Balance Compassion with Sustainable Leadership Practices

I learned the hard way that you can't rescue everyone, especially when grief clouds your judgment. After my husband passed away and I was managing both our business and my cat rescue work, I kept saying yes to every feral cat case that came my way—even when I didn't have the resources or space.

Within months, I had over 40 cats in various stages of rehabilitation, my shelters were overcrowded, and I was burning through funds faster than donations came in. Three cats died from stress-related illnesses because I couldn't provide the individual attention they needed. I was so focused on saving every cat that I was actually failing the ones already in my care.

That failure taught me that sustainable leadership means knowing your limits and saying no to protect what you've already committed to. Now I cap my rescue operations at 15 cats maximum and have a waiting list system. My success rate jumped from 60% to 85% because each cat gets proper individual care.

This lesson completely changed how I run PetsNcharge too—instead of trying to stock every possible cat product, we focus on curated, high-quality items that align with our mission. Sometimes the most loving thing a leader can do is draw boundaries, even when it feels like you're letting someone down.

Lena Gershenov, Founder, Pets N Charge