VHMA Manager to Manager
56 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago -For over 30 years, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Assn has worked to offer support and education for those who manage veterinary practices. The VHMA M2M podcast series is designed to tackle timely situations that are universal in practice. Listen for this month’s advice from experts in the trenches.
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Episodes
The Battle of Logic vs Emotion and Why You Need Both
April 17, 2024 04:00 - 30 minutes - 41.9 MBIn 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 role of emotional intelligence is crucial. Joining us is Rob Best, a seasoned CVPM with a background in Business and Organizational Communication....
Spectrum of Care
April 03, 2024 07:00 - 29 minutes - 41 MBToday’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 Seattle. With years of experience under her belt and a passion for personalized pet care, Beth is here to shed light on why tailored treatment pla...
Facility as Marketing Tool
March 21, 2024 07:00 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MBWelcome 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 marketing tool it can become. Joining us is Mary Kim, a hospital administrator for a family practice in California, who brings a unique blend of b...
Navigating Financial Reports
March 04, 2024 08:00 - 26 minutes - 36.4 MBWelcome 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 checking balance that “looks good.” Whatever your favorite report is, they are all important and as our guest today says, “Every report has a sto...
Community Marketing
February 15, 2024 08:00 - 28 minutes - 38.8 MBWelcome 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 events and community projects comes into play. From supporting local sports teams to getting involved in people-helping-people initiatives, the ben...
Workplace Security
February 01, 2024 08:00 - 32 minutes - 44.7 MBIn 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 been on the rise, our education and training about security measures hasn’t kept up. Our guest, Kim Mackey, CVPM, shares her unique perspective ...
Improving Team Communication
January 18, 2024 03:30 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBSo 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 that managers also get pulled right into the middle of it. So, today we’re talking to Yvette Carnot to work on skills to deal with this common prob...
Reputation Management
January 04, 2024 08:00 - 30 minutes - 41.8 MBIn 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. Client care and efficiency go a long way in improving how the practice is seen externally. It can be easy for a team to spiral after a negative re...
Goal Setting for the New Year
December 19, 2023 08:00 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBIn 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 stay attuned to changes in the community. Effective planning requires dedicated time to ensure the successful implementation of goals, and more impor...
Regulatory Compliance
December 06, 2023 08:00 - 33 minutes - 46.1 MBWelcome 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 address areas needing attention. Our guest, Sandra Brown Wiltshire - a seasoned LVT CVPM with extensive experience across all types of practice sett...
Managing Labor Costs
November 20, 2023 08:00 - 32 minutes - 45 MBIn 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 Rising Manager Training Program, shares her wisdom on offering fundamental benefits packages. Join us as we explore how she uses data to support b...
Growing Supervisors to Leaders
November 02, 2023 07:00 - 30 minutes - 41.6 MBToday’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 Success at Encore Pet Group. While others hunkered down during the pandemic, she hosted a web conference focused on management and self-care. Brend...
Career Development Planning
October 18, 2023 07:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBEducation 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 managers. Jessica is a hospital administrator in California but through her commitment to lifelong learning and hard work, she completed a term...
Preventing Theft & Embezzlement
October 05, 2023 07:00 - 34 minutes - 47.3 MBTheft 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 protect the business and it will require oversight even in the face of trust. Today’s guest is John Cunnington, MBA CVPM who works as a Regional Direc...
Networking
September 14, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes - 43.5 MBBeing 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 in your corner can be a real lifesaver. Someone you can turn to for advice or just a listening ear. Maria Pirita is excellent at networking and...
Judgmental Staff
September 05, 2023 07:00 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBToday’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. Grace Ursery is today’s guest. After starting with a degree in Asian American Studies in History and then a few years in mutual funds, Grace f...
Client Service Matters
August 18, 2023 07:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBWe 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 kennel attendant and working into other various roles before her current role as the practice manager. In our conversation today, she shares her e...
Providing Effective Feedback
August 02, 2023 07:00 - 20 minutes - 28.5 MBNot 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 Rizkalla, a CVPM in Pennsylvania. Heidi comes to us from Johnstown Veterinary Associates in Pennsylvania with a background in education and as the dire...
Micromanaging
July 18, 2023 03:58 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MBThere 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 practice where everyone is on the same page. Today’s guest is Michelle Winter. Michelle’s professional experience includes years of multiple site ...
Improving Staff Retention with Stay Interviews
July 03, 2023 07:00 - 21 minutes - 30 MBIt’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 over 25 years currently in the Seattle area. Kim implements quarterly stay interviews that have changed the way the practice runs. They not only...
Teambuilding
June 16, 2023 05:59 - 22 minutes - 31.2 MBLove 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 ideas to the table in a hectic veterinary practice in Illinois. She has over 20 years experience in the industry, beginning her career as a CVT and...
Staff Meetings
May 10, 2023 15:35 - 23 minutes - 33.2 MBWhen 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 meetings and ask yourself, “What went wrong?” Today’s guest is Katherine Rankin and she joins the VHMA Manager to Manager Podcast to talk about staff m...
Inventory
April 10, 2023 04:30 - 29 minutes - 68.8 MBEspecially 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 shelves, but create systems that work for the entire team to communicate inventory needs. Alex Flinkstrom joins us to talk about this topic. He ha...
Keeping Training Fresh, Fun, and Continual
March 18, 2023 04:30 - 29 minutes - 67.4 MBToday’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, fun, and continual? Julie Nash joins us today with 27 years experience in the vet world. From the technical to the managerial, Julie has done i...
Is Remote Work Possible in a Veterinary Practice?
February 04, 2023 05:02 - 26 minutes - 60.6 MBThe 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’s guest is April Allen who started her career as a zookeeper before transferring into the vet world in 2007, into her current practice in 2010, ...
Diagnosing for Effective Organizational Plan Design
January 12, 2023 03:28 - 29 minutes - 67.8 MBAt 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 Veterinary medicine and has served on the VHMA board for 13 years. He says that critical issues projects are near and dear to his heart and in t...
Celebrating Our Treasured Clients with Karli Carter
December 09, 2022 04:47 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MB‘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 is Karli Carter, a hospital administrator out of Utah. She began her career in 2005 as an assistant and has worked at the same practice ever si...
Strategic Staff Planning in an Uncertain Economy with Cris Chilelli
November 28, 2022 19:48 - 31 minutes - 71.8 MBAs 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 Manager for VCA in Arizona and with 25 years of experience in the field, she knows a thing or two about strategic planning. In this episode, Cris dive...
Love Your Job with Susie Crockett
October 12, 2022 02:30 - 28 minutes - 66.1 MB“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 balance and personal wellness. Susie Crockett is the Director of Practice Management in the greater Indianapolis area and has been a CVPM since 200...
Are Managers Invincible? Nope! With Chris Cesena
September 13, 2022 05:05 - 33 minutes - 75.9 MBIn 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 how to correct a mistake and proceed forward without letting it paralyze you. In this episode Chris not only shares her tips and advice on the sub...
Growth and Career Mapping for Your Team with Molly Lautzenheiser
August 17, 2022 01:46 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBGrowth 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 learning opportunities that not only fit a need within the practice, but spark their interest and bring them joy. How do you know it brings them...
Implementing a Technician Triage Program with Karen Hart
July 30, 2022 12:58 - 28 minutes - 26.7 MBIt 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 with a program her practice developed called the Technician Triage Program. Karen Hart is the practice manager at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Serv...
Client Relationships with Erin Kilbane
June 30, 2022 08:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBIn 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 community. Today’s guest is Erin Kilbane from Avon Lake Animal Clinic in Ohio. She comes to the podcast with 8 years of experience in the veterinary...
Helping Our Teams Manage Their Stress with Leah Parris
May 18, 2022 10:00 - 26 minutes - 24.8 MBWhen 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, ensure their wellbeing, and cultivate a positive practice culture? Today’s guest is Leah Parris, one of 2022’s VHMA Emerging Leaders Program Sc...
Managing Performance Expectations with Heidi Rizkalla
April 12, 2022 12:00 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBDo 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 better communicating expectations. After setting those expectations and communicating them clearly, we need to be sure they are being followed s...
Supporting Team Morale in Trying Times with Linda McCarthy
March 21, 2022 18:45 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBTwo 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 Leaders. She started as an assistant in 2003 and has worked her way into the management role at Cats Corner in Oxford Connecticut. She brings to us so...
Budgeting in Veterinary Practices with Lisa Yackel
February 25, 2022 21:21 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBEverything'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 many changes in budgeting over those years. As things continue to evolve for the industry, one thing remains consistent: it all starts with awaren...
Navigating the Owner and Manager Relationship with Brent Bilhartz and Becca Bucker
January 26, 2022 15:33 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBWhen 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 Hospital in Frisco, Texas. Brent, the owner, relies on Becca, the manager, for certain things as she relies on him and because of their clearly de...
Creative Discipline with Jessie Merritt
December 15, 2021 15:39 - 30 minutes - 42.7 MBIn 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 passion for team dynamics. Jessie Merritt joins us today as the Practice Manager of Oswego Veterinary Hospital. She is active within the Veterin...
Strategic Planning with Tiffany Consalvo
November 15, 2021 18:45 - 32 minutes - 44.3 MBAs 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 the veterinary profession in 2000 at a small companion animal hospital in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Tiffany attended Purdue University where she ...
Emergency Case Overload with Brandon Zweerman
October 15, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutes - 41.8 MBThings 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 a better practice. Today, Brandon and I discuss emergencies and how this surge in caseloads across North America is creating the need to ma...
Managing Mental Health with Katie Hill
September 13, 2021 12:26 - 37 minutes - 51.7 MBMental 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. Katie is a CVT, CVPM, and a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional with four clinics in the Gainesville area. She has a variety of outside in...
Software Policies and General Practice Security with Ben Spinks
August 10, 2021 12:26 - 37 minutes - 51 MBThere 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 understand the right policies to have in place and general tips on practice security. Ben Spinks temporarily (or so he thought) entered the veter...
Put our own oxygen mask on first! – Manager Self Care
July 21, 2021 23:29 - 37 minutes - 52.3 MBSelf care has a bad reputation as being too selfish, but in a world of high expectations, stress, and eventual burnout, self care is crucial. That’s why I asked Lillian Clegg to be on the VHMA Manager to Manager Podcast today. Not only is she an excellent practice manager, but she is a former massage therapist who knows all about the importance of self care. In today’s episode, Lillian and I discuss the importance of self care and what that could look like. In some cases, it could be t...
Employee Communication and Personality Styles with Melissa Benway
June 18, 2021 17:42 - 30 minutes - 24.7 MBToday’s guest is Melissa Benway, a CVPM at a three doctor practice in Michigan. She was invited to the show today to talk about something incredibly important and impactful: communication. This means communication between employees and with clients. Oftentimes we have miscommunication or poor communication skills in our team. What can we do as managers to make sure that communication is effective? Personality styles go hand-in-hand with communication and Melissa Benway has a lot of gre...
Empower vs Delegation, Improving Efficiency, and Job Satisfaction with Meg Oliver
May 17, 2021 20:57 - 30 minutes - 42.7 MBEspecially during the last year, delegating tasks and empowering team members has been a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. Even those employees who don’t see their job as a career path and even those who have the menial (but necessary) tasks that no one else wants to do can and should have a voice. Today’s podcast guest, Meg Oliver, demonstrates beautifully the importance of expectations, training, and providing opportunities to everyone. Meg is a CVPM of a four doctor practice in ...
Laying the Foundation for Thriving Teams Through Salary and Benefits with Melissa Stedman
April 13, 2021 15:41 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MB“It’s amazing the amount of money you can find when you look for it,” today’s guest says when speaking today about salary and benefits for staff and employees. This is a hot topic in the industry right now because it is an unfortunate truth that technicians and other staff members are underpaid for their responsibilities in a practice or hospital. So what can we do as leaders to change that? Today’s guest is Melissa Stedman, a practice manager in the Philadelphia area and one of VHMA’s...
Technician Utilization with Dr. Kate Harnish
March 26, 2021 14:03 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBEveryone seems to always need technicians. What are the reasons technicians come and go or we can’t seem to find the right fit for our practices? It is a difficult question to answer at times, but should you hire someone who is already certified, train someone you already have, or go out on a limb and hire someone completely new and uncertified? None of those are bad options, but there’s one major key in hiring and keeping a good technician: proper training. Today’s guest is Dr. Kate H...
Building a Positive Culture That Clients Can Feel with Kristie Buys
February 13, 2021 20:17 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MBWe all want positive culture, but oftentimes we don’t know where to start and we give up too soon. Culture is frustrating! We all want it and no one seems to want to do anything about it. But there are things we can and should be doing that begin the process of building and maintaining a positive culture that not only the staff feels, but clients feel, too. Today’s guest, Kristie Buys, has so many wise words for us when it comes to building and maintaining a strong culture in the work...
Translating the Numbers - KPIs to Monitor with David Liss
January 12, 2021 19:07 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBHappy New Year! It is my favorite time of year because we get to dig into numbers. Not everyone feels this way, of course, but it is one of my absolute favorite things to talk about. But once we’ve tracked our numbers and have seen our data, how can we discuss them with non-number people? We have to be able to translate the numbers in a meaningful way to see growth, but how? To answer this question, I’ve asked David Liss to speak with us for this episode. David has a background as a Ve...