One of the comments I hear pretty regularly from customers buying Beverage Burro equipment always makes me smile:
“It’s time for this donkey to start earning his keep.”
I've heard pretty much the same thing from customers with mini Highland cows.
Let's face it. Most of us didn't buy these animals because they made good financial sense. We bought them because we enjoy having them around. We feed them, trim their feet, take care of them and probably spend more money on them than we'd care to add up.
Then somebody discovers the beverage burro.
Suddenly that little donkey standing out in the pasture might have a job.
And surprisingly, he might be pretty good at it.
Can a Beverage Burro Really Be a Business?
Based on what I've heard from our customers, absolutely.
In fact, just recently I had a customer purchase his third Beverage Burro package from Mountain Ridge Gear.
During our conversation, he thanked me for making such good equipment and for all the help we've given him along the way. He told me his beverage burro business has made him a lot of money and that he didn't think he could have done it without the equipment and support we've provided.
That meant a lot to me.
When we started building Beverage Burro equipment, the goal wasn't simply to sell someone a saddle and a couple of panniers. We wanted to help people get the right equipment for their animal, understand how it should fit and be used, and be available when they had questions.
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to watch customers take that equipment and turn an idea into a real business.
Some start with one donkey and a few local events.
Then people see the animal at a wedding or party. Pictures get posted on social media. Someone at the event is planning a wedding. A wedding planner asks for a business card. A venue wants to know if the burro is available for another event.
And suddenly that donkey really is earning his keep.
I've had customers tell me that once they started advertising, things took off faster than they expected. Some found themselves booking events six to eight months in advance.
That's why one of the first things I caution people about sounds a little strange:
Before you start advertising, decide how busy you really want to be.
What Are You Actually Selling?
If you're thinking about turning your burro or mini cow into a business, the first thing to understand is what you're really selling.
It isn't beer.
And it really isn't the donkey.
You're selling an experience.
Weddings are probably what most people picture when they hear “beverage burro,” and they're certainly a big part of the market.
But they're far from the only opportunity.
Our customers use their animals for:
- Weddings and receptions
- Corporate events
- Family reunions
- Birthday parties
- Social gatherings
- Restaurant and food events
- Breweries and wineries
- Fundraisers
- Community events
- Business promotions
- Holiday parties
- Photo opportunities
And a beverage burro doesn't have to carry alcohol.
They can carry bottled water, soft drinks, champagne, party favors, flowers, snacks, promotional items or just show up dressed for the occasion and pose for pictures.
Sometimes their biggest job is simply being there.
You're Creating Something People Remember
Think about what happens when a well-groomed little donkey walks into a wedding reception carrying drinks.
Phones come out.
People start taking pictures.
Guests gather around.
Kids want to pet him.
Adults want selfies.
People laugh, start conversations and share pictures on social media.
That's part of what makes the concept work.
You're providing something unusual that people are going to remember.
A couple may spend a considerable amount of money on flowers, decorations, food, entertainment and dozens of other details for their wedding.
Six months later, guests may not remember what the centerpieces looked like.
But there's a pretty good chance they'll remember the donkey.
That's the experience your customer is paying for.
You're not simply renting them a donkey for an hour.
You're helping create one of the memorable moments of their event.
Don't Underprice the Experience
This is one area where I think some new operators make a mistake.
I've talked with customers who, in my opinion, are simply charging too little.
I understand why.
When you're starting something new, it's tempting to set a low price because you're worried people won't book you.
But don't base your price solely on the hour your animal is standing at the event.
Think about everything that went into getting there.
You have to prepare and groom the animal. You may decorate your equipment to match the wedding or event. You have to load the animal, equipment and supplies into a trailer.
Then you drive to the venue.
You unload, get everything ready, work the event, load everything again, drive home, unload and take care of your animal afterward.
That one-hour appearance may consume a good portion of your day.
And then there are the costs that aren't as obvious:
Fuel. Truck and trailer expenses. Insurance. Equipment. Animal care. Training. Grooming. Marketing. Travel time. Business expenses.
And your time has value too.
Don't price one hour at the event. Price the service required to create the entire experience.
Don't Be Afraid to Charge What Your Service Is Worth
There's another way to look at pricing.
If you're booking Saturdays six or eight months in advance and constantly turning away customers because you're already booked, you may not need more events.
You may need to charge more for the events you're already doing.
Not every date has the same value either.
A Saturday afternoon during peak wedding season is different from a Tuesday morning corporate event.
There's nothing wrong with limiting the number of events you accept or charging appropriately for prime dates.
In fact, doing fewer events at an appropriate price may be better for you and your animals than trying to squeeze every possible booking onto the calendar.
Decide How Busy You Want to Be
This is something I specifically caution customers about.
Before you start advertising heavily, decide what you want this business to become.
Do you want to do a couple of events each month?
Every Saturday?
Friday, Saturday and Sunday?
Do you want to travel 30 miles—or 300?
Are you trying to create a little extra income that helps pay for your animals?
Or do you want to build a serious event business?
There's no wrong answer.
But remember that every booking is also a commitment.
If someone books you for a wedding eight months from now, that Saturday is no longer yours.
That's great if that's what you want.
But if the original idea was simply to have a little fun and get your donkey to help pay his feed bill, you may discover you've created another full-time job.
Figure out how successful you want to be before success starts making that decision for you.
Don't Forget About Travel
Travel is another area where new operators sometimes underestimate their costs.
A venue that's 75 miles away isn't a 75-mile trip.
It's 150 miles round trip with a truck and livestock trailer.
That's fuel, wear and tear on your truck and trailer, and several hours of your time.
You need to decide how far you're willing to travel and how you're going to charge for it.
Some businesses establish a service area and charge mileage beyond it. Others establish travel zones.
How you structure it is up to you.
Just make sure you're not losing money every time you pull out of the driveway.
Professionalism Matters
The donkey may be cute, but customers are still hiring a professional service.
That means answering inquiries promptly.
Showing up on time.
Keeping your animals well groomed.
Using clean, professional-looking equipment.
Communicating with the venue beforehand.
Carrying appropriate insurance.
Having a plan for manure.
Knowing what happens if the weather turns bad.
Establishing what guests can and cannot do around your animals.
And having a backup plan when something doesn't go as expected.
The novelty of the animal may get someone's attention.
Professionalism gets referrals.
And referrals can become a big part of this business.
Wedding planners, photographers, venues, caterers and guests are all watching what you do.
Do a great job at one event and you may be surprised where the next booking comes from.
Your Animal Comes First
There's one part of this business plan that doesn't show up on a spreadsheet.
Your animal.
Your donkey doesn't know that you booked three events this weekend.
A good event animal needs training, conditioning, proper equipment, downtime and good care.
Some animals absolutely love the attention.
Others may tolerate crowds for a while and then need a break.
You have to know your animal and pay attention to what they're telling you.
A tired, uncomfortable or stressed animal isn't good for the animal, the guests or your business.
No booking is worth sacrificing the welfare of the animal that makes the business possible.
Start With Training, Not a Booking
Before worrying about business cards, websites and advertising, make sure your animal is ready for the job.
An event can expose a donkey or mini cow to things they may not normally encounter at home:
Crowds. Children. Music. Decorations. Balloons. Cameras. Flashes. Unfamiliar buildings. Vehicles. People approaching from every direction.
And occasionally someone who's had a few drinks and suddenly thinks he's a donkey trainer.
Your animal needs to be comfortable with being handled, standing quietly, walking through crowds and wearing the equipment.
Start slowly.
Put the equipment on at home. Let the animal become accustomed to it. Walk around the property. Add empty panniers. Then add a little weight.
Introduce distractions gradually.
The first time your animal experiences all of this shouldn't be at someone's wedding.
Use Equipment That Fits the Animal
Even though beverage burros generally carry relatively light loads, saddle fit still matters.
The saddle needs to be positioned correctly. Cinches need to be properly sized and adjusted. Panniers need to be balanced.
And the animal needs to be comfortable.
At Mountain Ridge Gear, we've spent years developing equipment specifically for donkeys, mules and other animals whose backs don't necessarily match equipment originally designed for horses.
We offer traditional sawbuck Beverage Burro packages as well as our adjustable ComfortStride® systems for animals that need greater adjustability.
But just as important as building the equipment is helping people understand how to use it.
We routinely help customers determine saddle size, cinch size, pad selection and proper equipment placement. If someone has a question, I'd much rather they call us and ask than guess.
That's one of the reasons the comment from the customer buying his third package meant so much to me.
He wasn't just telling me that our equipment had held up.
He was telling me that the equipment and the help we provided had become part of his success.
That's exactly what we want.
So, Can Your Burro Really Earn His Keep?
Maybe more than you think.
For some people, a Beverage Burro business becomes a fun side business that helps pay for feed, farrier work and the other expenses that come with owning animals.
For others, it becomes a serious event business with multiple animals and bookings months in advance.
I've watched customers do both.
But I wouldn't measure success simply by how many events you can book.
I think a successful Beverage Burro business should provide a good experience for four groups:
Your customer.
Their guests.
You.
And most importantly, your animal.
If all four are happy at the end of the event, you're probably doing something right.
So maybe it really is time for that donkey, or mini cow, standing out in your pasture to start earning his keep.
Just don't be surprised if six months from now he has a busier social calendar than you do.
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