We’re looking forward to introducing you to Noelle Saladin. Check out our conversation below.
Noelle, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Unless I have an early morning start where I am rushing to get out of the house, my days always start with my dogs. The morning routine is breakfast and then adventures. We might go to the nearest park where I let them explore on long leashes for an hour, we may walk in the neighborhood, or occasionally we load up in the car and explore somewhere novel. Since my schedule is often unpredictable from one day to the next, this morning routine helps meet the dogs needs for exercise and quality time and it gives me the best possible start to my day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and proud owner of Supernova Dogs, a dog sport and behavior training center in Buffalo NY. We bring science informed training methods, rooted in the principles of positive reinforcement, to our local community of dog owners and rescues. We are more than just a training center, we are an inclusive community that aims to enrich the lives of dogs, and their humans, through training, friendship, and support.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Honestly, and this may sound crazy to some, but it would definitely be my relationship with my dog Nova. In the past 11 years I have learned so much about myself in my efforts to better understand her. While it started out as the desire to help her work through her challenges, I began to realize how many similarities we share. The parallels between dog and human behavior has always been fascinating to me, but in building my relationship with her, I have taken the opportunity to really reflect on the qualities that we have in common. She has shown me where my flaws are, without judging when I stumble and make mistakes along the way. She has also shown me my greatest strengths and potential, always challenging me to be a better version of myself. Because of her, I think I have a clearer view of who I am now, and the best view may just be through the eyes of a dog.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The first thing that comes to mind is fear of failure, something I have struggled with for a long time, but when I really think about it, fear of the unknown has been a much bigger roadblock both personally and professionally. The “What if” is what usually gets me, because to be honest, it is not usually “What if something great happens?”. I wish I leaned towards optimism, but unfortunately, framing things in a positive way is something I have to work really hard at. Anticipating failure, rejection, disappointment is also part of the unknown, maybe even easier for me to believe most of the time; It can be really difficult to take a chance on something when those outcomes are seemingly so inevitable in my own mind. There are so many times I know I said “no” to something for those very reasons, even when part of me really wanted to say “yes”. Knowing this about myself hasn’t necessarily made it easier to change, but the awareness has allowed me to look at my fear from a more neutral viewpoint. This perspective, along with the support of my husband, who in comparison may be borderline fearless, has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and into the unknown, saying “yes” a lot more often.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Sometimes I feel like I’m still in the process of discovering who the real me is. While I am, at my core, defined by specific qualities, there are parts of me which are continuing to evolve. Every relationship and interaction brings out a slightly different version of who I am and I think the versions of me that clients see is a combination of who I am at my core and also who I need to be for the business. I am not naturally outgoing, I struggle to make small talk, and I often find it difficult to connect with people. In contrast, I am comfortable teaching group classes and speaking publicly, so some people may never realize just how challenging those one-on-one interactions are for me. Since my business is based on people, the introvert in me has to spend a lot of time outside the comfort zone. Deep down I will always be an introvert who feels awkward interacting with people, but the more I engage, the stronger those connections get, and I start to feel like I can share the realest version of myself.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
This is a really interesting question that raises many of my own questions. Am I doing what my parents told me to do or what society told me I should do? The answer to that is not anymore and probably not. In my family I think it was always expected, pre-ordained really, that I would go to college, get a degree, find a career, and be successful. I would say that I did those things, I spent ten years pursuing a career after receiving my Bachelor’s degree and I did well in the field; Then I left it all behind to find something that truly mattered to me. It has taken me a number of years since then to get to where I am now, but is this what I was born to do? I would say yes, more than anything I have done up to this point, I feel as though I am meant to be doing what I am now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.supernovadogs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supernovadogs/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelle-saladin-1600884/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SUPERNOVADOGS/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@supernovadogs
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