We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Uthmann recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I grew up in a family where my parents held regular weekday 9-5 jobs. Our weekends were reserved for family activities, took family vacations every summer, and holidays were carefully planned with extended family gatherings. However, when I married into a ranching family, I rapidly became aware of the stark differences. In agriculture, it’s not merely a job; it’s a way of life. The traditional concepts of weekends, holidays, and paid time off vanish. Animals require daily care, unexpected challenges become routine, and we feel like we are always one breakdown from financial ruin. Additionally, the weight of being self-employed, with both employees and family dependent on the financial success of the business, can lead to many sleepless nights.

Agriculture, is a lifestyle. It’s about being stewards of the land and the animals that depend on us. It’s about imparting the values of hard work and faith to my children. It’s also about experiencing the beauty of life through the birth of a calf and the heartache of having to put down an old horse in pain. In this environment, we understand that life can change in an instant, and we must adapt and find solutions quickly.

There are days when I do yearn for the stability of a regular job with a predictable schedule and a consistent paycheck. Nevertheless, I cherish the freedom that comes with being a business owner, the freedom to innovate and explore new opportunities. Being a business owner, like any pursuit in life, has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, and it’s a choice I’ve made for the fulfillment and the unique experiences it brings.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I didn’t have the privilege of growing up on a farm or ranch; instead, I spent my childhood right in the heart of the city. However, my husband’s family has a longstanding history with a ranch in Virginia Dale, CO dating back to 1903. Our children now represent the sixth generation to engage in cattle farming in northern Colorado. Together with my husband and his parents, our journey in the industry began as a cow/calf operation on the family ranch, and over time, it has developed into a beef finishing enterprise with our own feed yard.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, it had a profound impact on our business. Our usual large-scale buyer was forced to shut down temporarily, leaving us with finished cattle and no immediate market for them. Simultaneously, grocery stores experienced a shortage of meat, and people grew concerned about ensuring a stable food supply. Responding to the heightened demand for food security, we made the decision to directly sell our frozen beef to the local community.

Locating a nearby processor proved to be a challenge since many others had the same idea in the wake of the pandemic. Ultimately, we were able to collaborate with a processor located 4 hours away. During this time, we also formed a partnership with a couple in Wyoming who were embarking on their venture with a small processing facility. In December 2021, our family, together with Mac and Celsie Sussex, successfully launched Bear Mountain Beef in Hawk Springs, Wyoming.

Mountain View Meats allows us to offer premium, family-raised beef where we oversee every step of the process, from raising the calf to delivering the final product. This level of control is what sets our brand apart and makes it truly unique in the market. We take immense pride in providing our community with a product that embodies generations of dedication and care.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the largest pivoting moments in my life was changing career paths. I was raised in a bustling city environment, and my initial career aspiration was to become a physical therapist. This ambition was ignited during my high school years when I witnessed the profound impact a physical therapist had on my great aunt’s rehabilitation.

I pursued my education at Colorado State University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science. Following my undergraduate studies, I was promptly admitted into a Master’s program for Physical Therapy. Academic success had always been a constant in my life, despite grappling with challenges related to memorization and learning. It was during my time in the Master’s program that, at the advice of my neuroanatomy professor, I sought testing and was diagnosed with dyslexia.

Faced with this diagnosis, I had to make a challenging decision. I had to choose between persisting in my pursuit of a career in physical therapy, which I found to be a struggle, or shifting my path in a new direction. After much thought and prayer, I opted to transition to a career as a physical therapist assistant. This program entailed a two-year associate’s degree, and I felt it was a better fit for my abilities and strengths.

However, before I embarked on this new path, I returned to work during the fall corn harvest where I worked during my college summers, and it was during this period that I crossed paths with my future husband. I successfully completed my physical therapist assistant degree and spent five years working in in-patient rehabilitation. Nevertheless, my marriage into an agricultural family has since evolved into my true passion and life’s calling. The path to get here was quite tumultuous, but through these trails is where I developed perseverance.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when we made the decision to offer frozen beef to our local community, we found ourselves navigating the intricate world of retail sales. This endeavor required us to gain expertise in several new areas, including understanding labeling and legal requirements, marketing strategies, and gaining a comprehensive knowledge of the various cuts of beef. While our strengths lay in raising quality cattle, we lacked the understanding about finished beef cuts.

To bridge this knowledge gap, I invested significant time at our processing facilities, observing and absorbing the intricacies of the process. Collaborating closely with our processors proved to be pivotal in the manufacturing of our beef products. Additionally, I embarked on a self-guided educational journey to learn the ropes of marketing and selling directly to the public. The journey of bringing our beef directly to consumers has been both fascinating and filled with its fair share of challenges. It is continuous learning and adaptation, making it an interesting and demanding road to navigate.

Contact Info:

• Website: mvmeatsfc.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mvmeatsfc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/mvmeatsfc
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/mvmeatsfc

Image Credits
Nicole Uthmann Emma VanNostrand Steve Rondeau