We had the good fortune of connecting with Amy McTague and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Amy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process was very simple… I had gotten to a point in my career in the dental field where I had been a dental hygienist for 20+ years & was tired of the race I didn’t ask to run in. (A job uses salary as a way of brainwashing us into forgetting our dreams). I began spiraling into depression & got to a point when I lost a couple family members when I began to seek outside help. The counselor I spoke with explained what I already knew which was “my job was killing me slowly”. She asked one day after a month of me seeking help what I would do if I could do anything as a different job. I replied “Taxidermy”! I began sharing with her the way I felt when I went hunting the peace I felt when it was just me in the woods. The counselor told me I just lit up when I shared with her how being out in the woods does for me & she encouraged me to find a school to go too. I told her it was too expensive, took too much time away from my family, etc. Needless to say she found a school for me & in Aug 2021 I went to school on the weekends & worked my full time job during the week. In September 2021 I jumped in faith that my show was going to take off.
Last year alone I was able to get 72 shoulder mounts completed & back to their new homes on the walls for my customers.
This is my second year 10/15/22 and it is off to an incredible start.
I wanted to be able to share my story, encourage others to go after their dream no matter what age they are & to JUMP in faith to where God wants them to be.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For all of my life I worked in the dental field (as an assistant for years, went on to become a dental hygienist for 20+ years; then as an insurance agent for a onsite dental company) @ age 50 I felt God nudging me more than I ever have in my life. Many of lifes challenges, losses and obstacles came at me “i felt” at once spiraling me into depression or “a valley” as I have mentioned before & the only time I felt peace was when I went to the woods along. This is where God met me & rejuvenated my soul. However the job at the time I was in had begun to micromanage my time demanding goals that were unachievable, designating job requirement outside my ability & what was listed in my job duties. I sought professional help which I do believe my couselor is an angel that was sent to me.
She said to me one day after about a month of seeing her “Your job Amy is killing you! What would you do if you could do anything in this world as a job?” I immediately blurted out “taxidermy”. Needless to say she did a double take on the response and asked me to repeat it. “I would be a taxidermist”. I still don’t know what possessed me to say this b/c I had never looked into videos or anything to see if I would really like it, I had no clue… I just knew I enjoyed being outdoors, I love hunting & I am creative, artistic. The fact that was stopping me was I had no where to go & learn. The couselor went to searching & found a school for me & I again felt the nudge to take the step…. I contacted the school & the instructor was willing to work with me on a schedule that allowed me to work my weekly job while going to school 12 a day on the weekend. This was August of 2021.
I excelled in class & was taught several species in my limited time grasping it completely. I decided to give myself a goal of quitting my JOB in December to go full time (I thought if i could get 15 deer by then I could get 15 more) but GOD had a different plan.
On Sept 29,2021 my devotion that is sent to me online/email said “today I resign from my job”… a black & white answer to a prayer I had been praying for. I sent my resignation 10/1 effective for 10/14 & jumped into being a full time, owner of PrimeTime Taxidermy. Last year I was sent 72 bucks!!! And my clients were beyond a blessing to work with.
Was this easy? NO! It was terrifying to completely change my career & rely on my shop for bills to be paid.
I stepped out on faith God will provide.
I step continually on a daily moment to moment basis in faith God will show me a way to complete the mounts/species before me. I am not afraid to work on any animal that comes my way and my clients are aware of my story. They support my faith, they support my work & know I will provide them with the best work for the preservation of their animal as possible.
What do I want the world to know about me and my story? Its simple it isn’t mine… its God & you to have the ability to go after those dreams that are meant for you alone! You just have to have faith in His plan & jump when you feel the nudge of His presence…. RELENTLESS FAITH
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I personally live in a very small town & there wouldn’t be place to go etc. I would however take them to the place I love to go which is the woods. We would take food to cook outside on the firepit, camp in our teepee we take, wake up to the sunrise with hot coffee & fresh breakfast on the fire. Then we would just go to the woods where the trees speak in the silence, observe nature & wildlife, listen to the birds & just take a break from the world. Get regrounded & back to our roots.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Well with me being a momma, wife, Omi (grandma to 3 littles) I believe my family is first I would give thanks too! They’ve been right beside me encouraging me to jump into this!
I’ve also found my tribe of women who are my close friends that do the same (none of which are hunters like I am)
Instagram: PrimeTimeTaxidermy2021
Facebook: Amy McTague and/or PrimeTime Taxidermy (w/ a female on the picture)