Over five years ago this podcast launched - as we close 2024 it made sense to write the last chapter on the podcast. I am blessed beyond belief and wanted to share my last thoughts for those who've come along for the journey.

I share ten things on my mind and heart. I hope you enjoy it!

I appreciate anyone that has listened, commented, or shared an episode.

A major thanks to my sponsors over the year - and a special shoutout to GuardianVets for believing in me for years.

Email me at [email protected] if you'd like to stay in touch.

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, I'm so glad to finally welcome Jhraid Pratt who is the CEO of Granite Peak. Granite Peak is a Veterinary Specific, Advisory, Tax Planning Services To Help Maximize Your Practice's Profitability. Granite Peak works with over 150 practices over the country and that niche and focus makes a world of difference. We discuss:

• Jharid's story of a CPA who found his way to building a niche focused veterinary tax & planning firm.
• Where client questions have been in 2024 and opportunities for 2025.
• Will the new administration change tax planning and strategy?
• Does the The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 get extended? Does it matter? What is it?
• If he were interviewing tax pros what questions he'd ask them.
• What is he and the firm's non-consensus view on veterinary medicine and tax planning.
• Leadership and the growth of his team and his leadership style.
• Lessons learned from being a small business owner.
• And SO MUCH MORE

Links:

• Granite Peak Website - www. granitepeakcpa.com
• YouTube Channel

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

What's the most important thing for a De Novo Start up in Veterinary Medicine?

I'd argue it's ensuring you are in an area that:

A) Needs Veterinary Services You Provide

B) Can pay for the work you provide

Sounds simple, but often this is left to chance and not focused enough to ensure you stack the odds of success on your side.

That's why Pinpoint was created and founded to democratize the access to high quality data and ensure you can be confident when picking a location.

I walk through in this episode how I'd do exactly that with the data available.

Check out Pinpoint @ www.pinpointmypractice.com

Email - [email protected] - reference this episode for a discount on any report you purchase.

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, I dig in and share my thoughts around the benefits and challenges with business partnerships. Business partnerships can take a lot of different roles. From a 50/50 active partner, minority owner, joint venture, or strategic partnership.

I share some ways I view business partnerships being ideal for veterinary medicine as we move forward to allow for some semblance of a professional and personal life that works. I also share from personal experience where and how these relationships can go wrong.

Book referenced in the episode - The Partnership Charter by David Gage.

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

In this episode I'm rejoined by Bobby Lind. Bobby was a guest on the show for episode #23. Bobby has been involved in the healthcare space for over 10 years, with a significant portion of his career dedicated to helping healthcare professionals with commercial real estate. During this time, he has helped numerous small business owners, including dentists, veterinarians, and optometrists, navigate the complex process of finding the perfect locations for their practices. Bobby has witnessed the critical role that real estate plays in the success of a healthcare practice. He saw firsthand how the right or wrong location could dramatically impact a practice's profitability, growth, and overall success.

Bobby co-created Pinpoint to address the very challenges he encountered. Pinpoint was born out of his desire to provide healthcare practitioners with the tools and resources they need to make informed, confident decisions about their practice locations. In addition to his work with Pinpoint, Bobby is the founder of Rise Realty Partners, a commercial real estate firm that specializes in tenant and buyer representation.

This episode is a great one to head over to YouTube and watch vs. listen to if interested in seeing the data.

• What is Pinpoint - the problems this offering solves.
• A case study and review of finding a location and the data you can extract.
• What's actionable with the data.
• Where to learn more and dig in.
• Also, there is a special offer if you listen to the end.

• www.pinpointmypractice.com (launching in early September)
• email: [email protected]

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

Today I’m joined by a repeat guest Dr. Phil Zeltzman - a polymath and veterinary surgeon. He’s joined me on episode #42 and #107. He is the co-founder of Chronos and SURGE. Chronos is a remote back-office solution for veterinary practices. SURGE is a community of ​​“MOBILE SURGEONS HELPING MOBILE SURGEONS”. Phil always a pleasure to connect and I get to share that with the audience this time.

• Phil's bigger macro and micro views at where things stand today in veterinary medicine. 
• "Pet spend on a real basis (accounting for inflation) is down 20 straight months - this is worse than the Great Financial Crisis which was 19 months." - Phil's thoughts and does it feel that bad in the marketplace today?
• We chat Chronos - Phil joined me in episode #107 to talk about it. You’ve been talking about “reactivation” a lot lately and wanted to have you share more about that. 
• Phil is the co-founder of Surge - which is a group of mobile and some B&M locations around the country. I was able to come to a meeting back in 2023 and loved it. Share a bit about Surge and how your GP peers can leverage and utilize what Surge has to offer. 
• Phil's questions for me sparked a fun conversation.
• And so much more!!

https://platform.buxtonco.com/Home/Share/mobilytics_09677F7889=

In this episode I opened up some questions to the Facebook Group and broader Instagram following and took those questions and answered them on this week's show. I'd always encourage folks to talk to a professional before making any decisions, again these are my opinions and not investment advice. The questions were as follows:

1. What should the ideal savings rate be to get to financial freedom?
2. Where are the areas in the investable universe today that are interesting - outside of bitcoin?
3. What do you think about whole life IUL policies? Also how to best protect investments in uncertain economic climates (ie now)? Also how to structure generational wealth management plans?
4. You see, all the posts about “real estate” is the best way to build long term wealth. What are your thoughts?
5. Given economic uncertainty, is starting or buying a practice still a good idea today?
6. What is one thing you learned about investing that you’ve changed your mind on the past couple of years?

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

In this radio show, I share a bit about where I am and what's happened over the past handful of months. The podcast has always been a labor of love, and the labor part has been the element most felt recently. I hope you can take something away from it, and excited to share some great conversations and updates soon!

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, I’m rejoined by Dr. Lauren Jones she first joined me about a year ago in episode #190 - so for her full background go check out that episode. Dr. Jones owns Animal Hospital of Chester County and is a Director of Veterinary Medicine for Shepherd Veterinary Software.

• Lauren shares her new role within Shepherd and updates from our last episode.
• AVMA was about a month ago and I got her take on the event and feedback.
• Lauren shares some thoughts on The Atlantic & New York Times articles attacking and questioning why veterinary care is so expensive.
• We discuss the Veterinary Mom's Group & the support & knowledge it offers.
• Lastly, she asked a great question for me and entailing bitcoin. So we do a deeper dive on updates there.

Guest Links

• Lauren's LinkTree

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Shepherd Veterinary Software

Granite Peak Associates

Rhys Giannarelli who is the owner of Point Grey Veterinary Hospital in British Columbia. Rhys and his wife Dr. Carmen Chan have three veterinary hospitals in a very competitive market but have thrived as a private business. He joined me in episode 103 back in 2021. We talked about competing and beating corporate practices - growing to multiple locations - building strong teams - and why start-ups make more sense than acquisitions. He recently pinged me on a topic that sounds fascinating and we’ll dig into that today.

• What’s the latest update on things at the clinics and what’s your take?
• Where have things changed since 2021 - positive or negative?
• How he has adjusted or adpted leadership and management since we last connected.
• The project he has been working on - why and what it is. 
• And so much more!

Guest Links

• https://www.ivmsolutions.org/about

GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month)

Shepherd Veterinary Software

Granite Peak Associates