Small Biz Leader · January 17, 2026
This interview is with Allison Lepanto, Entrepreneur & Equine Specialist at Aterak Nutrition.
Allison Lepanto, Entrepreneur & Equine Specialist, Aterak Nutrition
Can you introduce yourself and share what your relationship with animals looks like in your daily life and work?
Absolutely, I am Allison Lepanto.
Animals are woven into every part of my daily life and work. I spend most of my time evaluating horses, observing how they respond to nutrition, and helping owners understand the connection between soil health, forage quality, and animal wellbeing. My background spans riding, pasture consulting, metabolic recovery work, and hands on nutrition formulation. My days blend science with real-world observations and results. Working with animals has taught me to slow down and pay attention to the small details; changes in appetite, posture, coat condition, even how an animal is breathing. Those cues guide my ability to provide solutions and educate owners. Animals have a way of telling the truth long before a lab report comes back. Firsthand feedback keeps my work grounded, practical, and focused on what really makes a difference in daily care.
What inspired you to incorporate animals into your life or business, and how has that journey shaped who you are today?
I was inspired to incorporate animals into my life and work because they reveal the truth about our systems (soil, nutrition, stress). Growing up around horses, I learned how sensitive they are to their environment. As my work has evolved into working with farms and owners, I realized that the choices we make in feed, pasture, and management directly show up in an animal's health. That connection and the ability to affect health hooked me. My life journey has shaped me into someone who notices patterns instead of assumptions. Animals don't speak in words, but they communicate clearly through behavior, appetite, movement, and energy. Learning to interpret those signals has taught me patience, problem-solving, and humility. Good outcomes rarely come from quick fixes; they instead come from understanding the whole system behind the symptoms. Working with animals has kept me a grounded leader. They keep me curious, practical, and focused on long-term health rather than shortcuts.
What's one lesson that working with or caring for animals has taught you about leadership, patience, or presence that you've been able to apply in other areas of your life?
One of the biggest lessons animals have taught me is that leadership starts with calm presence. Horses mirror the energy you bring into a situation. If you are rushed, distracted, tense, they respond with the same energy. When you can slow down, observe objectively, and make clear decisions, they settle. That reaction shows up everywhere, teams, clients, even personal challenges. Working with animals has trained me to pause before reacting, gather information, and lead from steadiness rather than urgency. You're listening, adjusting, and giving clear direction without forcing an outcome. In business, that approach has helped me navigate setbacks, communicate more effectively, and make decisions based on reality instead of fears.
For someone considering bringing animals into their home, farm, or wellness practice, what's the most important thing they should prepare for—both practically and emotionally?
Animals thrive on predictable care, and that requires time, attention, and the willingness to show up even on the days when it's inconvenient. Practically, this means having a plan in place for daily needs, veterinary care, nutrition, and the unexpected. Emotionally, it means understanding that animals will reflect your shortcomings as clearly as your strengths. This can be uncomfortable but also a catalyst for growth. When people bring animals into their life with the mindset of stewardship rather than ownership, they are better prepared for the responsibility and the learning curve. In short: prepare to commit, adapt, and grow. Animals have a way of shaping you as much as you shape their environment.
How do animals contribute to the kind of grounding and intentional living you've talked about in your wellness approach? Can you share a specific example from your own experience?
Animals insist you operate in the present moment. You can't be half-aware around them. They immediately pick up on your energy, pace, emotional state. That kind of real-time feedback forces you to slow down, breathe, and become intentional with your actions. One example that shaped me was interacting with a metabolic horse. I arrived at the farm rushed from a previous appointment and he would refuse to stand still. I took a few moments to reset, breathe, shift out of urgency, and be totally present in that moment. His posture changed, his breathing settled, and he calmed. Nothing about his physical condition changed in those moments, but my presence did. That experience reinforced something I now apply everywhere: your internal state sets the tone for the environment around you. Animals make that truth impossible to ignore. Once you learn it with them, you start living it in your relationships, your work, and your own wellness practices.
What's one daily ritual or routine you've developed around caring for animals that has unexpectedly improved your own well-being or productivity?
When I observe animals I take my time to really look at them and be in their presence; how are they standing, breathing, eating, their expression, their attention, their energy. This has become a reset for me. That pause trains my brain to shift out of reactive mode and into observation and awareness. I notice more and can be more objective and focused on bigger pictures. It is easy to jump into tasks, but animals operate on presence. Taking that mindset into my work has helped me make more objective and strategic decisions with better information.
When things get overwhelming or stressful, how do animals help you reset? What advice would you give to someone looking to create that same kind of restorative connection?
When I'm stressed, stepping into a pasture or a barn forces my nervous system to slow down. Animals don't care about deadlines or time.
Being near them creates a honest feedback loop that brings me back to center faster than anything else. My advice for someone wanting that same restorative connection is to start with observation, not interaction.
Instead of trying to "do" something with an animal, take a few quiet minutes to watch them, how they breath, move, settle. Match them.
Most people rush towards connection but connection comes from slowing down and matching their energy. Only then can they recognize you as calm and safe. If you can approach animals with patience, presence, and curiosity you will be rewarded with an opportunity to connect.
What's a common misconception people have about raising or working with animals that you wish more people understood before they started?
I wish more people understand that raising or working with animals is less about control and more about observation. Success comes from noticing the small shifts before they become big issues. Animals are highly responsive to their environment, nutrition, stress, and daily management choices.
Many people expect predictable behavior or quick improvements, but animals communicate through subtle changes long before obvious problems show up. If new owners approach animals with curiosity instead of assumptions, they will build better relationships and prevent far more problems.
If someone is feeling disconnected from nature or wants to live more regeneratively, what's one small, actionable step involving animals that they could take to begin that shift?
One small, actionable step is to start by simply observing. This sounds simple, but observation is the foundation of regenerative thinking.
It trains you to notice patterns, relationships, and subtle shifts instead of looking for quick fixes or rigid rules. When you pay attention to animals in this way, you naturally begin to see the land differently as well. That awareness builds a deeper connection to nature without requiring a big lifestyle change. For anyone wanting to live more regeneratively, the first step isn't farming or homesteading. It is slowing down long enough to notice what's already happening around you. Animals make that shift almost effortless, because they invite you to match their pace and see the world through a more grounded, interconnected lens.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Working with animals teaches you to look at health, stress, and resilience through a wider lens. Everything is connected; soil, forage, nutrition, environment, and our energy and ability to observe these things.
Animals have a way of simplifying what matters most. Be consistent, be observant, and be present. If we applied these principles to the rest of our lives we would make better choices, not just for animals, but for ourselves, our communities, and the land we depend on.