Doing It Anyway: Confidence, Marketing & Growth with Veronica Boutelle [Episode 275]

In this thoughtful and business-boosting conversation, Ryan Cartlidge is joined by returning guest Veronica Boutelle — founder of Dogbiz, author of How to Run a Dog Business, and a long-time leader in helping positive reinforcement dog trainers build sustainable, values-aligned businesses. With a rare blend of experience as a professional dog trainer, business owner, and former classroom teacher, teacher educator, and curriculum developer, Veronica brings a grounded, practical lens to the "softer skills" that can make or break a trainer's confidence, visibility, and long-term success. Together, Ryan and Veronica unpack two of the most common struggles trainers face behind the scenes: imposter syndrome and isolation. Veronica explores how these experiences often show up as fear — fear of not knowing enough, fear of being judged by peers, fear of rejection from potential clients, and fear of "getting it wrong" and causing harm. They also discuss how the lack of shared professional standards in the dog training industry can intensify doubt, and why community and belonging matter so deeply for staying resilient and moving forward. Throughout the episode, Veronica reframes confidence not as the absence of fear, but as the willingness to take action anyway — building systems, developing skills, and learning through experience. From risk-taking as experimentation, to treating business decisions like training data, this conversation is packed with perspective shifts that will help you stop waiting for "ready" and start moving toward the business (and impact) you truly want. Throughout this episode, we discuss: ✅ Why imposter syndrome and isolation are so common in the positive reinforcement dog training world ✅ How fear fuels inaction — and why confidence is often simply "doing anyway" ✅ The role of belonging, validation, and status in how we show up publicly as professionals ✅ Why risk is unavoidable in business (and how to reframe it as experimentation) ✅ How community support changes everything — for both wins and setbacks Whether you're a new trainer trying to find your footing or an experienced professional wrestling with visibility, pricing, or self-doubt, this episode is a powerful reminder that confidence isn't something you wait for — it's something you build through action, reflection, and connection. Links Veronica's Thrive program: http://dogbizsuccess.com/thrive/