Veterinary leadership requires more than titles and résumés. On The Evolved Vets Podcast, Dr. Bethany Weinheimer and Dr. Anna Foster sit down with entrepreneur, veterinarian, and founder Dr. Audrey Wystrach for an honest conversation about courage, commitment, values, and building a career that aligns with who you truly are.
From growing up on a ranch in southern Arizona to owning practices early in her career and founding Petfolk, Audrey shares how grit, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness shaped her leadership journey. This conversation explores imposter syndrome, failure, burnout prevention, self-permission, and why taking care of yourself is not optional if you want to lead well.
This episode is a reminder that veterinary medicine needs bold, values-driven leaders who are willing to build their own parachutes and evolve on their own terms.
In This Episode You Will Learn
✅ What courage and conviction actually look like in veterinary leadership
✅ How values alignment fuels energy instead of burnout
✅ Why self-care must be mandatory, not optional
✅ How to give yourself permission to say no without guilt
✅ The role of emotional intelligence in long-term success
✅ Why failure is feedback, not a stopping point
✅ How to build a personal toolkit for adversity
✅ What it means to lead authentically in vet med
Ready to evolve your veterinary career?
Explore coaching, programs, and resources designed to support alignment, leadership, and long-term sustainability in veterinary medicine at
www.evolvedvets.com
Key Timestamps
- 00:00 Welcome to The Evolved Vets Podcast
- 01:03 Making a seat at the table and women in leadership
- 04:05 Audrey’s journey into veterinary medicine
- 07:07 Courage, conviction, and imposter syndrome
- 10:48 Values, alignment, and sustained energy
- 13:02 Morning routines and mandatory self-care
- 15:38 Giving yourself permission and setting boundaries
- 18:26 Saying no and long-term vision planning
- 21:31 Entrepreneurship, failure, and resilience
- 24:16 Building a toolkit for adversity
- 27:04 Vulnerability, strengths, and self-awareness
- 30:01 Emergency medicine, unpredictability, and mindset
- 33:06 Career pivots and embracing change
- 36:07 Advice for women leaders in veterinary medicine
- 37:49 Where to connect with Dr. Audrey Wystrach
Key Takeaways
💎 Courage is a leadership skill that can be practiced
💎 Values alignment prevents burnout and resentment
💎 Self-care must be non-negotiable to sustain leadership
💎 Failure builds resilience when reframed as feedback
💎 Emotional intelligence is as important as clinical skill
💎 Boundaries protect energy and long-term success
💎 Career paths are allowed to evolve and pivot
💎 Authentic leadership creates meaningful impact
Guest & Host Bio
Dr. Audrey Wystrach
Dr. Audrey Wystrach is a veterinarian, entrepreneur, and founder of Petfolk. Known for her courage, conviction, and people-first leadership style, she has built practices and companies rooted in values, emotional intelligence, and long-term sustainability within veterinary medicine.
Dr. Bethany Weinheimer
Veterinary leader, coach, and host of The Evolved Vets Podcast, specializing in veterinary burnout recovery, leadership development, and alignment coaching through the Evolved Vets community.
📸 Instagram: @drbeththevet
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bethany-weinheimer-a9047558
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drbeththevet
Dr. Anna Foster
Emergency veterinarian and co-host of The Evolved Vets Podcast, supporting veterinarians through emotional regulation, mindset shifts, leadership growth, and community-centered transformation.
Resources Mentioned
Follow Audrey and Petfolk
📸 Instagram: @mypetfolk
🖥️Website: https://petfolk.com/
Join The Evolved Vets Community
📸 Instagram: @EvolvedVets
📺 YouTube: Evolved Vets
🌐 Website & Membership: evolvedvets.com
Let’s evolve together 💙
veterinary leadership, women in veterinary medicine, veterinary burnout prevention, values-based leadership, veterinary entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence vet med
