Building a Scalable Authority Model—Lessons Every Coach and Entrepreneur Can Learn
Building a Scalable Authority Model—Lessons Every Coach and Entrepreneur Can Learn
by RJ Stewart Inspire
Innovation doesn’t always look like flashy tech or viral marketing. Sometimes, it looks like re-imagining a broken system and having the courage to build what doesn’t exist yet.
That’s exactly what Stephanie Beausoleil, founder of Notre Dog Academy, has done— and her story holds powerful lessons for coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs in any industry.
In a recent episode of Net Builders 360, host RJ Stewart sat down with Stephanie to unpack how she turned deep expertise, psychology, and market awareness into a category-defining business.
This isn’t just a dog training story.
It’s an authority-building blueprint.
Lesson #1: Stop Competing—Redefine the Category
Most dog daycares operate the same way: supervision, playtime, and basic safety. Stephanie didn’t try to be “better” at that model.
She rejected it entirely.
Instead of a traditional daycare, Notre Dog Academy operates as a doggy day school—a structured learning environment where dogs are actively trained throughout the day.
Entrepreneur takeaway:
If your market is crowded, don’t outshout competitors.
Change the conversation.
The fastest way to authority isn’t improvement—it’s redefinition.
Lesson #2: Education Scales Better Than Supervision
Stephanie’s program is built on structure, systems, and curriculum—not constant hands-on micromanagement. Dogs aren’t just watched; they’re taught.
That distinction is critical.
For coaches and consultants:
• Supervision = trading time for money
• Education = building systems that scale
When you design your offer around learning outcomes, you stop being a service provider and start becoming an institution.
Lesson #3: Your Background Is the Advantage You’re Ignoring
Stephanie’s background in psychology from Pacific Lutheran University fundamentally shaped her training philosophy. She understood early that:
Learning principles apply across species—dogs, children, adults, teams.
Rather than separating psychology from dog training, she integrated it.
Entrepreneur takeaway:
Your authority lives at the intersection of your experiences.
The thing that makes you “different” is often the exact thing that makes your business undeniable—if you package it correctly.
Lesson #4: Market Gaps Reveal Themselves Through Repetition
Before launching Notre Dog Academy, Stephanie repeatedly heard the same question:
“Do you know a good daycare you’d recommend?”
And she kept giving the same answer: not really.
That repetition wasn’t noise—it was data.
For coaches:
Pay attention to the questions people keep asking you.
Those questions are business ideas disguised as conversations.
Lesson #5: Psychology Is the Foundation of Every Business
Stephanie often jokes that her training methods work just as well on people as they do on dogs—and she’s not wrong.
Behavior, motivation, reinforcement, boundaries—these principles drive:
• Client retention
• Team leadership
• Sales conversations
• Habit formation
Entrepreneurs who understand psychology don’t chase clients.
They design environments where the right behavior happens naturally.
Lesson #6: Being First Is Risky—but Being Needed Is Powerful
Stephanie didn’t open Notre Dog Academy because it was trendy. She opened it because it was necessary.
Being the first of its kind in the Tacoma–Pierce County area came with uncertainty—but it also came with instant differentiation.
Business truth:
If you’re solving a real problem in a thoughtful way, the market will catch up to you.
Final Thought: Authority Is Built Through Structure, Not Hype
Notre Dog Academy isn’t successful because of branding tricks or clever marketing. It works because it’s built on:
• Clear philosophy
• Strong systems
• Psychological insight
• A real solution to a real gap
For coaches and entrepreneurs, Stephanie Beausoleil’s journey is a reminder that authority isn’t claimed—it’s constructed.
And once you build it the right way, people don’t ask if they should work with you.
They ask how soon.
Ready to rise from expert to authority?
Download your free copy of Expert to Authority and learn how to turn your story into influence, income, and impact.
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