In the News

Big Sky Business Journal: National Small Business Week & SBA Small Business Awards Issue

Montana’s slate of stars includes an especially bright star this year, with Sarah Calhoun, founder and owner of Red Ants Pants in White Sulphur Springs, capturing the Regional and National award for Women in Business Champion.

KXLH: Red Ants Pants Founder Honored

Ravalli Republic: Businesswomen gather in Hamilton for conference

Women by nature are curvy,” Sarah Calhoun told her audience. “Squeezing curvy women into square men’s pants comes with a lot of problems.” Calhoun proceeded to share a photo of said pants riding a bit too low on a woman, to the amusement – and applause – of attendees at the 2012 Women in Business Conference. Calhoun was the keynote speaker for the biannual conference, held at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton Thursday. She shared the story of starting her business, Red Ants Pants, as well as some of the ups and downs she’s faced along the way. “At 25, I very naively said, ‘Start a business? How hard could that be?’” Calhoun said. The audience laughed again. “I had a lot to learn and made a lot of mistakes.”

Billings Gazette: From the Editor

Promotional photos show women in far-flung places such as Antarctica and Greenland wearing Red Ants Pants. The company remains a good example of a niche company that can prosper in the Internet age. And success keeps coming Calhoun’s way. Last March the Montana Ambassadors honored Calhoun as Entrepreneur of the Year. In May, the U.S. Small Business Administration honored her as its National Women in Business champion.

Explore Big Sky: Business profile: tart

What is on the horizon for tart?We opened an online store in 2010, which has been expanding. It’s focused on bringing Montana goods to the nation. We have an exciting lineup of fine art shows rotating through the tart gallery with a percentage of each going to a nonprofit of the tartist’s choice. The Red Ants Pants party takes place this fall, allowing local ladies to purchase award-winning women’s work pants. tart’s birthday party, the biggest shindig of them all, takes place next February—tart will be six. I feel like a proud parent. I love where this business is going.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: 20 Under 40

Calhoun started Red Ants Pants, which makes American-made work pants for women, about six years ago in White Sulphur Springs. Her pants are sold around the world. She also started the Red Ants Pants Foundation, which supports women’s leadership, working family farms, ranches, and rural communities.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Bits and Pieces

Don’t miss the unique opportunity in West Yellowstone to hear Sarah Calhoun, award winning Montana business woman and founder of Red Ants Pants in White Sulphur Springs, share her inspiring and educational views about building a successful small business in rural Montana, at a leadership development luncheon presentation. Calhoun will be the featured speaker at a luncheon and outdoor fashion show on Saturday, Jan.12 at the Lounge at Madison Crossing in West Yellowstone. The luncheon will begin at 11 a.m. with networking, socializing and a buffet. Calhoun’s entertaining presentation during lunch will be followed by an outdoor clothing fashion show featuring Red Ants Pants, as well as winter wear from West Yellowstone’s Freeheel and Wheel and the Homeroom in the Madison Crossing building.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Sarah Calhoun can tell you what makes a good pair of pants

Calhoun, the owner of Red Ants Pants in White Sulphur Springs, knows all about pants. Business, however, she admitted she didn’t know much about when she first started her company in an old saddle shop in 2006. That would be hard to guess today with Calhoun’s list of business-related awards and recognitions though. She has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a 2012 National Women in Business Champion, the 2012 Woman in Business Champion for the Montana SBA and she was featured on the Whitehouse website and selected as one of two businesses from each state to attend a Forum on Jobs and Economic Development in November 2011. Calhoun was the featured speaker at the Leadership Development luncheon in West Yellowstone last Saturday.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Be true and be brave, Annual conference aims to empower high school girls

There is no blueprint for success, Sarah Calhoun told a group of high school girls on Saturday. “None of us really know what we’re doing,” the Red Ants Pants founder told the crowd. But there are some things these girls can do to become successful. Be self reliant, but also don’t be afraid of asking for help. Step outside your comfort zone and gain a little perspective. Find the right balance. Be true and be brave. That was the message Calhoun delivered as part of her keynote presentation at the annual Girls for a Change conference, hosted by Thrive. More than 150 high school girls from 32 communities across the state gathered at the Strand Union Building on the Montana State University campus for a day of workshops aimed at empowering the young girls.