Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Abbott.
Jenny, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey into owning and operating an event venue certainly isn’t a traditional one! My career started in sports, managing season ticket holders and luxury suites. As an avid sports fan, working for both the NBA and then the NHL was a dream come true but it was also one that required a lot of nights and weekends spent at the arena.
When my husband and I decided we were ready to start our own family, it made the most sense to me to make a change. It was then that I made the transition into the non-profit world, working for the American Heart Association for over 10 years. For many, it seemed like an odd choice, a big shift in industries, but for me, it felt like it had a purpose. Feeling connected and passionate about what I am doing has always been a priority. I enjoy working for brands that have a genuine passion for who they are and what they represent and work for the AHA gave me the ability to truly impact people’s lives.
As our family grew and motherhood became a large part of my identity, it became clear to me that I needed to be able to dedicate more of my time to my family so in 2021 I quit my job and started my own creative marketing consulting firm, Lead Story Creative. It was my first taste of owning my own business and gave me the opportunity to focus my experience in creative storytelling and video production on projects that I really wanted to be a part of.
Then in December of 2022, my husband and I attended an event at Storm King Mountain Ranch in which we met the prior owners. In our conversation with them, they mentioned that they intended to sell the property at some point and immediately we knew it was something we wanted to pursue.
Fast forward to August of 2023 and we officially took ownership! While I didn’t start my career in events or weddings, my sales and marketing background has really given me the business knowledge and tools to run the business. And I love it! With our primary business being weddings, not only do I get to meet new people constantly but I get to help couples with one of the most significant moments of their lives. I get to build relationships with our clients, advocate for them, and watch their unique visions come to life!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest challenge I’ve faced is one so many women like myself face and that has been learning how to navigate having a family and a successful career. I used to hear so much about finding the right balance. The balance between being a good wife and mom, my career, and taking care of myself. Have I found it? No. The opposite happened. Along the way, I accepted that the perfect balance between it all doesn’t truly exist. At least not for me – not in this season of my life with four young kids.
Running your own business means accepting sacrifices along the way. Sometimes that means sacrificing time, spending less money, taking fewer trips, or wearing all of the hats when you’d rather hire someone. But those sacrifices help feed my drive to build and run a successful business and they also give me the freedom to be intentional with my time.
Intentional with whom I spend my time with. Intentional with setting my own schedule which allows me more flexible time with my kids. Intentional in spending quality time with my husband. Intentional in my health. What I’ve learned in owning my own business is that things may never be in balance but giving anyone or any job control over my time is something I won’t ever compromise on again because my time is my most valuable asset.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Storm King Mountain Ranch is a modern barn wedding and event venue located in Montrose, Colorado. We like to describe ourselves as a place where timeless sophistication meets the pinnacle of rustic luxury. And that’s because the craftsmanship and architecture of our venue are truly unique and filled with intentional details throughout the entire building.
Newly built in 2020 by the previous owners, what I believe sets us apart from others in the area and across the state, is that not only is our event venue visually stunning but the views are breathtaking. The venue sits on our 192-acre property featuring outstanding views of the San Juan Mountain Range, Mount Sneffels, and Buckhorn. So you get a gorgeous barn with modern, luxury amenities paired with a truly authentic, Colorado mountain setting.
And that setting is one many people may not be familiar with. The Western Slope of Colorado is a truly magical place. Most people are going to be familiar with Denver or Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas but have your guests been to the Western Slope? It’s often an unexplored region of the state for many but an area that encompasses everything you can imagine about the Colorado outdoor experience.
It’s why we attract not only local couples and businesses but a large part of our businesses is destination weddings, bringing in couples and their guests from all over the United States. As someone who was born and raised in Montrose, I have a strong sense of loyalty to the local community. I want to see it grow, I want to see locally owned businesses like mine succeed here and I hope to grow our business tremendously so that we have the ability to give back to the community.
We have very talented wedding and event vendors on the Western Slope that I have been able to work with and I hope that the expansion of our business brings more business to them and that by bringing in more visitors for weddings and events, our footprint expands even wider to our local shops and restaurants as well.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I think the biggest step people get stuck on in finding a mentor and establishing new professional relationships is being too afraid to take the first step and reach out. Too often we get hung up on whether the person will be open to talking with us or if we are inconveniencing that person. What I’ve found as I’ve grown more confident in my own career and skills is that most people take your interest as a compliment and are willing to talk with you if you approach them.
One thing I am constantly reminding myself of is the simple saying “You don’t get what you don’t ask for.” We’ve all heard this but when you approach decisions with this mindset, you’re reminded that you cannot make choices to act based on your own assumptions of what the outcome will be. You can’t say “They are too busy, there is no way they’ll have the time to meet with me.” You’ve talked yourself out of it based on assumption. You have to take the first step and ask.
That said, it’s also important that the interaction you’re seeking is relevant to the person’s expertise and that your interest in what that person does or the industry they are in, is authentic. Too often people say they want to expand their network but they don’t have a clear reason why or purpose in doing so other than meeting new people.
If you want a mentor and not just to network, have an idea of what you want to gain from it before reaching out. The person is going to ask you how you envision they can help you and you should not go into that conversation expecting them to answer that for you. Come to the table with ideas and goals in mind.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stormkingmountainranch.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stormkingmountainranch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stormkingmountainranch
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylynnabbott
Image Credits
Paige Overturf Photography, Mindy Stratton Photography, Jason and Daris Photocinema
