Rachel Mairose went from rescuing 1 animal to saving over 17,000 in less than 10 years. Now Secondhand Hounds is a breed apart—an example of what people can learn from animals, and what businesses can learn from nonprofits about leadership. — TKLS #15

Want proof that phenomenal success starts with finding your true passion? Look no farther than Rachel Mairose. Rachel started a small dog rescue out of her apartment in 2009. Less than a decade later, Secondhand Hounds is the largest animal rescue operation in the Midwest, with over 17,000 animals saved. In this fascinating interview, Rachel talks about why you should “keep going until you find your passion and feel like you don’t think you could live without doing it,” why industry taboos are made to be broken, why storytelling is more important than ever, the importance of constantly communicating your values and expectations, and how you can deal with the trolls and bullies so they don’t derail your mission. Even though Rachel works with animals, she knows that it’s still about people. For every animal her organization has rescued, she has improved—and in some cases saved—countless human lives.