70 SIDELINES JUNE 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
ByKatieNavarra
Traditionally, fathers and sons bond over sports. Fathers teach
their sons to throw a baseball or catch a football and they develop
a camaraderie rooting for or against favorite teams.
Rather than playing sports, Dr. Richard Timms, M.D. and his
daughter, Shay Timms, forged a relationship over the family
business, Troxel, known theworldover for its riding helmets.
Shay grew up “talking shop” with her father and developed a
keen business sense. At a young age, she was invited to attend
high-levelmeetingsand toparticipate inAdvisoryBoardmeetings.
During summer breaks she even worked at the company. “It was
somethingwe shared, like a father and son share baseball; it was
our thing,” she said.
She attended college and earned a business administration
degree and then continued her studies in business law. “I was
young and wanted to make my own way and prove that I could
do things on my own,” she said. “I don’t think that way anymore
and think that peoplewho have the opportunity towork in a family
business are very blessed.”
Herfirst full-time jobwasata lawfirm that specialized inmergers,
acquisitions and business transactions. Evenwith a career in law,
shenever completely left thecompany. “Mydadcalledandasked
if I coulddo some legal work for the company, so I did,” she said.
The contract work led to more full-time work when the company’s corporate
affairs employee left. That led into amarketing role and then, “my father askedme
if I wanted to take over as president and thenCEO,” she said.
Today, Shayservesas theCEOof Troxel, LLC. Thesmall- tomid-sizedbusiness
estimates that 3millionTroxel ridinghelmets are in the fieldat any given time.
No twodaysarealike inher positionasCEO.Her attentionmust quicklyshift from
insurance and liability to claims, marketing and customer satisfaction. “Everything
changes so fast,” she said. “Asanentrepreneur youhave tobewilling to constantly
learn, changeand reinvent the business.”
Because Troxel was willing to reinvent the business, the company thrived at a
critical point in its history. Prior tomanufacturing helmets for horseback riders, the
company was the leading manufacturer for bicycle helmets. “The response was
very good, but then themarket became very high volume and lowmargin and the
helmets became a commodity,” she explained, “it wasn’t a surprise, it happens in
business.”
Troxel saw an opportunity in the equestrian market and seized it. “The market
isn’t as concentrated and customers have brand loyalty,” she said.
The transition from onemarket to the next was successful because the company
was willing to adapt and consult with industry specialists. Shay believes it’s
imperative to surroundoneself with individualswho specialize in specific industries.
She hires experts in finance, product development, andweb design among others
tohelpher achieve the company’s goals. “Wehavea lot of peopleworkingwithus,
supporting us,” she said. “We take it very seriously to match the company needs
withwhat wewant to achieve.”
She acknowledges the importance of continuing professional development for
any business person. Hermonthly involvement with an international peer group for
CEOsprovidesaccess toworkshopsandmeetingson relevant topicseverymonth.
“I’ve always had amentor,” she added.
Serving as CEO of any company is challenging, but it can be equally
rewarding. Shay finds satisfaction in working with employees to find the
“right fit” within the company. “I enjoy finding the right place for the right
person so they can fulfill and become the best at what they can be,” she said.
An entrepreneurial spirit and connection to Troxel is one that has deep roots in the
Timms family. Shay’sgrandfather, RichardTimms, Sr., worked for Troxel Company
in the mid-1900s. Founded in 1898, the company started as an OEM (original
equipment manufacturing) company that specialized in producing steel parts and
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Entrepreneur
AHeadForBusiness:TroxelHelmets
SierraBrownTroxel helmet
Troxel CEOShay Timms, and her dadRick Timms, at awedding.
Rebel RoseTroxel helmet
