Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pamela Breece. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Pamela, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My strong work ethic undoubtedly comes from my father, Kenneth Muller. He established a construction company shortly after I was born, diving into entrepreneurship in his late twenties. Growing up, I witnessed his dedication as he toiled through long days, working tirelessly seven days a week. His commitment meant early departures before my school day began and late returns, often after my bedtime. Despite having three daughters, my father involved us in the physical aspects of his work – shoveling gravel, spreading mulch, mowing the lawn, and cleaning up construction sites. The principle of working hard to achieve one’s goals became ingrained in me from an early age.
When I was eleven, my parents encouraged me to take on an old-fashioned paper route with a hilly path, enduring East Coast snow and rain seven days a week, after school. This experience served as a fantastic first job and instilled in me the values of financial responsibility and commitment.
Research indicates that the likelihood of children pursuing entrepreneurship increases by approximately 60% when their parents are entrepreneurs. I am immensely grateful to have been raised by a father who exemplifies hard work and dedication. His influence has provided me with the foundation to pursue my own entrepreneurial aspirations.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an animal crazed equestrian, that has been working as a professional illustrator since 1999. In 2000, I introduced my first brand, Starfish Art, a stationery line showcased at the New York Stationery Show. My enthusiasm for all things paper—such as stickers, notecards, and notepads—remains strong, and I still thoroughly enjoy crafting beautiful stationery after all these years.
Apart from design, my other lifelong obsession has been horses. In 2013, I merged my design skills with my equine passion and established my second brand, Pony Macaroni. This equestrian brand takes a whimsical approach to traditional horse products, injecting color and unexpected design into everything from riding breeches and tops to stall signs and wallpaper.
While continually expanding my two brands, I dedicate a significant portion of my time to creating artwork for larger companies, primarily within the stationery, home goods, apparel and equestrian realms.
I’ve had the privilege of securing some of my favorite brands as clients, and
it’s been so exciting to see my licensed art on their products all over the world.
2023 was exciting for me on a creative level as I was able to publish my first children’s book, Penelope and Macaroni, which I wrote and illustrated. It is about a girl who grows up and lives in her house with her horse. The book is perfect for little horse lovers. The inspiration for Penelope and Macaroni was my horse, Charlie, who regularly comes into my house to visit! Currently, I’m working on the second book, aiming to create a small series.
I consider myself fortunate to reside and work on a small farm in Arizona, sharing my space with four horses, two pigs, two mini ponies, dozens of chickens, three dogs, three cats, and a few exceptional humans. Throughout the day, my studio is visited by dogs, cats, the pigs, and Charlie, creating a delightful and inspiring environment for creativity.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities or skills that were most impactful to me in my journey would be tenacity, a strong work ethic and resilience. For people early in their journey, I would tell them to dream big and make that dream crystal clear. I am a firm believer in manifesting. Thoughts become things so be clear on what you want and where you want to go. Once you have your vision, work hard, don’t give up, learn from mistakes and always move forward.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Right now one of my challenges is that I say yes to everything that interests me professionally. The problem with that is my plate is constantly overflowing. It’s like having a platter with all of your absolute favorite foods. I know that I need to take some items off, but it’s very difficult to decide as I adore everything that’s piled on. The real problem is that there is not enough time in a day! To remedy this issue, I need to start focusing on what projects I need to let go of and decide where my focus needs to be. I tend to work ALL. OF. THE. TIME. and while I love what I do immensely, it’s important to have more time for life’s other treasures.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ponymacaroni.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ponymacaronilove/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ponymacaronilove/
- Other: https://www.penelopeandmacaroni.com https://www.starfishart.com
Image Credits
all photos are mine – thanks!
