07/06/2026
It started in cow camp at the Gang Ranch in British Columbia.
A million-acre ranch. No cell service. The middle of nowhere. Just a bunch of cowboys, horses, cattle, and me learning to braid rope in the evenings after work.
Back then, Bar M wasn’t a business. It wasn’t even really an idea. It was just something I enjoyed doing.
Fast forward a few years and somehow that little hobby has grown into a brand that people recognise across New Zealand and around the world. These days people stop me and ask, “Are you the Bar M lady?” or “You’re the hat lady, right?”
To be honest, I never imagined Bar M would become what it has. And I certainly never imagined I’d be here as the incredibly proud winner of the New Zealand Rural Women Young Businesswoman Award.
A few years ago at Equifest, a lady stopped by my stand and told me about a business idea she had. We chatted for a while and I remember telling her she just needed to back herself and give it a crack.
Three days later she came back to find me. She thanked me and said it was the push she needed.
That conversation has stuck with me because backing yourself is hard.
There have been countless moments where I’ve had absolutely no idea how I was going to make something work. Times where the numbers didn’t make sense. Times where the next step wasn’t obvious. Times where giving up would have been easier.
But I backed myself anyway.
And here we are.
Next week, Bar M turns six years old. Six years of learning, failing, figuring it out, trying again, and building something I’m incredibly proud of.
Winning this award isn’t just for me. It’s for every rural woman in New Zealand and beyond who is thinking about taking the first step.
The one sitting on an idea. The one wondering if she’s good enough. The one waiting until she feels ready.
Back yourself.
The best things I’ve ever done started with absolutely no guarantees.
Forever grateful. Thank you thank you thank you NZI.
With Grit & Grace,
Millie 🤠
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