The Veterinary Project Podcast

Debt is one of the scariest 4-letter words in the English dictionary . . .  . . . or is it? Depends on what you use it for and how you perceive it that determines whether you think it's scary or as something that can be utilized. DISCLAIMER: This episode is for education and entertainment purposes only. The information contained in this episode is based on personal experiences and opinions of the hosts and in no means represents professional advice. In this conversation on the ever-important subject of financial literacy, our co-hosts share seem invaluable knowledge and experience when it comes to the REAL world of debt. Topics and talking points include: Defining "good debt" and "bad debt" One of the biggest advantages of being a veterinary professional: access to credit How to determine a good debt versus a bad one Using debt as a tool to propel your financial future forward Using debt to create opportunities to grow and invest Shifting perspective on how to view debt How to position yourself to take advantage of current monetary policy conditions Was this episode helpful for you? We'd love to know - please feel free to drop a comment or send us an e-mail to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com to let us know your thoughts. If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Nicole Clausen is the founder of Veterinary Care Logistics, a consulting firm specializing in inventory management for veterinary professionals.  She has over 13 years of experience in the veterinary industry with over 10 years in small animal practice, having worked her way up from receptionist to Operations Manager in various clinics prior to starting her company, which was born out of the demand by several industry leaders to utilize her inventory system as a model throughout the country. She specializes in helping veterinary teams create a streamlined and efficient inventory management system. Since inception, Nicole has authored several publications, including controlled substance log books and inventory policy & procedure manuals.  She regularly speaks at different industry-sponsored conferences on inventory management, and has created several online, self-paced RACE continuing education inventory courses.  In addition, she founded the Veterinary Inventory Strategy Network; an online network and community dedicated to inventory management. In our wide-ranging conversation, Nicole shares her wisdom and experience in the area of inventory management including: Her veterinary career and the entrepreneurial journey that led to starting Veterinary Care Logistics The mindset behind becoming an entrepreneur What is inventory management?  How do you manage inventory for different types of clinics and situations Inventory management principles and applying them to your unique practice Understanding reorder points  Connecting inventory management to cost of goods sold and a clinic's financial statements Dissecting your inventory management process & looking for opportunities to improve The #1 problem Nicole sees with ALL clinic inventories Improving access for consumers to products online when competing against giants like Chewy and 1-800-PetMeds Meeting clients where they're at The Impact Round! Find out more about Veterinary Care Logistics and Nicole online in the following places: www.vetlogic.co IG: @veterinarycarelogistics Pinterest: @veterinarycarelogistics E-mail: hello@vetlogic.co If you're interested in learning more about or joining the Veterinary Inventory Strategy Network, you can find more information at: www.veterinaryisn.com If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Where is the world of veterinary medicine in 2021? In this episode, Dr. Michael Bugg leads a conversation with Dr. Jonathan Leicht around the current state of veterinary medicine.  With Jonathan in the thick of the industry and in the midst of the current build-out of a new clinic, the timing of this spirited conversation is certainly fitting. Topics covered include: The changing dynamics of staffing a clinic and building the right team The pros and cons of part-time employment, both for employees and clinic owners Staffing shortages across the industry Attracting and maintaining employees in today's conditions How innovation and technology are driving the accessibility and utilization of veterinary professionals for clients Why demand for animal care has never been higher Jonathan's final remarks on how veterinary clinics can succeed and take advantage of current opportunities If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Dr. Melanie Barham is a veterinarian, project management professional, and is an MBA Candidate in Sustainable Commerce. She has completed over 40 qualitative interviews with veterinarians who have made career transitions or made changes in their lives to be more satisfied in their careers. She’s counselled many veterinary professionals in negotiations, shifting mindset, and changing careers. Melanie started The DVM Project in 2017. Originally intended as a blog after she left the equine industry, The DVM Project has grown into a career counselling service providing veterinary specific counselling and coaching to veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and students (veterinary students and technician students).  They offer courses, events, and career coaching alongside their community of over 2500 veterinary professionals. More recently, she has also been developing market strategies for companies in the veterinary space, and was one of the 3 organizers of the Global Veterinary Career Summit. She is also the co-chair elect of the USAHA Committee on Workforce Development, past president of the Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network, and past co-chair of the Equestrian Canada Health and Welfare Committee. In our broad conversation with Melanie we dive into: Melanie's unique career path and how its shaped what she's doing today Making life decisions and career shifts as a result of changing life circumstances The benefits of getting a project management professional designation Taking on an MBA while being a parent and what she learned doing so The genesis and execution of the Global Veterinary Career Summit What is the DVM Project? Melanie's perspective on how the DVM Project has grown over time How Melanie approaches tackling projects with multiple steps The Impact Round!  Thank you to Melanie for joining us on the show! If you'd like to find out more about The DVM Project or connect directly with Melanie you can do so here: https://www.thedvmproject.com/ melanie@thedvmproject.com Facebook @thedvmproject Instagram @thedvmproject https://www.thedvmproject.com/ If you are interested in finding out more about that Global Veterinary Career Summit check it out here: https://www.globalveterinarycareersummit.com/ And lastly, you can also check out our companion episode where Jonathan and Mike were interviewed on Melanie's podcast: https://buff.ly/3doGOrq If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

In this podcast, the hosts discuss understanding financials for veterinary clinics and dive into EBITDA. They emphasize the importance of controlling revenues and expenses, compare practices using EBITDA, and highlight its relevance in clinic evaluation. The podcast also emphasizes seeking professional help when buying a clinic and getting finances in order before exiting. Overall, it provides valuable insights for veterinary business owners and managers.

In this podcast, Dr. Michael Bugg and Dr. Jonathan Leicht discuss the importance of understanding financials for veterinary clinics. They provide an overview of Profit & Loss Statements (P&L) and EBITDA, focusing on how P&L statements help understand clinic operations, common revenue items, tracking of revenues and expenses, payroll and cost of goods/expenses, and general and administrative expenses.

Picking up where Part 1 left off, with Part 2 of our conversation with Clinic Owner and Current CVMA President Dr. Enid Stiles shedding more light on the CVMA, Enid's role as President within it, and the work they're doing for the Veterinary profession. We also discuss some of the challenges that COVID has put on Enid's position as a clinic owner including the use of Registered Veterinary Technologists, need for additional staff to handle calls, texts and e-mails from clients, and using new technologies to help with clinic operations. Our full range of conversation topics in Part 2 includes: - How COVID has impacted the use of registered veterinary technologists - Utilizing technology (or attempting to) to improve clinic operational adjustments brought on by COVID - Understanding what the CVMA does, including the intent of the CVMA Workforce Committee and CVMA Wellness Advisory Group - How we’re going to deal with the workforce shortage of professionals and technologists within the veterinary industry - Discussing animal welfare and moral and ethical lines amongst individual veterinarians - Understanding CVMA Position Statements and what they do in creating regulatory change - Why Dr. Stiles enjoys being involved in the CVMA - Why people should be involved in the CVMA - The Impact Round A huge thank you to Dr. Enid Stiles for taking the time to join us on the show. To find out more about the CVMA visit them online, on Facebook, or on Instagram: https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/ https://www.facebook.com/CanadianVeterinaryMedicalAssociation @cvma.acmv You can also connect with the CVMA via their general e-mail: admin@cvma-acmv.org If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Dr. Enid Stiles graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College with a DVM in the year 2000. Prior to her veterinary degree, she completed a Bachelor of Science (Conservation Biology) at the University of Ottawa and in 2009 she completed a Masters in Clinical Sciences (Behaviour Medicine) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal. As a founding member and past President of Veterinarians without Borders Canada, Dr. Stiles has been fortunate to work with people and animals around the world. She believes strongly in working for and with communities in need to foster the health of animals, people, and the environments that sustain us all. Dr. Stiles works closely with Montreal based cat and dog rescue groups as well as her continued work with VWB and CVMA on improving veterinary services for remote and underserved communities in Canada. In recent years, Dr. Stiles has become a regular presence in print, television, radio and social media advocating on current national and international animal health issues. Her interest and experience in veterinary behaviour medicine and animal welfare have been highlighted at speaking engagements with a recent focus on alternatives to feline partial digit amputation (declawing). In 2015, Dr. Stiles was selected as a member of the CVMA National Issues Committee and soon went on to be council representative for Quebec. She is now the current President of the CVMA. Dr. Stiles was born in Newfoundland, however since 1987 she has had the opportunity of living in Zimbabwe, Ottawa and Guelph and now Montréal. In 2009, she opened her own small animal practice in the West Island of Montréal, Sherwood Park Animal Hospital. It has grown rapidly and is now staffed by six veterinarians as well as a complete veterinary behaviour service and newly developed mobile service for palliative and home euthanasia called Compassion Vet Montreal. In Part 1 of this diverse conversation with Dr. Stiles, we discuss: The development of Dr. Stiles' professional career Wildlife experiences in Africa Relationships with people and pets Being a good mentor "Gold standard is just a perspective" - there's an in between new vets must understand and be able to operate in Connecting with owners during euthanasia Dealing with work fatigue, COVID issues, and Enid's "Swiss Army Knife" Through ownership you realize you have to get good at doing a lot of things (and you realize what you're not good at)! Running a clinic during COVID Managing staff, managing operations, and managing the bottom line during uncertain times Join us next week for Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Enid Stiles! If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

This episode, we are pleased to welcome the Co-Founder of veterinary telemedicine start-up Vetsie, Dr. Steve Boyer, to the show. Dr. Boyer is a born and raised Calgarian.  He grew up with a passion for animals, and always knew he wanted to work with them.   Steve graduated from the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2013 and jump started his career in a busy 24 hour emergency hospital in Calgary.  He worked a combination of days, evenings and overnights for a year and a half, then moved into primary care where he has been since.   Over the past few years he has developed an interest in telemedicine and in 2020, Co-Founded Vetsie, a veterinary telemedicine company.   Steve feels there is significant opportunity in the veterinary industry to utilize technology to improve the Veterinary – Client – Patient interaction.   With the current shortage of veterinarians and technicians, combined with the increase in pet ownership, there is too much pressure on the industry.  Steve hopes that with more innovation and embracing change in how we practice, more pets can get the help they need, without the burnout and stress that often comes with being a veterinary professional. In this wide-ranging conversation, Steve discusses: How the pace of being a veterinarian can be a lot to keep up with Veterinary burnout and taking on too much How working night-shifts straight out of Vet school gave Steve multiple years worth of experience within months Overcoming internal doubts around your own limitations and experience Recognizing the signs of burnout and compassion fatigue to actively do something about it  Financing the life you want to live through creating more streams of revenue outside of being a Veterinarian The genesis of starting Vetsie: A Veterinary Telemedicine Company The case for Telemedicine in the Veterinary industry High points and low points of being involved in a start-up Thank you to Dr. Boyer for joining us on the show! For more information and to see what Vetsie is all about, check them out online: www.vetsie.com Connect with Steve in the following places: steve@vetsie.com @govetsie If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Is a strong work-ethic defined as working back-to-back 16-hour days? Is a lazy work-ethic defined as a two-hour work week and the remainder of time spent on the beach? Where is the happy middle ground (or does it not exist)? In this episode, Dr. Michael Bugg and Dr. Jonathan Leicht provides musings and meanderings on the subject of work ethic. Short and sweet, this conversation weaves through the topics of: Work / life balance vs. work / life integration What kinds of work ethic are sustainable Big outcomes still take a long time to get to Hard-work sprints and moments of rest If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing. Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM