Story & Lesson Highlights with Martha Santos of Seattle, WA

Martha Santos shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Martha, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Business has been growing so it’s been tougher to find time outdoors since I can’t be away from the office for too long so to stay active I’ve been getting back into tennis.. I had a full ride at a D1 college, so I played a lot when i was younger. Picking tennis back up has been a great way to stay active and reconnect with something that feels natural to me. As an entrepreneur, I’m always learning and growing in areas where I don’t have all the answers, so it’s been grounding to return to a space where I feel confident in my skills and can just enjoy the rhythm of the game.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Martha Santos, and I’m the founder of Ryōken Instinct. We make adventure-focused performance nutrition for dogs who live active lifestyles. I launched the brand nearly four years ago with the goal of creating clean, high-energy treats that actually work with canine metabolism– no fillers, no gimmicks. As a Stanford PhD Biochemist and a lifelong adventurer with my two Shibas, I wanted to bridge science and exploration in a way the pet industry hadn’t done yet.

Today, our products are fueling dogs on trails, climbs, and everyday adventures across the country. We’re expanding into retail while staying true to our mission: helping dogs go farther, recover better, and share more adventures with their people.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My immigrant parents taught me the most about work. I still remember being four years old and waking up at 3 a.m. to deliver newspapers with my dad before school. Honestly, I just wanted to tag along for the candy at the gas stations, but I’d always fall asleep after the first stop. My parents gave up a lot to come to the U.S. from the Philippines. My mom left her path as a doctor and my dad as an engineer, so I could have more opportunities. I think about that often, how their happiness became seeing mine flourish. That perspective pushes me to make their sacrifices worthwhile and reminds me why I chose to build a life in entrepreneurship instead of staying in academia.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that she didn’t need to hide her mistakes. That someone out there would love her even with the missteps, and more importantly, she would learn to love herself too. I spent a lot of time thinking perfection was the only way forward, when really it was the stumbles that shaped me the most. If I could go back, I’d remind her that mistakes don’t make you less worthy, they just mean you’re growing.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
They’d probably say empathy. I’ve always believed in collective liberation, that our lives are deeply interconnected and that we’re meant to build a better world together, not just for ourselves. I don’t mind giving up some comfort, or even a lot, if it means making things better for others. At the same time, I think about how much energy it takes to hold that belief in a world that often runs on individualism. It’s been a lifelong process to balance that idealism with the reality that not everyone sees the world the same way I choose to.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I cared, really cared. That I tried to leave more good in the world than I ever took from it. That I didn’t shy away from pain if carrying some of it meant someone else didn’t have to. I want to be remembered as someone who gave more than she asked for, who loved loudly, and who believed her place here mattered because of what she left behind, not what she gained.

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