Meet Sydney Mollentine

We recently connected with Sydney Mollentine and have shared our conversation below.

Sydney, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Being bullied at a young age, my mom made the decision to pull me out of traditional school and homeschool me. For seventh and eighth grade I was homeschooled. During that time, being an avid animal lover and (at the time) wanting to become a Veterinarian, my mom decided to have me start volunteering at our local animal shelter. I was 13 years old.

I ended up going to the shelter every single day, rain or shine, even in the snow, I was there. I felt whole. At a young age, I found solace in sitting with a scared dog, or teaching a new dog everything was going to be ok. In a way, the animals healed me just as much as I healed them. It was there that I decided that working in a shelter was what I wanted to do. And I haven’t turned back. 24 years in, and I love going to work every day.

I would say, at 13, I was broken, alone and sad. I found my purpose walking into that shelter.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Like I said earlier, I was a child that was the outcast. Growing up, I didn’t have many friends. Made fun of for being overweight, not wanting to be in a clique, not “cool”, I was left out. Never invited to birthday parties, alone. When the bullying got so bad that I dreaded going to school, would come home crying every day, my mom (a busy businesswoman) made the ultimate sacrifice and pulled me out of school to homeschool me.

While being homeschooled, I started volunteering at the local animal shelter. It was there that I found my peace, found my calling, found my purpose. I had always loved animals; in fact, I wanted to be a veterinarian. But something shifted in me when I started volunteering at the shelter. I met so many wonderful animals and people. I started realizing there are many different ways to serve animals and people, and animal shelter work was what I loved doing. That was my calling.

Throughout the decades of dedicating my life to animal welfare I have held every position in the animal shelter environment — from cleaning kennels, to working as a vet tech, to Adoption’s Manager, to now CEO which, I believe has equipped me with a unique skill set that allows me to understand the ins and outs of every part of shelter management. It was a long road to get to where I am today, and I still don’t believe I’m serving in the role I am in at the moment. There’s something to be said about a millennial minority serving in a C-Suite role. When I look back and reflect on how I got here I will say that I poured every ounce in my being to get this role. My focus has always been on making my city better for both the pets and people within. It’s not just about helping the animals within my building on any given day; it’s about serving our community in a way that benefits them and lifts them up as pet owners. This mindset is, unfortunately, uncommon, but nonetheless, I will continue to advocate for the people we serve.

I love that I serve now in a role where I can instill real change. It’s the best feeling ever.

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?

Persistence, don’t let others deter you from your goal. Stay focused, keep a good head on your shoulders, do what is morally and ethically right, even if your voice cracks.

Remember, you are human. People assume that because you hold a particular title that you are immune to human behaviors and feelings. You are allowed to feel the feelings, to get upset, or sad, or angry, or want to take a personal day. You have to take care of yourself and remember that it’s ok to be human.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I’m always looking for collaborators. I’m looking for game changers, shifters, innovative and creative thinkers. My email is sydney@hsgkc.org.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hsgkc.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/HSGKCOffical
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/SydneyMollentine
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/SydneyMollentine