If your local service business is visible online but calls or inquiries are inconsistent, the Pipeline Profit Inspection shows where the handoff breaks and what to fix first.
Run the $295 Pipeline Profit InspectionDelivered asynchronously (written findings + Loom). No calls required.
Guest: McKinley Madril
Organization: Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids (TRAK)
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Category: Nonprofit / Animal-assisted therapy
In this episode, I sit down with McKinley Madril from Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids (TRAK), a Tucson-based nonprofit providing animal-assisted therapeutic programs. We talk about how TRAK began, what daily life looks like on the ranch, and how hands-on education and animal care create growth for the people they serve.
We also discuss how families typically find TRAK, what feels capped about outreach and visibility, and what it really takes to sustain this kind of organization behind the scenes.
Learn more about Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids (TRAK) in Tucson, including their mission, programs, and community impact.
Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids (TRAK) is a Tucson-based nonprofit offering animal-assisted therapeutic programs for children and adults, including individuals with special needs, first responders, veterans, and families. Their work focuses on building confidence, communication, independence, and emotional regulation through structured interaction with animals in a ranch setting.
TRAK serves a tightly connected local community where word-of-mouth, trust, and long-term relationships play a major role in visibility. Much of their growth comes from families, educators, and community members sharing their experiences directly with others.
Many of the themes in this conversation — trust, reputation, and being found at the right moment — show up in how local businesses experience Google.
If you rely on local search for calls or inquiries and aren’t sure what’s helping or hurting your visibility right now, the Pipeline Profit Inspection shows exactly where things are leaking and what to fix first.
Learn more about the Pipeline Profit Inspection.
Below is a readable transcript excerpt from the conversation. Minor edits were made for clarity.
Elaine: Today I’m sitting down with McKinley Madril from Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids, also known as TRAK, a Tucson organization doing meaningful work with kids, families, and animals. We’re talking about how the work actually happens.
Elaine: Can you walk me through how TRAK started and what problem it was trying to solve?
McKinley: TRAK started with our co-founders, Scott and Jill. Jill had a background in special education and was working in schools, but she kept finding that traditional therapies weren’t enough. They also had young daughters and wanted more family time, while still helping others.
McKinley: Scott grew up learning about horses after his family moved to New Mexico, where his neighbor had racehorses. They loved animals, loved their children, and cared deeply about the special needs community. They wanted to create a ranch environment that could support people in ways traditional settings couldn’t.
Elaine: What does the ranch make possible that wouldn’t happen otherwise?
McKinley: Honestly, everything. We have an adult participant with severe autism who was told he would never speak or function independently. Here, he rides horses independently, communicates with staff, builds friendships, and has learned skills that transferred into daily life — including learning how to drive, starting with a golf cart on the ranch.
McKinley: Through working with animals, people build communication, confidence, emotional awareness, focus, and trust. Those skills grow naturally because they’re earned through real experiences, not forced in an office setting.
Elaine: How do most people find TRAK?
McKinley: Mostly word-of-mouth and being out in the community. The special needs community is very connected, and families talk. Outreach events and hands-on exposure are still our biggest drivers.
Elaine: What feels capped or challenging right now?
McKinley: Online outreach and social media. We’re a small staff, and the hands-on work always comes first. Being visible online takes time we don’t always have.
Elaine: What do people not see about running this kind of organization?
McKinley: The work never stops. Animal care is constant. Emergencies happen. We’re here early mornings, late nights, and sometimes overnight. It’s a full-day commitment, every day.
Elaine: How can someone support or get involved?
McKinley: Volunteering is huge. Visiting the ranch, spreading the word, donating — especially since Arizona offers a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for nonprofits like ours.
This episode is part of the Two Lane Tucson series featuring local business owners and organizations.