Today we’d like to introduce you to Miki Briggs.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was 18 I got a job at a local tack store in Los Angeles, California called Valencia Sport Saddlery. I grew up riding and lived on a ranch my whole life so I was very excited to have gotten this job. I was, and still am, a horse-crazy kid that could never spend enough time at the barn. I grew up showing around Southern California and was obsessed with anything horse related.
This job was supposed to be a stepping stone for me to figure out what I really wanted to do for a career. I ended up completely dedicated to this store and would put all my energy into it. Trying to figure out what I could do to learn the most and help build Valencia into the incredible store it is. I didn’t have the biggest role there but I took my job very seriously my boss Ecole was incredible and really let me grow and try new things and really influenced me into my next step after Valencia Saddlery.
At 22 years old, in June of 2022, and after many months of planning, I moved across the country to Lexington, Kentucky to open my business; Miki Saddlery. I left everything behind in the big city of Los Angeles to live with my boyfriend Maks Riossa and our dog Winnie in Lexington. I met Maks while working at Valencia and fell hard for his Slovenian accent and driven work ethic. Not hard on the eyes at all too; we became a strong team that can achieve anything together.
My family supported me one thousand percent. My mom Janelle, using her very important job of human resources helped me with connections and making sure my business was protected and run by the book. My dad Andrew, started his own small business when I was a kid and had a lot of insight that I really value. My brother Cameron, as a financial advisor, helped me set up my books and answered every question I had. Still, in my first year of business, I traveled to Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, New York, and Florida to sell riding apparel and leather boots to riders competing at all levels.
My boyfriend Maks Riossa works for an Italian boot company called Tucci. Franco Tucci also runs a company called Ego7. Maks made sure I was set up with some of the best brands in the industry to help get me established as a reliable business with top brands. He and I, and of course Winnie, travel around ensuring that everyone in the equestrian world can get what they need. Tucci is more high-end while Ego7 is more economical, making it easy for horse riders to see what would fit their needs best.
Our future plans are to potentially open a Brick and Mortar store so traveling around to see the very best of the equestrian world will help us determine where we might want to do that. The best part of my job is seeing all the happy faces enter and leave my store with exactly what they needed. The lifelong friends we have made along the way are the cherry on top of the cake.
I owe a lot of people a big thank you for the part they played in my journey to where I am today: my family for the constant support and love, Ecole for being the mentor I needed then and continue to need, and my old horse trainer Tricia Hamilton for taking me to fill out my job application at Valencia Saddlery and helping me remember why being a horse crazy kid is such a good thing. These small things changed my life and put me on the track to success!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
With all the help that I have been given to start and run my business, I still struggle to be seen as an adult. I think people still see me as a kid but really I worked hard to get to where I am and I wouldn’t jeopardize that for anything. I wish that people that have been doing this for far longer than I have, will eventually see that I have what it takes and won’t give up. And I will happily prove anyone wrong.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I grew up in the show world as a young rider and lived at the barn for my entire life. I could talk about horses all day every day and I do. Something that I specialize in is boot fitting. My boyfriend Maks has been doing this for about 5 years and his knowledge is beyond impressive.
I believe I learned from the best and there is no greater feeling than zipping on a pair of boots that fit perfectly and seeing the person’s reaction. Having Tucci and Ego7 in my booth is one amazing accomplishment for me. These top brands are impeccable and truly speak for themselves. There are no boots similar to either and being able to represent such an amazing company, I believe, makes us so different from others.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned during my journey is to take all advice from everyone with a grain of salt. Not to say that other entrepreneurs are wrong, but our journeys are not the same. I value it so much when others give me their advice and try to help me learn from their mistakes, however, I like to think that my business is run because of the decisions I made and not because of the ones others have.
I think a great quality that a person can have is to constantly learn, I know that there is still so much that I have to learn that it will probably take a lifetime. I really do appreciate all the insight others have given me along my journey.
Pricing:
- Ego7 leather boots are $499
- Ego7 contact elastic boots are $679
- Tucci leather boots are $1095
- Ego7 breeches are $319
- Ego7 tops are around $169
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mikisaddlery
Image Credits
Meraki Creative Group
