Mato just raised pre-seed Read more
Podcast charts
Published by By Dr Dave Nicol
Short conversations with smart people with good ideas to help you run your veterinary practice more effectively. Each month, your host, Dr. Dave Nicol, puts a subject of importance to practice managers under the microscope with a subject matter expert to help you grapple with real-life management problems. Loosely arranged around the topics required to complete the CVPM, this show will help you with ideas and inspiration to take on some of the big problems and opportunities we all face in veterinary medicine.
On the charts
Every published chart this podcast appears in, in the snapshot behind this page. Each one links to the chart it came off.
The Mato Topic Intelligence Platform does not report this podcast as charting in a published category in this snapshot.
From the feed
The latest episodes published to this podcast’s own RSS feed. Titles and descriptions are the publisher’s.
Everyone's talking about AI. Some people think it's the future. Others think it's overhyped. Most practice owners are somewhere in the middle, wondering what they're actually supposed to do with it. I've been thinking about AI a lot recently, and I don't believe the biggest question is which tool should you use? I think the better question is who inside your practice is responsible for making AI useful? In this episode, I introduce two new roles that I believe every veterinary practice now needs so you can adopt AI without falling for the hype. Used well, it can make your team more productive, reduce unnecessary admin, and create more space for the work that only humans can do. Used badly, it simply creates more noise. If you want your practice to benefit from AI over the next few years, this is where I'd start. Episode Outline: [00:00] AI is everywhere… now what? [02:25] Meet the Chief Robot Officer [03:50] Choosing the right tools [04:30] Does AI fit your mission? [05:00] Every workflow, mapped [06:10] Experiment before you commit [07:00] Why humans still matter [08:20] Don't stop thinking [10:00] The real future of work [11:25] My own AI workflow [14:10] Start small, win early Want to Build a Practice Ready for the Future? Technology will keep changing. The practices that thrive won't be the ones chasing every new tool. They'll be the ones with clear leadership, strong systems, and teams who know how to use technology to support - not replace - great veterinary care. If you'd like help building a more resilient, future-ready practice, I'd love to help. Book a call and let's explore where your biggest opportunities are. Book your free call: https://www.drdavenicol.com/book-your-call Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!
Veterinary medicine is changing. And if running your practice feels harder than it used to… it's not just you. In this episode, I explore what I believe is driving that feeling. Veterinary medicine is at a turning point, and the pressures facing practice owners today aren't isolated problems. They're symptoms of deeper changes happening across our profession. I unpack the two fractures I see emerging: the growing gap between practices and clients, and the widening disconnect between leaders and their teams. These fractures affect trust, culture and the way practices operate every day. I also introduce a concept I call leadership containment : building the clarity, ownership and accountability that stops every decision, every problem and every crisis from landing back on your desk. Because remarkable practices aren't built on leaders who carry everything themselves. They're built on systems that help great people take ownership, build trust and thrive. If you've been wondering why leadership feels heavier than it used to, this episode will help you understand what's changing - and how your practice can become stronger because of it. Episode Outline: [00:00] A profession at a turning point [01:20] Why everything feels heavier [02:54] The first fracture: trust [11:34] The second fracture: leadership [14:33] Why everything comes back to you [15:32] Leadership containment [17:47] Build systems that carry the weight [19:49] Strong practices start here Need Help Building a Practice That Doesn't Depend on You? If every problem still finds its way back to your desk, the answer probably isn't to work harder. It's to build a practice with the systems, clarity and leadership that allow great people to take ownership. Book a free call with me and we'll identify what's creating the biggest strain in your practice, where to focus first, and how to build a practice that's easier - and far more enjoyable - to lead. Book your free call: https://www.drdavenicol.com/book-your-call Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!
What stops someone becoming a practice owner? According to this week's guest, it's rarely a lack of ability. It's the belief that you need to know everything before you begin. I'm joined by Dr Heather James, practice owner, mentor and one of the most thoughtful leaders I've had the pleasure of speaking with. We explore her journey from nervous new graduate to practice owner, and why so many talented veterinarians underestimate what they're capable of. One thing really stayed with me after this conversation. The people who make the biggest difference in our profession are rarely the ones who have all the answers. They're the ones who care enough to want things to be better. Better care for patients. Better experiences for clients. Better workplaces for their teams. That frustration is often the first sign of leadership. We spend far too much time waiting until we feel ready. The truth is, confidence doesn't come before action. It comes because we're willing to take the first step, learn as we go, and surround ourselves with people who help us grow. Heather talks openly about the mentors who shaped her career, the value of community, why ownership is never a solo endeavour, and why the future of independent veterinary practice depends on more people being willing to step forward, even before they feel completely qualified. This episode isn't really about practice ownership. It's about having the courage to back yourself. To care enough to build something better. And to recognise that imperfect action will always beat waiting for the perfect moment. If you've ever found yourself thinking, maybe one day , I hope this conversation nudges you a little closer to today. Sometimes the only thing separating the people who build remarkable practices from those who don't is that they decided to begin. [00:00] You're more ready than you think [04:00] The courage to begin [08:00] Confidence isn't first [11:00] Why own a practice? [15:00] Never build alone [19:00] Is ownership dying? [24:00] Do it anyway [27:00] Systems set teams free [31:00] Are you meant to lead? [35:00] The next generation of leaders Leadership is easier together. Inside Strategic Leaders , join Dr Dave Nicol and a community of veterinary practice owners every week for live coaching, honest conversations and practical solutions to the challenges you're facing. If you'd like to lead with more confidence and less isolation, we'd love to welcome you. Learn more about Strategic Leaders. Follow Dr Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Connect with Dr Heather James: LinkedIn: Heather James DVM Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues.
For the first time in more than 20 years, I'm no longer a veterinary practice owner. That feels strange to say. Owning practices has shaped so much of my career and, if I'm honest, a big part of who I am. So when the time came to sell my final practice, it was never simply a business transaction. It was the closing of a chapter that began back in 2005. In this episode, I reflect on that journey. The fixer-uppers, the mistakes, the lessons, leading a practice from the other side of the world, rebuilding after COVID, and the incredible people who made it all worthwhile. But this isn't really a story about selling a practice. It's about stewardship. Over the years, I've become convinced that our job as leaders is to leave things better than we found them. To create opportunities for others, help people grow, and build practices where both people and pets can thrive. Too often, success is measured by the biggest exit or the highest multiple. I think there are other measures of success that matter far more. That's why I didn't sell Roundwood Vets to the highest bidder. I sold it to the people who had already earned the right to lead it. Our Medical Director, Dr Jo, and our Practice Manager, Nikki, had been showing up day after day for the team, the pets and the community. Making them the next owners simply felt like the right thing to do. If you're thinking about the future of your own practice, your leadership, or the legacy you'll leave behind, I hope this episode encourages you to think differently about what success can really look like. Because sometimes the old has to move on so something even better can flourish. Episode Outline: [00:00] A new chapter begins [01:30] My 20-year ownership journey [06:50] Why I built Roundwood Vets [11:30] Turning around a struggling practice [14:20] COVID, leadership and rebuilding [16:00] Creating a people-first culture [19:50] The changing veterinary profession [27:00] Why stewardship matters more than profit [29:00] Selling to the team, not the highest bidder [31:10] Why representation in ownership matters [32:45] Success beyond the biggest exit [33:50] Gratitude and looking ahead What legacy are you building as a leader? Whether you're planning your next phase, thinking about succession, or simply trying to build a practice that's stronger, calmer and less dependent on you, I'd be happy to help. Book a 20-minute Leadership Call with me and we'll talk through where your practice is today, what's holding it back, and the leadership shifts that can help you build the future you want. Book your Leadership Call with Dr. Dave Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!
Last week, I shared the 11 numbers I believe every veterinary practice should be tracking. But collecting numbers is only half the job. The real value comes from knowing what those numbers are trying to tell you. Because a dashboard isn't there to give you more data. It's there to help you spot problems earlier, ask better questions, and make better decisions. In this episode, I walk through how I use those 11 numbers to identify the hidden signals inside a practice. Signals that reveal whether you're dealing with a marketing issue, a leadership issue, a team capacity problem, a pricing problem, or simply a system that's starting to strain under success. When you understand how the numbers connect, you stop guessing. And when you stop guessing, leadership becomes a lot less stressful. Episode Outline: [00:00] The numbers are only the start [01:20] Signals vs data [03:00] Is marketing the problem? [05:00] When demand isn't the issue [08:30] Spotting team strain early [12:00] The hidden communication gap [15:30] Is it time to hire? [17:15] Are you charging enough? [18:20] Three questions every leader should ask [20:00] Why dashboards change everything Want to See the Signals in Your Own Practice? For years, I ran my practices using spreadsheets. That's why I built VetDash. In just a few minutes, VetDash turns your key practice metrics into a simple dashboard that helps you spot problems earlier, identify opportunities faster, and focus on the numbers that matter most. Start your free 30-day trial and see what's really happening inside your practice. Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!
When everything feels urgent, how do you know what to tackle first? It's something I've wrestled with throughout my career as a practice owner. There's always another problem demanding attention. A staffing issue. An unhappy client. A dip in revenue. A packed diary. A team disagreement. The temptation is to fight the loudest fire. But the loudest fire isn't always the most important one. In this episode, I share the 11 numbers I use to understand what's really happening inside a practice. Because when you can see the signals clearly, you stop reacting to symptoms and start fixing the causes. And that's important because this isn't really about numbers. It's about creating more clarity, more confidence, and less stress in the way you lead. When you understand what's happening inside your practice, you make better decisions, build stronger teams, and create the space to focus on what matters most: building a remarkable practice at the heart of your community. Episode Outline: [00:00] Is your practice working? [02:20] The Practice Value Chain [05:15] The 11 numbers that matter [08:00] Happy clients, healthy teams [10:20] What your numbers are telling you [13:00] Why meetings become reactive [14:30] Signals vs symptoms [15:20] Stop guessing and start leading Want to See the Signals in Your Own Practice? For years, I ran my practices using spreadsheets. That's why I built VetDash. In just a few minutes, VetDash turns your key practice metrics into a simple dashboard that helps you spot problems earlier, identify opportunities faster, and focus on the numbers that matter most. Start your free 30-day trial and see what's really happening inside your practice. Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!
The best veterinary practices are not remembered because of their ultrasound machine. They are remembered because of how they make people feel . There’s an energy to remarkable practices. A personality. A story. A sense of identity that clients trust and teams rally behind. And yet most practices completely overlook one of the most powerful tools they have to shape that perception: design. In this episode, I explore why branding is really about storytelling, meaning and emotional connection - and why the practices that win attention in the future will be the ones bold enough to stand apart. Using the story of the legendary Spitfire aircraft - and my own recent experience flying one - I unpack why some things become iconic while others are forgotten. Why beauty, emotion and storytelling matter. And why the practices that stand out in today’s veterinary market are the ones brave enough to express who they really are. We explore how great branding creates differentiation, strengthens culture, attracts the right people, and reinforces the story your practice is trying to tell every single day. Because your culture is what people feel. Your operations are what people experience. But your brand? Your brand is the visual language that makes the whole thing memorable. Episode Outline: [00:00] - Why we remember the Spitfire [02:22] - Why branding matters [05:12] - Flying a Spitfire [06:26] - Emotion creates memory [08:15] - Why icons survive [09:19] - The branding mistake [10:23] - Culture, operations & design [11:07] - What great brands do [12:14] - The danger of clichés [12:38] - What great designers do [13:42] - Brands done well [14:22] - Investing in distinction Resources & Links Mentioned Want help refining your practice vision, culture or brand positioning? The Veterinary Leadership Academy can help you clarify the story your practice is telling - and whether your brand truly reflects it. Learn more about our brand services: https://www.drdavenicol.com/brand-design Explore the Veterinary Leadership Academy: https://www.drdavenicol.com/veterinary-leadership-academy Follow Dr Dave Nicol for daily leadership insights, veterinary business strategy and practical tools for leading a thriving practice. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on iTunes and share this episode with another veterinary leader who wants their practice to stand out for all the right reasons.
This week’s episode is about something most practice owners avoid… until it starts keeping them awake at night. The numbers. I’m joined by Martin Traub-Werner, founder of VetBooks and VetSuccess, who has spent years helping practices understand what their financials are really saying. We get into a simple but uncomfortable truth. Most owners don’t really know their numbers. Not in a way that gives them clarity or confidence. And when that’s the case, the business starts to feel heavier than it should. As Martin puts it, there’s no substitute for knowing your numbers. Because this isn’t really about finance. It’s about visibility. Most practices are not struggling through lack of effort. They are struggling because they can’t clearly see what is happening inside the business. And when you can’t see it, decision-making becomes harder, second-guessing creeps in, and leadership starts to feel like a weight you’re carrying rather than a role you’re leading. What we talk about in this episode is how that changes. When the key parts of the business are working together and your numbers are visible and understood, the experience of running a practice becomes more stable, more predictable, and ultimately more enjoyable. Not because the work disappears, but because the system begins to carry more of the load and your decisions have a clear direction. When you understand your numbers, you stop guessing and start deciding with intent. Over time, that shift replaces pressure with confidence and allows you to trust the practice you are building. If the numbers have ever felt like something you’d rather avoid, this is a good place to start. Episode Outline: [00:00] The numbers we avoid [04:50] Why most owners don’t know [09:00] The 5 financial buckets [13:00] Why vet businesses are complex [15:00] Cash vs reality [17:30] Flying blind financially [19:00] Reading your P&L [21:30] Focus on the big levers [24:00] Small % big impact [26:30] Using AI to analyse [31:00] Building a system you trust [33:30] Confidence and sleep [35:00] Final takeaways Why does leading your practice feel harder than it should? The Practice Growth Reflection is a short, 10-minute tool that shows you the stage your practice has reached and the leadership changes that can reduce pressure, strengthen your team, and help your practice run more smoothly. Start your Practice Growth Reflection and get instant clarity on what needs to evolve next. Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Connect with Martin Traub-Werner: Website: vetbooks.com LinkedIn: Martin Traub-Werner Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues! Disclaimer This episode is for educational purposes only and isn’t financial advice.
A few weeks ago, I sat down with Dr Andy Roark and he dropped a line that lit up the internet: “You, my friend, are a dick.” His point was simple and uncomfortable. In veterinary medicine, one of the biggest career killers is being someone others simply do not want to work with. You might be clinically excellent. You might work hard. But if you consistently damage relationships, you quietly lose opportunities, influence and growth. The feedback to that episode was fascinating. Many of you agreed. Many pushed back, sharing stories of abrasive leaders who still climbed the ladder. So this week, I unpack it properly. I break leadership down into a series of “Big D” styles - Direct, Ditherer, Dreamer and Democrat - and explore how each one shapes the way we make decisions. We look at when directive leadership works and when it corrodes culture, why indecision is often a clarity problem, how conflict avoidance erodes trust, and why collaboration without ownership stalls progress. Underpinning it all is one core truth: leadership is decision-making. And great leaders are not defined by personality. They are defined by flexibility. So grab a coffee and join me for a practical conversation about leadership agility, self-awareness and choosing the right mode for the moment. Episode Outline: [00:00] Big D leaders in vet med [02:03] Is being a dick really a career killer? [03:14] The Direct leader – results vs relationships [05:40] The Ditherer – clarity before action [07:41] Dreamers – vision vs avoidance [11:28] The Democrat – collaboration and responsibility [15:52] Why data sharpens decisions [17:11] Leadership is about flexibility Become the Leader Your Team Deserves If you want to sharpen your decision-making, build clarity around what good looks like, and develop the flexibility your team needs from you. Book a call with us at the Veterinary Leadership Academy. We’ll help you identify where you’re strong, where you’re stuck, and what to do next. Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow Dr. Dave: @drdavenicol Learn more about the Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your veterinary colleagues!
This week, we’re asking a question that’s been rumbling under the surface of vet med for far too long: Are clients really the problem, or have we lost our grip on what’s actually going wrong? To tackle this, I’m joined by Dr Seth Mathus Ganz, a board-certified small animal surgeon and founder of Agile Veterinary Surgery, who brings a rare perspective from working inside hundreds of practices. Seth has spent over a decade performing advanced procedures, mentoring vets, and observing what helps teams thrive - and what quietly holds them back. Together, we look at the stories we tell ourselves about clients, discomfort, and growth, and how those stories shape our daily experience of the job. Seth offers a surgeon’s-eye view on why confidence and trust are built, not demanded - and how leaning into the right kind of challenge helps us grow skill, self-belief, and professional satisfaction. We talk about feedback loops, compounding habits, and the long game of mastery - the kind that makes veterinary work feel meaningful, energising, and sustainable again. So grab a coffee, take a breath, and join us for a thoughtful conversation about how we can build a healthier, more fulfilling future for vet med - one decision at a time. Episode Outline: [00:00] Clients as “the enemy” [02:29] A surgeon’s front-row view [04:03] The vet–client war story [06:43] The victim mindset problem [07:47] How “difficult” clients are made [08:57] Avoiding discomfort blocks growth [11:18] Two kinds of resistance [14:42] Losing the magic of the job [17:27] Growth compounds or stalls [26:01] Why having a plan matters [30:50] Clients as mirrors, not enemies Ready to Take the Next Step? If you’re ready to turn insight into action, book a call with us at the Veterinary Leadership Academy. We’ll help you clarify what’s in the way and define your next move. Book your call here. Connect with Dr. Seth Mathus Ganz: Instagram: @ask_a_veterinary_surgeon Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Instagram: @drdavenicol Learn more about leadership training: Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with a colleague who’s ready to bring the magic back to vet med.
In this episode of the Veterinary Leadership Success Show , I’m responding to the reaction . Specifically, the wave of comments that followed a recent episode and social posts about a new graduate’s early experience in practice. If you saw the Instagram reel or Facebook video, you’ll know the conversation struck a nerve. Some comments were thoughtful and supportive. Others were angry, frustrated, and aimed squarely at “weak graduates”, falling standards, and a profession that feels like it’s under siege. Today, I want to slow that conversation down. Rather than adding to the noise, this episode looks beneath it, at the fatigue, the stretched systems, and the pressure that’s been building across the profession for a long time. We talk about grit, resilience, mentorship, and why toughness isn’t something people arrive with on day one. It’s something that gets built, or broken, by the environments we place them into. If you’re worried about standards, frustrated by how hard ownership has become, or quietly wondering whether the profession you love is changing in ways you don’t recognize, this is a conversation worth sitting with. Referenced Posts: Instagram reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTvXiAlCSZX/ Facebook video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1397139445528655 Episode Outline: [00:00] – Why this conversation exploded [02:45] – Are graduates really the problem? [05:30] – The myth of “grit” at graduation [08:40] – Why our early careers weren’t the same [11:30] – When hard work turns into attrition [14:15] – Mentorship as leadership, not therapy [16:45] – The damage caused by sink or swim [18:30] – What high standards actually look like [20:00] – The responsibility owners still hold [21:45] – Building resilience the right way Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Instagram: @drdavenicol Learn more about leadership training: Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? If this episode made you pause or reflect, I’d really appreciate you leaving a review on iTunes and sharing it with someone else in the profession. These conversations matter – and how we handle them shapes what comes next. Be safe. Be well. And take care of each other.
Part 1 laid bare what happens when well-meaning practices ask too much, too soon, without the systems to support it. In this second conversation, we deliberately turn the lens the other way. I’m joined by Dr. Moriah McCauley, a veterinarian now five years into practice, who shares what it looks like when graduate support is done well – thoughtfully, deliberately, and humanely. Moriah’s story matters because it shows what’s possible. She’s still in the same practice five years on, not through resilience alone, but because the system around her was built for success from day one. Together we talk about what attracted her to the role in the first place, how expectations were clarified early, and why mentorship is not a single person or a buzzword, but a culture. One that includes planned progression, real availability, psychological safety, and permission to be human when life gets complicated. This episode explores the practical reality of guiding – not grinding – graduates. What it requires from leaders. What it asks of graduates. And why, done properly, it creates loyalty, competence, confidence, and long-term value for everyone involved. This conversation forms the second half of a two-part series and sits alongside the session I’ll be delivering at VMX 2026: Guiding, Not Grinding. Episode Outline: [00:01] – Why this conversation matters [02:00] – Meet Dr. Moriah [04:30] – Choosing a first practice [07:00] – Spotting a culture of mentorship [09:30] – Gut instinct and psychological safety [12:00] – Setting expectations early [15:00] – What good mentorship looks like [17:30] – Being supported through hard moments [21:00] – The cost of investing in graduates [24:30] – Return on investment, done properly [27:00] – Learning the hardest skill: communication [30:30] – Why Moriah stayed [32:30] – What leaders need to hear next Follow Dr Dave Nicol: Instagram: @drdavenicol Learn more about leadership support and training: Veterinary Leadership Academy See more from Dr. Moriah McCauley : https://www.instagram.com/dr.moriah.mccauley Connect with Dr. Moriah McCauley : https://www.linkedin.com/in/moriah-mccauley Enjoyed the episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. These conversations matter, and sharing them helps move our profession forward.
The first year in practice should not decide whether someone stays in veterinary medicine. But too often, it does. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Hope Darnell, a recent graduate who shares a clear-eyed account of what her first year in practice was really like. Hope stepped into her first role with the things good graduates bring - commitment, curiosity, and a genuine desire to do the job well. On paper, the support was there. Experienced vets. A capable team. Reassurance that help was available. Then reality hit. Within weeks, Hope was carrying a heavy clinical load, managing complex cases and new clients back to back, and covering the practice alone far earlier than she should have been. Emergencies, surgery, on-call work, and quietly absorbing management tasks as gaps appeared. All on top of a full caseload. Without bad intent, guiding turned into grinding. This story is not unusual. Practices are stretched. Mentorship is inconsistent. Time is scarce. Many teams want to do the right thing, but lack the structure or capacity to truly support early-career vets. What matters is this. Despite everything, Hope chose to stay. She stayed because she still believes in the work, the profession, and the possibility that we can do better. That belief places responsibility on those of us in leadership to build environments where graduates can grow safely, not burn out quietly. If we get this right, we don’t just protect graduates – we strengthen our practices and safeguard the future of veterinary medicine. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation and forms the foundation of a session I’ll be delivering at VMX 2026, Guiding, Not Grinding. In Part 2, we move into practical solutions for supporting graduates, and the future of veterinary medicine, more effectively. Episode Outline: [00:02] – Meet Dr. Hope [05:00] – Picking a first job [09:00] – Support that looked solid [12:00] – Trying to practise good medicine [14:00] – Taking on more and more [18:30] – Being left on your own [20:00] – The day it all collided [24:00] – Still working, but not coping [26:00] – When numbness sets in [31:00] – What new grads really need [35:00] – The “unicorn vet” problem [39:00] – Is your practice ready for a graduate? [43:00] – Why mentorship matters [45:00] – Why Dr Hope stayed in vet medicine Follow Dr Dave Nicol: Instagram: @drdavenicol Learn more about leadership support and training: Veterinary Leadership Academy Connect with Dr Hope Darnelle: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-darnell-dvm-b53054214/ Enjoyed the episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. These conversations matter, and sharing them helps move our profession forward.
What happens when a seasoned vet with 30 years of experience decides to start again, but this time builds exactly the practice he wishes existed? In this week’s Veterinary Leadership Success Show, I sit down with my good friend, Dr. Jay Thrush, co-owner of Forty Creek Animal Hospital in Ontario. Jay is one of the calmest, kindest humans you’ll ever meet, the definition of still waters running deep, and what he and Lisa have created together is nothing short of remarkable. Jay talks openly about version two of his veterinary career. The part where he leaves behind the cookie cutter model, the metrics for the sake of metrics mindset, and the keep up at all costs pace, and starts designing a clinic with intention. A space built for connection. A team chosen for values, not CVs. A culture shaped by psychological safety, empathy, and genuine human care. We dive into the journey, the mistakes, the magic, and the surprising emotional yield that comes from building a practice around purpose instead of pressure. If you have ever wondered what it might look like to create a clinic that feels like home for pets, clients, and your team, this conversation will light a spark. Grab a coffee and settle in. Jay brings wisdom, warmth, and a reminder that leadership gets really interesting when you decide to do things differently. Episode Outline [00:00] Comfort by design [01:10] Version two energy [03:38] Letting the old model go [06:17] Connection at the core [07:49] What clients feel first [09:35] Choosing people who fit [11:03] A clinic that feels like home [13:32] New, special and different [15:24] Real psychological safety [17:36] Signs your culture works [19:54] Early systems and learning [22:21] Building what truly matters [24:05] The gift of good exhaustion [25:49] Staying human as you grow Connect with Dr. Jay Thrush Forty Creek Animal Hospital ( 40creekvets.com ) Instagram: @ fortycreekvets Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights Follow: @drdavenicol Learn more about Veterinary Leadership Training: Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med.
Most leaders want change to be quick and clean. A few tweaks. A new policy. A better week. But meaningful change – the kind that transforms culture, steadies the ship, and creates a practice you actually love leading – follows a very different rhythm. In this episode, Oli and I dig into the truth about change. Why overwhelm is a diagnostic, not a character flaw. Why burnout often signals a system problem rather than a personal one. And why rebuilding culture is more like farming than fighting. We explore the emotional, financial and cultural yields your practice should produce, how to diagnose what’s really driving your stress, and why the first brave step is often removing the wrong person, not adding a new one. You will learn practical ways to create immediate relief, the long term strategy for sustainable transformation, and why community support acts as a stabilising wall while you do the real work of leadership. Change is not instant. But there is a path. And when you follow it with intention, the remarkable vet practice you build will give back far more than it takes. Episode Outline: [01:05] – Why change hurts more than it should [03:45] – Burnout isn’t personal, it’s systemic [06:37] – Culture is the soil everything grows in [08:14] – Who should stay on your team – and who shouldn’t [10:28] – Rebuilding from the core, not the surface [12:03] – Why resistance shows up when standards rise [14:49] – Why meaningful change takes a season [16:20] – Finding relief before real change begins [19:28] – Skills can be replaced, attitudes can’t [21:47] – When work becomes an emotional drain [23:04] – Someone has to own the culture [23:46] – Why community stabilises leaders [24:34] – The clearest path forward Resources & Links Mentioned Need clarity on what needs to change? Book a diagnostic call with Oliver at the Veterinary Leadership Academy and let us walk you through your next steps. Download the Leadership Actions Study – practical steps to help you lead with clarity today. https://calendly.com/oliver-vetx/grow-your-vet-practice-1-1-discovery-call Explore our leadership courses – build the skills to create a culture your team loves being part of. Follow Dr Dave Nicol for daily leadership insights and practical tools for running a thriving veterinary practice. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med.
This week, we’re doing things a little differently. No written notes. No heavy leadership theory. Just me, Dr. Andy Roark, and a completely ridiculous idea involving visual art - on an audio podcast. (What could possibly go wrong?) If you don’t already know Andy, he’s a practicing veterinarian, international speaker, author, and media personality, and the founder of Uncharted Veterinary Conference, DrAndyRoark.com , and one of the few people in vet med who can make serious topics feel human, and fun. We got into everything from AI scribes saving vets five minutes a consult (and possibly their sanity), to how to stay calm when the world’s losing its head. We even tackled the fine art of giving feedback without crushing someone’s soul. At its heart, this episode’s about perspective. About remembering that veterinary medicine isn’t just science, it’s art. And if we want to stay sane, we’d better learn how to create, not just cope. So grab a brew, settle in, and join us for a conversation about leadership, creativity, and keeping your head while everyone else is losing theirs. Episode Outline: [00:03] – Meet Andy Roark [04:20] – The “F*** yeah” AI moment [06:13] – Staying on time, not speeding up [08:22] – How Andy uses AI in consults [10:21] – Right here, right now [12:03] – Focus on what you can control [12:49] – Feedback as art [15:42] – Why vet med is art [17:27] – Clients, costs, and conflict [20:20] – Who we really work for [23:48] – How perspective shifts [25:52] – What Andy sees differently now [29:47] – Money, motives, and mistrust [30:04] – Don’t be a dick [32:15] – Final thoughts Connect with Dr. Andy Roark: Website: drandyroark.com LinkedIn: Dr Andy Roark Instagram: @drandyroark Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow: @drdavenicol Learn more about veterinary leadership training: Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share it with someone who needs a reminder that vet med, for all its chaos, is still an art worth practising.
Most practice owners think they have a vision. A sentence written years ago. A vague idea. A gut feeling. But a real vision, one that energises your team and shapes culture, is something very different. In this episode, Oliver and I break down the most common mistakes owners make when creating their vision – why many end up with fluffy statements that change nothing, why some practices have no vision at all, and why the work isn’t finished once the document is written and alive. We explore how to structure a vision that actually works, how purpose, mission, and values fit together, and the simple tests that tell you whether yours is fit for purpose. You’ll learn why authenticity matters more than polish and how a living, breathing vision becomes rocket fuel for recruitment, retention, culture, and long term sustainability. The medicine gets you started. The vision takes you somewhere worth going. Remarkable practices are built by leaders who choose the path with purpose. Episode Outline: [00:00] – Why vision matters [01:07] – The danger of having no vision [02:14] – Vision as your X factor [06:49] – When structure goes wrong [07:51] – Why “vision, mission, values” fall short [09:46] – The purpose–mission–values model [11:54] – Vision is only useful if you use it [13:19] – The cost of abdication [15:32] – Why vets avoid vision work [18:00] – People, culture and sustainability [20:40] – The goosebumps and butterflies test [22:23] – Writing the unfiltered truth [23:52] – Turning vision into leadership fuel Resources & Links Mentioned Need help with your vision? Book a chat with Oliver at the Veterinary Leadership Academy and we’ll help you assess where you are and where you’re going. Download the Leadership Actions Study – practical steps to help you lead with clarity today. Explore our leadership courses – build the skills to create a culture your team loves being part of. Follow Dr Dave Nicol for daily leadership insights and practical tools for running a thriving veterinary practice. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med. Great leadership, like great culture, grows when it’s shared.
You care deeply about your practice. The vision, the medicine, the values, the clients - it all matters to you. Maybe a bit too much sometimes. But unfortunately, just because you care, it doesn’t mean your team automatically will. So how do you get them on board? How do you turn that personal passion into something your whole team believes in and wants to be part of? In this episode, Oliver and I dig into what buy-in really looks like inside a practice - how to move from pushing people to inspiring them, why fear and control never create lasting motivation, and how clarity of purpose, mission, and values can turn a team that’s “just doing the job” into one that’s driving the vision forward . You’ll learn how to help your people see what you see, how to build belief through consistency and communication, and how to create the kind of culture where everyone cares - not because they have to, but because they want to. Because when your team believes in the vision, everything else starts to work. Episode Outline: [00:00] – What real care looks like [02:00] – Duty, patients & self care [04:10] – When care goes missing [06:50] – Why “care” isn’t enough [08:20] – The restaurant test [09:35] – Fear kills culture [10:00] – Clarity builds buy-in [11:25] – Purpose, mission, values [12:45] – Defining care for your team [14:00] – Create context, not chaos [14:45] – What truly matters to me Resources & Links Mentioned: Download the Leadership Actions Study – simple, practical steps to lead better today Explore our leadership courses – build the skills to lead your team with confidence and clarity Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for daily veterinary leadership insights Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med. Because great leadership - like great care - grows when it’s shared.
Why do veterinarians keep burning out? In this episode of the Veterinary Leadership Success Show , I’m unpacking why so many great people in our profession are burning out, and what we can learn from elite athletes about how to fix it. Because in sport, training hard every day is a fast track to injury. Yet in vet med, we do exactly that - long hours, relentless pressure, and no real recovery. Then we wonder why everyone’s limping. I’ll walk you through how to think like a coach - setting the right dose of work, building rest into the plan, and checking in before things start to snap. We’ll talk about how to balance intensity with recovery and why emotional fuel is every bit as important as physical energy. Episode Outline: 00:00 – Performance or wellbeing? (You can have both.) 01:00 – Lessons from the track: what sport can teach vet med 03:00 – Running slow to go fast 06:00 – The four factors of performance: volume, intensity, rest, and fuel 10:00 – When teams “train” too hard and start to break 13:00 – Building resilience, not fatigue 16:00 – Check in before they burn out 18:00 – Fuel, rest, and emotional recovery 20:00 – Your leadership training plan for a healthier team Want more leadership tools in your corner? Follow me: @drdavenicol Check out: Veterinary Leadership Academy Run your eNPS: drdavenicol.com/get-your-enps If this episode hit home, leave a review or share it with a teammate.
This week, we’re asking the big question - what happened to mentorship in vet med? To help me figure it out, I’m joined by Dr. Robin Hargreaves - former BVA President, lifelong mixed practitioner, and a man who’s spent nearly 40 years mentoring vets, leading teams, and keeping his sense of humour intact (which, frankly, might be his greatest achievement). Robin grew up on a hill farm in the Yorkshire Dales, built and ran a four-site, 50-person independent practice, and has seen the profession evolve from handwritten records to AI tools that still can’t spell “lab retriever.” He’s known for his straight talk, northern grit, and deep care for the people coming up behind him. In this episode, we dig into how mentorship quietly disappeared, why it matters more than ever, and how we can bring it back - stronger, wiser, and a lot less formal than you’d think. So grab a brew, tune in, and let’s talk about how to keep wisdom alive in vet med. Episode Outline [00:03] – Meet Robin Hargreaves [04:14] – One broken arm, one life-long career [07:51] – Why tough years become good stories [09:55] – Where is mentorship in vet med? [12:05] – Why we MUST share wisdom [15:25] – A new kind of mentorship for today [17:30] – Three lessons every leader needs [18:23] – Stop defending. Start listening. [21:10] – When to stop leading [23:01] – Being smart isn’t everything [25:11] – How consistency builds trust Connect with Robin Hargreaves: LinkedIn: Robin Hargreaves, BVSc MRCVS Instagram (bird photography & life wisdom): @robinhargreaves Follow Dr. Dave Nicol for More Leadership Insights: Follow: @drdavenicol Learn more about Veterinary Leadership Training: Veterinary Leadership Academy Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and share it with your colleagues in vet med.
Ranking source
Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 19, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
Apple and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Pairs with
Bring this source into Mato to read its transferable patterns, then turn them into an original show for your own audience.