Get To Know Sarah O’Neil, Founder & CEO of Hansen Equestrian | Canadian Business Owner Spotlights by Kelsey Reidl, Marketing Consultant.
Meet Sarah O’Neil!
Founder & CEO of Hansen Equestrian, a Canadian equestrian brand creating functional, beautifully designed products for riders and horses.
Welcome to our Canadian Business Owner Spotlight Series hosted by me… Kelsey Reidl (Business & Marketing Consultant).
In this series, I'll be catching up with the most talented, generous & inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners in Canada & beyond.
Enjoy learning more about these wonderful humans, and give them a ‘follow’ or get in touch in order to collaborate with them + work with them.
-Kelsey
The TL;DR for Sarah O’Neil of Hansen Equestrian.
Sarah O’Neil is the Founder & CEO of Hansen Equestrian, a Canadian brand she has built since 2009. With more than 17 years of experience in product development, design and branding within the equestrian industry, Sarah has developed a distinct understanding of how to create products that are both highly functional and visually enduring.
Her work is guided by an instinct for what feels timeless, alongside a deep commitment to Canadian manufacturing and the value of building products with longevity in mind. From product concept and development to brand positioning and presentation, Sarah has shaped Hansen Equestrian with a clear and consistent point of view.
Today, she continues to lead the evolution of Hansen Equestrian as an independent Canadian brand, bringing together design, craftsmanship and a deep understanding of the market she has been part of for nearly two decades.
Okay, let’s get to know Sarah!
Name
Sarah O’Neil
Profession / Title
Founder & CEO
Business Name
Hansen Equestrian
Industry / Niche
Equestrian Product Development
My Business Was Founded In
2009
Current Location
Brantford, ON
3 words you would use to describe yourself…
Ambitious.
Sophisticated.
Creative.
Tell us more about your business
Hansen Equestrian is a Canadian equestrian brand I’ve been building for nearly two decades. It started as a high school project and grew into a business focused on something I’ve always felt was missing in the horse world: products that are genuinely useful, beautifully made and designed with a real understanding of how riders actually live. I’m deeply involved in the product development and design side of the business, and I’ve always been committed to manufacturing in Canada, even when it would be easier or cheaper to look elsewhere. After all these years, Hansen is still very much an independent, founder-led company—and I think that’s a big part of what makes it special.
I spend my days between my backyard office/design studio and my sewing shop. I host design consultations for show barns who want a custom catalog of branded items for their stable and horses, I pack and ship orders, work on daily operations and spend a lot of time working on the marketing and growth of my business.
Most of my clients find me through social media, networking opportunities and word of mouth.
In one or two sentences, what specific problem does your business solve for your clients?
Hansen solves two problems. The first is providing adequate protection luggage for equestrian equipment that is constantly traveling and the second is we provide high quality products that double as professional branding opportunities for equestrians to promote their farms and professional training programs at horse shows.
Recent milestone you've celebrated in your business
One of my biggest and most recent milestones was a 3 month feature in British Vogue.
What is a recent investment you’ve made in your business
I recently hired an art director. It was a huge step but I knew that the return would be worth it. As a solo-preneur you get to a point where you can’t do everything yourself and you can’t execute everything to the quality that is needed when you’re doing ten other jobs as well. My brand relies heavily on our luxury positioning and having a professional that can present my work the way it is meant to be seen has been a game changer.
What changed after that investment? Why do you see it as an investment, not an expense?
After having professional photography and videography on my social media, I was approached by British Vogue and offered a 3 month feature including a specific photography credit for my art director because they were so impressed with her work. The Vogue feature went viral with one post getting over 100k views, it has really helped to re-establish by brand in the luxury category and created momentum for the business that we are still building on.
What would you tell a new entrepreneur who's considering investing in the same thing, but is hesitant?
A major ad feature is a big investment that will only pay off if you have a strategy to go with it. The ad itself is not going achieve the maximum return on it’s own. Creating a campaign around it, how you present it on socials, what story you’re telling and how you’re increasing the reach of the ad is what is really going to make the difference. Choosing the right visuals, copy and call to action is a fundamental factor in advertising success but the supporting strategy is what it takes to really see the full ROI.
Now for some fun stuff!
Always…
Always trust your instincts.
Never…
Never be to proud to change your mind.
Advice for other entrepreneurs, who are slightly less far along…
Never stop learning. Most of us start with a creative idea and take a little too long to admit we really need to learn how to actually run a business. Learn the accounting software, shopify dashboard, meta ads, marketing strategies. Don’t ever get so wrapped up in working IN your business that you stop working ON your business.
What is a tool, resource, podcast, book or person you’ve invested in that’s added value to your entrepreneurial journey
Podcasts: Rain or Shine, The Small Business Growth Podcast, Working Hard with Grace Beverly
Books: The Psychology of Money, The 48 Laws of Power
People: Justina Reinhart Photography
Favourite way to wind down after a long workweek
We have family pizza night on friday nights and watch a movie and then I spend my weekends at the barn with my daughter for her riding lessons.
Before starting my workday, I make sure to…
But my morning routine is 20 minutes of yoga and 45 minutes on my walking pad while reading a book and it grounds me and helps me start each day in a calm and positive headspace.
Best part of my work is…
The personal growth journey that is entrepreneurship.
Last vacation you took (and where did you go)
The World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL
