The Royal We

Most of what I’ve written for Heartland Pet Aquamation speaks as the business, “we offer” instead of “I offer”, and so on. Eventually, I hope that my vision of bringing gentle, eco-friendly care for departed loved ones will be big enough to support a team of people to serve an audience as large as the Kansas City area. For now, however, I am using “the royal we”, because Heartland Pet Aquamation is a brand new one-person venture.

We all start small, but the future is pretty big.

This means I answer every phone call, handle every pet myself, and take on every responsibility from performing the aquamation to sweeping the floors. I’ve had someone call at 9pm not sure what to do with their little dog, and I’ve met someone at my office at midnight because their pet was too large to keep overnight. It’s the best part of being the whole business: someone asks you for help, and you can serve them in the fullest capacity. I know that every inch of the process, from the technical details of the behind-the-scenes work to the human level of comforting the bereaved, is done exactly the way I think is best. I wouldn’t have it any other way right now.

I started this practice because I think that aquamation is a great way to decarbonize part of society and give us more flexibility in our stewardship of land. Doing this work, however, is also about listening to families and professionals to learn what matters to them when caring for the pets in their lives. I have my ideas about how to best serve the place I call home, and I work to share my vision with anyone I can, but at the end of the day, I’m still just one person.

Managing a weird new business in a weird new world is many things, but the hardest part is asking for help. My reach and my imagination only go so far.

I’m doing what I can to share my ideas and connect with pet lovers and animal professionals, but I also want to ask for your help. Who do you know that would want to learn about aquamation? Do you know a veterinarian, a groomer, a dog biscuit baker, or even a zoo caretaker who would want to learn more? And what do you think I should learn from them?

We’d love to hear from you, even if “we” is still “I”.