Our president and founder Rachel Cutrer was featured in the March 2012 issue of "The Showbox" Magazine as a former TJLA member spotlight. Here is a copy of the article, written by Cody Trimble.
"A Star Is Born"
Former TJLA Member Spotlight Rachel Cutrer
With a click and a couple punches of keys, anybody can access a website of somebody who sells show stock. In that same amount of time a person can become bored with a website and go to another. This is why businesses strive to have the best site in the livestock industry and that means calling Rachel Cutrer.
Cutrer owns, operates, and started Ranch House Designs (RHD), a web and graphic design firm. Just over a decade ago Cutrer had a dream and the talent and drive to turn it into one of the most respected businesses in the livestock industry.
Cutrer grew up on V8 ranch and at age eight started showing Brahman heifers. She joined the TCCA, started showing every weekend, and from that point on was hooked. She went on to be extremely successful in the TCCA, (TJLA), and at major shows across Texas. During this time she developed the characteristics that have led to her immense success. Being involved in showing was the single most important contributor to her success, Cutrer says.
She also began to develop many relationships with future clients and a few that would mean much more than that. One of those vital relationships was with Dr. Larry Boleman and his family. They first met when Cutrer started showing in the TCCA, Boleman says. At an early age Cutrer’s outgoing personality and work ethic impressed Boleman. Boleman continued to follow Cutrer and her show career for the next 10 years. He could recognize she was a gifted young lady that was “extremely well disciplined and humble in her winnings.”
Cutrer would rise as a leader in her time through showing. She was a TJLA director for four years and president her senior year. While serving she met many professors and extension agents from Texas A&M University. This, coupled with the fact her dad was an A&M alum, contributed to the fact that she grew up an
Aggie convinced her to go to A&M, Cutrer says.
As a State Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Boleman was always looking for potential students to be help with projects he had in the A&M Animal Science Department. With Cutrer at A&M, she was at the top of Boleman’s list.
“She very quickly distinguished herself in our work and became one of the very best workers in our section that we have ever had at A&M,” Boleman recalls.
It was not only Cutrer making an impression on people, but she was also learning from many mentors herself, like Boleman and Dr. John McNeill. “They gave me the drive to be where I am today,” Cutrer says.
During her time working for beef cattle extension her vision and creativity would shine. She was entrusted with
being part of developing some of the first power points for them, Boleman observes.
After A&M she went to Michigan State University where she majored in Agricultural Communications. She would go back and work at A&M after MSU. She was also working for The Showbox at night and further developing her trade, Cutrer says.
While in college Cutrer was slowly developing her business. In 1998 her family was having a big production
sale and she thought it would be great to have pictures online forinternational customers. She put up a basic site and the response was great, Cutrer recalls. Friends started asking her to make sites for them and the business was born. One of her friends from showing, Ingrid Tusa, would become one of the first clients in
2001 and is still a client to this day, Tusa adds.
“Because of this longtime relationship, Rachel and her staff know what we expect and what we are looking for,” Tusa says. “They continue to impress us with their amazing and creative work and this is why we continue to be a client.”
In 2003 Cutrer started the business full time and in 2005 would move back to the ranch and open her first office in Wharton, Texas. The business has seen steady growth since then, up to 500 website customers now, Cutrer says.
Lessons learned in the show ring have led to this success for Cutrer. From the start she has strived to accomplish her biggest goal, help her customers succeed,Cutrer points out.
“My goal is to be as helpful and thoughtful to others as I can,” Cutrer says.
She certainly has not forgotten her roots. She offers scholarships at A&M, MSU, and through the TJLA.
She also supports numerous TJLA events.
“The TJLA is a place to build leadership,” Cutrer observes. “It is a strong venue to build families and develop relationships with many different people.” Cutrer and her husband, Brandon, anxiously anticipate the day their one year old daughter can join.
Publish Post
Cutrer is also an inspiration to her employees. Joelynn Donough was originally attracted to RHD at a young age, ripping the advertisements they made out of livestock magazines and keeping them in a binder because she was so impressed with them. Now working for RHD she is still blown away by Rachel.
“It is tough, even nowadays for women to be considered powerful, but she really is one of the most powerful business women, not just in our industry but, overall,” Donough passionately expresses. “I hope one day to be half the business leader she is and maybe have young females look up to me like I always have looked up to her.”
Cutrer has taken full advantage of opportunities to better herself through the TJLA, her time at A&M, and many other things. This is why RHD has been in the Aggie 100 (top 100 Aggie owned businesses) four times and recognized by the A&M Mays Business School.
“Rachel with her outgoing personality, pursuit of excellence, hard work, focus, vision, creativity, passion, and
love for agriculture and service was destined to be a success, and she is just that,” Boleman emphatically says. “I attribute a lot of those virtues and characteristics to working on the ranch and showing cattle.”
"A Star Is Born"Former TJLA Member Spotlight Rachel Cutrer
With a click and a couple punches of keys, anybody can access a website of somebody who sells show stock. In that same amount of time a person can become bored with a website and go to another. This is why businesses strive to have the best site in the livestock industry and that means calling Rachel Cutrer.
Cutrer owns, operates, and started Ranch House Designs (RHD), a web and graphic design firm. Just over a decade ago Cutrer had a dream and the talent and drive to turn it into one of the most respected businesses in the livestock industry.
Cutrer grew up on V8 ranch and at age eight started showing Brahman heifers. She joined the TCCA, started showing every weekend, and from that point on was hooked. She went on to be extremely successful in the TCCA, (TJLA), and at major shows across Texas. During this time she developed the characteristics that have led to her immense success. Being involved in showing was the single most important contributor to her success, Cutrer says.
She also began to develop many relationships with future clients and a few that would mean much more than that. One of those vital relationships was with Dr. Larry Boleman and his family. They first met when Cutrer started showing in the TCCA, Boleman says. At an early age Cutrer’s outgoing personality and work ethic impressed Boleman. Boleman continued to follow Cutrer and her show career for the next 10 years. He could recognize she was a gifted young lady that was “extremely well disciplined and humble in her winnings.”
Cutrer would rise as a leader in her time through showing. She was a TJLA director for four years and president her senior year. While serving she met many professors and extension agents from Texas A&M University. This, coupled with the fact her dad was an A&M alum, contributed to the fact that she grew up an
Aggie convinced her to go to A&M, Cutrer says.
As a State Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Boleman was always looking for potential students to be help with projects he had in the A&M Animal Science Department. With Cutrer at A&M, she was at the top of Boleman’s list.
“She very quickly distinguished herself in our work and became one of the very best workers in our section that we have ever had at A&M,” Boleman recalls.
It was not only Cutrer making an impression on people, but she was also learning from many mentors herself, like Boleman and Dr. John McNeill. “They gave me the drive to be where I am today,” Cutrer says.
During her time working for beef cattle extension her vision and creativity would shine. She was entrusted with
being part of developing some of the first power points for them, Boleman observes.
After A&M she went to Michigan State University where she majored in Agricultural Communications. She would go back and work at A&M after MSU. She was also working for The Showbox at night and further developing her trade, Cutrer says.
While in college Cutrer was slowly developing her business. In 1998 her family was having a big production
sale and she thought it would be great to have pictures online forinternational customers. She put up a basic site and the response was great, Cutrer recalls. Friends started asking her to make sites for them and the business was born. One of her friends from showing, Ingrid Tusa, would become one of the first clients in
2001 and is still a client to this day, Tusa adds.
“Because of this longtime relationship, Rachel and her staff know what we expect and what we are looking for,” Tusa says. “They continue to impress us with their amazing and creative work and this is why we continue to be a client.”
In 2003 Cutrer started the business full time and in 2005 would move back to the ranch and open her first office in Wharton, Texas. The business has seen steady growth since then, up to 500 website customers now, Cutrer says.
Lessons learned in the show ring have led to this success for Cutrer. From the start she has strived to accomplish her biggest goal, help her customers succeed,Cutrer points out.
“My goal is to be as helpful and thoughtful to others as I can,” Cutrer says.
She certainly has not forgotten her roots. She offers scholarships at A&M, MSU, and through the TJLA.
She also supports numerous TJLA events.
“The TJLA is a place to build leadership,” Cutrer observes. “It is a strong venue to build families and develop relationships with many different people.” Cutrer and her husband, Brandon, anxiously anticipate the day their one year old daughter can join.
Publish Post
Cutrer is also an inspiration to her employees. Joelynn Donough was originally attracted to RHD at a young age, ripping the advertisements they made out of livestock magazines and keeping them in a binder because she was so impressed with them. Now working for RHD she is still blown away by Rachel.
“It is tough, even nowadays for women to be considered powerful, but she really is one of the most powerful business women, not just in our industry but, overall,” Donough passionately expresses. “I hope one day to be half the business leader she is and maybe have young females look up to me like I always have looked up to her.”
Cutrer has taken full advantage of opportunities to better herself through the TJLA, her time at A&M, and many other things. This is why RHD has been in the Aggie 100 (top 100 Aggie owned businesses) four times and recognized by the A&M Mays Business School.
“Rachel with her outgoing personality, pursuit of excellence, hard work, focus, vision, creativity, passion, and
love for agriculture and service was destined to be a success, and she is just that,” Boleman emphatically says. “I attribute a lot of those virtues and characteristics to working on the ranch and showing cattle.”
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