Almost 15 years ago at VMX, I was speaking on social media alongside my friends Dave Nicol & Andy Roark. In what seemed like a good idea at the time, we challenged ourselves to share 50 marketing tips in 50 minutes. 😂
Sitting in that audience was a hashtag#vet nurse from the Netherlands named Esther.
Over the years, I would see Esther at VMX again and again. She attended many of my sessions, & what started as a student-speaker relationship gradually grew into a friendship. Every year, she would excitedly tell me how she had applied something she learned to her practice. There is nothing more rewarding as an educator than seeing someone take an idea, put it into action, and create real results.
What impressed me most was that Esther never simply copied what she learned. She used those ideas as a foundation and then built her own approach. Over time, she became exceptionally talented at marketing and client communication. Eventually, I found myself encouraging her to stop sitting in the audience and start standing on the stage. I encouraged her to submit speaking proposals and share her own experiences. Before long, she was speaking around the world, building her own following, and becoming a respected voice in veterinary medicine.
Last week, I had the opportunity to teach alongside Esther in Utrecht, Netherlands. We opened our session by sharing this story, and it was one of those full-circle moments that reminds you why teaching matters.
What made it especially meaningful was that the session wasn’t about me. I shared ideas and strategies as I always do, but when it came time for examples, Esther took the lead. Instead of relying on stories from practices I’ve worked with over the years, she shared examples from her own veterinary practice, a practice she now owns. Watching someone go from attendee, to mentee, to colleague, to practice owner and educator is incredibly rewarding.
I was honored to be in the Netherlands speaking on topics I’m passionate about, especially artificial intelligence, marketing, and managing online reviews. The interest in AI was particularly exciting. No matter where I travel, veterinary professionals want to understand how AI can improve efficiency, strengthen communication, support teams, and help practices operate more effectively while preserving the human connection at the heart of veterinary medicine.
One thing that continues to amaze me is how global our profession truly is. We’re all navigating many of the same challenges and opportunities. Technology is changing rapidly. Client expectations continue to evolve. hashtag#AI is transforming how we work. Yet the mission remains the same: helping pets, supporting pet owners, and building stronger veterinary teams.
And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get to watch someone who once sat in the audience become one of the people inspiring the next generation. For me, that’s one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
