Choose People Love Pets

About Choose People Love Pets

"Choose People Love Pets" is a podcast dedicated to exploring the powerful intersection where passion for animals meets the art of leading with a people-first mindset and intentionality. Join us as we delve into the heart of veterinary medicine, discovering how prioritizing both the well-being of our furry friends and the humans who care for them can transform the landscape of culture and leadership in our field.

Publisher

Phoebe Valdez and Brianna Armstrong, DVM

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

1 Jul 2024

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

63 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Better Dentistry Starts With Your Team with Mary Berg, RVT, VTS (Dentistry)

   What does better dentistry look like—and what becomes possible when veterinary technicians have room to grow? In this episode of Choose People Love Pets, Dr. Brianna Armstrong sits down with Mary Berg, RVT, VTS (Dentistry), founder of Beyond the Crown Veterinary Education. Mary has spent more than 30 years in veterinary medicine, building a career that spans dental research, practice management, teaching, and business ownership. Mary shares how an unexpected opportunity led her into dentistry and why helping team members do more of what they love can keep them engaged in veterinary medicine. She also explores career opportunities beyond clinical practice and what technicians should consider before pursuing a specialty. Then we get practical: what a thorough dental procedure involves, how trained technicians and veterinarians can share the work, and why the language we use affects how pet owners understand the care their pets need. Brianna brings questions from her own hospital—and Mary offers plenty of ideas to take back to yours. They also discuss anesthesia-free tooth scraping, realistic home-care options, and why investing in team education matters for patients, clients, and the people providing their care. IN THIS EPISODE • Building a veterinary career around your interests and strengths • Supporting technician growth, engagement, and utilization • Dental diagnostics, equipment, and practical workflow improvements • Why waiting until dental disease looks “bad enough” can be a problem • A dedicated anesthesia monitor and clear responsibilities during procedures • COHAT: comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment • Helping clients understand the value of dental care • Home care that pet owners can realistically maintain • Starting a training business and pursuing a veterinary technician specialty CONNECT WITH MARY & EXPLORE THE RESOURCES Beyond the Crown Veterinary Education (https://www.btcveted.com/) Learn more about Mary’s company and veterinary dentistry education. In-clinic team training (https://www.btcveted.com/in-clinic-training) Explore hands-on training for veterinary teams. Online learning (https://www.btcveted.com/online-training) Find Mary’s remote dentistry education options. Companion Animal Dentistry for Veterinary Technicians (https://www.bluedoorpublishing.com/products/companion-animal-dentistry-for-veterinary-technicians) Mary’s textbook, mentioned in the episode. Veterinary Oral Health Council accepted products (https://vohc.org/accepted-products/) Explore the VOHC’s accepted dental home-care products. Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (https://www.avdt.us/) Learn more about the academy and its educational resources. VTS (Dentistry) certification (https://www.avdt.us/becomecertified) Explore the process of becoming a veterinary technician specialist in dentistry. NAVTA’s veterinary technician specialties directory (https://navta.net/veterinary-technician-specialties/list-of-approved-academies/) Explore specialty academies and opportunities for professional growth. AVMA Veterinary Technology Student Essential and Recommended Skills List (https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/committee-veterinary-technician-education-activities/cvtea-accreditation-policies-and-procedures-appendix-g) The skills resource Mary mentions during the discussion about technician utilization. Enjoyed this conversation? Follow Choose People Love Pets, share this episode with your veterinary team, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

2. 

   21 Sept 2026

   From Veterinary Medicine to Children’s Books with Dr. Jen Cole

   What happens when you’ve built the career you thought you wanted… and realize you might be ready for something completely different? Dr. Jen Cole spent more than 25 years in veterinary medicine, built two veterinary practices with her husband, raised three children, and eventually made the decision to step away from hospital life. But she wasn’t done with veterinary medicine. Today, Jen is the author of the Rooster and Squid children’s book series, using storytelling to teach kids about animals, veterinary medicine, and how they can become better advocates for their own pets. In this episode, we talk about knowing when it’s time to move on, separating who you are from what you do, building a career alongside a family, and giving yourself permission to figure out what comes next. We also get into some of the harder lessons Jen learned during 25+ years in practice: firing clients, letting go of team members who are hurting your culture, realizing that nobody is irreplaceable (including the owners), and learning that your hospital can continue to thrive without you. Jen shares what retirement actually felt like after decades of being a veterinarian and practice owner, why she gave herself six months before saying yes to anything new, and how that space eventually led her to an entirely new creative career. Then we dive into Rooster and Squid: why Jen believes kids can be some of the best advocates for their pets, how she learned to write and publish children's books, what she thinks about AI and human creativity, and what she's building next. Most importantly, this conversation is a reminder that there isn't just one way to have a career in veterinary medicine. You can practice, own, lead, work part-time, raise a family, move into industry, create something completely new, or reinvent your career altogether. Your career can change. Your impact doesn’t have to. In this episode • Knowing when it’s time to step away from clinical practice • Separating your identity from being a veterinarian • Why Jen gave herself six months after retirement before deciding what came next • Building veterinary practices while raising a family • Being physically present versus actually being present with the people you love • Why it’s okay to fire clients • Letting go of people who are negatively affecting your hospital culture • Why “nobody is irreplaceable” can actually be a healthy leadership lesson • The many different ways to build a career in veterinary medicine • Turning 25+ years of veterinary experience into children's stories • Why kids can be powerful advocates for their pets • Writing, illustrating, and publishing the Rooster and Squid series • AI, authorship, and the value of human creativity • Jen’s upcoming search-and-rescue series inspired by veterinary emergency response work Connect with Dr. Jen Cole Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roosterandsquid/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553831672190 LinkedIn (Jen Cole, DVM): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-cole-dvm-208b642a1/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/roosterandsquid/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@roosterandsquid YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RoosterandSquid Lucid Books (Dr. Cole's Publisher) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucid_books/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucidbookspublishing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucid-books Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lucidbookspub/ X: https://x.com/Lucid_Books Choose People Love Pets is the veterinary culture podcast exploring leadership, workplace culture, career possibilities, and the people working to build a brighter future for veterinary medicine. People. Culture. A Brighter Vet Med.

3. 

   7 Sept 2026

   Do You Actually Want To Own A Veterinary Hospital

   Hospital ownership can sound like the natural next step in a veterinary career, but ownership isn’t a promotion. It’s a completely different job. In this first solo episode, Dr. Brianna Armstrong breaks down three questions to ask yourself before deciding whether veterinary hospital ownership is actually right for you. Do you really want ownership, or are you looking for more autonomy, better leadership, a different schedule, or a healthier workplace? Do you enjoy the actual work of ownership, including leadership, finances, systems, hiring, accountability, and solving problems? And are you willing to take on the responsibility that comes with having more control? Dr. Armstrong shares what she loves about hospital ownership, what she didn’t know when she started, why being a great veterinarian doesn’t automatically mean you’ll enjoy running a business, and practical ways to get closer to the business side of veterinary medicine before taking the leap. In this episode: • Why ownership shouldn’t be the default finish line of a veterinary career • The “perfect associate job” test for deciding what you actually want • Why enjoying business problems matters more than already knowing business • The relationship between control and responsibility • How to test-drive leadership and ownership before investing in a hospital • Different paths to ownership, from partnerships and buy-ins to de novos and solo ownership • Why talking to current owners may be one of the best ways to figure out your next move If ownership makes you nervous but also gets you a little excited, you don’t have to decide today. Get curious, get closer to the business, and figure out whether you actually like the job before worrying about how to buy one. Follow for more: FB: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556480229406&mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠ IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/choosepeoplelovepets?igsh=MTVzZjc4ZHE4MWd2NQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr⁠ LI: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/choose-people-love-pets/

Who has been a guest on Choose People Love Pets

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Brianna Armstrong DVM
• Phoebe Valdez
• Dr Jill Clark

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

21 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

63

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Choose People Love Pets

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.