Welcome back to another episode of VHMA Manager 2 Manager podcast. Today we're discussing a crucial topic: onboarding new hires in a way that feels good. We all know how important it is to make new team members feel welcome and part of the team early on. But sometimes, despite all the time and energy spent hiring people, we end up leaving them to s…

Welcome to today's episode, where we delve into an inspiring topic: humanitarian work in the veterinary industry. As professionals dedicated to the well-being of animals, the opportunity to give back by using our time and talents for a greater cause is incredibly rewarding. We looked at local community involvement a few months back and will talk to…

Have you ever wondered how technology and artificial intelligence could improve efficiency in your practice? In recent years, our post-pandemic workplaces have focused heavily on efficiency. Embracing new technology can maximize this efficiency, but can it raise many questions. What tools should we choose? What’s right for our practice? Who will ch…

Welcome to today’s episode where we delve into a crucial aspect of veterinary practice management: using core values as a management tool. Establishing basic expectations based on core values might seem daunting, but is essential for aligning the entire team in the desired direction of the practice. Once these values are clearly defined and communi…

Welcome back to the VHMA Manager to Manager Podcast! Today, we're diving into an interesting aspect of veterinary practice management: open-books management. Join us as we explore how sharing the financial side of the practice with all team members, even the "non-numbers" people, can lead to greater engagement, accountability, and success. Our gues…

Today we’re chatting about the manager role and the diverse pathways that lead individuals to this position. While practices are increasingly hiring managers from outside the organization, internal promotions are still frequent and possible and play a significant role in shaping leadership teams. Without debating the pros and cons of how we find ma…

Welcome back to another insightful episode as we continue our journey into detoxifying teams and fostering a more compassionate workplace culture. Guest Rebecca Fox, a seasoned CVPM and Hospital Administrator from Orlando, FL, sheds light on what she calls "Compassion Management." With her wealth of experience, starting from the ground up as a rece…

In today's episode, we're talking all about emotional intelligence, a term that often gets thrown around but is frequently misunderstood. It's not just about raw intellect; instead, it's intertwined with how we navigate relationships and environments. In the veterinary world, where patient care and client service are paramount, understanding the ro…

Today’s topic has been buzzing around the industry lately – spectrum of care. You've probably heard various opinions on this matter, but what exactly does it mean, and is it just another passing trend? Does it mean that there’s just one good way to do it or should plans be customized? Joining the podcast today is Beth Fritzler, a DVM and CVPM in Se…

Welcome back to the VHMA Manager to Manager Podcast. Today, we're delving into a topic that might seem a bit "fluffy" at first glance but holds immense importance for veterinary practices: interior and exterior design. It's time to explore how the aesthetics of your practice can actually impact your clients' perceptions as well as the surprising ma…

Welcome to today's episode, where we learn the ins and outs of navigating financial reports. For practice managers, understanding the numbers that drive your practice is essential for making informed decisions and ensuring financial success. Most managers have a favorite report, budget, profit and loss statement, KPI, etc. while others just go by a…

Welcome to an insightful episode about the power of community involvement in veterinary practices! In today's society that searches for connections, traditional marketing models just don't cut it anymore. People want to engage with businesses that share their values and actively contribute to their communities. That's where participating in local e…

In this episode, we tackle the critical topic of safety and security, emphasizing the manager’s responsibility in ensuring employee well-being. We can’t prevent every issue, but we can certainly be vigilant in order to minimize the risk. Violence can come from many sources both internally and externally and while crime in the veterinary world has b…

So many of our goals and policies are set to address some conflict or incident that boils down to a simple miscommunication issue. The diversity of a team means that individuals have different personal histories and trigger points for conflicts and problem solving. Managers are not always trained to work on that kind of communication fix, meaning t…

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked goal for reputation management, urging listeners to set specific goals for improving their practice's reputation in the upcoming year. While financial considerations usually dominate goal setting at the start of a new year, there are internal strategies that can maximize the strengths of a practice. …

In this podcast episode, we delve into the crucial process of setting and maintaining goals for the upcoming year. While financial considerations often dominate the discussion, this episode sheds light on the equally vital operational aspects that need the same attention. It is important to examine staffing levels, consider adding services, and sta…

Welcome to our latest episode, where we dive into the world of regulatory compliance and trends. Navigating the evolving landscape of state, local, and federal regulations can be daunting, but understanding the key agencies involved is the first step. In this episode, we discuss common agencies and pitfalls to empower practices to proactively addre…

In this episode, we're joined by the insightful Melissa Mauldin, a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience and a great perspective on navigating the balance between attracting top talent and maintaining a healthy balance for profitability. Melissa, who has worn various hats over the years and now serves as an instructor for the VHMA’s Ris…

Today’s guest says it best when she shares, “The best leaders are those who create and cultivate other leaders.” As managers, it’s our responsibility to train and develop supervisors and team leads. Brenda Medina joins the podcast today with a lot of great tips on how to do this. Brenda Medina is a CVPM currently working as Director of Practice Suc…

Education and professional development are part of the core values of many practices and organizations. But when there are so many certifications, conferences and opportunities to choose from, how can you find the time and resources to attend the ones that would benefit you the most? Jessica Speas joins us today to talk about career development for…

Theft and embezzlement are a sad reality that many practices face. While we may not be able to ever eliminate the problem, there are certainly things we can do to proactively prevent the mishandling of practice resources. No one wants to work with an untrustworthy team but the truth is some people lie and some people steal. It’s important to protec…

Being a practice manager sometimes feels like you’re working in a bubble. Your role is unique to each practice and while other team members have colleagues in the same role to talk to, you as the manager are the only one at your practice. And once you are managing, it seems like you need to have all the answers. So, having a solid network of people…

Today’s topic is something that we see pop up time and again. Our staff love animals but are not always sympathetic to the pet’s families. This judgment can turn into snarky comments that not only hurt the client, but also permeate through the practice and influence other team members. We can be proactive and work towards more client friendly teams…

We all have that one team member that all the clients love. It seems to be their personality to simply get along with everyone and try to solve their problems. But are those qualities trainable? Kim Delaney says a lot of them are and she joins us today to talk about just that. Kim has been in the industry since she was a teenager, beginning as a ke…

Not everyone is naturally comfortable giving honest feedback. But it is important to remember that everyone deserves to receive it, even if it isn’t all positive. This is a hot topic in management right now and while the new workforce says they want feedback, what happens when it’s about things that aren’t going well? Today’s guest is Heidi Rizkall…

There have been times in all of our careers where we may have felt micromanaged. It is a word that is thrown around a lot, especially when team members are asked to complete a task a certain way. But there is a difference between micromanaging and prudent oversight and through setting expectations and boundaries, we can more effectively manage a pr…

It’s not news that keeping good employees takes focus and often managers are blindsided when a seemingly quiet and content employee leaves stating that they just can’t take it anymore. How did we miss the signs? How could we prevent that from happening over and over again? Today’s guest is Kim Hettinga who is a practice manager in the industry for …

Love them or hate them, team building activities and events are really important. The key to having these be successful is to build a team through fun. Building a team that hangs tight after spending their day under pressure is hard but focusing on having fun can make a huge difference. Today’s guest is Jill Brecklin who has been bringing fresh ide…

When it comes to staff meetings, we know they can be painful. Whether you are waiting for the same team member to show up on time, listening to complaints with no real solution in sight, or putting unrealistic expectations on yourself as a facilitator, we know that staff meetings don’t always accomplish what they should. You may leave staff meeting…

Especially in the last couple of years with seemingly constant supply chain issues, maintaining an inventory has been a problem. Increases in the price to maintain an inventory hasn’t helped the problem either and we have an ongoing issue in keeping shelves stocked without breaking the bank. Let’s talk about ways we can not only maintain stocked sh…

Today’s topic is all about the importance of continuous training and how we can keep it fun and fresh. When it comes to training team members, no matter what their role is, managers might be feeling the stress and the worry. Turnover rates are high in all industries right now, so how can we design training sessions and content to keep things fresh,…

The last few years have made remote work a reality for many industries. But is it really possible in a veterinary practice? Today’s guest says it is possible! In this episode, you’ll learn how we can apply remote work to this industry and find ways to be flexible enough to keep employees while being good stewards for the practice as a whole. Today’…

At the start of every new year, many of us are setting up plans for the coming months. With this comes a lot of solutions, but do we really know what the problem is? We seem to jump to the plan real fast, but maybe we don’t determine the problem in its entirety first. Today’s guest is former VHMA President, Jim Nash. Jim has 20 years experience in …

‘Tis the season to celebrate and there is no one better to celebrate than the clients and families who show us their appreciation. Take a moment to think about those clients. Odds are, you think of a handful of special clients that take care of you and your team just like you take care of them. So, who do we thank and how do we do it? Today’s guest…

As we begin wrapping up the year, it’s time for strategic staff planning. The people who love numbers are probably very excited, but in an uncertain economy, this year’s planning could look a lot different. Cris Chilelli joins the conversation today to help us wrap our heads around the challenges we’re facing. Cris is the Regional Operations Manage…

“I love my job!” When was the last time you said that? Or thought about it? Somehow it has become unpopular to love our job. Many people immediately jump to the negative and dread the challenges because we’ve been taught that work isn’t gratifying. But today’s guest proves that this way of thinking can have detrimental effects on your work-life bal…

In the spirit of self-care, we need to take a close look at how we manage not only our teams, but how we manage ourselves. Managers may seem invincible, but mistakes are inevitable. How do you manage the mistakes you make? The goal of today’s episode with Chris Cesena is that you learn from your mistakes. But more importantly for you to also see ho…

Growth and Career Mapping for Your Team with Molly Lautzenheiser With hiring and retaining quality team members becoming ever more challenging, we have to consider career satisfaction more than ever. One of the ways we can ensure employee career satisfaction is by cultivating a culture of growth through career mapping. This process gives employees …

It seems like this year’s caseload has been very overwhelming! And no matter how many people are on the team, it makes things feel like we’re understaffed. We are always looking for great ideas to keep the team feeling empowered but also ensuring that clients are taken care of quickly and efficiently. That’s why Karen Hart joins the podcast today w…

In a post-Covid world, it seems that there has been an uptick in aggressive client demands. We know that things aren’t always easy, but what can we do to ease the stress of not only our clients, but our staff members too? Remember that it is a symbiotic relationship with clients and it’s absolutely necessary to maintain to continue serving the comm…

When you find yourself in the management role, no one tells you that a large part of it is helping our teams manage their stress. Yes, this means the stress they feel while at work, but stress is not easily compartmentalized and our teams are bringing stress from home into the workplace. What can we do as managers to help the team deal with stress,…

Do you find that all the details and policies in your practice are laid out but somehow people don’t know them? Are we laying them out clearly? This is a common issue among many practices and we aren’t holding everyone to the expectations we have of them. Today’s guest is Heidi Rizkalla and she joins the conversation this month to help us work on b…

Two years ago, everything changed with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and truly, the world will never be the same. Now, two years later from those massive adjustments, morale could still be an issue. How can we as managers help boost morale and support the team during trying times? Today’s guest is Linda McCarthy, one of 2022 VHMA Emerging Lead…

Everything's better with a plan, right? And while it doesn’t seem like the typical time of year to talk about budgeting, today’s guest enlightens us that it is always the right time to budget. Lisa Yackel joins the VHMA Podcast today to show us why and how to implement a budget. Lisa has over 45 years experience in the field and has gone through ma…

When it comes to the working relationship between a practice owner and the manager, things can go smoothly or can be very rocky. This relationship is crucial for a successful practice, so how can we implement systems and improve our communication to strengthen this partnership? Today’s guests are Brent Bilhartz and Becca Bucker from LazyPaw Animal …

In this post-pandemic climate, we have discovered that discipline for not following protocol has changed. Managers are feeling the pressure to maintain these protocols and keep turnover rates as low as possible by keeping a happy and efficient team. It is certainly more complicated than it was pre-Covid and today’s guest helps us with her tips and …

As we start thinking about wrapping up another year, we need to plan for 2022. Strategic planning seems intimidating, but with our guest’s help today, it doesn’t have to be. Tiffany Consalvo joins me today as we talk about taking the scary out of strategic planning. Tiffany is a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM). She began her career in …

Things are very overwhelming right now, and emergencies seem to be coming in constantly. When emergency facilities are full, what is the solution? Today’s guest is Brandon Zweerman from Ottawa Animal Emergency and Specialty Hospital, and he has worked in several different roles in his career. He is a strong believer that happier employers can build…

Mental health is a very hot topic these days, especially in the veterinary clinic world. So on the VHMA Manager to Manager Podcast, we’re talking about all things mental health: the concerns, the stressors, and more importantly the key components in how to help deal with overload. Today’s guest is Katie Hill, hailing from Gainesville, Florida. Kati…

There seems to always be a new threat on the horizon when it comes to network and software security. Not only that, but there are always new gadgets coming out that make previous security measures less effective or obsolete. This aspect of running a practice can be frustrating. That’s why we have Ben Spinks on the show today to help us better under…