Case 2 : Letting Go to Grow
One Owner’s Path to Delegating Management in a Multi-DVM Practice
Starting Point: Mid-November 2022
| Year | Revenue | Growth% | Growth $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,736,141.93 | -6.20% | -$107,667.59 |
| 2022 | $1,628,474.34 |
- Swipe left to view full table
- Ownership: DVM with multi-DVM practice (3.5 FTE – 5 DVMs including locums)
Challenges:
- Owner wearing all of the hats: appointments, surgery, all management
- Practice success capped by her own capacity
- Appointments blocked for admin work → lost revenue
- Management tasks falling behind → frustrations grew from team
- Team morale and financials declined, while owner was nearing burnout
| Month | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $103,729.73 | $134,639.03 |
| Feb | $104,469.00 | $139,435.39 |
| March | $155,790.63 | $183,610.93 |
| April | $154,415.24 | $191,123.35 |
| May | $171,347.60 | $201,430.40 |
| June | $160,637.49 | $178,084.95 |
| July | $123,242.38 | $160,423.38 |
| Aug | $135,155.50 | $147,448.45 |
| Sept | $137,482.19 | $135,039.34 |
| Oct | $125,255.50 | $137,230.96 |
| Nov | $132,335.28 | $145,600.92 |
| Dec | $124,613.80 | $128,777.50 |
| Total | $1,628,474.34 | $1,883,259.40 |
| Growth % YOY | -6.2% | +15.65% |
| Growth $ YOY | -$107,667.59 | +$254,785.06 |
- Swipe left to view full table
The Core Challenge
- You can’t scale a practice when one person does it all:
- No time to lead or manage effectively (no performance reviews/raises for the team in years)
- Revenue limited by blocked-off time
- Staff unclear on expectations, asking the owner questions all the time
- High stress, low morale
- No room for continued growth without structural changes
Our Approach
- VetCircle’s Practice Optimization Plan
- Implemented structured workflows and protocols, with streamlined roles
- Developed SOPs and Protocols based on the owner’s standards
- Promoted and trained an internal Practice Manager
- Shifted owner’s focus back to appointments, surgeries and management duties she liked (ex. working with the bookkeeper and approve invoices)
- Upskilled the team to boost efficiency, enhance medical quality, improve their confidence and team morale
- Optimized scheduling, staffing, and exam room flow
The Results from VetCircle's Operational Services (starting Nov 2022)
| Year | Revenue | Growth% | Growth $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,736,141.93 | -6.20% | -$107,667.59 |
| 2022 | $1,628,474.34 | ||
| 2023 | $1,883,259.40 | +15.65% | +$254,785.06 |
- Swipe left to view full table
The Impact:
- Owner regained focus and energy
- Promoted and trained a practice manager, so management was no longer reliant on one person
- Clear roles and training = confident, efficient team
- Structured systems support sustainable growth
- Owner remains involved as Medical Director—without doing it all