We had the good fortune of connecting with Evie Harper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I had a hobby that I’d loved since high school, but off-road driving didn’t strike me as a career. However, in 2020, I discovered the women’s only Rebelle Rally, The Rebelle Rally is the first women’s off-road navigation rally raid in the United States. “Blending the love of driving with the ultimate challenge of precise navigation, the Rebelle tests your skills over 8 days of competition. It is not a race for speed, but a unique and demanding event based on the elements of headings, hidden checkpoints, time, and distance using maps, compass, and roadbook.” As I explored taking myself further with entering this competition, I realized I had the potential for growth as a business. The more research I did, the more engaged I became.

Comparing entry records to manufacturers, I wanted a vehicle that hadn’t yet been used at this event. With a reputation as the leader in safety innovation, and robust design, the Volvo was the perfect choice. While not your run of the mill off-road vehicle, a few have toyed with upgrading Volvo’s station wagons to perform beyond the norm, but again, I wanted to take things a step further outside the norm. Ultimately, I selected the Swedish manufacturer’s luxury SUV, the XC90. Set on the vehicle, I needed a partner. How many people do you know that you can spend 8 days with traversing challenging terrain without any electronics? Personally, my list was short.

Across the globe in Australia was my cousin, international best-selling author, and female empowerment guru, Jemimah Ashleigh. Who better? And she was in! But the pandemic quickly put a wrench in those plans.

Frustrated that our plans for the Rebelle would have to wait, I started looking for other competitions, something shorter that might open the potential for an alternate teammate. Coming across the annual Mint 400 in Las Vegas, I decided it looked like the right alternative. The vehicle would need more modifications, but that became part of the excitement and challenge.

Initially, starting my own business was about the financial benefits. Crunching the numbers on buying a vehicle, the modifications, travel, entry fees, etc. It was going to be an expensive endeavor. That’s where I discovered that as a business, there were a number of substantial tax breaks I could take advantage of. The trajectory it put me on continues to expose the advantages of being a business.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

The 2022 race season kicked off with the reveal of our custom-built Baja Volvo XC90, and what better way to show it off than a massive off-road vehicle parade down the iconic Las Vegas strip, a two-day festival on historic Freemont Street, and ultimately proving its capabilities on the punishing 200-mile off-road course in the unforgiving Nevada desert. Attended by more than 65,000 off-road and recreational enthusiasts, covered by ESPN2 and livestreamed to over 800,000 viewers worldwide, the Mint 400 was the perfect premiere event for this one-of-a-kind build. The enthusiastic reaction and support of motorsports fans and our fellow competitors was everything I could have hoped for.

After taking second place, with co-driver Elijah Goldsmith, in the Stock Mid-Size Truck/SUV class at the Mint 400, our first competition, I’m so excited for what lays ahead. We have welcomed Rachel Micander to the team as my partner for the 2023 Rebelle Rally. Rachel has over a decade of experience navigating with topo maps throughout Nevada and parts of CA for work and basically looks at maps of the southwest every day. She’s a graduate student in geology – so lots of off road and mapping currently. Did I mention, she’s a former Rebelle? Rachael competed in the Rebelle Rally in 2016 in a Toyota Tacoma.

The adventure begins long before the competition so I hope you’ll follow along, help us share our journey and come hang out at Off-Road Expo, SEMA, Las Vegas Cars and Coffee meet up on Saturday Mornings at Shelby American, or one of the events we will be putting together to help with fundraising for the Rebelle Rally entry costs!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Las Vegas is full of excitement, dining, and endless shows. However, many of my favorite places lay just outside the city. Recently, I discovered the Ghost Town of Nelson, NV and have to recommend it to anyone. About 45 minutes south of Vegas, it’s a short trip that’s worth it. Make sure to call ahead to Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours to book a tour of the mine.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

So many people have been a part of this journey, but I owe a shout-out to Josh and Chad Hall of Hall Racing. Our class competition at the Mint400, and a major pillar in the history of desert racing. They were approachable, friendly, and offered a warm welcome to the community of off-road racing.

Of Course I can’t forget the team at Goldies Garage. I’m very grateful for their help with the build of the XC90 and getting us through the Mint400.

Lastly, a thank-you to all our partners for their support – East Van Inc, BeyondBoxing, Optima Batteries, Lordco, and Freedom Recovery Gear.

Website: www.evieqharper.com

Instagram: evieqharper

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evieqharper/

Other: @goldies_garage https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzFHajX9a7Y-opBhkgrvcOA

Image Credits
DirtNation Goldies Garage

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