We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelly Motter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelly below.

Kelly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

In 2023 my husband, Michael, and I decided it was time to give back to the world and started to foster dogs through a rescue in Greensburg, PA. Since then we have helped 19 dogs find their forever homes, that may have otherwise languished in a shelter, or worse. Fostering dogs feels like a calling to me. I have always loved dogs and have had many in my life. Together, for about 8 years, Michael and I owned 5 dogs that we rescued through several different avenues. Loving those dogs was wonderful, and special and sometimes difficult so after we lost many of them, we decided to do more. Though fostering I have learned more about animal rescue, welfare and behavior than I ever thought possible. There’s so much about this world that is a mystery to the public, so I felt the need to do more. My background is in sales, management and training so I decided to put my extroverted personality and communication skills to good use by starting a podcast. The Foster Files is an outlet to talk about animal rescue and animal welfare. Giving volunteers, animal professionals, and organizations a platform to talk about the incredible work they do has been such a rewarding project. I don’t yet know where this path will take me, as it’s still in its’ infancy, but I’m incredibly excited to use this project in any way I can to better the lives of animals.

Kelly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a business owner, Insurance and Financial Professional, college dropout, Dog Mom and Aunt. I have spent the last 20 years leading teams, sales training both groups and individuals, and asking many questions about anything I find interesting. I’ve also spent the better part of my life loving animals, and advocating passionately for animal rescue. My husband, Michael and I live together in New Kensington, PA and have been together for 12 years.

The Foster Files podcast is a passion project, not yet a business. Listeners can expect to hear a variety of stories focused on the care, rescue, and welfare of animals. The podcast is also a great way for someone to hear ideas and tips if they want to get more involved in animal rescue or are considering fostering an animal, themselves. The podcast takes to licensed and certified professionals, as well as people with decades of experience in their fields. I hope that this podcast will reach people naïve to just how big the animal welfare problem is in the US and motivate them to work with me toward change.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I’m not sure there is such a thing as a non-creative person. Sure, some are more creative than others. For example, I don’t know that I would consider myself a creative, especially not to the level of so many others. We all have ideas and isn’t a creative just someone who can bring those ideas to fruition? In my mind a creative isn’t always an artist or a musician or a designer. A creative can be someone who thinks differently to solve a problem at work, or who understands multiple ways to communicate a message to different people. I think what people who don’t work in the creative space struggle with is maybe the confidence that their ideas have meaning. No one wants their ideas to be an embarrassment or a failure so maybe instead of trying they push their idea aside. The older I get the more I’m embracing the notion that life is too short to not show the world what I have to offer, and see what comes of it.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I think my mission is clear. I didn’t start a podcast to become a podcaster, I started one to talk about animal rescue and welfare. I started a podcast because I still see people buying puppies from puppy mills, or giving away their animal for free on Facebook, or not getting their pet spayed or neutered. I truly think that if all of us knew just how big the animal welfare problem is in this country, we could see impactful change.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefosterfilepodcast
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UWBqf8MbD6xSUWGhHtFpb?si=l8GWmrM1RBWInpEXw-4vKQ