Horses, Hope,
& Hustle

Following the Nudge: Crystal Show on Faith, Entrepreneurship, and Building Community

* Editor’s Note: As we launch the Horses, Hope & Hustle Network, it felt fitting to begin with a conversation about why this community exists in the first place. The following interview-style blog is adapted from a conversation on the Western Grace podcast, where the tables were turned and Crystal had the opportunity to share her own story, the heart behind Horses, Hope & Hustle, and the vision for where we’re headed.

“On this episode of Western Grace, host Reba Talbot sat down with Crystal — host of the western entrepreneurship podcast Horses, Hope & Hustle — to talk about faith, personal growth, surrender, and why the biggest leaps often come after we’ve already experienced success.”

Sometimes the path God lays out for us makes absolutely no sense on paper.
At least that’s how it looked from the outside when Crystal Show made the decision to walk away from the business she had spent years building and step fully into a new season centered around faith, storytelling, and community.

On this episode of Western Grace, host Reba Talbot sat down with Crystal to talk about entrepreneurship, personal growth, surrender, and why the biggest leaps of faith often come after we’ve already experienced success. Reba first discovered Crystal through the Horses, Hope & Hustle Podcast and quickly became a fan—not just of the conversations being shared, but of the heart behind them.

“You’re one of those people who makes everyone around you feel like they can do the thing they’re being called to do,” Reba told her.

For Crystal, that encouragement is something she had to learn to give herself first.

Building a Life While Building a Business

For years, Crystal poured everything she had into building Big Sky Horse Sales. Like many entrepreneurs, she became known for what she produced, how hard she worked, and her ability to keep pushing forward. But behind the scenes, life wasn’t always as polished as it appeared.

After walking through heartbreak and difficult seasons, Crystal spent years focused almost entirely on work. She built her business, grew her network, and established herself within the western industry. Yet despite the success, she knew something wasn’t quite right.

“I stayed single for five years,” Crystal shared. “I built my business and I was successful, but I still wasn’t in a great place personally.” Then came a decision that seemed small at the time. In January of 2025, she committed to a Dry January.
“I realized alcohol and me weren’t a very good combination,” she said. “I needed a change.”

That one decision became the beginning of a completely different chapter.
Within weeks, she met the man who would become her husband. Their first date happened in February. They were married by July. “When you know, you know,” Crystal laughed.

Looking back, she sees God’s fingerprints all over the timing.

When Success Isn’t the Final Destination

At the same time her personal life was changing, her business was experiencing its biggest year yet. From the outside, selling the company made little sense.
Why leave when things were finally working?
Why walk away from something that had taken years to build?
But the answer wasn’t found in spreadsheets or business projections. It was found in calling.

“Everyone thought I was crazy,” Crystal admitted. “Maybe I am. But I felt called to pursue the podcast.” That calling eventually led her to sell out of Big Sky Horse Sales and begin creating space for something new. The transition wasn’t easy.

Entrepreneurs often spend years learning how to hustle, push harder, and solve every problem that comes their way. Stepping into a season that requires patience, trust, and surrender can feel uncomfortable. “I’m having to learn how to be calm,” Crystal said. “I want to be the best wife I can be. Sometimes what made me a really good entrepreneur doesn’t necessarily make me a really good partner.” she admitted.

t’s a lesson many high-achievers understand well—the realization that growth sometimes means becoming a different version of yourself than the one that got you where you are.

The People God Places Along the Way

One theme continued to surface throughout the conversation: the people God sends at exactly the right time.

As Crystal described this new season, she talked about the unexpected connections that kept appearing just when she needed them. A website designer. New friends. Mentors. Podcast guests. People who seemed to arrive exactly when the next step became visible.

“It feels like little stepping stones,” she explained. “Every time I wonder what’s next, someone shows up who helps point me in that direction.”

For Crystal, those relationships have become confirmation that she’s moving where she’s supposed to be moving. Not because the path is always clear, but because God continues providing the next step.

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the conversation was Crystal’s vision for what comes next. While entrepreneurship has always been part of her story, her focus today has shifted beyond simply building a business.
It’s about building community.

Everything she’s learned through the horse industry—the relationships, the challenges, the opportunities—has led her to believe that western people need a place to genuinely connect. Not just market themselves. Not just sell. Connect.

That vision is becoming reality through the expansion of the Horses, Hope & Hustle Network. A growing platform designed to help horse people find resources, businesses, events, education, and encouragement all in one place.

“What I’m building now is really based around community,” Crystal shared. “I want to help entrepreneurs. I want to help associations. I want people to be able to find the resources they need.”

The goal isn’t simply another website.
It’s creating a gathering place for the western industry—a place built on authenticity, encouragement, and the belief that we rise higher when we support each other.

Trusting the Next Chapter

As the conversation wrapped up, one thing became clear: Crystal doesn’t have every answer. She doesn’t know exactly what the next five years look like.

But she does know this: The moments that changed her life most often started with a simple yes. A yes to making healthier choices. A yes to faith. A yes to relationships. A yes to walking away from something good in pursuit of something greater.

And a yes to trusting that when God calls, He also provides the path.

For anyone standing at a crossroads, wondering whether they should take the leap, Crystal’s story serves as a reminder that sometimes the most important opportunities aren’t the ones that make the most sense.

They’re the ones that require the most faith.
And often, those are the ones that change everything.

In Closing

The expansion of Horses, Hope & Hustle is proof that God often writes stories we could never plan ourselves. What started as a podcast has grown into a vision for community, connection, and serving the western industry in a bigger way. Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support, encouragement, and willingness to show up means more than you’ll ever know.

You can listen to the full journey and conversation on The Western Grace Podcast here.

— Crystal Show