#22: Grew a niche vertical startup into a global industry leader – Scott Pickard

Scott Pickard didn’t know he was embarking on a 15-year software entrepreneurial journey when he signed on to manage a horse veterinary practice in Calgary, Canada. But they had built some internal software to help them manage their large practice that drastically improved their business results. Soon other horse vets wanted their HVMS software and the Business Infusions software business was created with Scott leading the small team. 

Business Infusions grew steadily without big budgets, big funding, or a big team since 2006. Equine (horse) veterinary and hospital practices all over the world heard about their software and lined up to buy it. Now Business Infusions powers over 400 sizable veterinary practices all over the world. The company was acquired for cash by Merit Holdings in 2021 to run as a standalone company to expand its solutions to continue serving its clients. 

Scott and his dedicated team weren’t in a glamorous industry with fancy modern technology, SaaS best practices, and big funding. They just served their loyal veterinarian customers and built a reputation in their tight-knit community for dedication, support, and focus on equine vets who have specialized needs.

In this episode, Scott explains:

• How their popular HVMS software was first created for internal use by a successful horse veterinary practice in Calgary, Canada
• How they grew steadily and efficiently with vet-to-vet referrals by their existing customers
• Challenges with board members who know their industry but weren’t savvy about the software business
• How Business Infusions grew to be the global market leader for large equine veterinary practices around the world
• The process of how they were acquired in 2021 and what happened to the company after that

Find out more and read the full interview transcript at practicalfounders.com.