Explore every episode of the podcast Veterinary Business Podcast

Generating new client inquiries is only the first step in growing a veterinary practice. The real challenge is what happens after the phone rings.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing, discusses why many veterinary practices lose valuable opportunities at the front desk and how better call tracking, missed call recovery, and phone coaching can improve conversion rates.

Naren explores why practices often struggle to understand the true performance of their phones, the importance of measuring phone conversion rates and missed call percentages, and how a single unanswered or poorly handled call can impact client trust and marketing ROI.

Listeners will learn how to identify gaps in their phone systems, connect marketing efforts to actual booked appointments, and create a better experience for prospective clients from the very first conversation.

• Why marketing investments can fail when calls are not handled effectively at the front desk
• The importance of tracking phone conversion rates and missed call percentages
• How call tracking helps practices understand which marketing channels generate results
• Why unanswered calls and poor phone experiences can drive potential clients elsewhere
• How front desk teams can improve communication, trust, and appointment conversion
• The role of phone coaching in creating consistent client experiences
• Metrics practice owners should monitor to improve growth and profitability

If you're looking to identify opportunities to improve your practice's growth, we're offering veterinary practice owners a complimentary 60-minute Veterinary Practice Growth Strategy Session.

During this session, our team will review your current digital presence, marketing performance, and client acquisition journey to uncover potential opportunities for improvement.

You'll gain insights into:

• How your practice is currently positioned online
• Where potential client opportunities may be getting lost
• Ways to improve your inquiry-to-appointment conversion process
• Strategic areas that can support sustainable practice growth

There's no obligation — it's simply an opportunity to receive a personalized growth assessment for your practice.

To check availability and reserve your complimentary session, visit:

👉 www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Revenue is growing. The schedule is full. The team is working harder. Yet many veterinary practice owners still reach the end of the month wondering why profitability has not improved.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Angie sits down with Aaron Bennett, founder of Bennett Financials and creator of the 60/15/15 framework, to discuss how veterinary practice owners can better understand what their profit and loss statement is revealing.

Aaron explains why revenue alone does not tell the full story of practice health and how breaking down financial performance into key categories can help owners identify where profitability challenges are coming from.

Together, they discuss:

• How to analyze a veterinary practice P&L beyond top-line revenue

• What the 60/15/15 framework reveals about delivery costs, administrative expenses, and sales and marketing investment

• How veterinary practices can evaluate whether marketing is creating profitable growth

• Why customer acquisition cost and lifetime value matter when scaling

• Common margin leaks involving labor efficiency, pricing, facilities, and overhead

• The financial indicators practice owners should monitor before profitability problems appear

• What creates a more scalable veterinary practice from a buyer or CFO perspective

Aaron also shares practical insights on pricing decisions, repeat client behavior, lead flow, owner dependency, and building a practice that can grow sustainably.

This episode is designed for veterinary practice owners, managers, and leaders who want to move beyond simply increasing revenue and develop a clearer understanding of the financial drivers behind a healthier practice.

If you want to better understand where your marketing investment and growth opportunities stand, Veterinary Business Institute offers a complimentary marketing strategy meeting for veterinary practices.

Learn more here: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Don Adeesha sits down with Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing, to discuss how veterinary practices can better understand digital marketing, improve their online presence, and create stronger opportunities for sustainable growth.

Today's pet owners are searching online before choosing a veterinary practice. But being visible is only the first step. Practices need to build trust, communicate their value clearly, and create a digital experience that helps potential clients take the next step.

Naren shares insights from his experience working with veterinary practices and explains how owners can think more strategically about their online presence, client acquisition, and long-term growth.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why visibility alone does not guarantee new client growth
• How veterinary practices can improve their digital presence
• What makes a website experience more effective for pet owners
• How trust and communication influence client decisions
• Common marketing mistakes practices should avoid
• How veterinary leaders can create a stronger foundation for future growth

Whether you are a veterinarian, practice owner, or veterinary leader, this conversation provides practical insights into building a more intentional approach to marketing and practice growth.

If you're looking to understand where your practice has opportunities to improve online visibility, attract more ideal clients, and strengthen your digital growth strategy, Ekwa Marketing is offering a complimentary Practice Growth Session for veterinary practice owners.

During this session, you'll receive an outside perspective on your current online presence, patient acquisition opportunities, and potential areas for improvement.

There's no obligation. It's simply an opportunity to gain clarity on what may be holding your practice back and identify actionable next steps.

Learn more and reserve your session here:
https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Veterinary practices have adopted more software than ever, but many teams are working harder because of it. As Joe Chickerillo describes it, every tool solves one narrow slice of the client journey — booking in one platform, reminders in another, forms somewhere else, texting in a separate inbox — while the practice management system stays the source of truth. The result is a fragmented client experience and skilled staff spending their day reconciling systems that were supposed to save them time.

The conversation focuses on online booking as the practical starting point. Joe explains why a simple request form or an open calendar is not real online booking, and why a system that ignores a practice's scheduling nuances can create more phone calls than it removes. He describes the detail that has to be captured during setup: appointment lengths that differ by doctor, columns that can and cannot be double-booked, daily caps by appointment type, doctors who rotate between locations, and the scheduling rules that usually live only in one front-desk team member's head.

He also makes the case for after-hours access. Pet owners often notice a problem in the evening, long after the practice has closed, and Joe notes that in companies he has worked with, client interaction outside opening hours has reached as much as 40 percent. Without online booking or an answering option, that becomes lost revenue and, sometimes, a lost client to a more convenient practice.

On the human side, Joe argues that automation and personal service are not in conflict. Automate the repeatable work — booking, confirmations, reminders, review requests — and the team gets that time back for the client standing in front of them. The episode closes with metrics worth tracking, what the first 30 days after implementation should look like, and one genuinely surprising channel that is converting again.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why the real problem is rarely a lack of technology — it is fragmentation, with staff acting as the human integration between disconnected systems
• What separates real online booking from a request form or an exposed calendar, and why the weaker version can create more phone tag than it removes
• The scheduling nuances that must be captured at setup, including per-doctor appointment lengths, column rules, daily caps, and rotating doctor schedules
• A practical pre-launch test: have the team sit down and deliberately try to break the booking system before it goes live to the public
• Which parts of the client journey should be automated and which should stay human, so admin work stops consuming time meant for clients
• Metrics worth tracking from day one — including missed and abandoned calls, online and after-hours bookings, no-show and cancellation rates, staff time per booking, forward booking, and production by marketing channel

If this episode raised questions about where prospective clients are getting stuck before they ever reach your front desk, the Veterinary Business Institute offers a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting to review your local visibility, website, and booking journey and map out where growth opportunities are being lost: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Veterinary professionals accumulate specialized knowledge through years of clinical work, leadership, practice management, and problem-solving. But much of that expertise creates value only while they are personally working. This episode examines another possibility: turning professional knowledge into a continuing education business that is less directly tied to time.

Justin Allan Montgomery joins Angie to discuss how professionals can identify knowledge worth teaching, choose course topics based on meaningful problems and transformations, validate demand before committing heavily to an idea, and define a clear value proposition.

The conversation also explores the business side of continuing education, including why the right audience matters more than simply having a large following, how relevant content builds visibility and trust, why selling a course can be harder than creating one, and what veterinary professionals should understand about marketing an online education business.

For veterinary professionals considering a business beyond traditional practice, this episode offers a practical framework for evaluating whether their expertise could become a focused educational product and how to begin building it.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• How to shift from letting professional knowledge work only through you to packaging it into an educational product.
• Questions that can help identify expertise other professionals may find valuable enough to learn.
• How to evaluate course ideas based on demand, the problem being solved, and the transformation for the learner.
• Ways to conduct market research before investing heavily in building a course.
• Why a focused, relevant audience can matter more than having a large following.
• Why content, visibility, distribution, and marketing become essential when building an online continuing education business.

A key lesson from this episode is that expertise creates more opportunity when the right audience can find, understand, and trust what you offer. Veterinary practice owners can apply that same principle to their own local visibility through a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting focused on their Google presence, website, reviews, positioning, and growth opportunities: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Should you build your veterinary practice from the ground up—or buy one that already has clients, cash flow, and systems in place?

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Angie sits down with Mira Johnson, CPA, CVPM, MBA, Integrator at CPAs for Veterinarians, JF Bell Group, to unpack one of the biggest decisions veterinarians face on the road to ownership: starting a de novo practice versus acquiring an existing one.

Mira breaks down the financial and operational realities behind both paths—from the freedom of creating a practice around your own vision to the challenges of building a client base and reaching profitability. She also explains what prospective buyers should examine before purchasing an existing hospital, including valuation, due diligence, culture, location, financial performance, and whether the practice truly fits the type of medicine and client experience they want to provide.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to decide between starting and buying based on your goals, finances, risk tolerance, and vision

• The advantages and financial challenges of a de novo veterinary practice

• Red flags to watch for when evaluating an acquisition

• Why veterinary-specific valuation and due diligence matter

• The first financial steps to take before pursuing ownership

• Why understanding your personal "why" matters before becoming an owner

• How real-time financial data and the right advisory team can help you avoid costly mistakes

• Why marketing should be part of your ownership plan from the beginning

Opening the doors is only the beginning. Whether you're starting a new hospital, buying an existing practice, or already operating one, sustainable growth also depends on making sure the right pet owners in your community can find and choose you.

The Veterinary Business Institute is offering a complimentary Veterinary Marketing Strategy Meeting where the team will review your online presence and identify opportunities to strengthen local visibility, improve your Google presence, attract high-quality new patients, and create a more consistent flow of new patient calls.

👉 Book your complimentary strategy meeting:
www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

If veterinary practice ownership is part of your future, this conversation will help you understand the questions to ask—and the numbers, systems, and support you need—before taking the leap.

Veterinary school prepares doctors to practice medicine, but the transition into real-world practice demands far more than clinical knowledge.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Don Adeesha speaks with Dr. Angela Henninger, veterinarian, multi-practice owner, and founder of DVM Ascent, about the skills veterinarians develop after graduation: confidence, communication, emotional resilience, leadership, and navigating difficult conversations.

Dr. Henninger explains why confidence is built over time, why mentorship needs to be structured rather than simply promised, and how communication shapes relationships with clients, teams, and fellow leaders.

Growing your practice so you can hire and keep good associates? Book a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why the gap between knowing medicine and confidently applying it is so hard on new graduates
• What meaningful, accessible mentorship actually looks like
• How veterinarians can set boundaries with clients without sounding dismissive
• How shared decision-making reduces tension around treatment cost
• Why structured 30-, 60-, and 90-day mentorship plans help early-career vets thrive
• The difference between task-driven management and people-focused leadership

About Dr. Angela Henninger
Dr. Angela Henninger is a veterinarian, multi-practice owner, and founder of DVM Ascent, where she helps early-career veterinary professionals access mentorship, peer support, and communication development beyond clinical training.

Learn more: https://www.dvmascent.com/

Complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting
Structured mentorship depends on a practice healthy enough to hire — and that comes down to steady case volume. Veterinary Business Podcast listeners can request a complimentary one-on-one Marketing Strategy Meeting to review their digital presence, local visibility, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities.

Reserve your session: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Adding another doctor, service, or location will not fix an unstable veterinary practice. Without clear systems, aligned teams, reliable communication, and strong leadership, expansion can simply multiply the chaos.

In this episode of The Veterinary Business Podcast, Charlotte Weir joins host Angie to explore what it really takes to build a modern veterinary practice that is operationally strong, sustainable for the team, trusted by clients, and prepared for the future of veterinary care.

Charlotte is the Vice President of Partnerships at Roo, founder and co-owner of 2525 Sunset Veterinarians, and a recipient of the 2026 AVMA Unsung Hero Award. Drawing from her experience building veterinary startups, integrating practices, managing hospital operations, and developing flexible staffing models, she offers practical insights for both established and aspiring practice owners.

You'll discover:

• Why veterinary practices should stabilize before trying to scale
• How weak systems can turn growth into multiplied chaos
• The role of clear SOPs, communication, mission, and accountability
• Why technology and AI should support people—not replace them
• How convenience and digital communication can strengthen client trust
• Why client education creates long-term loyalty
• How relief veterinarians can protect teams from burnout
• How proactive relief staffing can increase capacity and retain revenue
• Why modern practices must compete on experience, not price alone
• What will separate thriving veterinary practices from those that simply survive

Charlotte also explains how she uses relief veterinarians proactively on her hospital's busiest days, allowing the practice to see more patients, protect its full-time doctors, accommodate time-off requests, and preserve the client relationship.

This conversation is for veterinary practice owners, hospital managers, veterinary leaders, aspiring owners, and industry professionals who want to build healthier, more adaptable, and more sustainable businesses.

A strong client experience matters—but potential clients must first be able to find your practice, understand what makes it different, and feel confident taking the next step.

Veterinary practice owners can request a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting to review their current online presence, identify visibility opportunities, strengthen their Google presence, and develop a customized veterinary marketing plan.

Book your complimentary strategy meeting: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Listen now to learn how to build a veterinary practice that can grow without sacrificing its people, culture, client relationships, or quality of care.

What happens at home between veterinary appointments can reveal just as much about a pet's health as what happens inside the exam room.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Dr. Amanda Landis-Hanna speaks with Dr. Ken Lambrecht, veterinarian, practice owner, entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of Healthy Pet Connect.

Dr. Lambrecht explains how home-generated health data can help veterinary teams identify changes sooner, improve client compliance, and provide more proactive preventive care. The conversation explores pet obesity, feline weight management, nutrition, remote patient monitoring, client communication, and the growing role of technology in connecting pet owners with their veterinary teams.

You will learn:

• Why an occasional clinic weigh-in may not provide enough information to manage a pet's health effectively
• How home scales, smart feeders, activity monitors, and other devices can reveal important health trends
• Why body condition scores, calorie calculations, accurate food measurement, and regular reassessments must work together
• How veterinary teams can help clients manage food-motivated pets and challenging multi-pet households
• How Healthy Pet Connect organizes home health information so veterinary professionals can quickly determine whether a patient is progressing
• What Dr. Lambrecht learned from helping Spudgy, a 37-pound cat, reach a healthy weight of approximately 12 pounds
• How remote monitoring may support pets with obesity, chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and other ongoing health concerns
• How artificial intelligence and better data integration could shape the future of preventive veterinary care

Dr. Lambrecht also shares why successful weight management is rarely about making one recommendation during an appointment. It requires a realistic plan, reliable measurements, ongoing client coaching, and a way for the veterinary team to see what is happening after the patient goes home.

The goal is not to overwhelm veterinary teams with more information. It is to organize the right information into clear trends that can support faster, more confident clinical decisions.

Schedule a complimentary veterinary marketing strategy meeting with Ekwa Marketing:
www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Change in a veterinary practice rarely fails because the idea itself is wrong. More often, it fails because team members feel that change is being done to them rather than developed with them.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Dr. Nicola Bromley shares practical leadership lessons from more than two decades in veterinary medicine, including her experience leading a team of approximately 170 people as Hospital Director at Fitzpatrick Referrals.

Drawing on both her leadership experience and her studies in psychology and behaviour change, Dr. Bromley explores why veterinary teams resist change, how leaders can build greater trust, and what it takes to create improvements that genuinely last.

The conversation examines the importance of listening before acting, understanding situations from the team's perspective, and identifying the real barriers behind resistance. These barriers may involve capability, opportunity, motivation, workload, workplace culture, or a lack of connection between the proposed change and the team's values.

Dr. Bromley also discusses compassionate leadership, psychological safety, change fatigue, burnout, and the importance of creating space for team members to speak openly. She explains why leaders should avoid introducing too many initiatives simultaneously and why sometimes the most responsible decision is to pause, allow an existing change to settle, and revisit the next idea later.

Her practical starting point for veterinary leaders is simple but powerful:

"Curiosity, not criticism."

Rather than immediately judging resistance or poor performance, leaders should pause, ask questions, and seek to understand what is making the desired behaviour difficult.

Whether you are a veterinary practice owner, hospital leader, practice manager, or team lead, this episode offers a thoughtful and highly practical approach to leading people through change while protecting trust, performance, and wellbeing.

The way pet owners discover and choose veterinary practices is changing quickly.

Instead of browsing multiple websites and comparing clinics one by one, many consumers are now asking Google's AI features, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other smart assistants to recommend the right veterinary practice for their needs.

This creates an important question for veterinary practice owners:

Will AI recommend your practice—or overlook it in favor of a competitor?

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha is joined by Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing and Founder of the Veterinary Business Institute.

Naren explains how AI is reshaping the veterinary client journey and what practices need to strengthen to remain visible, credible, and competitive in an AI-driven search environment.

The conversation explores the shift from traditional search results and website clicks to direct answers, recommendation engines, and zero-click experiences. Naren also discusses the factors that may influence whether a veterinary practice appears in AI-generated recommendations.

• How AI is changing the way pet owners search for veterinary care
• Why clients increasingly expect immediate and precise answers
• How zero-click searches are affecting veterinary marketing
• What may determine whether AI recommends or overlooks a practice
• Why consistent business information across online platforms matters
• The importance of accurate name, address, and phone-number information
• How detailed client reviews can strengthen visibility and trust
• Why veterinary websites need useful, original, expert-led content
• How professional credentials can reinforce online authority
• Why practices should focus on client intent rather than isolated keywords
• The importance of mobile performance, website speed, and easy appointment access
• Where AI can improve internal efficiency
• Why human oversight remains essential when using AI
• The first practical step practice owners can take to prepare for the future

Naren also explains why veterinary practices must use AI thoughtfully. Technology can assist with reminders, content drafts, internal organization, and repetitive tasks—but meaningful client communication should still feel personal, accurate, and human.

For practice owners wondering where to begin, this episode provides a practical framework for evaluating online visibility, website performance, content, reviews, and the overall digital client experience.

Learn how your practice currently performs online, how your competitors compare, and where your strongest growth opportunities may be.

The Ekwa Marketing team will evaluate areas including:

• Search and AI visibility
• Website performance
• Local business information
• Online reviews
• Content strategy
• Competitive positioning
• Client-conversion opportunities

[Book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting]

Many veterinary practice owners spend years building a successful clinic, only to realize later that the business may still depend too heavily on them. In this episode, Don Adeesha speaks with Muriel Touati, Founder and CEO of Exit 3D Studio, about what buyers really look for when evaluating a veterinary practice and how owners can build a business that is easier to scale, transfer, and eventually sell.

Muriel shares a buyer-side perspective on valuation readiness, including why revenue and profitability alone are not enough. She explains how owner dependency, undocumented systems, weak digital presence, revenue concentration, and unclear recurring revenue can reduce buyer confidence and lower valuation.

Listeners will learn how to start building a more transferable veterinary practice by documenting key processes, delegating decision-making, strengthening marketing systems, tracking client and revenue data, and identifying what breaks when the owner steps away.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha welcomes Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing and Founder of the Veterinary Business Institute, for a practical conversation on why many veterinary practices feel extremely busy but still struggle to achieve consistent growth.

Together, Don and Naren explore the hidden marketing bottlenecks that can quietly limit a veterinary hospital's progress in 2026. From Google visibility and website performance to online reviews, client conversion, and long-term retention, this episode helps practice owners step back from the day-to-day rush and look at their practice through the full client journey.

For veterinary practice owners, hospital leaders, and managers, the key message is clear: being busy is not the same as growing. Naren explains how to identify where momentum is being lost and why a clear diagnosis is often the first step toward stronger visibility, better-fit clients, and more sustainable growth.

This episode is sponsored by Ekwa Marketing, a digital marketing partner helping independent veterinary practices improve their online presence, attract the right clients, and grow with greater clarity and consistency.

Book you free Marketing Strategy Meeting now: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Dr. Tina Neel to discuss how veterinary practice owners can move beyond simply being busy and start building a more profitable, valuable, and sustainable practice. Dr. Neel shares why communication, client trust, team culture, and a stronger business mindset all play a major role in creating long-term practice value.

And that same idea applies to your marketing. Being visible online is important, but visibility alone does not always mean growth. Your marketing should help attract the right clients, support stronger relationships, and contribute to the long-term value of your practice.

That is why Ekwa Marketing is offering a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting. In this meeting, a veterinary marketing strategist will take a closer look at your current online presence, identify where your marketing may be falling short, and show you opportunities to build a stronger, more profitable practice.

Book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting at https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

Talk about money in a veterinary practice, and the room can go quiet. Pricing, revenue, productivity, payroll, compliance, and efficiency can feel uncomfortable for people who entered veterinary medicine to help animals and support pet parents.

In this episode of The Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha sits down with Senani Ratnayake, registered veterinary technician, leadership strategist, and founder of Motivatum Consulting, to explore how veterinary teams can talk about the business side of practice without losing their heart for patient care.

Senani shares why many veterinary professionals separate "business" from "care," how practice leaders can reframe financial conversations, and why a healthy business is what makes sustainable, high-quality medicine possible. The conversation also explores team accountability, efficiency, appropriate utilization, pricing confidence, and how leaders can help their teams understand the real impact of everyday choices on the practice.

This episode is sponsored by Ekwa Marketing, helping veterinary practice owners grow with more clarity, strategy, and intention.

If you are ready to stop guessing with your marketing and see what is actually bringing in new clients, where the leaks are in your client journey, and what a focused six-month growth plan could look like for your clinic, book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting at: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm 

Ekwa only takes a limited number each month, so grab a spot while it is available.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, co-host Dr. Amanda Landis-Hanna welcomes Robert Sanchez, founder and CEO of Digital Empathy, for a forward-looking conversation on what comes after the AI scribe. Together, they explore how independent veterinary practices can use AI not only to reduce documentation burden, but also to better understand client conversations, patient needs, business blind spots, and the signals that matter most.

Robert shares how AI can help practices move beyond simple efficiency and toward smarter decision-making, stronger client relationships, and more personalized care at scale. The discussion highlights why context, judgment, and human connection remain essential as veterinary teams begin using AI to surface the right information at the right time.

This episode is sponsored by Ekwa Marketing, platinum sponsor of the Veterinary Business Institute. Through this partnership, veterinary practices can book a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting, a $900 valued session designed to help practice owners step back and evaluate how their hospital is showing up online, where they may be missing growth opportunities, and what practical steps can improve visibility, competitiveness, and long-term growth.

To book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting, visit www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm.

In this episode of The Veterinary Business Podcast, host Angie speaks with Cebron Walker, CEO of Walker Creative, about how independent veterinary practices can attract more new clients in a changing, AI-driven marketplace. They discuss how clinics can compete with corporate groups by becoming more human, improving their online visibility, using real photos and videos, strengthening Google and social presence, and building a marketing foundation that turns attention into appointments. This conversation offers practical guidance for veterinary owners and practice managers who want to grow sustainably, build trust with pet owners, and create a more predictable new-client engine.

Book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting here:
https://veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Dr. Natalie Marks, CEO of VANE, shares how veterinarians can play a bigger role in shaping the future of animal health through angel investing, advisory work, and innovation. She explains why veterinary professionals bring valuable clinical insight to startups, how VANE helps connect founders with "smart capital," and why investing in the profession can mean more than funding companies—it can also mean using your experience, network, and expertise to help build better solutions for pets, clients, and veterinary teams.

Book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting here:
https://veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Adeesha speaks with Joelle Flynn about burnout, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and nervous system regulation in veterinary medicine.

Joelle shares how veterinary professionals can begin reconnecting with themselves, rebuild emotional safety, and move out of survival mode without losing their passion for the work.

This episode is sponsored by Ekwa Marketing.

Book your complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting here:
https://veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Institute Podcast, our Co-Host Angie speaks with Dr. Ragen McGowan about how AI, connected pet technology, and behavioral science are transforming the future of veterinary care. They explore how subtle changes in behavior, litter box habits, activity, weight, and emotional wellbeing can help detect health issues earlier and support more proactive care.

Dr. McGowan also shares how tools like smart litter box monitoring can help pet owners and veterinarians turn everyday data into meaningful insights, strengthening early detection, clinical decision-making, and the human-animal bond.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Burnout in veterinary medicine doesn't always go away with a vacation, a new job, or even a career change. In this episode, Don Adeesha speaks with Dr. Amber Parks about why burnout keeps returning, how chronic stress shows up in vet teams, and why neurodivergence, perfectionism, masking, and customer-service pressures can make the cycle harder to break. They also discuss why self-care alone isn't enough and what deeper personal and practice-level changes are needed to build healthier, more sustainable veterinary careers. 

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Running a veterinary practice can feel like living in constant crisis mode. In this expert-led webinar, seasoned veterinary leaders share practical strategies to help practice owners and managers regain control, strengthen operations, and lead with greater clarity and resilience.

The discussion covers how to identify reactive patterns, delegate more effectively, empower teams, protect your energy as a leader, and build a more sustainable practice that supports your long-term vision.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

What does it really take to sell a veterinary practice well?

In this episode, host Don Adeesha speaks with Jordan Morelli, corporate lawyer and Toronto office lead at LINMAC LLP, about the legal, financial, and operational steps involved in selling a veterinary clinic in Canada. From assembling the right advisory team and planning for tax efficiency, to structuring the deal, supporting employees, and navigating restrictive covenants, Jordan shares a clear framework for owners preparing for one of the most important transactions of their career.

A valuable listen for veterinarians who want to maximize value, reduce risk, and approach a future sale with confidence.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Elise M. Lacher joins Don Adeesha to explain why the old doctor-centered model of running a veterinary practice no longer works. In this episode, they explore shared leadership, team transparency, smarter hiring, better performance management, and how to build a practice that grows without burning out its owner.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Lucy Nash, a registered veterinary technician and self-described "burnout statistic," joins the show to break down why team utilization isn't just a scheduling metric — it's the hidden driver behind retention, revenue, and workplace culture. Drawing on industry data showing nearly $1 billion lost annually to support staff turnover, Lucy argues that the real ROI comes from investing in people's strengths, catching disengagement early, and creating psychological safety. The conversation moves from hard numbers to deeply personal territory as both host and guest share stories about what good (and bad) clinic culture actually feels like from the client's side.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

In this episode, Adeesha sits down with Kara Kelley to unpack the people's side of veterinary leadership. They explore why burnout cannot be solved with surface-level perks, how better compensation and flexible time off drive retention, why personality assessments should not be misused in hiring, and what practice owners should do when a high performer is damaging team culture. The conversation also covers how to protect morale during acquisitions and why clear, consistent communication is the foundation of every healthy practice. As a bonus, Kara has also shared a free resource with our veterinary community: her Alignment & Accountability Check-In Packet, a practical tool to support growth, feedback, and stronger team conversations.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Relief vets are no longer just filling gaps—they're shaping the future of veterinary staffing.

In this episode, we discuss how to build strong, relationship-based relief networks, use relief to grow your caseload before hiring, and create better onboarding, feedback, and compensation strategies. Plus, why culture and belonging are the key to retaining top relief talent.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

A deep dive into cybersecurity in the veterinary industry. Host Don Adeesha sits down with William Lindus to explore emerging threats, real-world risks, and why animal healthcare organizations can't afford to ignore digital security.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

How can veterinary practices adopt new technology without creating more overwhelm?

In this episode, Don Adeesha speaks with Dr. Mike Mossop of CoVet about practical technology strategies for sustainable veterinary practice growth. They discuss how to evaluate new tools, reduce burnout, improve client communication, and implement innovation in a way that actually supports the team.

If you are a veterinary practice owner, manager, or clinician trying to balance growth with day-to-day efficiency, this episode offers practical insights on using technology to simplify workflows and build a more sustainable practice.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Veterinary dentistry can be a powerful driver of both patient health and practice growth—but only when the entire team is trained and aligned. In this episode, we explore how team-based dentistry training improves consistency, reduces errors, and boosts client satisfaction. Learn practical steps for implementing training programs, real-world examples of practice growth, and strategies for sustaining high standards in veterinary dental care.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Private equity is transforming veterinary medicine. In this episode, we break down valuation fundamentals, strategies to increase practice value, key sale preparation steps, and the future of hybrid ownership models—giving veterinary leaders the insight needed to navigate growth, consolidation, and long-term success.

Schedule a free 1:1 Marketing Strategy Meeting with Lila, a veteran in veterinary marketing, and gain customized insights to boost your online visibility and strengthen pet owner trust: https://www.veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm/

Are you doing everything right — and still running on empty? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Amy Grimm, veterinarian, certified life coach, and founder of Daring DVM Coaching, to talk about the hidden cycle keeping high-achieving vets and practice leaders stuck in burnout. We dig into the real neuroscience behind overwork, why veterinary culture quietly rewards the habits that deplete you, and the practical tools Dr. Grimm uses to help her clients build a successful career without sacrificing their well-being. If you've ever felt like the hamster on the wheel, this one's for you.

Feeling stuck in your veterinary career? In this episode, Don Adeesha talks with Stith Keiser, CEO of Blue Heron Consulting and multi-site practice owner, about how veterinarians can regain autonomy, build mission-driven cultures, and achieve long-term career satisfaction through sustainable ownership and people-centered leadership. This episode is packed with practical strategies for associates, owners, and practice leaders looking to create meaningful impact and reduce burnout.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha talks with Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing, about how AI and zero-click searches are changing the way pet owners find veterinary practices. They discuss Google's AI Overviews, why website traffic is no longer the only success metric, and what veterinary practices must do to stay visible—through reviews, user experience, and human-generated content—in an AI-driven search landscape.

Join Dr. Cornelius for an insightful webinar on building resilient, high-performing veterinary practices. Learn how to combine business acumen, leadership, and innovation with financial fluency, operational efficiency, and responsible AI use. Discover the soft skills that foster strong culture—emotional intelligence, active listening, and people-first leadership—while exploring strategies for mentorship, networking, and embracing failure. Whether you're an owner, leader, or team member, this session provides actionable insights to help your practice thrive in today's fast-changing veterinary landscape.

Dr. Rolan Tripp, veterinary futurist and behavior expert, joins Don Adeesha to explore why behavior cases overwhelm clinics and how AI, stress screening, and scalable support can transform veterinary care. Discover the future of veterinary medicine and the Pet Happiness Network.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha sits down with Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing and Founder of the Veterinary Business Institute, to explore why mastering marketing fundamentals is essential for veterinary practice growth. They discuss practical strategies for improving Google visibility, local SEO, website conversion, and mobile-friendly design, showing how clinics can turn online searches into real appointments. Naren also explains the roles of SEO, paid ads, and social media, offering actionable guidance for long-term client acquisition and retention—perfect for practice owners, leaders, and veterinary marketers looking to strengthen their digital presence.

Outdated technology is quietly putting veterinary practices at risk. In this episode, Clint breaks down hidden cybersecurity blind spots, real-world ransomware stories, and the legal and financial consequences of poor data protection—all in plain English. Learn practical, mostly free steps to strengthen your tech, protect client trust, and build a safer, more resilient veterinary practice.

In this episode, Dr. Amanda Landis Hannah speaks with Dr. Rae Hutchins, Chief Veterinary Officer at Wedgewood Pharmacy, about how compounded medications improve compliance, deepen client relationships, and support veterinary practice economics. The discussion covers regulatory considerations, pharmacy selection, and new insights into online pharmacy behavior—revealing why compounding remains a key differentiator for modern practices.

This podcast episode with Dr. Hauser provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of veterinary practice management, specifically tailored for executives and leaders in the field. Dr. Hauser draws on her extensive experience to explore key challenges, including operational efficiency, team engagement, and sustainable growth. She emphasizes the critical role of data-driven decision-making, outlining how clinics can use analytics to optimize workflows and staffing. The episode also explores strategies for fostering a positive workplace culture, scaling practices through technology and process improvements, and maintaining adaptability in the face of regulatory and market changes. Throughout, Dr. Hauser provides actionable insights and real-world examples, making this a valuable resource for veterinary professionals aiming to lead their organizations through change and achieve long-term success.

This episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, hosted by Don Adeesha, focuses on redefining goal-setting and achieving sustainable growth in veterinary practices. Rhys Giannarelli, a visionary veterinary entrepreneur, shares his expertise on how small, incremental decisions drive meaningful progress, align teams, and strengthen practice performance. The discussion covers the strategic, operational, and leadership aspects of building a thriving practice, including prioritizing company goals over day-to-day tasks, fostering core values, testing new ideas safely, and leveraging mentorship and collaboration. Rhys also provides guidance on turning intentions into consistent action, creating accountability, and leading without burnout, emphasizing practical strategies for long-term, sustainable growth.

This episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, hosted by Dr. Amanda Landis-Hannah, focuses on the role of compounding in veterinary medicine. Dr. Rae Hutchins, Chief Veterinary Officer at Wedgewood Pharmacy, shares her expertise on how compounding can break barriers to treatment, enhance patient care, and strengthen the human-animal bond. The discussion covers the clinical, operational, and communication aspects of compounding, including its impact on client satisfaction, team workflow, and medication compliance. Dr. Hutchins also provides guidance on selecting high-quality compounding pharmacies and tailoring formulations to meet patient needs, emphasizing safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha speaks with veterinary management consultant Monica Dixon Perry about the biggest year-end challenges facing practice leaders and how to shift from reactive crisis mode to proactive planning. Monica shares practical strategies for improving financial readiness, tracking KPIs, strengthening team coordination, and building systems that reduce stress and prevent burnout. With insights on effective delegation and streamlined workflows, this conversation helps veterinary leaders confidently close out the year and set their practices up for a stronger start in 2026.

In this powerful episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, host Don Adeesha is joined by Dr. Phil Richmond, a leading voice in veterinary workplace wellbeing and founder of Flourishing Phoenix Veterinary Consultants. Together, they explore why burnout can't be solved by self-care alone—and why we must shift the focus from fixing individuals to fixing systems.

Dr. Richmond shares his personal journey through burnout and recovery, the distinction between surface-level wellness programs and genuine cultural change, and how leaders can begin creating environments that enable teams to truly thrive. If you've ever felt overwhelmed despite doing "all the right things," this episode will hit home.

In this episode, financial strategist Michelle Musacchio, CPA, breaks down the hidden leaks and financial blind spots that drain veterinary practices — and shares simple systems to regain clarity, confidence, and sustainable profit. Learn how the CATS & DOGS method, smarter bonus structures, and intentional financial habits can transform your practice's stability and growth.

In this forward-thinking episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Dr. Mark Masaro shares his journey from clinical medicine to leadership in technology and mental health advocacy. He discusses identity shifts, navigating imposter syndrome, and embracing innovation as a path to wellbeing and career expansion.

Listeners will hear how AI and digital tools can reduce burnout, why networking and mentorship are essential for non-clinical career success, and how the future of veterinary medicine will blend technology, empathy, and education to support healthier, more sustainable careers. This episode empowers veterinary professionals to explore new possibilities, prioritize mental health, and define success on their own terms.

In this eye-opening episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, margin recovery expert Mark P. Shannon reveals the hidden financial drains quietly eroding veterinary practice profits—from confusing credit card fees to unnoticed vendor markups and auto-renewed contracts. With nearly a decade optimizing payment systems and recovering lost margin for healthcare organizations, Mark explains how most clinics can reduce processing costs by 30–60% without switching software or disrupting workflows. He breaks down interchange optimization in simple terms, shares how routine expense audits uncover thousands of dollars in avoidable costs, and empowers practice owners to regain control of their bottom line, allowing them to reinvest in their teams, patient care, and sustainable growth.

In this episode of the Veterinary Business Podcast, Claire Pickens, founder and CEO of Claire-ity Group LLC, shares insights on building a sustainable and fulfilling veterinary business. She discusses key mindset shifts for entrepreneurs moving from startup excitement to lasting success—highlighting how to maintain creativity, avoid early mistakes, and engage teams through dynamic business playbooks. Claire also explores balancing structure with innovation, optimizing workflows, and starting business planning with dreams and culture before the numbers, offering practical strategies to help veterinary leaders grow with purpose and clarity.

In this episode, experts Tiffany Gonzalvo and Dr. Lauren Pastewka share practical strategies to boost efficiency, strengthen team culture, and enhance leadership in veterinary practices. They discuss identifying workflow bottlenecks, balancing structure with flexibility, building psychological safety, using KPIs for growth, and managing compassion fatigue and conflict during change. A must-listen for veterinary leaders looking to create engaged, high-performing teams.

In this episode, Naren Arulraja, CEO of Ekwa Marketing, shares how veterinary practices can overcome price objections, build client trust, and boost treatment acceptance through effective marketing and communication. He highlights strategies for leveraging detailed online reviews, optimizing Google Business profiles, and creating story-driven testimonials that influence client decisions. With practical advice on client education, content marketing, and value-based messaging, Naren equips practice owners to attract the right clients, strengthen loyalty, and achieve sustainable growth by shifting the focus from price to value.