Faxon stitches up her future

Casper – Every young person has a dream. Some want to be firemen, others doctors and still others astronauts. But for Abigail Faxon of the Casper FFA chapter, the dream was to become a veterinarian.

“I have wanted to become a veterinarian since I was three years old,” she says, but while other people her age might not have much of a plan to attain their goal, Faxon had a plan from the age of 12 to get her there.

Goose Egg Embroidery is a Casper custom embroidery business owned and operated by Faxon. For the last four years, she has served the Casper area while saving money for vet school.

Getting started

Faxon was asked how she began and says, “We found a big embroidery machine in Washington, and we hauled it home with my first market steers in the back of a trailer.”

She continues, “It became my SAE (supervised agricultural experience) for FFA.”

Starting with this one machine, Faxon began to develop a business and FFA project that would help to secure her future. 

Learning embroidery

Apparently, it is not as easy as one might think to run an embroidery machine. Faxon was met with her fair share of problems when it came to operating her machine at first.

She says, “When we got it home, we did not know how to run it. Through trial and error, my dad and I figured it out.”

Working with her father Greg, Faxon quickly learned how to operate and run her equipment.

“It took me several months to learn the whole embroidery machine and computer system,” Faxon explains.

She has also become proficient in pricing, bookkeeping and taxes.

Business opportunity

Fast forward to present day and Goose Egg Embroidery is a thriving business.

Still operating with that one machine, Faxon serves many local businesses and community members. She has several customers that are quite regular with her business.

Her clientele range from other agriculture producers and the 4-H program to a local auto-body shop.

While her workload is fairly light during the year, Christmas is often her most busy time.

Faxon says, “I’m really busy at Christmas time. People like embroidered gifts.”

Building the future

With such great business, it only seems natural that Faxon would want to expand Goose Egg Embroidery in the near future. However, this is not the case.

On her plans for expansion, Faxon comments, “Right now, I want it to stay how it is. I don’t plan on buying anything new. It works for me, and new machines are pretty expensive.”

Quite comfortable with her current workload and operation, Faxon is content to continue her business as it is.

However, she was also asked about her long-term goals for Goose Egg Embroidery. Does she plan on continuing it after vet school? If so, to what scale?

Faxon had an answer: “I will probably keep the machine, but I won’t have the business. I’ll mostly do things for close friends.”

Other FFA work

Though busy with embroidery work, Faxon still has other FFA goals to work toward.

She continues to show market beef at the county fair.

When asked about them, she says, “I really love the cattle. I have two heifers and am getting another one.”

She also shows chickens and swine at the fair. She has been very successful over the years, particularly in the poultry contest.

Even with all of these animals, she still finds the time to keep up her embroidery business.

Active member

Faxon is also very active within the Casper FFA Chapter.

For the last two years she has completed agri-science research projects that she submitted to the Wyoming State FFA Agriscience Fair.

She has competed on the FFA Veterinary Science team, the Agriculture Sales and Service team, the Poultry Judging team and many others. She has also run for a chapter office. While she unfortunately didn’t receive an office this year, Faxon plans on running again next year.

She also participates in the local 4-H program and shows animals there as well.

A look forward

Faxon plans on doing her undergraduate study at the University of Wyoming, receiving a four-year degree. Afterwards, she plans to either attend Colorado State University or Washington State University to receive her degree in veterinary medicine.

With Faxon’s drive and passion for her future, she will continue to go far in everything she does. When she hangs up her professional embroidery hat and dons her white coat to begin serving her four-legged patients, she will do it with the same planning and passion she has now.

Wilson Stewart is an intern for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.