About Us
Silver Buckle Services was founded in 2000 by Melissa Berschens, initially offering graphics and web design. Kasha Ford joined Melissa in 2001 adding her breadth of experience in art, advertising and sales to the firm. Together the award-winning duo is a force to be reckoned with, combining both the creative and technological skills necessary for marketing in such a unique ultra-niche industry. Today, Silver Buckle Services is a successful, full-service equine marketing enterprise providing a myriad of creative, design and consulting services to numerous equine businesses, organizations, horse owners, breeders, trainers and other equine professionals.
First and foremost we're horse-people, we’re also entrepreneurs and equine business owners. We understand your motivation, your goals and what you have at stake. We also understand marketing and how it's instrumental in the success of any business. Silver Buckle Services provides innovative solutions that attract attention, have impact and create sales action. We earn your continued business by helping you gain more business.
Silver Buckle Services is effective, committed, reliable and hands-on. We explore and discuss your marketing goals, then help you reach those goals with creative ideas and innovative visuals. Our philosophy is to listen to our customer then design. We put our knowledge, affiliations, industry relationships and resources to work for you.
Melissa and Kasha's love for fine horses, top notch creative design and unparalleled customer service has led to the growth and continued success of Silver Buckle Services. Business partners, Melissa Berschens and Kasha Ford are lifelong friends-having met in elementary school. The team grew up riding and competing together throughout Silicon Valley and the West Coast. Both women own horses, are avid equestrians with practical experience in everything from Team Penning to Dressage.
First and foremost we're horse-people, we’re also entrepreneurs and equine business owners. We understand your motivation, your goals and what you have at stake. We also understand marketing and how it's instrumental in the success of any business. Silver Buckle Services provides innovative solutions that attract attention, have impact and create sales action. We earn your continued business by helping you gain more business.
Silver Buckle Services is effective, committed, reliable and hands-on. We explore and discuss your marketing goals, then help you reach those goals with creative ideas and innovative visuals. Our philosophy is to listen to our customer then design. We put our knowledge, affiliations, industry relationships and resources to work for you.
Melissa and Kasha's love for fine horses, top notch creative design and unparalleled customer service has led to the growth and continued success of Silver Buckle Services. Business partners, Melissa Berschens and Kasha Ford are lifelong friends-having met in elementary school. The team grew up riding and competing together throughout Silicon Valley and the West Coast. Both women own horses, are avid equestrians with practical experience in everything from Team Penning to Dressage.
About Melissa Berschens
Melissa Berschens manages the web services, including
creative/design, development and programming, in addition to client relations.
Melissa Berschens earned a BS in Environmental Studies from San Jose State
University in San Jose, California. Along with her degree, Melissa has a
technical background in programming and web development, Flash, Javascript,
Photoshop and HTML.
Prior to starting Silver Buckle Services, Melissa spent 10 years at Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as a key team-member managing a unique, multi-code language, multi-thousand page website. Melissa's current specialty is website redesigns and website usability which, involves the practice of putting yourself in the user's shoes then designing the best site possible to meet that user’s specific needs. Melissa's wide range of web technology (application development, incorporating 3rd party software, e-commerce, content management systems, video delivery) skills provide an excellent resource to Silver Buckle Services clients. Her retail sales experience early on in her career, has led to a commitment to excellence in customer service. Previously a long-time equine competitor in everything from Jumping to Western Pleasure on the Open horse show and APHA Breed Circuit, currently Melissa enjoys trail riding in the Sierra foothills with her friends, Team Penning with her APHA mare "Patty" D'Impressive Surprise. When time allows, Melissa also shows her beloved APHA/AQHA horse, "Tucker" JHF ST Dancers Gold in Western Pleasure, Western Equitation, Trail and Halter, and is looking forward to another successful show season.
Melissa stays involved in many horse activities and served as secretary for Seven Counties Paint Horse Club for 5 years. Melissa also volunteered as the leader for Happy Sundowners 4H Horse Project in El Dorado County. Melissa resides on her modest ranch in the wine country in the beautiful Sierra Foothills of California with her daughter and husband, and four crazy dogs.
Prior to starting Silver Buckle Services, Melissa spent 10 years at Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as a key team-member managing a unique, multi-code language, multi-thousand page website. Melissa's current specialty is website redesigns and website usability which, involves the practice of putting yourself in the user's shoes then designing the best site possible to meet that user’s specific needs. Melissa's wide range of web technology (application development, incorporating 3rd party software, e-commerce, content management systems, video delivery) skills provide an excellent resource to Silver Buckle Services clients. Her retail sales experience early on in her career, has led to a commitment to excellence in customer service. Previously a long-time equine competitor in everything from Jumping to Western Pleasure on the Open horse show and APHA Breed Circuit, currently Melissa enjoys trail riding in the Sierra foothills with her friends, Team Penning with her APHA mare "Patty" D'Impressive Surprise. When time allows, Melissa also shows her beloved APHA/AQHA horse, "Tucker" JHF ST Dancers Gold in Western Pleasure, Western Equitation, Trail and Halter, and is looking forward to another successful show season.
Melissa stays involved in many horse activities and served as secretary for Seven Counties Paint Horse Club for 5 years. Melissa also volunteered as the leader for Happy Sundowners 4H Horse Project in El Dorado County. Melissa resides on her modest ranch in the wine country in the beautiful Sierra Foothills of California with her daughter and husband, and four crazy dogs.
About Kasha Ford
Kasha Ford manages much of the creative and business consulting elements. Kasha Ford earned a BS in Business, with a concentration in Marketing from San Jose State University in San Jose, California where she also completed coursework in Communication & Journalism. Kasha also attended Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo where she completed coursework in Animal Science and Agra-Business.
The daughter of a professional, contemporary mixed media artist and a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Kasha is what she calls “genetically artsy with a slant towards business”. A creative individual and lifelong art enthusiast, she has completed various art and design courses throughout her life. Kasha offers over two decades of professional marketing and sales experience. Clients often comment on her unique designs and her intuitive knack for taking what is in their mind and putting it down into the project.
Kasha’s marketing career began in 1990 as part of an award-winning marketing communications team for Trimble Navigation. Kasha later headed up Corporate Marketing & Western Regional Sales for Echo Engineering & Production Supply, where under her marketing management, the company experienced exceptional growth and sales. Wanting to combine her love of horses with business, Kasha joined forces with Melissa at Silver Buckle Services in 2001.
Also a lifelong competitor, Kasha continues to stay involved in the show scene as time allows with her home bred horse, APHA Breeders Trust mare "All In" aka "Ace". Kasha enjoys All-Around competition, Trail, Showmanship, Jumping & Dressage. She also enjoys 4H and trail riding with her two daughters. Her girls share "Lacey" an extremely tolerant Quarter Horse mare with their father who is defined as “horsey-by-marriage”. An equestrian ambassador, Kasha can often be found delighting the neighborhood children by giving pony or cart rides with the family's beleaguered Shetland. Staying involved outside of the show pen, Kasha also volunteered her creative time with Ride & Shine (former NARHA facility) and SCLAR. She currently assists Blue Bonnet Equine Rescue and is an active board member for Capitol Area Quarter Horse Association, as well as a member of several Paint and horse clubs. To keep her finger on the pulse of trends and advertising in the equestrian industry, Kasha works with an award-winning, southwestern publication in addition to several west coast and national online equestrian publications.
Kasha is a workaholic, an all around people person and an animal lover. Kasha and her family reside near Austin, Texas on a small ranch in a horse-friendly subdivision with their menagerie of 3 French Bulldogs, 1 Boston Terrier, a flock of Dorper Sheep, a maniacal barn cat and 2 Macaw Parrots. It's never a dull moment.
The daughter of a professional, contemporary mixed media artist and a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Kasha is what she calls “genetically artsy with a slant towards business”. A creative individual and lifelong art enthusiast, she has completed various art and design courses throughout her life. Kasha offers over two decades of professional marketing and sales experience. Clients often comment on her unique designs and her intuitive knack for taking what is in their mind and putting it down into the project.
Kasha’s marketing career began in 1990 as part of an award-winning marketing communications team for Trimble Navigation. Kasha later headed up Corporate Marketing & Western Regional Sales for Echo Engineering & Production Supply, where under her marketing management, the company experienced exceptional growth and sales. Wanting to combine her love of horses with business, Kasha joined forces with Melissa at Silver Buckle Services in 2001.
Also a lifelong competitor, Kasha continues to stay involved in the show scene as time allows with her home bred horse, APHA Breeders Trust mare "All In" aka "Ace". Kasha enjoys All-Around competition, Trail, Showmanship, Jumping & Dressage. She also enjoys 4H and trail riding with her two daughters. Her girls share "Lacey" an extremely tolerant Quarter Horse mare with their father who is defined as “horsey-by-marriage”. An equestrian ambassador, Kasha can often be found delighting the neighborhood children by giving pony or cart rides with the family's beleaguered Shetland. Staying involved outside of the show pen, Kasha also volunteered her creative time with Ride & Shine (former NARHA facility) and SCLAR. She currently assists Blue Bonnet Equine Rescue and is an active board member for Capitol Area Quarter Horse Association, as well as a member of several Paint and horse clubs. To keep her finger on the pulse of trends and advertising in the equestrian industry, Kasha works with an award-winning, southwestern publication in addition to several west coast and national online equestrian publications.
Kasha is a workaholic, an all around people person and an animal lover. Kasha and her family reside near Austin, Texas on a small ranch in a horse-friendly subdivision with their menagerie of 3 French Bulldogs, 1 Boston Terrier, a flock of Dorper Sheep, a maniacal barn cat and 2 Macaw Parrots. It's never a dull moment.
