Meet Jeremy Stamper | Director of Pet Society Pet Products LLC

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

Hi Jeremy, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
As an entrepreneur the idea of a personal life can sometimes feel unheard of. A new business can often feel like a newborn baby. You feel a strong need to pour all of your energy and attention into it. Listening for the slightest signs of something stirring, prepared to rush in at the slightest sounds of something going wrong. Envisioning what it will grow into and preparing yourself for worst case scenarios. Often sleeping with one eye open, anticipating those inevitable cries. As an entrepreneur and business owner, we often poor our hearts and souls into our projects and in essence they are an extension of who we are. Sometimes this love and care for what we have created can begin to create imbalances in our lives. Our health and happiness may begin to suffer, our relationships with family and friends can feel strained and there is sometimes this unwavering sense of “If I let go for even a moment, everything might fall apart.”

In my first few years of business ownership, I felt a constant sense of impending doom. This looming feeling that every second I was at risk of failure, that I was always just one misstep away from everything imploding. I often didn’t sleep well, I found myself stress-eating and often times feeling very hopeless. All of this stress came from a very good hearted place. I wanted to see my business thrive, I felt a strong sense of duty to the people I employed and I wanted to prove to everyone that had invested in my journey that they made the right choice. Eventually this all came to a head and I found myself very burned out. I started taking more time to respond to emails, I started avoiding phone calls and found myself less motivated to get my day started, I started leaving decisions up to my employees discretion. In the process of letting go, I started to notice that my business was still continuing to move, I still had people inquiring about my brand and employees making good decisions for the business (decisions I was way to burned out to make clearly)

This led me to discover a few key principles of balance in business. The first is that the most efficient way to carry things when your arms are full is to put everything down, rest and then find the most organized way to stack everything back up and continue to carry it. Rest and time away are essential parts of a successful business. Rest leaves a clear mind and clear minds make efficient decisions. Efficient decisions save time, save money and lead to stronger business practices.

The second is that growth and development are found in new experiences, new places and new people. Time away allows moments in new environments and opportunities for new connections. Some of my best ideas have come from a moment of inspiration while having a new experience, it could be customer service at a restaurant, a piece of art that inspires a new design concept, inspiration is everywhere. Some of my greatest business mentors or partners have been people I have met while taking time away from the office to try a new bar, restaurant or even take a vacation. Make sure you are allowing yourself the opportunity to engage in new experiences, your business will thrive from it.

The third is that balance has to be a part of the business plan. As entrepreneurs we spend a lot of time creating strategies about how to make our businesses successful. Goals, plans and budgets. If a key factor of your business thriving and experiencing long-term sustainability is you thriving and sustaining yourself, this should be something that is factored into the business plan. Set goals for time off, set boundaries with hours of work, make acknowledgments about your struggles with maintaining balance and make those a priority to address. Incorporate your personal wellness into your business plans for the year.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Pet Society Pet Products LLC is a company based in Sao Paulo, Brazil and launched in the United States 6 years ago. We are a leading manufacturer of Pet Cosmetics (Shampoos, Conditioners Etc…) for professional dog groomers, veterinarians and pet owners.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this to my business partners Marly Fagliari, Luciano Fagliari and Angelica Avila. Marly and Luciano have been amazing mentors to me throughout the years and given me many opportunities to learn and explore my talents for business. I would also like to thank Angelica my business partner that initially helped me to launch Pet Society Pet Products LLC in the United States. She has been unwavering support and encouragement throughout the growth of our brand.

Website: www.petsocietystore.com

Instagram: jeremy_from_hydra

Facebook: Jeremy Stamper