Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Morr
Hi Jenna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m originally from a small town in Indiana with a population of less than 1,000 people. I grew up in the country where your neighbors were considered anyone living within 30 miles of you and you went to the same high school that your parents went and majority of your classmates were the kids of your parent’s classmates. I grew up on small town parades, Midwest homecooked meals and although we love the Friday Night Lights, the town shut down to pack sold out high school basketball gymnasiums to cheer on the hometown basketball team.
I grew up on the morals and values of the Midwest which mirrors many of those characteristics of the traditional western culture. Although most didn’t wear cowboy hats or fancy cowboy boots, the passion for agriculture, lending a helping hand and living a life of good character, hard work, compassion and high morale emulates that of the western lifestyle. My parents taught me very early on that everything must be earned, never given. They instilled in me that hard work was one of the few things in life that I could control when it came to success. Humility is never an option, it’s the only answer and to treat every person despite their background, viewpoint or appearance with respect and dignity, always. Throughout my upbringing, they always preached to me to dream beyond the county lines, dream bigger than cities you’ve heard about and be inspired by those before you but leave a legacy you’re proud of. But through it all, never forget where you came from.
Although my upbringing shaped much of who I am, the journey I’ve had since that small town in Indiana has been just as important in my growth personally and professionally and I’m so incredibly proud of that.
To many, I’ve had a very unconventional career path into the western industry. My undergraduate degree was in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Michigan State University. Immediately following graduation, I started graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Sports Management and Marketing. I loved the passion, high-energy environments and storytelling that came with sports and the joy it brought fans. That’s originally what attracted me to that industry. I’ve worked with collegiate and professional teams and with the top youth athletes at the nation’s #1 sports academy, which ultimately led me to PBR and my entrance into the western industry. I immediately fell in love with not only western sports, but the people, the culture and the lifestyle. It truly felt like it was a unification of my Midwest roots, passion for storytelling and marketing and love of sports. After PBR, I transitioned to a position with Cavender’s, one of the leading western retailers in the US. I led their social media and content while starting their youth and professional sponsored rodeo team featuring some of the top athletes in the country, bringing together my love for sports with a grand family-owned brand. But ultimately I was missing the live events space and knew I wanted to move to Fort Worth. I took a leap of faith, leaving Cavender’s to pursue a new role with a marketing agency specializing in youth sports, leaving the western sports space. It was scary and i wasn’t sure if it was the right move. However, it actually opened up more doors in the industry then I could ever imagine and ultimately led to the opportunity with Teton Ridge, the premier western events, lifestyle and media company, where I currently call home. I’m the Director of Social Media & Content at Teton Ridge, with a heavy emphasis on event marketing for our family of brands including The American Rodeo, Arizona Ridge Riders, one of the PBR Teams, just to name a few. From working with the world’s top rodeo athletes, telling stories of the western way of life and creating industry-leading content, no two days ever look alike and my creativity gets to run wild. And for that I’m truly grateful.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve faced many obstacles throughout my career, but one of the biggest challenges I have had was transitioning into the western industry. Unlike many industries, this isn’t simply a field of study or type of business, it’s a lifestyle. Individuals in this industry have lived the western lifestyle their entire lives. They grew up in this culture and it’s part of who they are. Although I grew up on similar values and from a rural area with a strong farming presence, it was still a stretch from the lingo, nuances and traditions that are present in the western lifestyle.
From the beginning, I knew I was an outsider and I was going to have dive in head first and put in 10x the work to be able to create and curate content that resonates to a culture that is easily one of the most passionate and authentic in the World. And a culture that isn’t afraid to call you out for being an imposter or fake. I knew that the only way I was going to earn the respect from this industry was by immersing myself whole-heartedly into this culture and lifestyle. So, I did. I started going to as many rodeo and western events as I could. I YouTubed rodeo events to learn the rules, I was invited into homes of ranchers, cowboys, cowgirls and families to witness their daily lives, I learned clothing and style lingo, and I started connecting with leaders in the industry and asked questions that were probably laughable to someone that’s been doing it their whole lives, all in an effort to immerse myself in the lifestyle. In order to do my job at an elite level, this what I required of myself because I respected the culture so much.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I think one of my proudest accomplishments is in the work I’ve done in the western industry. I know the time, energy and passion I have put in to truly be a member of this community and I’m so incredibly proud of that. I know that the relationships I’ve built and the respect I’ve earned in this industry was because of the effort and hard work I put in.
In addition, I’m very proud of many of the video storytelling pieces that I produced at Cavender’s. We told so many great stories from Hailey Kinsel, the Team Cavender’s youth rodeo team to the now PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen. Many of these pieces involve individuals and organizations with personal stories and require us to spend a significant amount of time with them, their families and at their homes. I’m very proud that they trusted and allowed for us to tell these stories with the world in a very impactful way. This lifestyle and culture lends itself to great storytelling pieces and something that I think resonates in a personal way with so many and I’m grateful I’ve had the honor of sharing these.
I have also gained over 500k followers across social media platforms for the Teton Ridge family of brands since starting at Teton, including being the most followed team on social media among all PBR Teams in the league
Also, the work I’ve done with athletes and educating them on understanding their value and opportunities as professional athletes in the western industry. I whole-heartedly believe in elevating athletes within the sport and with that comes the responsibility of guiding them on how to do so. Whether that be on how to interact with and pitch sponsors, add value to the brands they work with or simply how to brand themselves on social media. The sport and industry is only as good as our athletes, events and sponsors. I take great pride in educating, supporting and celebrating western athletes, especially youth athletes,
I’m currently the Director of Social Media and Content at Teton Ridge. Although that’s my title my role is much more than that. Part of my role also includes, athlete relations, paid media marketing, event marketing, content creation, and fan experience to name a few. I specialize in content creation, storytelling, athlete marketing and digital marketing. I’m known for being a leader in social media and content in the western industry. It’s often joked that I’m the “rodeo’s homecoming queen” because I’ve managed to meet and know a large amount of people in the western space.
I hope to inspire people to dream big, be passionate about the work you do and the importance of the impact you can have on people. I hope people see my passion, dedication and the heart and soul that is poured into my work and inspires others to do the same. I want to be a mentor for future rock stars in this industry and make a difference by paying it forward. I want to share the importance of investing in yourself and not being afraid to think outside of the box. I love sharing behind the scenes of my life and career in hopes that it may inspire others when choosing their career path and journey. I want to encourage people to embrace change when things don’t go as planned. We all have a future we envision and many times life has other plans for us. That’s what helps us grow and many times put us on the path that’s even better than we could imagine. Oh, and don’t forget to have some fun along the way.
I’m so inspired but those that have been trailblazers in this industry and have set such a high standard for success. They’ve been role models to our generation and because of what they’ve done, it’s allowed so many more opportunities for us. Especially the women of this industry. I’m inspired by my parents and the blue-collar work ethic they instilled in me at an early age. I’m grateful to be surrounded by colleagues, friends and role models who continually motivate me to push the envelope and raise the bar in the work I do and the expectations I have for myself. I’m motivated by my short and long term goals, both personally and professionally.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
It all starts with my parents and sister. They’ve always been so supportive of all my crazy ideas, cross-country moves and career decisions. They continue to push me to reach higher and dream bigger. I’ve been very blessed to have a strong foundation of friends who are my number one fans and cheerleaders. Many are very successful in their own careers and continue to motivate me on a daily basis. From dance teachers to former supervisors, entrepreneurs and business leaders, I’m so grateful to be supported, inspired and have them believe in me throughout different stages of my life. Within this industry, I have a strong circle of women who are current and future leaders, gamechangers and pioneers who I look up to, lean on, confide in, brainstorm with and who all share a similar goal, to contribute to this industry and leave it better than we found it. We lift each other up and celebrate each other’s successes. I’ve learned that having a great village is one of the most irreplaceable things you can have in life and I’m very grateful for mine.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I ever received that really helped shape me was “you can always come home”. It is one of the things I continue to keep in my head when I’ve been scared to take a leap of faith and move or take a new role. If you don’t take a chance you’ll regret it and if it doesn’t work out or it isn’t the thing for you…guess what. you can always come back.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejennamorr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennaMorr
