Meet Antoineka Norman

We were lucky to catch up with Antoineka Norman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Antoineka , thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.

I reached a point where passion wasn’t enough. I was juggling motherhood, managing TheDogBFF Barkerie, and volunteering with Operation All Paws — all while trying to grow as a mentor and business owner. My days blurred together. I was doing everything “right,” but I felt completely wrong inside.

At first, I thought burnout was a sign that I needed to slow down — but it was actually a signal that I needed to systemize. I didn’t need to quit my mission. I needed to build a foundation that supported it.

That realization became the heartbeat of The Pet Biz Mentor. I built systems that could work even when I couldn’t — automated processes, clear workflows, and boundaries that protected both my creativity and my peace.

Now, I teach other pet professionals how to do the same. I help them create clarity around their chaos, structure around their purpose, and space for themselves inside their own businesses.

Because when we’re constantly burning out, our mission burns out with us. But when we build systems that protect our passion, our impact becomes sustainable — that’s when legacy stays in motion.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

What I do today feels like a full-circle moment — because everything I’ve built connects back to one mission: to make the world a healthier, happier place for pets and their people — one paw at a time.

Through The Pet Biz Mentor, I help pet entrepreneurs simplify, structure, and scale their businesses without burning out. It’s more than business coaching — it’s mentorship grounded in empathy and systems thinking. I get to watch passionate pet professionals transform from overwhelmed and overworked to confident and in control. That’s the heart of what excites me — seeing others find calm, clarity, and purpose inside their passion.

As Founder of TheDogBFF Barkerie, I’m still deeply connected to the work that started it all — baking small-batch, limited-ingredient treats made with transparency and trust. Every bag sold helps fund our nonprofit arm, Operation All Paws, which aids and assists homeless and low-income pet families with essentials like food, water, and supplies.

What makes our ecosystem unique is how everything feeds back into the same heartbeat: compassion in motion. The Barkerie supports the mission. The Pet Biz Mentor helps other pet founders create freedom through structure. And Fur_casso, our canine-human art collective, uses creativity as advocacy — painting joy, storytelling through color, and raising awareness for Abstract Canine Expressionism, which explores the creativity of a dog’s mind.

This year, we’re expanding in new ways that keep that legacy growing.
• The Pet Biz Mentor is launching new digital systems templates and educational resources for pet business owners who crave structure and sanity.
• TheDogBFF Barkerie is reintroducing fan-favorite treats under a refreshed “Handmade Standard” — our promise of clean, simple ingredients baked with care.
• Operation All Paws is growing its outreach partnerships to reach more underserved pet families.
• And Fur_casso will be performing live art demonstrations at upcoming community events to raise funds and awareness for Abstract Canine Expressionism, which explores the creativity of a dog’s mind.

What makes it all so special to me is that none of these brands exist in isolation — they’re threads of the same story. They represent different ways to show love, give back, and leave something lasting behind.

Because at the end of the day, it’s never just about treats or templates — it’s about building systems, stories, and structures that keep compassion alive long after we’re gone.

That’s what keeps our legacy in motion.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three qualities that shaped my journey the most are resilience, structure, and compassion — and each one came from experience, not a textbook.

1. Resilience:

Resilience taught me how to start over without starting from scratch. Every setback — from burnout to business pivots — was really a redirection toward something stronger. Resilience isn’t about never breaking; it’s about learning how to rebuild smarter.

Give yourself permission to pause, not quit. The quiet moments in between “what’s next” and “what now” often hold the clarity you need most.

2. Structure:

When I built systems, I found peace. It sounds simple, but structure gave me the freedom I was searching for. Once I learned how to create processes that worked when I didn’t — through The Pet Biz Mentor framework — I finally understood that stability isn’t restrictive; it’s empowering.

Don’t wait until chaos hits to build systems. Start small — automate one task, document one routine, or create one checklist. Consistency compounds into calm.

3. Compassion:

At the heart of everything I do — TheDogBFF Barkerie, Operation All Paws, Fur_casso, and The Pet Biz Mentor — is compassion. It’s the constant that keeps the work human. You can have all the strategy in the world, but if you forget the heart behind it, you’ll lose your spark.

Lead with empathy — toward your clients, your team, and yourself. Compassion isn’t soft; it’s sustainable leadership. It’s how you build something that outlives the metrics and becomes part of your legacy.

These three qualities — resilience, structure, and compassion — are the pillars of my ecosystem and my peace. They turned burnout into blueprint, chaos into clarity, and purpose into something lasting.

That’s how I’ve kept my legacy in motion — by building with heart, leading with systems, and never forgetting why I started.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I always say yes and no — because life’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Your strengths are your foundation, but your weaknesses are where your path to growth truly lies. I don’t believe in ignoring one for the other — I believe in understanding both deeply enough to know which deserves your focus right now.

When I first started TheDogBFF Barkerie, I leaned heavily into my strengths — creativity, community, and compassion. That’s what built connection and trust. But when it came to scaling, I realized my weakness was structure. I could bake all day and talk to customers with ease, but backend systems, finances, and boundaries were my growth edge.

That’s when The Pet Biz Mentor was born — not from perfection, but from pain. I didn’t just want to fix my weaknesses; I wanted to learn from them. I built systems that helped me grow through what I lacked, not around it. And now I teach others how to do the same — to see their challenges as teachers, not setbacks.

So yes, go all in on your strengths — because that’s where your confidence lives. But don’t fear your weaknesses — they’re your blueprint for evolution. Every flaw is feedback. Every struggle points you toward the next level of your purpose.

When you treat your weaknesses as invitations instead of limitations, you start building something that can’t be shaken — a legacy rooted in resilience, not perfection.

That’s how I live, lead, and keep my legacy in motion — learning from what strengthens me and growing through what stretches me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thepetbizmentor.com; www.thedogbff.com
• Instagram: @thedogbffbarkerie; @thepetbizmentor
• Facebook: The Dog BFF Barkerie; The Pet Biz Mentor
• Twitter: @thedogbff
• Youtube: @thedogbffbarkerie; @thepetbizmentor

Image Credits

John Truitt
Antoineka Norman
Sam Martin Photography
Jennifer Koep Photography