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FINANCIAL PLANNING
activities in my daughter’s life while training horses,” says VanBebber, consecutive AQHA Champion Trainer and present AQHA Chief Racing Officer. Balancing different activities in life can have a negative impact on any- one’s budget. It is predestined that you will face conflicts while managing a business.
“We had to make the decision to downsize after our dad died. We had close to 200 broodmares, and it was too much for us to handle,” says Dawn and Rhonda List. Their choice to downsize worked out very well for them. It created an environment where they weren’t overwhelmed and worked up from there. It’s decisions like those that can make or break the growth of your business. Connie Rosenthal, AQHA Champion Owner in 2019, shared her experience. “A big decision for us was choosing to buy horses rather than breed them. The Lord has blessed us in our deci- sions at the sales.”
CONCLUSION
In closing, I can’t stress how important it is to be involved financially. Every couple has their way of working through their finances but having both parties understand can be
crucial. It’s important to note that everyone has different goals and risk tolerances. Taking time to break down your goals for retirement is key to enjoying yourself later in life. By simply involving yourself in the finances,
you can save yourself a great deal of time and stress if you find yourself widowed or single. Without a doubt, financially independent women are some of the best people to work with. These individuals who are not afraid
of the role of chief financial officer are able
to move forward in a manner that allows for business viability, financial freedom and peace of mind. “I’m most proud of the fact that I was able to follow my heart in carrying on Bob’s legacy within the horse racing industry,” says Connie Rosenthal.
Interviewing these four ladies was an amazing experience for me. Men and women throughout the industry can learn a great deal from them. I know that I did. I’d like to thank Connie, Janet, Dawn, and Rhonda for allowing me to interview them about their success. They are shining examples of women who faced adversity head on and reached new heights with their intuition, good sense and determination.
Cade Peterson
“I needed to rebuild financially. I had a desire to continue to work as a trainer and keep the stable in business. But I also wanted to provide financial stability for my daughter, Taylor. This led me to creating a 529 plan in 2003 so I could pay for her future college
expenses. She recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma debt-free.” - Janet VanBebber
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