Spay/Neuter Clinic Expands Care, Keeps Costs Low for Clients
A veterinarian running a high-volume, spay-neuter practice found herself struggling to balance business management with clinical duties. Despite strong medical skills and a clear mission to provide accessible care, she felt overwhelmed by financial decisions and administrative tasks.
The Vision
Having built a busy practice that served rescue groups and focused on affordable care, this doctor dreamed of expanding her impact while maintaining work-life balance. She envisioned growing from a three-day operation into a five-day practice with multiple doctors, allowing her to help more pets while eventually stepping back from daily operations. However, without clear financial metrics or systematic approaches to growth, she felt stuck in day-to-day operations.
The Discovery
Our coaching discussions revealed that while the practice was achieving its mission of providing affordable care, seeing up to 16 patients daily and generating $2,800 in daily revenue, the owner lacked the financial clarity needed for strategic decisions. She struggled to balance time between clinical duties and practice management, often feeling scattered and disorganized.
The Journey
Through regular coaching sessions, we systematically transformed both operations and strategic planning. We organized our work around two key priorities that were overwhelming the practice owner.
Financial management became our first focus, starting with a deep dive into understanding revenue streams and establishing clear metrics for success. This foundation enabled the development of realistic growth targets that wouldn't compromise the practice's affordable care mission.
Practice expansion planning followed, as we created frameworks for sustainable growth while maintaining work-life balance. This included analyzing the feasibility of moving from a three-day to a five-day operation and adding additional doctors.
Key initiatives included:
Conducting detailed P&L analysis to understand the cost of providing care
Creating financial projections for two dedicated dental days per week
Researching facility relocation costs and revenue requirements to support a move
Creating dedicated deep-work periods for strategic projects and expansion research
Developing staffing models to support growth from 16 to 21 patients per day
The Results
The transformation led to significant improvements in both operations and the owner's confidence. Financial clarity enabled sound business decisions while maintaining the practice's mission of affordable care.
Key achievements included:
Clear understanding of profitability and levers to pull for growth
Increased pricing to cover expenses and grow profits while maintaining affordability
Grew daily revenue by 20%
Successfully implemented quarterly price review system
Added additional service days with current supporting staff
Reduced owner stress and improved work-life balance through systematic administrative processes
Developed expansion and future relocation plan with financial modeling
This transformation illustrates how strategic coaching can help mission-driven practices thrive without compromising their values. Through the development of clear metrics, systematic planning, and operational frameworks, coaching provided the tools needed to make confident business decisions while preserving affordable care commitments. The result is a practice positioned for growth without sacrificing its core purpose of serving the community.
