Cody and Rikki Ruiz (also known as Muffin by those close to her!) have quite the story when it comes to business, love, and family! Rikki is the boss babe behind Frosted Cowgirls and Cody is the hat shaper with the magic touch that keeps Cody’s Cowboy Hats going!
‘A fashionista and a hat shaper. Cody and I met back in high school and became friends, then met again in college in 2004. After re-connecting in college at the University of Idaho, we started dating and have been together nearly fifteen years. I tease and tell a few good stories about how long it took us to get to the wedding day, let’s just say we took things very slowly. We bought the house, got the dog, had a baby, and then got married. It wasn’t and hasn’t ever been by the book.
“Cody’s been a lifelong entrepreneur (started at age five when he would wheel his wagon filled with potatoes around the neighborhood selling them to anyone who would buy). He knew he would own businesses and began putting in the work to make those come to life. He started his cattle trucking business in 2007 right after graduating college, and started selling hats in 2010. He helped create a vision in me for my own boutique and has been helping me see the vision since we started.
“Cody has always had a talent for shaping hats. He would shape them for friends, and a couple western stores around the valley. He started getting a reputation as someone who could fix up a hat. In 2010, a western store near us was going out of business, so Cody took over their hat ordering and started a little hat business himself. I was working full-time as an Extension Educator for the University of Idaho, and found myself needing a little extra money each month. I had a huge passion for western fashion and had always dreamed of owning a boutique. Cody encouraged me and even lended me the first bit of money to buy inventory. I established The Frosted Cowgirls in June of 2010, bought quite a bit of inventory, and found out I was pregnant all on the same day. That moment of starting a business and finding out you are about to be parents was the biggest rollercoaster of emotions I’ve ever been on.
“On the road- We purchased our mobile trailer a couple months after starting the businesses and set out to do a few shows. Looking back at those pictures makes me smile. We started with a few totes of merchandise and a couple boxes of hats. We really had no idea where this venture would take us.
“Today we have grown to be a well-known mobile boutique and cowboy hat shop. We ship across the nation through our online stores and have a small showroom on our property in New Plymouth. We travel to about 15 shows per year around the Northwest. The best part about this whole set-up is that we do this as a family. We get to be together and our kids get to see how hard work pays off. Raelee (our seven year old) has already been learning about hat shaping techniques and can paint a pretty cute feather for your hat. Claycee (age 4), loves to help me shop for new merchandise and model kids clothes.
“One day a customer asked Cody if he liked working with his wife, he said ‘She is one of the best business partners I could ask for. She keeps me on the straight and narrow and definitely keeps me on task. If I need a reality check, she’s sure to give me one, but most importantly she’s the encouragement that keeps me going. Without her I would not be as successful.’ “
“Those words are true for me as well. He is the visionary, and I’m the one who see’s all the steps to get to the goal. We work as a team for sure. There are stressful days, and sleepless nights, but we have each other’s back all the time. I always dreamed of a life where I get to work alongside my husband and kids, creating our own future, our own destiny and making our mark on the world.
“It’s a true love story of two big dreamers and doers.” -Rikki Ruiz (a.k.a. Muffin!)
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