The VetStory Podcast

Jordan Morelli is back on the Vet Story Podcast, and this time we're talking about buying a veterinary practice.

Last time we talked about selling a clinic. Now we're looking at the other side of the transaction.

Jordan is a corporate lawyer who specializes in veterinary practices across Canada, and I wanted to understand what veterinarians really need to know before making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

Because buying a clinic isn't just about agreeing on a price and getting a loan.

There's a lot more to it.

We talk about buying the practice you already work at, getting an independent valuation, reviewing financial statements, and knowing when the seller might be hiding something you should be asking about.

We also get into leases, demolition clauses, letters of intent, tax planning, financing, and the difference between buying shares and buying assets.

One of the biggest parts of this conversation was employment liabilities.

You might be buying a business with employees who have been there for 10, 15, or even 25 years.

What happens to their seniority?

What happens if you need to let someone go?

And are you now responsible for financial obligations that started long before you owned the clinic?

Jordan explains why these questions matter and why the right legal advice before purchasing can save you a lot of grief later.

We also talk about what's happening in the Canadian veterinary market, why corporate buyers are being more selective, and why more associates are getting the opportunity to step into ownership.

If you're thinking about buying your first veterinary practice, or adding another clinic to your business, this episode is for you.

Because the last thing you want is to spend millions buying a practice, only to discover that you've inherited a whole collection of problems nobody told you about.

You can find Jordan at https://linmac.com or email him at [email protected].

The Vet Story Podcast is brought to you by Innovative Veterinary Management Solutions.

Visit https://ivmsolutions.org.

Practice ownership should not be this hard.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. John Yonker for a wide open conversation about practice ownership, systems, corporate vet med, owner bottlenecks, profitability, and what it means to move from DVM to CEO.

John is a veterinarian, MBA, three time de novo practice founder, and the creator of VetLaunch. He has started multiple clinics from scratch, sold two of them, and now helps veterinarians step into ownership with more clarity and structure.

This episode is not one of those polished, tidy conversations.

It is more like two practice owners sitting down with a drink and saying the stuff we normally end up saying at the bar after a conference.

We talk about why so many owners struggle to exit their practice, why the owner becomes the bottleneck, and why a clinic cannot scale forever on oral history, vibes, and everyone just “knowing how we do things.”

We also get into corporate consolidation and why independent practices can still compete.

And yes, I said it.

You absolutely can compete.

But not by trying to out corporate corporate.

Independent practices have a different advantage.

They can move faster.

They can care about people differently.

They can make culture decisions without asking a shareholder.

But they still need to know their numbers.

They still need systems.

They still need accountability.

They still need to stop doing $20 an hour tasks with an owner brain.

John and I also talk about COGS, payroll, inventory, associate compensation, pro sal, when to hire another doctor, utilization, unscheduled appointments, and why the death of wellness may be a bigger problem than many owners realize.

The big takeaway is simple.

You do not rise to the level of your intention.

You fall to the level of your systems.

And if your practice only works because you are holding the whole thing together, that is not freedom.

That is just a job with more stress.

You can find Dr. John Yonker through VetLaunch on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the Vet Story Podcast, I sit down with Patricia Porter, founder of VEA, to talk about AI in veterinary medicine, missed charges, better workflows, and what it actually looks like when technology helps the team instead of adding one more thing to their day.

Patricia has worked in AI for over 10 years, including human healthcare, automation, and consumer technology. Now she is bringing that experience into Vet Med with VEA, which stands for Veterinary Exam Assistant.

And I will be honest.

At first, there were a lot of AI words.

A lot.

So I made Patricia slow it down and explain it like we were standing in a real clinic, talking to a real practice manager, with a real team trying to get through a real day.

That is where the conversation got really useful.

VEA can listen during a visit, help create the SOAP note, pull in the pet’s history, support treatment plans, help with estimates and invoices, and catch missed charges before they walk out the door.

That part matters.

Because every practice owner knows the pain of hearing, “I thought you added it,” or “I thought someone else did it.”

And then there goes another $50.

Again.

We also talk about how AI should be used responsibly in veterinary medicine. Patricia explains why the veterinarian still needs to be at the centre of the decision making, why AI should suggest instead of replace, and why integration with the practice management system matters.

We get into:

What VEA actually does in a clinic

How it helps with missed charges

Why memory is not a great billing system

How AI can support SOAP notes and treatment plans

Why the vet still stays in control

What clinics should ask before bringing in AI

How declined items can be tracked for future visits

What smarter clinics can do with or without AI

Why integration matters so much

How VEA helps clinics chart smarter, not harder

This episode is for practice owners, managers, technicians, doctors, and anyone who has ever looked at the invoice after an appointment and thought, “Well, that should have been charged.”

Because missed charges are not always a people problem.

Sometimes the system is just asking busy people to remember too much.

You can find VEA at VEAforvets.com.

If you want to be a guest on the Vet Story Podcast, email me at [email protected].

This podcast is brought to you by IVMS, Innovative Veterinary Management Solutions.

Practice ownership should not be this hard.

Visit ivmsolutions.org to learn more.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Edwards to talk about conscious leadership, emotions at work, burnout, boundaries, and what it means to lead people in a veterinary practice.

Jennifer is a veterinarian, former practice owner, conscious leadership coach, speaker, and team developer. She helps leaders understand how they are showing up, how they are communicating, and how the stories running in the background affect the team around them.

I will admit, I pushed back a bit in this one.

When we started talking about feelings, emotional needs, and conscious leadership, my brain immediately went to the whole “kumbaya circle” thing.

But Jennifer does a great job breaking it down in a way that makes sense.

This is not about saying yes to every request.

It is not about removing accountability.

It is not about coddling the team.

It is about being aware of how you lead, how you react, how you communicate, and how to set boundaries without being an ass about it.

We talk about unreasonable requests, team accommodations, toxic positivity, leadership burnout, and what happens when practice owners start to feel like no matter what they do, it is never enough.

We also talk about what it looks like when a leader realizes they may be contributing to the culture problem they are trying to fix.

That one stings a little.

But in a useful way.

This episode is for practice owners, managers, medical directors, and anyone leading a team who has ever thought, “I am trying so hard, why is this still not working?”

You can find Dr. Jennifer Edwards at drjenniferedwards.com or on LinkedIn.

In this episode, I sit down with returning guest Jordan Morelli to talk about selling a veterinary practice.

Jordan is a corporate lawyer who works with veterinarians and practice owners across Canada. He helps with incorporations, leases, employment agreements, practice purchases, practice sales, succession planning, and the legal pieces that come with owning a clinic.

We talk about the difference between a legacy sale and a corporate sale, what a letter of intent actually means, when practice owners should involve advisors, and why tax planning needs to happen well before the sale.

Jordan also shares why selling a practice is not just about the final price. Culture, values, timing, team communication, and the right advisory team all matter.

We get into the current market, what corporate buyers are looking for, why some clinics are harder to sell, and what practice owners can do years in advance to increase the value of their clinic.

This episode is for any practice owner who is thinking about selling someday, whether that is next year, five years from now, or sometime in the mysterious land called “eventually.”

Because the big takeaway is simple.

Do not wait until you are ready to leave before you start planning your exit.

You can find Jordan at linmac.com.

In this episode, I sit down with Cameron Harkey from Bank of America to talk about veterinary practice financing and what doctors need to know before stepping into ownership.

Cameron works in veterinary lending across the upper Midwest and helps veterinarians with practice acquisitions, startups, real estate loans, and ownership financing.

We talk about what the loan process looks like, when to speak with a lender, how banks assess cash flow, and what happens when a doctor wants to buy the clinic they already work in.

We also talk about one of the biggest concerns for many veterinarians.

Student loans.

Cameron explains why having student debt does not automatically disqualify someone from buying a practice. It matters, but it is only one part of the bigger financial picture.

We also get into real estate loans, acquisition loans, interest rates, and why the lowest rate is not always the only thing to look at.

This episode is for any veterinarian who has thought about ownership but wondered if financing, student loans, or lack of business experience might hold them back.

The big takeaway is simple.

Do not assume you are not ready just because you still have questions.

Ask the questions. Look at the numbers. Get the right people around you.

That is where ownership starts to become a real option.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Frank Niles to talk about leadership, burnout, public speaking, and what it takes to build real influence in veterinary medicine.

Frank shares his perspective on why Vet Med can be hard to break into, why credentials may open doors but do not replace connection, and how case studies, storytelling, and lived experience help build credibility.

We also talk about burnout in Vet Med and why it is not simply a resilience problem. Structure, scheduling, leadership, workplace design, and culture all matter.

Then we get into one of my favourite parts of the conversation, public speaking. Frank shares practical advice on finding your voice, managing nerves, using stories, and connecting with an audience in a way that actually lands.

This episode is for practice owners, managers, speakers, consultants, and anyone in Vet Med who wants to lead, communicate, and show up better.

What does “fair” pay actually mean in vet med

In this episode, Rhys sits down with Josh Vaisman from Flourish Veterinary Consulting for a candid conversation that started with a spicy LinkedIn thread and turned into something way more useful.

They unpack what positive leadership really is (hint: it is not fake smiles), why accountability is part of compassion, and how practice owners can think about technician wages in a way that respects both the humans and the business.

They also get into what most people avoid

If you are a practice owner, manager, RVT, or anyone tired of the same debate with zero progress, this one is for you.

Shane Gentry is the owner of Sally Said So, a professional dog training company that is exclusively veterinarian referred. And it all started with him living in his car behind a grocery store.

In this episode, Shane breaks down how one tech gave him a chance, how that turned into a referral system that scaled across North Carolina, and what it takes to build a team with standards that do not bend.

We also get into the fun stuff.

The origin story behind the name Sally Said So

The wildest client story you will ever hear

How his company empowers women through dog training

Why training the owner matters more than training the dog

The hiring and training process that protects your brand

Vet Ready Go, a simple way to help clients prepare dogs for better vet visits

Why CE approval and real partnerships with veterinary medicine matter

If you want outside the box thinking, real business lessons, and a few laughs, this one delivers.

In this episode of Vet Story, Rhys sits down with Lucy Nash, RVT and Community Partnership Manager at Hound, for a candid and fun conversation about the realities of veterinary medicine. Lucy shares her wild “DIY ambulance” story, how burnout shaped her career path, and why proper utilization matters more than pay for many vet techs. Together they dig into why technicians often feel underused, what true value looks like in a clinic, and how leadership can bridge the gap between intention and action. Expect laughter, honesty, and a few football jabs along the way.

Perfect for veterinary professionals who love the job but want to make it better.