We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sandy Ellis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sandy, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience is forged through the crucible of life itself — shaped by experiences that have tested and transformed me. Life’s unpredictability has taught me that adversity isn’t just inevitable but essential for growth. It’s through facing pain and overcoming tragedy that I’ve learned resilience isn’t just about bouncing back; it’s about choosing to grow stronger with every challenge life presents
One of my favorite things to do is surf. As a surfer, I’ve learned to approach life similarly to how I approach surfing. When a huge wave is coming towards you, the only way to get through it is to charge it. You have to head directly towards it, either by swimming over it or ducking under it. Then, you set yourself up to turn around and catch the next wave that’s coming.
Life, especially resilience in my case dealing with grief, is much the same. I’ve faced a lot of loss in a very short amount of time, (I’ve endured the loss of a childhood best friend to suicide right after high school, a dear college friend in a plane crash, my daughter’s father in a base-jumping accident, and, two weeks later, my youngest brother to suicide.) these experiences of loss profoundly shaped my resilience. The only way I knew to deal with it was the same way I handle catching the next wave—I charged it. I sought therapy, read every self-help book I could find, listened to podcasts, and leveraged mentors. Even though I couldn’t get over the wave at that time, I found myself on the other side when I realized that all these efforts led me to understand my own gut and intuition. It was telling me to do something I’d never done before: run a marathon. I needed to physically challenge myself to become more aligned. So, I signed up for the next marathon, even though I had only ever run three miles before. I needed a healthy outlet to confront the pain head-on and a challenge to rebuild myself mentally after such trauma. During training, I began to heal and rediscover myself. I went through all the phases of grief—some days crying for miles, others silent and still, some days angry, and others filled with gratitude for the time I had with my loved ones.
This process was exactly what I needed. On days I wanted to quit, I felt a shift in mindset—the foundations of my resilience kicking in. By race day, my months of training transformed into a journey of gratitude. Gratitude for the friends who supported me during my grief, for my family, who needed me to be strong, and for my husband and daughter, who gave me a reason to start living again. Most importantly, I was grateful to myself for persevering. Crossing the finish line of those 26.2 miles, I realized that the true victory wasn’t just in finishing the race but in the perseverance, it took to get there. These devastating losses forced me to build resilience to survive the ongoing sting of grief. I had to find purpose in my pain and ways to continually pick myself up. Through these experiences, I’ve come to understand that resilience is not just our response to life, but our ability to find meaning and strength in the face of life’s greatest challenges.
I understood that there is no real finish line to grief or life’s challenges—it’s about enduring. Finding beauty, fulfillment, and purpose in what life throws at you has become a guiding principle in my life and business. As a wife, mom, business owner, unexpected challenges arise, and learning to endure is how I continually find success, life fulfillment and growth. When problems come, grief, loss, business failing, family, or maybe not feeling fulfilled. Don’t turn away from it. Charge it head on, find as many resources as you can but at the end of the day trust your intuition. Do what will work for YOU, face it head on and move forward with resilience.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a minority business owner, a mom of three (a 10-year-old girl and 6-year-old twins), and married to my incredible partner Corey for nearly 10 years. My journey into pet care began during the challenges of the Covid era. Balancing a corporate sales role with three little ones and facing an unsupportive leader, I decided to leave corporate America and invest in my passion: pet care. That’s how Fetch! Pet Care Monrovia West Covina was born.
As a dedicated pet parent, I understand the importance of reliable and compassionate pet care. Our mission is driven by a team of passionate professionals who genuinely love what they do. We focus on building strong bonds with pets, ensuring every service, from simple walks to comprehensive wellness, reflects our commitment to their well-being.
Our business has grown over 30% year over year, thanks to our exceptional team and strong community partnerships. I believe in the power of community, both in my personal life and in business. Being an active member of the local chamber of commerce and collaborating with residential communities and pet stores, I strive to create mutually beneficial relationships that uplift everyone involved.
Safety is our foundation, which is why we have a dedicated dog trainer serving as our Safety Training Manager. Her role includes onboarding new employees, conducting safety trainings, and performing shadow assessments to ensure the well-being of both our team and clients. This focus on safety has led to zero incidents or claims.
In 2024, my goals are to double our revenue and maintain our stellar reputation in the community. We’ve promoted over half of our staff to leadership roles, and our leadership team now consists of four remarkable women. My aim is to continue nurturing and empowering our employees, fostering future leaders who could potentially become the next CEO or owner of a Fetch location.
Outside of Fetch, I enjoy hiking, surfing, and balancing life as a working mom. I’m also exploring business acquisitions, aiming to buy my second business and leverage my leadership skills to help a business looking to sell. Additionally, I’m excited to launch a passion project called ‘Mom Talk,’ covering real-life topics like kids, marriage, sex, mental health, and working mom hacks. Stay tuned for its launch!
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?
Mindset: Mindset is everything! I have a keen ability to find lessons and opportunities in every circumstance. My thoughts are intentional, always striving to see the positive in every situation, with my life centered on faith.
To those early in their journey, prioritize a positive and intentional mindset. This can look different for each person—whether through daily journaling, meditation, affirmations, or prayer—embrace what resonates with you. Controlling your thoughts leads to controlling your responses and manifesting your desires. Focus on maintaining a good and healthy mindset; staying centered becomes easier.
Leadership: Leadership is crucial, especially today, with the need to interact with and lead multiple generations. It’s imperative to find your leadership style and continuously improve it. Reflect on the leaders you’ve encountered, both good and bad. Emulate the best attributes and practices of the good leaders and learn what not to do from the bad ones. Make your leadership authentic and always lead with empathy. Never stop learning and developing as a leader.
Marriage as a Superpower: A strong, supportive marriage is a superpower and a skill that requires dedication. Having a life partnership that works for both partners is essential. Investing effort into your marriage through regular date nights, maintaining a healthy sex life, speaking encouragement, and consistently lifting up your partner is crucial. Practicing gratitude in and for your marriage and partner enhances the bond and appreciation you share. Being genuinely invested in your partner’s career and success, allowing them to always feel supported and seen, is key to a thriving relationship. A solid partnership not only enhances personal happiness but also provides a strong foundation for professional success.
Partnerships: Building strong community partnerships has been instrumental in my success. Collaborating with my community and supporting others’ growth fosters mutual success and ultimately benefits everyone involved.
For working moms and everyone else, make self-care a priority without compromise. Staying genuinely connected to yourself and finding opportunities to pour into yourself makes everything more fulfilling and manageable.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
My perspective on life changed dramatically after my husband and I met an intriguing couple at dinner at the table next to us. They recommended a book that had transformed their mindset, and I bought it the very next day. The book, A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Gikandi, unleashed a new approach to my life, allowing me to shift my mindset from scarcity to abundance. It helped me recognize the value within myself and others, leading to true abundance and fulfillment.
Previously, I had tried therapy and life coaching, but nothing seemed to stick. Reading this book and applying its principles made a significant difference. It shifted my approach from wanting and needing to desiring and manifesting, while also doing the work to achieve my goals.
The book helped me reconnect with the core of my being, which is centered on God. It allowed me to reflect these lessons in my family life and maintain self-compassion, ensuring balance. I achieved success in my family, not through perfection, but through true fulfillment, which also mirrored in my business.
When I stopped striving for perfection and asked myself what truly fulfills me, it was a game changer. It took years to stop comparing myself to other moms, entrepreneurs, and leaders. Instead, I started striving for fulfillment, which shifted how I approach my marriage, my role as a mom, and how I lead my children and business.
Now, I seek a life of true fulfillment rather than perfection. This shift brought me joy and stability. Happiness comes and goes, but fulfillment and joy provide lasting contentment. Once I let go of perfection and consistently analyzed my direction, thoughts, and mindset, I found greater clarity. As I lead my employees, run my business, manage my household, and remain intentional in my marriage and with my kids, it all comes down to fulfillment.
Even on hard days, whether as a parent, in my marriage, at the office, or on my grief journey, as long as I strive for fulfillment, I find resilience. When things go wrong, I know they happen for a reason, and I focus on what I can learn and how I can turn things around. This mindset is now a discipline for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://monroviawestcovina.fetchpetcare.com/
- Instagram: @fetchpetcaremonrovia @sandyellis11
Image Credits
Sienna Benton
@siennaevebenton
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