We were lucky to catch up with Shanti Cain recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Shanti thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
My mission with Creature Teachers is to propel the love of nature and animals into the willing and able hands of the public, the youth especially.
Steve Irwin was my hero growing up and I would not be on this path without him. He helped a passion grow in me to protect and educate others about societies “unloved” species of reptiles and bugs and other creepy crawlies. They are so critically important and vital to their ecosystems and maintaining the balance.
I also speak with people about caring for those animals when we choose to bring them into our lives and families. I am a vet tech and really want to push for people to seek the care these animals need and are so often denied due to simple misinformation and lack of knowledge.
I try to show the public that no matter where you are in your life there is always room to grow and learn. Change your way of thinking and help with conservation and community. These animals need us to advocate for them and their habitats and we should be!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I grew up watching Steve Irwin on Animal Planet and in college I started working for a business who did reptile exhibits at the big fairs on the west coast. He had previously done school presentations but said he wasnt making enough money doing it and shut down that part of the business. That was the part of the job I liked best so I left his company and started my own soley focused on educational presentations.
There are alot of other educators out there. The original man who started this niche market The Oregon Reptile Man is a dear friend and many other men have sprouted up in his wake to take up the torch of education and do shows. As the only female around, I am usually commended by schools as being a figure for young girls to look to as an example of women in science doing “things men usually are seen doing”. By this they mean wrestling large pythons and boas.
I have now been in business for 11 years. My business survived a divorce, the pandemic, moving and children. Its been a stressful and wonderful journey and I wouldnt have it any other way.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Before the pandemic I had a collection of over 45 animal ambassadors that I cycled through for my presentations. But having all my income and work drop to nothing in a matter of weeks and all of the years shows cancel was devastating. I had to pair down and sell off alot of the animals in order to stay afloat and in business. We had almost no work in from 2020 to 2022. It was horrible disheartening and there were so many major issues going on in my personal life with divorce, court and legal.issues that I wasnt sure it was worth hanging on top my business. But thanks to my many supportive friends and family I did choose to fight and we survived and are now THRIVING. We start 11 years in business now. I couldn’t be more proud.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
When I started Creature Teachers I asked my good friend Amanda to come with me from our precious job. She helped me build the business for the first 2 years and was instrumental in giving me tools for how to make invoices and tools for learning to speak in front of larger crowds. Her confidence in front of large crowd was a huge role model for me. After much discussion I bought her out of her portion of the business as to move ahead solo. She and I are still dear friends and she is very supportive.
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