We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gabrielle Crumley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gabrielle below.

Gabrielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

Before I started my businesses, I was still in school pursuing my MBA and took a job selling AFLAC insurance. It was flexible, and honestly, there weren’t many other options—so I took it.

During my time with AFLAC, the most important lesson I learned was how to sell. Really sell. They had a great storytelling spiel about “Bob,” who was hurt at work and how having AFLAC changed everything for him, keeping his family from financial ruin.

Long story short, as I got into it, I quickly learned that following their spiel step by step didn’t always work well. You know what I found? I sold the most when I didn’t care how much I sold. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. When I went into a situation wanting to close the sale, it almost never did. But when I simply provided the information, listened to the person, and honestly told them what I thought would be helpful—even if that meant advising them not to buy the product—I sold way more.

Often, even after I told someone not to buy something, they’d buy it anyway. I don’t share this as some kind of reverse-psychology or manipulation tactic. I carried this mindset into starting my marketing business. I listened. I undersold. Instead of pushing the biggest package, I often encouraged the smaller option that would conserve their budget and grow with them. And they bought. They upgraded. They chose the largest package—and they’d often say it was because they trusted me.

To sum it up, the biggest lesson I learned was this: sales isn’t about saying the right thing or even telling the right story. It’s about being honest, genuinely wanting to help people, and earning their trust. When you do that, the sale comes naturally.

Gabrielle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Gabrielle Crumley, and I’m the founder of Out West Marketing Group and Co-Owner of CR Angus Ranch.

Out West Marketing Group was born in 2018 from a simple realization: there weren’t enough marketing professionals who truly understood agriculture. With only about 1% of the U.S. population directly involved in farming and ranching, it can feel nearly impossible to find a marketing partner who “gets it.” I wanted to change that.

At Out West Marketing Group, we’re a team made up of farmers, ranchers, and ag enthusiasts who live and breathe the lifestyle every day. We know the difference between a New Holland and a Case IH tractor — and more importantly, we know how to translate that understanding into authentic, effective online marketing. Our services include social media management, digital advertising, email marketing, website design, and brand strategy consulting, all tailored specifically for the agriculture industry.

We help our clients — from lenders and feed companies to equipment auctions and ranch brands — connect with their audiences in a way that feels genuine. Whether it’s growing brand awareness, increasing sales, or expanding an online presence, we focus on telling real stories that reflect the people and purpose behind the business.

Alongside my marketing business, my husband and I also run CR Angus Ranch in northern Wyoming, where we raise quality, all-natural Angus beef. We ship nationwide and sell locally. From our beef operation, we also developed a line of all-natural tallow skincare products, handcrafted right on the ranch. Both of these businesses share the same values — honesty, quality, and connection to the land.

What sets my work apart is that it’s rooted in authenticity. Whether it’s creating marketing strategies for fellow ag businesses or raising cattle on our own ranch, I approach everything with the same goal: to honor the agricultural way of life while helping others grow and thrive within it.

I’m most proud of building businesses that bridge the gap between tradition and innovation — showing that you can stay true to your roots while embracing new opportunities. At the end of the day, I want people to know that everything we do — from the marketing services we provide to the beef and tallow we produce — comes straight from the heart of ranch country, built with integrity, hard work, and a deep love for the land and people who make agriculture possible.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Yes — my side hustle absolutely turned into my full-time career.

Back when I was in my second year of my MBA program, I was selling AFLAC insurance and stumbled across an online course about social media marketing. It was a $1 trial for a week, so I signed up and completely binged the trainings. Something just clicked. Within a month, I landed my very first client for $150 a month — which, looking back, was unbelievably low. The next month, I signed another local business I’d reached out to online for $400 a month. Then came my third client at $550, and I remember thinking, I can’t believe this is actually working.

At the time, my only goal was to make $1,000 a month from home. Two months in, I’d already surpassed that. Then I signed my fourth client — for $2,000 a month — and that’s when it really hit me that this could be something bigger. I was 22 years old, and honestly, I couldn’t believe what was happening (and neither could my husband).

From there, it just snowballed. I hit $5K months, then $10K, then $20K. By 24, I was making six figures, and at 25, we bought our ranch — a lifelong dream.

What started as a small side hustle quickly became Out West Marketing Group, a full-service agency working with agricultural businesses across the country. Today, I have an amazing team, incredible clients, and the privilege of combining my love for ranching with my passion for marketing.

It was never supposed to become what it is today — but I’m so grateful it did. What started as a $1 trial turned into a business that allows me to serve the agriculture community I love most. It’s been a wild, beautiful, and unexpected journey — and I feel incredibly blessed to be along for the ride.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

When COVID-19 hit, everything changed almost overnight. Within three months of the global shutdown, I lost more than half of my business.

At the time, most of my clients were in e-commerce, and as panic set in, contracts were canceled left and right. To make it even more stressful, my husband and I were right in the middle of moving from Oregon to Wyoming to buy our ranch. It was one of those moments where everything you’ve built suddenly feels uncertain.

I had to make some tough calls — including letting go of team members — simply because there wasn’t enough work to keep everyone on. It was heartbreaking. But deep down, I knew the drop in business was driven by fear, not by the actual value of what we offered. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

So instead of panicking, I got to work. I started reaching out to new clients — those who weren’t as affected by the shutdown or who were determined to adapt instead of retreat. Slowly but surely, we rebuilt. We rehired. And before long, we were thriving again.

By March of 2021, our revenue had surpassed where it was before the pandemic, and our team was even larger than before. It took a mindset shift, a lot of grit, and a refusal to give in to fear. I just kept telling myself, there’s work out there — I just have to find the right people. And I did.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.outwestmarketinggroup.com and www.crangusranch.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielle_crumley/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outwestmarketinggroup
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-crumley-mba-44aa32149/

Image Credits

Tami Moore Photography