Pilot episode for Vet Ed hosted by Steve Hermann and Kale Flaspohler.
Directed by Lindo Zwane

Steven, Kale, and Lindo have come together to change the veterinary industry with their knowledge on business and finance. They want to see the small veterinary businesses thrive and not get lost among the weeds as corporate competition. The work and effort to stay in business while serving people and their pets has evolved over the years as new sources of competition and business failure have appeared. What the industry and the providers need are advocates and support from the professionals that know how to remain true to your work while growing as a business.

[01:15].Why do this: There are several million podcasts out there. This podcast aims to introduce another viewpoint to bring to the veterinary field on both sides (private business owners and the consumer side). Big businesses and corporations exist, and the small practices deserve acknowledgement and support. 

[04:00] We want to encourage students with our stories to enter the field and make a business from their passion for animals –how to buy a practice, sell a practice, build a practice, and watch it thrive. The avenues are endless in the industry. Until you see someone do something successfully, you won’t think that to try it. Stories from our clients will hopefully inspire people to. The target audience is both the veterinarian and the clients. There is a Ted talk by Dr. Melanie Bowman about the day in life of a veterinarian. The lack of knowledge is concerning; people don’t know what veterinary medicine entails before asking why it’s expensive. 

[9:35] Steven Herman from Eldon Missouri grew up with a small business in his family and the perspective it gave him was what the lack of technology to do bookkeeping and metrics meant for a business. He began studying engineering and then transitioned to finance to rediscover his interest in helping small businesses operate. He loves dogs and animals and his current work with helping veterinary practices thrive is the sweet spot.

[14:27] Kale is co-host of this podcast and introduces himself and his work. He is also from Missouri and helped his family with real estate work. He joined the Vet Ed team in hopes to help give insight to small businesses run by veterinarians.

[18:24] Lindo is from Johannesburg, South Africa and grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and business-oriented principles and lifestyle. He however studied communications and then took an opportunity to move to the US. Specifically, Missouri which is a huge change from the city life. The family-oriented life and small community intrigued him, and he enjoys the lifestyle outdoors and of course animals.

[22:36] Steven talks about Pro Partners which he started with his partner Wes Hinges who he met in 2015. Wes was working with veterinarians and navigating their private practices and that’s when Steven decided to join to help Wes do that. 

[22:26] Kale shares his observations on running businesses and the metrics that he believes are what slows private practices down and how to optimize that. The hosts discuss the technology utilized by veterinarians and the margins that dictate how long a private business lasts. “Are you really making money, or do you just have a job?” is worth contemplating they feel.

[31:50] Co-hosts tie back why they are doing this podcast with their recent talk to the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association called, “The state of the Veterinary Industry” with the financial and practice data they have collected. The competition for time and for a space to operate and even thrive alongside corporate was reflected upon while at that talk. The veterinary inflation and client revenue growth are factors to consider in the success of small veterinary businesses. The ratio of veterinarians to animals is another factor that will be analyzed. The initiative to study and become a veterinarian gets lost among the numbers that dictate how long a small veterinary business lasts. This podcast aims to stand out with the knowledge it plans to share and their advocacy for the medical professionals in an industry that so little is known about.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!
 
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