RealityVet Resources

There is a moment in practice ownership that feels confusing because, from the outside, the practice is doing well. The schedule is full, the team is busy, and revenue is growing. People trust you and the practice has a great reputation. The business thrives because you keep showing up, solving the next problem, and doing the work in front of you. Then one day, success feels like the problem. It’s too much.

When I bought my practice, I was a brand-new veterinarian with $100,000 in student debt, no savings, and no business training of any kind. What I did have was a clear vision for the kind of practice I wanted to create, a deep love for veterinary medicine, and enough ambition to outrun the fear.

I can still picture the moment, one of many:

A Wednesday afternoon team meeting with my staff sitting in a ring of chairs around the office. I’m sitting behind my desk, leading the meeting, and doing most of the talking.

One year ago, at age 55, I was diagnosed with ADHD. I’ve not shared too much about my diagnosis publicly, not knowing how it would fit into the story or be of value, but as I look at how far I’ve come from where I’ve been, I feel it’s important to say something. Someone else out there is struggling and this might help them.

When things go wrong on your team, the first question isn’t “what did they do?” — it’s “what did we communicate?” A job description is how you answer that question before things go wrong.

The problem isn’t that you have too many meetings. It’s that most of them aren’t doing what meetings are supposed to do.

I hear it constantly from practice owners: meetings are a waste of time. And honestly? For the meetings most of them are having, I agree.