the evolution of american stalls
CEO Yash Balasaria on Craftsmanship, Innovation, and Legacy
Interview by Lindsay Hunter
Photographs by Erin Gilmore, Cassidy Brooke & Next Listing Studios
In the world of equestrian excellence, American Stalls has carved a niche for itself, evolving from a functional horse stall provider into a premier luxury brand. At the helm of this transformation is Yash Balasaria, a visionary entrepreneur with a deep-rooted passion for quality craftsmanship, innovation, and customer experience. In this exclusive interview, Yash takes us through the journey of American Stalls—how it all began, the pivotal moments that shaped its evolution, and the unwavering commitment to building world-class stabling solutions. From leveraging his family’s expertise in the steel industry to redefining equestrian luxury, Yash shares the lessons, challenges, and insights that have driven American Stalls to become a leader in the industry.
Can you take us back to the beginning? How did American Stalls start, and what was the initial vision?
My family has been in the global steel industry for 35 years. We specialize in heavy-industrial products for the steel making, mining, construction, fencing, and agricultural industries worldwide. American Stalls was founded in 2005 as the equestrian division of our family business when we wanted to explore other verticals for our steel products. In 2005, we won an RFP to build 1,500 horse stalls for HITS Horse Shows in Saugerties, New York. In the beginning days, we focused our efforts in “high-volume” opportunities instead of smaller, boutique projects. This was consistent with how we manufactured for our heavy industrial clients which is why we chose to focus on expo-stall equipment – servicing horse shows, fairgrounds, expo centers, and other commercial equestrian facilities.
What inspired you to focus on temporary stall solutions in the early days?
We were often appalled by the lack of quality, safety, and mindfulness in the horse stalls when we walked through horse shows. We naturally saw a need for a very high-quality portable horse stall product in the market. That means high-quality raw materials, safe design, and functional hardware. Additionally, our family business’s strength lies in our supply chain expertise, which is only unlocked when we manufacture in scale. That is why temporary stall solutions made sense for us to focus and specialize in. Over the years, we’re very proud of the amazing temporary horse stalls we’ve built for amazing facilities across the United States.
At what point did you see an opportunity to transition from temporary stalls to high-end, luxury designs?
As we gained enough footing in the industry, the “high-end” market became a more natural extension of myself and our firm. In the rest of our family business, we specialize in being industry leaders in niche, highly engineered products. We then back our products up with our extremely personable, warm, and authentic service. These two factors made the custom, high-end space a natural opportunity as it aligned with our product and client philosophies.
"We naturally saw a need for a very high-quality portable horse stall product in the market. That means high-quality raw materials, safe design, and functional hardware."
Yash Balasaria, CEO
Building a Luxury Brand
What was the biggest challenge in shifting the company’s image from functional, temporary stalls to a premium luxury brand?
At the time in 2019, we undertook a complete brand refresh, practically overnight. We invested a lot of resources, time, and energy to get the rebrand “right.” If we were to do a reband in 2025, it would be a lot more challenging than it was for us back in 2019. Mainly because we were a bit of an unknown brand in 2019 to the broader equestrian community – only known by the decision makers of large facilities. For this reason, our only real challenge during the rebrand was to begin building our portfolio of work.
What were the key steps you took in rebranding American Stalls? Did you change your marketing, design, or messaging strategy?
In simple terms, we went from positioning ourselves as a Toyota to a Bentley or a Casio to a Patek Philippe. Our product design spoke for itself as we used the finest raw materials, dialed in our design philosophy, and our choice in hardware. However, it was vital that we communicated the right way to the community. This included ensuring our digital presence was consistent, high-quality, and synonymous with what our clients are used to in other parts of their lives. I’m a nerd for high-end marketing as I’m a watch collector, motor enthusiast, and hospitality nerd. For that reason, I’ve always immersed myself in the marketing done by Porsche, Patek Philippe, Four Seasons, Singita, etc. We ensured our digital, print, and physical marketing language was consistent. Most importantly, we made sure that the new team we built was comprised of team members who had the hospitality DNA, where they naturally craved to deliver a surreal experience. That is the best form of marketing – warm, authentic service from the heart.
How did you educate your customers on the transformation and build trust in the new luxury positioning?
We build trust the minute our clients would engage with our brand – whether it was digitally or over the phone. Digitally, our marketing and messaging was all about value, lifestyle, and education. We deeply want to ensure our clients are well informed in their stabling equipment decisions s they’re large investments in their horses, farm, and their daily experience. You will find that is the case with the slew of educational materials found across our website, blog, podcasts, social media, but most importantly, when you speak to an American Stalls team member. Each sales team member is an avid equestrian who has experience in showing, breeding, or simply having their own horses. We built trust by deeply caring for our clients, their horses, and consulting them on what’s best for them.
Leadership & Vision
As a young entrepreneur, what were some of the biggest lessons you learned while growing the company?
So many lessons and still learning every day! My biggest lessons are:
Relationships are everything. Whether it is with our clients, their team of trainers, our fellow builder and architect relationships, our vendors, and the list goes on. When we invest in deep, long-term relationships, we will win long-term. We are a family business that will be here 100 years from now. We are confident that many of those relationships will also stand the test of time.
Our people are our greatest strength. Our American Stalls culture is incredibly infectious in the best way possible. We are a team of fanatics deeply passionate about building fine products and immersing ourselves in our clients’ projects. We are obsessed with making sure our clients enjoy the entire process—whether they are redoing their flooring or building a completely new barn from scratch. We invest in our people and in our culture, which then takes care of the rest.
We make our own standard. Lots of people and companies look outward and then do things in their companies. However, we don’t often pay attention to our competition. We are confident in our approach, philosophy, and culture at American Stalls. We have learned to make our own path by building the highest quality products in the industry – even if, sometimes, we outprice ourselves. We build the best and do the best work in the industry – we are confident the rest will follow.
“Relationships are everything. Whether it is with our clients, their team of trainers, our fellow builder and architect relationships, our vendors, and the list goes on. When we invest in deep, long-term relationships, we will win long-term.”
Yash Balasaria, CEO
You’re known for building strong relationships. How do you approach partnerships and client relationships differently from others in the industry?
Similar to what I mentioned above, we are a family business group that has lived the American Dream and been here for 35 years. It is my family’s and my legacy and desire to be around 100 years from now. As a result, we are long-term thinkers and doers. Everything from our relationship with our team members, how we invest our capital, to how we think about partnerships. Everything is thought about through the lens of longevity. If we do a project with a client, we always think that there is a high likelihood that we’ll help them with future, beautiful projects. The same goes for our professional partnerships with architects, builders, designers, owners representatives, and more. Each project is the seed for a multi-generational relationship where we get work together with high levels of trust, fun, and professional execution.
American Stalls is now known for impeccable craftsmanship and design. How do you maintain such high quality in a competitive market?
The simple benchmark is, “would I accept this in my own barn?” That is a very high bar as the product must be safe for the horse, first and foremost. The product, craftsmanship, and design must be timeless, functional, and perfectly crafted. This approach naturally flows top down and bottom up. Each person in our organization takes tremendous pride in our craft and we view it as a reflection of ourselves.
What’s your leadership philosophy? How do you inspire your team to keep innovating and delivering excellence?
My leadership philosophy is servant leadership. As a leader, there is a time and necessity for results and performance. That is non-negotiable. However, our team innovates, delivers excellence, and works tirelessly because we deeply care for each other. I don’t view it as my team works for me, it often is the other way around – I work for and with them. I don’t ask for anything to be done that I wouldn’t do myself. We deeply care for our team members by investing in their lives, their personal and professional growth, and building meaningful relationships in our small business. This, in turn, I believe allows our team members to feel safe, prideful, and confident in the firm they represent.
The Future of American Stalls
What excites you most about the future of American Stalls? Are there any new innovations or expansions on the horizon?
Eight years into our rebrand, I often feel a “pinch me” moment when I see what we’ve accomplished. We’ve had the great pleasure of building world class products for accomplished equestrians, businessmen, politicians, professional athletes, organizations such as the Kentucky Horse Park and the US Park Police, and more. The success we’ve had and sustained over the past 8 years is what excites me, that we’re only getting started. We look forward to continuing building long-lasting, deeply rooted relationships with the top architects, builders, equestrians, and professionals across the globe. We believe our commitment to these relationships, our product philosophy, and our client service approach will allow us to expand in more markets.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to elevate their brand and build something truly remarkable?
Not everything will yield monetary or objective success immediately. Building something truly remarkable takes time, patience, and incredible conviction. If you build something with your heart, intellectual curiosity, and tell the right story – people will come. The entrepreneurial journey is not for the faint of heart. It is a trying journey where you will confront self-doubt and fear, but it is ultimately the most rewarding.
As American Stalls continues to set new standards in equestrian luxury, Yash Balasaria’s leadership philosophy remains at the core of its success—building long-term relationships, maintaining uncompromising quality, and fostering a culture of excellence. His vision extends beyond just crafting superior products; it’s about creating experiences that resonate with equestrians, architects, and designers alike. With a keen eye on the future, Yash and his team are poised for further innovation and expansion, ensuring that American Stalls remains synonymous with craftsmanship, functionality, and timeless design. His journey serves as a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in building a brand that truly stands the test of time.
Looking to start your barn project or upgrade your current facility? We'd love to help you create a space that's beautiful, functional, and perfectly suited to your climate. Reach out to our team, and let's bring your vision to life.
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