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The Keys to Success -- CowBoy Growing Story
Cowboy Sewing Machines began as a dream between two best friends from opposite sides of the world: Bill Jiang in China and Ryan Neel in the United States. Through more than 20 years of friendship, we have formed a unique, deeply rewarding bond.
Twenty-two years ago, we started with nothing but a dream and loads of ambition. We had limited resources, no influential backgrounds, and no one to guide us.
Today, Ryan owns a beautiful home and a factory in the United States, and I own a beautiful home and a factory in China.
Yet, these achievements were not built on high prices or maximizing short-term profits. Instead, we built our business on fair pricing and exceptionally high standards of quality. We refuse to provide cheap, unreliable equipment. Instead, we are committed to offering our customers the absolute best value for their money. More importantly, we provide expert customer service and stand firmly behind every machine we sell. That is why an ever-growing number of people from countries all over the globe trust CowBoy/HighTex for their machinery needs.
We are eternally grateful to everyone who has supported our business. I would like to share the core business principles we have learned over the years that have guided us toward our success. We hope this helps you understand the meaning behind the CowBoy/HighTex brand. Whether you decide to purchase our industrial sewing equipment, join our team, or start your own new business, we will be with you every step of the way.
1. Be 100% Honest
"Honesty is the best policy" is an old adage, but it is the literal foundation of our relationships. Ryan and I have been friends since 2004, back when I worked for a small factory making apparel industrial sewing machines. We were half a world apart and had never met in person. If either of us had been dishonest, we never could have become close friends purely through emails and phone calls, and this company would not exist today.
In our business dealings throughout the years, we have always maintained the courage to ask for help and feedback. We remain realistic about our capabilities and stay completely honest with our clients, our colleagues, and ourselves. This transparency is a major reason why CowBoy/HighTex has earned the respect of clients worldwide.
2. Fight to Win—Commit Completely
There is a famous saying in China: "Burn the boats behind you." It means to destroy all possible ways of escape or retreat, pushing forward with resolute determination because turning back is not an option.
Before entering the sewing machine industry, I worked as a painter, a pump technician, a quality inspector, and a quality manager. Whenever I realized that an occupation could not improve my standing in life, I resigned immediately. Unlike most people, I did not wait to find a new job before quitting. As a result, I was often unemployed and extremely poor during my youth—but I stuck to my dreams. If I had compromised or kept a safety net, I might still be a painter or a quality inspector today.
Before partnering with Ryan, I spent eight years paying off my education debt on a very basic salary. I had nothing but a small savings of 40,000 RMB (about $5,000 USD). If our business had failed, all of my savings would have vanished, my life would have been upended, and I might have lost the courage to keep going.
Before starting his side of the business, Ryan was a small-scale leatherworker operating out of his parents' home while working full-time as a grocery store manager. He had very little money saved. For his initial orders with me, he maximized his credit cards to transfer funds and purchase leather machinery. If he had lost that money, he would have been in a devastating position.
I do not encourage reckless risks. However, if you are building a business, you must have an incredibly strong will to succeed. If you start with a "just trying it out" mentality and only invest 10% of your time and money, your probability of success is only 10%. But if you invest everything and dedicate your resources to the business, your chances of success rise exponentially.
3. Trust and Loyalty
In the early days of our partnership, we were unable to manufacture our own sewing machines. We simply purchased existing machines, rebuilt them to higher quality standards, and resold them. Ryan and I visited countless manufacturers of sewing and cutting equipment to find reliable suppliers. Ryan would rebuild and test this equipment 100% before selling it. As our business grew, we established a technical team in China, regularly training them using Ryan's experience to ensure every machine is 100% rebuilt and tested before shipping. I was always completely transparent with Ryan about our suppliers, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.
If Ryan had tried to bypass me to buy directly from the factories, he could have saved money on commissions. Likewise, if I had tried to sell directly to American dealers and end-users, I could have made more money.
But if we had broken trust, we would not have the CowBoy of today—the largest leather sewing equipment supplier in the United States. CowBoy/HighTex would never have become a global enterprise. Today, we have professional, dedicated dealers in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, India, South Africa, and Brazil.
4. Respect Everyone
When we purchase from our suppliers, we never squeeze them for the lowest possible price. On the contrary, we respect their need for a reasonable profit margin. Without healthy profits, a supplier cannot guarantee quality or stay in business, which ultimately hurts our own operations.
When we sell to our customers, we treat them with the utmost respect. The responsibility of a CowBoy/HighTex sales engineer is never just to push a sale. Their job is to provide real, honest, and factual information in a genuine manner, helping clients make the right decision for their specific needs.
We also show this same respect and appreciation to our internal team and employees. We actively listen to their needs, concerns, feedback, and goals. Ultimately, we aren’t just building a company; we are building a family.
5. Follow a Dedicated Path
The people who succeed in life are intensely passionate about their niche. We concentrate almost exclusively on heavy-duty cutting and sewing equipment, intentionally blocking out everything else.
For the past 22 years, day and night, Ryan and I have poured ourselves into this business. Cowboy Sewing Machines is our whole life. We have 22 years of hard-earned, hands-on experience. Our primary competitive advantage is our deep, professional expertise in the field of heavy materials and thick threads.
6. Quality and Service
Quality and service are the cornerstones of any sustainable business. CowBoy/HighTex was founded on prioritizing quality over quantity. True to our founding principles, we commit to delivering top-quality machinery every single time.
We place the customer at the center of everything we do. We fully commit to consistently meeting expectations, going the extra mile to get the job done, and giving 100% effort in all of our endeavors. We continuously strive to be the most trustworthy supplier of heavy-duty industrial sewing and cutting machines in the world.
7. Long-Term Goals Over Short-Term Rewards
Think like a farmer. A farmer never thinks only about the short term. He must think months, or even years ahead, as he nurtures the land, sows his crops, and plans his next harvest. Year after year, he enriches the soil to yield better gains, constantly learning new ways to produce a bigger, healthier harvest. The same is true for CowBoy. Do not hunt for quick, easy money. Instead, focus on stable product quality, build long-lasting, enriching relationships with your customers, and take a genuine interest in ensuring their long-term success.
It is my sincere hope that these guiding business principles prove useful in your own venture, as they have worked incredibly well for both Ryan and me over the years. A successful company is always the result of years of hard work, meticulous planning, navigating both success and failure, and maintaining a tremendous amount of discipline. Rest assured that when you choose to purchase from CowBoy/HighTex, you will receive our absolute best, focused efforts, drawn directly from decades of knowledge and experience!
Bill Jiang
2024-10-28
Milestone of CowBoy
 2024: Buy a factory in Ohio, USA
2022: Start to produce Kinedyne serial powerful servo motor for heavy duty industrial sewing machine
2020: Buy a new factory premises to cope with increasing demands
2010: Upgrade business to HIGHTEX SPECIAL SEWING MACHINE CO.,LTD, star to produce heavy duty industrial sewing machine, leather craft equipment and heavy duty automatic programmable sewing machine
2008: Star to produce heavy duty automatic & programmable sewing machines and hot knife cutting equipment for other heavy weight applications, for example, lifting & lashing equipment, FIBC/Big Bags, safety harness and climbing ropes, upholstered furniture, as well as military industry
2006: Establish Sino-American joint-venture business “COWBOYCOMPANY”, train technical team for rebuilding leather sewing machine and automatic sewing equipment in China.
2004: Start to import heavy duty industrial leather sewing machines from China
2001: Start to resale industrial sewing machines and support equipment for the leather and heavy material industries, become the factory-authorized distributor of Consew, Tacony™ Corporation, Superior™ Sewing Machine Parts, Diamond Needle Corporation, Organ Needles, Groz Beckert Needles, Southern Thread™ and Linhanyl Thread
1996: Founding of the Neel's Saddlery and Harness workshop – use several industrial sewing machines and leather crafting equipment for stitching saddles, harness, leather belts, hand bags etc. This hands-on experience is the foundation stone of success in CowBoy / Hightex sewing machine business.
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