friend, Brianna Purvis. We're going to do some joint stuff together this year. We're going to fly out a little bit early. We're going to try to shoot as many of our outfits before the NFR starts.
Speaker 2:A lot of girls did that last year. You saw Shaylee, I saw she did that, you saw Morgan. They all did that before and it was so nice for them seeing them at events and not being stressed about taking their outfit pictures for the day and then just having to settle in whatever background they could find. You know, because when you're in Vegas, like there's always something to do, like you're always running around.
Speaker 2:It doesn't matter if you're going as an influencer or just someone going like Vegas does not sleep, the NFR does not sleep right. Like there is always somewhere to go and you're always kind of rushing to be somewhere. So just going out a couple of days early and having the time to really go to cool places like the Neon Museum or just out like in the desert a little bit and take good photos for our collabs. That's gonna make a huge difference. So we are kind of putting that together, because you have to have a friend that can take the pictures for you Photographer. Luckily, brianna is both and I can. I'm also pretty handy with the camera too, so it's like the perfect little partnership for us.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's so interesting. Wait, this is breaking news for me. So you're going early, you're going to take the pictures of your outfits and then, on the day that you're wearing the outfit, you're posting the picture that you took, like you know, the week before. Whatever the case, yeah, they do it like professionally.
Speaker 3:Yeah, shaley, like this whole thing and like show this whole story about like her breakdown of how much she makes, and then she shared with everybody that majority of her content was like shot before and so during the nfr she didn't have to worry about that and got to deal with all her brand collabs, so it like it was actually like it added up to be more collabs for her yeah, so we're gonna do something similar.
Speaker 2:We're gonna take our main outfit pictures and I'm kind of I'm gonna layer in some like day of pictures into my carousel, you know, just to kind of like get you know like live and I am still there. But, um, yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna try to take as many of our physical collab outfit photos before as we can. Will you be there the whole time? Yes, um, I, I booked my flight. I heard that southwest was doing away with their two free bags.
Speaker 2:And if you don't know and you're going for 10 days or 10 plus days, and especially if you're from the east coast and there's just not a possibility to drive over 24 hours to get to vegas, you really stress about your baggage going out there. And Southwest, they were great because they gave you two free bags. And then I usually end up with three bags going out there and then I say I either pay for one or sometimes the Hudson trailer leaves from out. From out here I'm able to throw it on the Hudson trailer out there, but it has to, but it has to leave, like before thanksgiving. So you have to like literally have all your stuff packed and ready to go before thanksgiving to get on the hudson trailer, which is hard in itself because people are last minute people. Thanks to me.
Speaker 2:But southwest did away with their two free bags this year so I booked my plane tickets the day before they did that. So I still get my two free bags, as long as I don't change my flights and I did not know that part. I can't my flight. So right now I'm there, the second through the 14th.
Speaker 3:Oh, my gosh yeah well, that's you'll. Hey, you'll be great out there yeah, you guys do such a good job. As long as like survive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, as long as you get COVID or I get sick almost every year. So if I can just survive last year I didn't get sick and one other year I haven't gotten sick, so 2017 no, your looks always kill.
Speaker 3:Like we do the um, it grew so big, we do the NFR fashion looks. You know with me, stacey, like the top 10 to 15 looks like you're always on there, like your looks are always so killer.
Speaker 2:You can just tell the time and the thought process you put, but you can see it and just so y'all know, like that really does like make someone stay, like it doesn't matter how big they are, like, um, as creators, like we still love seeing pages, love our looks, you know just that little recognition like so thank you for doing that, because we all love it.
Speaker 1:Okay, Is there anything else that you want to add about some upcoming collabs or people that you're working with? You want to give some businesses some shout outs what, what do you got going on, Honestly not that much.
Speaker 3:Well, we'll see you this week, right?
Speaker 2:Yes, I will be at my leave tomorrow morning for West. So I'm in my room. I'm actually like packing and pulling my outfits together right now, but I'll be in WESA and I do. I work with a bunch of different brands, um, while I'm there and then next week I'll be at Gambler Days working with PBR, the Austin Gamblers, that's, that's my PBR team, because we're the neon green team, and it just is a good partnership, um, but until then, so I I bought two yearlings and I thought I was gonna be able to just turn them out in the pasture and it's not gonna be.
Speaker 2:It's not gonna be that much work. They're just gonna be on the pasture. It's constant work. They're constantly into stuff, they're constantly getting hurt, getting sick. I have to take care of them twice a day because one is heat intolerant and can't stay out in the sun, but they have to go out at night. I'm having to bring them in during the day.
Speaker 2:Anyway, I haven't been able to travel as much this year, so I am kind of limited to what I'm going to. So September, I'm pretty much home. I'm going to go to our MBHA state show, which I haven't been to in years. I haven't been to a. I haven't been to a big barrel race in years. I just go to like old day things. So I'm going to go to my first overnight barrel race, um in probably five years, in september, and then october is kind of literally getting down and getting ready for nfr stuff. I have two trips coming up at the beginning of november, um. One's gonna be in arizona for some pre-nfr content and then another is literally like in the works and talks right now. So I don't really know many details, but after that it's just getting ready for nfr and doing pre-nfr content.
Speaker 1:So that will be.
Speaker 3:You're like I don't really have anything going on, but I have this yeah so you like I mean, all these brands are like reaching out to you, like you're like getting flooded with this stuff, like do you have, do you like filter through it all like yourself, or do you have somebody help you, like kind of go through and be like that's a good fit, that's not a good fit, that's a good fit. Like it seems like they're just I mean, they're obviously coming to you, you're not having to like you know work with me.
Speaker 2:I do some outreach, like if I have availabilities for like an event I'm going to, if it hasn't booked just by people coming to me, I'll post it on my stories and like I do a little bit of outreach here and there. So it is still a little give and take um, but I will say like, even if someone reaches out to me I I don't think I've ever turned anyone down like I I try to find a way to make to make your product fit me, because what's fun about like neons is I can also wear neutrals. Like neutrals look just fine on me. I just and to wear colorful stuff and a lot of neutral, neutral things I do pair well with a little pop of color here and there, so I am able to kind of like integrate both into my content. So I do try to find a way to like kind of fit everyone in. So I weed through it all on my own.
Speaker 2:The only thing that I do have someone help me do is when I'm traveling. I have a really good friend. Her name's Sammy. She's the one that styled me for my first NFR. She helps me answer comments. So she helps me stay up to date on comments and like when I'm at NFR like messages and replying to people, but other than that it's just me.
Speaker 1:Can I ask you one more question before we go? Because I'm just curious. I could ask you a zillion more, but we're already good on.
Speaker 3:We've been talking to you, I know it's gone by so quick. I'm like, oh my God, I told her I was like it's only 20, 30 minutes.
Speaker 1:I'm like, oh, shoot, I know so yeah, how important is it Do you feel to meet these brands, like going to WESA or going to, you know, in-person events? Is it a lot easier when you meet them in person and they can kind of like really get to know you? As you know, not just Neon Wrangler, the Instagram page, but like the person behind it? And how important is that for your relationship building?
Speaker 2:This really is a little trader secret it is.
Speaker 2:Wesa is probably one of the best events I started going to for my brand and for building my business.
Speaker 2:I started going with Bijou Fab, which is working her booth.
Speaker 2:That's how I got like my end with Wessa and kind of seeing what it was, and I worked her booth for probably like two or three shows and by the third show I was starting to come to Wessa on my own because it is the best place to normally their social media people like are here for the first couple days of WESA is the best place to come meet the social media people, put a face to the name, meet the designers of the brand, see the new product they have coming up, be able to tell the social media people like, yeah, that product resonates with me a lot, that one, that one. So when they're ready to do collabs for it, they already know what to send you and what you like and what you think will do well for your page. And meeting new brands to do a lot of. These brands are constantly having parties and gatherings in their showrooms and they want influencers to come in and show their product and make it look pretty and popular. And it's a great time to just meet people.
Speaker 3:It is one party there, though that is like the best party to go to right, like it's the best one, like for sure is.
Speaker 2:It is one of my when it probably the first. It's like honestly, like y'all are kind of like the grandfather of parties, like y'all the first one is to start.
Speaker 3:We were the first ones, the first ones to get in trouble for it, the first ones to ever go to the big parties. Like they were like western life and style, like a lot of people don't know this, but we really did like change that up.
Speaker 2:Yeah I do. You really have first ones and I remember, um, how people would your neighbor would complain because they were they get so big and you're like I can't help it. We're popular like dang. Sorry it's bringing.
Speaker 3:No one ever threw parties before, so we were like, let's throw a party when really they should have been.
Speaker 2:Like oh, it's bringing people to this corner.
Speaker 3:Like trust me. Yes, we know but, yeah, I know the painting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, very important content creators, if you're just starting, if you ever get invited to west, ever have a way in. It's a great way to even just come walk around and look at what the trends are going to be upcoming for the year. I'm trying to schedule some time this time. I've never gotten to do that. I'm trying to schedule some time to just get to walk around and look and see what's upcoming are you going to be a WESA Wrangler this time?
Speaker 3:I am thanks to you, though. Thank you, I knew it. I was like they reached out to me and were like who would you recommend? I was like okay, here, who should be?
Speaker 2:it. I really appreciate you. Yes, I'm going to walk around and be a Wessa Wranglers. I'm going to walk around and definitely get you know. A lot of the girls do focus on the fashion, but I'm able to focus on the fashion and the horse side, so a little bit of both worlds going on here.
Speaker 1:I love that. Well, amanda, thank you so much for chatting with us today. You just have built such an incredible brand. That is so I love what you said pretty and popular because I feel like that is just such a true expression of your brand and it's just so fun and different and unique and it's just been amazing watching you blossom into this incredible person not just an influencer, but just knowing you as a human being an amazing person and thank you for being on our show. Thank you for, you know, participating with us for all these years.
Speaker 3:Yes, you have. We've been big fans of you, if you haven't noticed.
Speaker 2:No same, the feeling is mutual, for sure. Thank you for having me. I haven't done a podcast in forever so I was like so nervous, but thank you.