Having a mentor, someone who provides guidance and direction in life is invaluable. Coltin Sherrell, an entrepreneur based in North Texas, knows this firsthand. For him, one of his biggest mentors and supporters is his stepfather, Dakon Doggett.
“I’ve known Dakon my entire life. He married my mom when I was very young and has always been a father figure to me. He's very levelheaded and so good at navigating tough situations,” shared Sherrell. “It's really incredible watching him work in any capacity, even if it's difficult relationships with other people.
“He is always asking things like, ‘How can we understand the situation better?’ or ‘How can I understand where you're standing, and you understand where I'm standing so that we can proceed to make this a win-win situation?’ He's so good at that and it's something that I really admire and respect about him. It's something that I've tried to learn as best I can from him.”
Growing up, Sherrell watched as his mom, Amy, and stepdad founded and grew several businesses, including the Mule Barn Sports Bar & Grill, Lone Spur Café, LS Catering, and Lucky Spur Ranch Retreat. As a teen, working alongside his family in these businesses and observing how his family handles situations gave Sherrell great insight into being successful.
While it seems overwhelming to manage multiple businesses, Sherrell said Doggett taught him one simple rule that creates a sturdy foundation for any company.
“I think the keystone of how my family runs our businesses is that we treat everybody with respect,” he explained. “We understand people are human beings and make mistakes but treating them as if they are less in some way is completely against what we stand for and what we want to achieve.”
Last fall, Sherrell opened Higher Grounds, a local coffee shop that serves coffee, breakfast burritos brought in from a local chef, and pastries while providing a welcoming atmosphere and gathering place for the community. According to Doggett, opening Higher Grounds is a perfect fit for Sherrell.
“Coltin grew up in the hospitality industry and it comes naturally to him,” said Doggett. “If you’ve talked with him or done business with him, you know that hospitality is his blood. In the hospitality industry, at the end of the day, it's all about making people happy and exceeding their expectations.”
Sherrell, who loves making connections with people, wants the coffee shop to provide a great space for locals and a fun work environment for employees. As Sherrell took his first solo venture into owning a business, he looked to Doggett for guidance. Apart from cheering him on, Doggett advised Sherrell to proceed with caution and make educated decisions when it comes to financing and running a business. Sherrell also sought Doggett’s counsel on balancing running a business and having the business run you.
“The biggest thing that I've learned is that success is so relative. It's not all just numbers on a spreadsheet. It's how good the relationships are with your friends, family and community,” Sherrell shared. “It’s also important to trust the people that you've put in positions to do the job that you hired them to do. It’s good to guide them as they do their jobs, but hiring someone and then micromanaging them means they will never be efficient.”
For Doggett, watching Sherrell open his own business is a full-circle moment that brings him joy not just as a mentor, but as family.
“I'm very proud of him and I think he's doing great,” he said. “Coltin has always been very self-disciplined, motivated, and a hard worker, even when he was young and in school, so I’m also not surprised that he’s doing well.”
Each of the family’s businesses focuses on bringing people together and creating connections in the community. The restaurant, bar, café, and catering businesses allow people to gather for any big or small occasion. Lucky Spur Ranch Retreat serves as a venue for weddings, celebrations, and corporate events by offering picturesque scenery and opportunities to leave the stress of regular life behind. Overnight accommodation, on-site catering, outdoor activities, and fully equipped meeting spaces ensure groups and families have everything they need for an all-inclusive event or getaway.
“They all cultivate the same thing, a sense of community and togetherness,” said Sherrell. “I think it's indicative of the people we are because you don't spend lots of money and years of your time working to build something that cultivates community unless it's something really important to you.”
"The keystone of how my family runs our businesses is we treat everybody with respect."