Ignite your entrepreneurial spirit: Learn from the Chandler brothers’ success at Seven Peaks Fence and Barn
A love of animals inspired Matt, Trevor, and Jeff Chandler to start Seven Peaks Fence and Barn, a fencing business that helps fellow animal lovers keep their livestock.
Buster the horse changed the Chandler brothers for good. Matt, Trevor, and Jeff Chandler took turns raising calves and eventually sold them to buy Buster. The three brothers needed to build their own stall in their backyard for them to bring Buster home. With their new found love of rodeo and the cowboy way of life, the three brothers ended up building their own arena, improved their rodeo skills, and eventually won their first belt buckles from the local rodeo competition.
Today, more than a few such buckles hang inside Seven Peaks Fence and Barn’s Arizona office. The trophies don’t just signify quality horsemanship, but the commitment the Chandler brothers have to the “hardworking, tight-knit” livestock community that helped make them who they are.
“When you think of a cowboy, you think of somebody who’s hard working, somebody who’s honest, somebody who keeps their word. Their legacy means something to them,” said Trevor Chandler. “That’s the community that raised us. We always want to give back to that community and keep it going.”
Seven Peaks has customers from all different backgrounds, but the type of customer they see the most is the backyard hobbyists. Many are like the Chandlers themselves, who don’t come from much but do all they can to make many memories with their family and the animals they love. Seven Peaks Fence and Barn provides products that are extremely easy to assemble and are perfect for the backyard DIYers.
“We help people live their dreams of taking animals home and doing what they love,” said Jeff Chandler.
What’s it like being in business as three brothers?
The Chandler brothers built their first horse arena in their grandma’s backyard from wood donated by a contractor friend of their dads. After many years of building memories in that old wood arena the three brothers learned how to weld and upgraded to their first steel arena. This new skill of welding and fence building catapulted the three brothers into the world of business.
It was in 2017 when the Chandler brothers started Seven Peaks Fence and Barn out of their parents backyard. Initially, they focused on installing custom fences but have since changed their focus into manufacturing their own steel fencing products that customers can use for riding arenas, stalls, round pens, cattle systems, and much more.
Family is at the core of their work. The name — “Seven” Peaks Fence and Barn — comes from their father’s construction business, whose license the three continue to use today. Seven is a reference to the seven members of the Chandler family — the parents and five kids.
“A lot of people say, ‘I can’t work with family’ … but I can’t work without my brothers because it wouldn’t be the same,” said Trevor Chandler. “Without one another, our business would definitely suffer.”
What’s worked for them is finding their own roles. Matt, the youngest of the three co-owners, leads sales and operations. Trevor, the second oldest, heads production and is general manager of their original Mesa, Arizona, office. And Jeff, the oldest, runs the marketing team and is the general manager of their second store in Godley, Texas.
It turns out three heads are better than two, they said. While disagreements are rare, having three decision-makers means there are no deadlocked arguments.
They’re also able to pull from their family bond they’ve fostered constantly working toward a common goal, whether that was buying their very first horse or growing what is now a 37-employee business.
“We grew up and did everything together. We know each other’s weaknesses and strengths,” said Jeff Chandler. “We use that to our advantage to put each other in positions to succeed.”
Cowboys … on TikTok?
The Chandler brothers are three millennial cowboys who have embraced the latest ways to grow their business. While many of their competitors ignore social media, the three have relied on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and even TikTok to find customers across the southwestern part of the United States.
“If you want to scale and reach more people in business you need to make sure as many people as possible know about you and what your company does. In today's world that’s called ‘marketing.’ In our industry, you don’t see people posting on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok,” said Matt Chandler.
In business you have marketing, sales, operations, finance, human resources, and so many others, and it hasn't always been easy for the Chandler brothers. But one thing has remained steady through the course of their business and that’s their relationship with Wells Fargo. The bank handles Seven Peaks Fence and Barn’s business accounts, merchant processing, a credit line, customer financing options, and more.
“A lot of people say, ‘I can’t work with family,’ … but I can’t work without my brothers.” — Trevor Chandler, Seven Peaks Fence and Barn
“They’re gaining market share because of that willingness to try new strategies. And it shows in their numbers, too. They’ve grown the business, doubling their revenue since I’ve known them,” said Samuel Mecham, a senior small business banking relationship manager who’s worked with the Chandler brothers since 2021. “Loyalty is a big part [of their success, too … and that trust goes both ways.”
“It’s been a blessing and honor to continue to be part of the community and do what we love in a different way,” said Jeff Chandler. “[We’ve been able to be] part of people’s stories.”
