Meet Tanya Mahrous | Co-Founder, Second Life

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanya Mahrous and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanya, how does your business help the community?
Since opening in 2011, Second Life has donated over $2 million in grants to over 70 animal charities, including rescues, spay/neuter programs and outreach organizations. Hundreds of animal rescue groups work tirelessly every day to give homeless animals a second chance at life. Most groups need funds to continue their life-saving work – especially in down economies – so we started our organization to help fill this need. We are still in awe that our loyal supporters have helped us help animals in their communities…and helped me achieve my dream of giving homeless pets a second chance at life.

Second Life was founded by me and my husband, Toby Tobias, to combine our passion for helping homeless animals and our love of finding bargains, into a retail concept. Our goal was to create a community-focused resale store that would raise funds to help animal rescues and spay/neuter programs, while also offering a new option for people to donate their gently-used items and keep them out of the landfill. And it had to be a FUN, pet-friendly place to shop too!

The name Second Life has several meanings for our organization and encompasses all that we do to achieve our mission.

1. Second Life gives homeless pets a second chance at life
2. Second Life gives gently-used items a second life
3. Second Life gave my career a second life

We aim to be involved in the community and are more than just a thrift store. We support animal rescue organizations whose missions are to:

• rescue animals from high-kill shelters
• run no-kill shelters that offer a safe space until adopted
• promote low cost spay/neuter of family-owned pets
• promote TNR of community cats (Trap. Neuter. Return.)
• educate the public about responsible pet ownership
• raise awareness about pet adoption and the amazing shelter/rescue animals

We are more than a thrift store….we are a community organization that also helps in the following ways:
• We provide cash grants to animal charities and spay/neuter programs
• We foster cats and kittens from our local shelters, adopting out more than 160
• We offer space at our store for rescue groups to hold adoptions.
• We are a drop-off/distribution point for Pet Buddies (a pet food pantry)
• We donate old blankets/towels to animal shelters
• We keep thousands of items out of the landfill by selling them in our store
• We donate items to other organizations, street ministry and animal shelters that we are not able to sell.

Since opening in January 2011, Second Life has donated more than $2 million to animal charities. A big focus of our organization is to help reduce suffering by offering spay/neuter. We estimate our grants have helped to spay/neuter over 10,000 pets and community cats…but this number is just the tip of the iceberg.

We help educate the public about animal rescue statistics. Did you know…
• only about 1 in 10 animals born today will find a home…there are not enough homes.
• over 50,000 animals are euthanized EVERY year in the state of Georgia. Many are healthy and highly adoptable, including kittens and puppies
• 25% off dogs in shelters are purebred and there is a rescue group for every breed
• the rescue world is facing some of the worst times this year, euthanizing healthy, adoptable animals at a faster rate than in recent decades. Owner surrenders are at some of their highest levels and adoptions and foster homes are not keeping up with demand

There are numerous misconceptions about animals in shelters and rescues, and our goal is to help educate our community about the benefits of adopting and being responsible pet parents. I still remember a woman coming into our store, shortly after we opened and she thanked us for sponsoring the spay surgery for her dog. She couldn’t afford the surgery and was excited to be a part of the solution to pet overpopulation and that her dog had a reduced chance of mammary cancer. The numerous Happy Tails through the years make all the hard work and challenging times worth it.

One of our other goals is to give gently-used items a second life. Since opening in 2011, Second Life has sold over 2 million items in our stores. We are giving animal lovers a place to recycle their gently-used items for a cause that is near to their heart, while also helping the planet.

When I set out to create Second Life, I wanted to make a difference in the animal rescue world. It truly takes a village – a community – to save the lives of animals. Many people, the majority of them volunteers, give their heart and soul, their time and their money to save the lives of animals. Sadly, there is never enough community support and rescuers are exhausted, as the few end up trying to save the many. It is an uphill battle as long as people keep breeding irresponsibly, pet owners don’t spay/neuter and people continue to buy from breeders instead of adopting.

We believe our society needs to do better for vulnerable communities, including animals. Sadly, in the state of Georgia, animals are considered property and lax laws and enforcement fail to make a dent in the number of animals born to backyard breeders, puppy mills and “oops” litters to families who didn’t spay or neuter their pets. We wish governments would commit to solutions to stop unwanted animals from being born, rather than spending funds to euthanize animals in shelters. In the long run, it is cheaper and more humane. We cannot adopt our way out of the sad situation and are always looking for opportunities to educate and help reduce the amount of suffering for unwanted animals.

Until there is more commitment from society to do better, we will continue to do what we can…and to strive for more. Everyone can do their part to make a difference for animals. Choosing to adopt rather than buy a dog, changes that dog’s world forever. Choosing to shop second-hand instead of retail, helps the environment and shopping at a small business like Second Life supports the local community. We are driven by the desire to do more, to save more lives and to be a friend to our planet. We can’t do it alone, but with the support of the community, we can make an impact every day.

What should our readers know about your business?
Our biggest accomplishment reaching the milestone of donating over $2 million in grants to over 70 animal charities, including rescues, spay/neuter organizations and outreach programs. This incredible milestone makes my heart glow…knowing we are directly helping animal charities save lives and reduce suffering. THIS is the reason for Second Life.

In a nutshell, Second Life is a non-profit organization founded we founded in 2011 in the Atlanta area. We run a community-focused resale store and online store which allows us to raise much-needed funds to benefit animal rescues and spay/neuter programs. We are not a rescue. Second Life does not have its own shelter or rescue license. Instead, our organization was created to benefit animal charities who are already saving lives and helping families be a part of the solution to pet overpopulation.

We sell merchandise you’d find in your home or patio, (with a few exceptions due to space limitations or safety concerns). Merchandise sold includes clothing, housewares, décor, media, pet supplies, small furniture…and more. From antique to vintage to brand new in box, we have something for everyone. Our stores are how we reach our mission. Proceeds raised by the sale of items in our stores are donated in the form of grants to animal rescues, spay/neuter organizations and outreach programs.

Our niche is creating an “upscale thrift” shopping experience that helps animals. Clothing is hung on wooden hangers and is organized by size (and color). The store is bright, cheery, and organized. We have animal rescue messages throughout the store. We hire team members who understand the importance of customer service. And we are pet-friendly! This allows animal lovers to shop with their best friends and we love it when the dogs bring their humans to visit.

We opened on January 8, 2011…exactly 10 years to the day our inspiration and first Chief Smile Officer, Lucky, jumped into our car. Lucky was our rescued Dalmatian who’d been days away from being euthanized, as he had been deemed “unadoptable” by his rescue group after being returned twice. Lucky changed our lives and got us involved in animal rescue. If it weren’t for him, we may never had gotten involved in volunteering in the rescue world. His legacy lives on in all we do.

The past 11 ½ years have been quite a journey of ups and downs. Looking at the store now, it amazes me how far we have come from the early years, when the aisles were very wide and our store wasn’t very full of merchandise. Those years were a challenge, as I was learning how to run a store, working the register alone, accepting donations and trying to play a back-end role too, by managing our social media, marketing, finances and more. There were many long and exhausting days as I tried to figure out how to make Second Life a success…and many days that also filled my heart with the good of humanity.

We opened without any employees or regular volunteers and the first year was a challenge. Most days, it was just me and Lucky working in the 5,000 square foot store. And, as cute as Lucky was, he didn’t really help with the operations. He was a great sales dog though…and brought people inside to say hi. I look back on those early days and laugh…thinking about how crazy it was to start a business without any extra help. I would NOT recommend this approach, but I just trudged forward and found a way to make it work.

It also helps that we have the BEST supporters who are patient, kind and loyal. Word-of-mouth marketing and social media helped us reach more supporters and our team grew as more volunteers donated their time and skills. I often wish I’d kept a journal in our early days, as there is so much I don’t really remember…other than being in a perpetual state of exhaustion.

Most days, I just focused on what had to be done that day…or that week. There was so much I didn’t know that I didn’t know…things were learned the hard way or after a lot of trial and error. As time went by, more and more people showed up to shop, donate and volunteer. The stress took its toll, but I was grateful to have a new career that fed my passion to help animals and to be around other animal lovers. I have always felt connected to animals, and they inspire me with their innocence, unconditional love and pure hearts.

Before we opened, I spent almost a year creating a business plan, doing industry research and figuring out our organization’s goals. That experience was definitely a big part of the success. I had confidence in our mission but there was still a lot of uncertainty and a fear of the unknown. Years after we opened, we learned from the contractor who sealed our floor before opening that he gave us a great rate because he felt sorry for us and didn’t think we’d make it. I’m happy we proved him wrong.

As we approach our 12-year anniversary, it’s safe to say we are officially out of space in our store. We’ve learned to become creative with our displays to maximize every inch in our store. It’s a great problem to have, but we want to do more. We want more locations and to donate more funds to animal organizations. The desire to do more fuels us every day…our brand is all about the animals.

Animals don’t have a voice. They depend on caring people to give them a second chance at life and love. That’s why Second Life exists. Our mission is to save lives and reduce suffering, by promoting adoption, fostering, spay/neuter and more. When we help animals…we help people too. We are hopeful someday our store won’t be needed as our society will have moved toward a more humane and responsible approach to our pet companions. Until that happens, Second Life hopes to be around to make a difference for as many animals as we can. We hope everyone reading our story will choose to help us change the world for homeless pets and all animals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Second Life has truly been the biggest part of my life for the past 12 years. So, while you’ve asked me to write about plans for a visiting friend, I’m approaching this question more as a reminder to myself that I need to stop and “smell the roses” and make it a point to enjoy the city I’ve called home for 20 years. I’m taking myself on a weeklong staycation. I am happiest when I’m outside, in tune with nature with our dogs and Toby. My favorite spot in Atlanta is Stone Mountain Park, especially in the Fall and Winter. Walking the trails and enjoying the solitude of the woods does wonders for my soul, I love to sit by the lakes and relax and listen to the wildlife.

Another day would be spent on the Beltline and Piedmont Park, enjoying a more urban approach to being outside and finding new restaurants to enjoy along the way.

Last year, we started searching new hiking trails in the Metro Atlanta area and in North Georgia. My favorite spots are those by water – lakes, waterfalls, creeks. With a daily schedule that is filled with noise and activity every minute, these hikes help me truly decompress in a way nothing else does. As long as the spots are dog-friendly, I’m open to trying them.

I’ve been a vegetarian for about 15+ years and have been disappointed with the lack of offerings by restaurants in the Decatur area. I love ethnic restaurants – Thai, Indian, and Middle Eastern are my favorites – as they offer several options to choose from (besides salads and french fries). Instead of eating out, I’d order take-out (so our dogs can get a car-ride to pick up the food) and then eat on our deck or in our backyard by our fire pit.

We are heading into my favorite time of year, and I can’t wait to take advantage of the cooler weather by spending more time outside. Nature soothes my soul.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m happy a question like is being asked. In interviews, we always make it a point to give credit to our amazing team of volunteers and employees…yet most articles focus on us as the founders. While Toby and I co-founded Second Life and put our ideas into motion, our store and organization wouldn’t be successful without the support of team, donors and shoppers.

Our volunteers and employees are the heart and soul of our organization. We couldn’t make a difference for homeless pets without their dedication and commitment. They bring a diverse array of talents and skills to our store and make it a special place to shop and work. Some of our favorite ideas, including the Luckydog Boutique section, came from a team member. We have heard from numerous shoppers that Second Life is their favorite place to shop, and we believe our incredible team is one of the reasons for these sentiments. Words alone cannot express how proud we are of our team.

A few team members have been with Second Life since the early years, and they are a huge part of our foundation and continued growth. Our newer team members bring fresh new perspectives that help the store and organization continue to thrive. Every single team member contributes toward our mission. They deserve all the credit!

The other shoutout goes to our donors and shoppers – who support us every day, as well as promoting our organization to their friends, family, colleagues, etc.. Like pieces to a puzzle, everyone involved is critical to our success. If any piece is missing, our organization is incomplete. We know there are many animal lovers and bargain hunters who have yet to find our store, and we hope this story helps them find a new way to help homeless pets. Our store is truly fueled by the community.

And of course, my husband, Toby, who supported my “crazy idea” and helped along the way. He is a big part of our success as a valued team member and my rock. Thankfully, he said “let’s go for it” when I proposed our new venture, so I’d never have to wonder “what-if.”

Simply said…Second Life is a community store that has succeeded thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers and employees, our generous donors and our loyal customers. We are thankful for everyone who has helped us grow and thrive during the past 11+ years. They have made it a special place and we can’t wait to see what the future holds in store. Here’s to reaching the next milestone of $3 million donated to animal charities. We hope you’ll be on our team!

Website: http://secondlifeatlanta.org/

Instagram: @secondlifeatl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secondlifeatlanta

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me or a team member for the use by the Second Life organization. No credits needed.