The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast

Uncharted Veterinary Community
  • 4.8 (135)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast is for veterinary professionals who want to ace the tough parts of practice that happen daily but don't get discussed. We'll cover topics like how to manage workplace conflict, take exceptional care of pets and people, convince pet owners to follow your advice, have difficult money conversations, survive toxic co-workers and much more. If you want to up your communication, efficiency, management, or marketing skills so you can get more success and enjoyment from your career, then this is the podcast for you!

  1. 8H AGO

    388 - Stepping Down Without Stepping Backward

    Veterinary leadership burnout can leave even the most dedicated practice managers wondering if life would be easier back at the front desk, free from the constant pressure of staffing decisions, client complaints, and carrying the emotional weight of the whole hospital. In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss respond to a heartfelt mailbag question from a manager considering stepping down into a CSR role and unpack the realities of making that transition. They explore why these feelings are so common, the cultural and identity challenges of changing roles inside the same practice, and how to decide whether stepping down is truly the right move or simply a sign that boundaries and support need to change. Let's get into this episode! Uncharted Practice Owner Summit at NAVC SkillShop Owning a veterinary practice comes with challenges no one teaches you in school. The Uncharted Practice Owner Summit, hosted at NAVC SkillShop in Orlando, is a hands-on leadership workshop designed to help owners strengthen their teams, improve operations, and make confident business decisions. This small-group, working session focuses on real-world tools and honest conversations, not passive lectures. Spots are limited. Register now: https://navc.com/skillshop/uncharted-practice-owner-summit/ Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag Stephanie is a former practice manager who lives on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. With over 20 years of experience both on the floor and in the office, Stephanie is passionate about staff education, team culture, management and training. Stephanie loves to geek out about technology, especially Practice Management Software. She has experience as a practice manager in both private and corporate practices, ranging in size from one to seven doctors. She has experience as a consultant and trainer with AVImark software, paperlite/paperless transitions, practice management and staff training

    21 min

  2. FEB 25

    387 - Corporate is Changing the Clinic Schedule

    Dr. Andy Roark and Maria Pirita, CVPM, tackle one of the most emotionally charged realities in veterinary medicine, when corporate leadership changes clinic schedules without local input and leaders are left to deliver the news to frustrated teams. In this episode, they respond to a multi-site medical director caught between upper management directives and the trust they have worked hard to build with their doctors. They explore the leadership trap of managing up and down, how to communicate schedule changes without losing credibility, and practical strategies for protecting team morale, retention, and engagement during corporate veterinary practice transitions. If you have ever felt stuck translating decisions you did not make, this episode offers clarity, validation, and actionable veterinary leadership tools to help you navigate change effectively. Regional Leaders Summit 2026 Leading multiple clinics comes with bigger pressure and tougher decisions. The Uncharted Regional Leaders Summit 2026 is a working virtual summit for veterinary regional and multi-site leaders who want practical tools, real solutions, and peer collaboration, not lectures. Save 20% with code REGION and register now: https://community.unchartedvet.com/uncharted-regional-leaders-summit-2026 Ready to stop guessing your way through practice ownership and start leading with clarity? The Uncharted Practice Owner Summit, part of NAVC SkillShop in Orlando, is an immersive, hands-on leadership experience designed specifically for veterinary practice owners who want practical tools, real-world strategies, and honest conversations about running a successful clinic. Hosted alongside NAVC’s renowned SkillShop, this intimate workshop combines expert instruction, small group learning, and actionable business education so you can immediately strengthen your team, improve operations, and build the practice you actually want. Spots are limited, and this is not a lecture series. It is a working summit for owners who are ready to grow. Register now: https://navc.com/skillshop/uncharted-practice-owner-summit/ Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    21 min

  3. FEB 18

    386 - Former Vet is Poaching Staff!

    A former associate leaves your veterinary practice, opens their own clinic, and now your team members are getting recruited, leaving you worried about staff loss and wondering whether to fight back legally or double down on fixing things internally. This week, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss tackle the emotional and practical reality of veterinary staff poaching, walking through how practice owners and managers can move past anger, stabilize their teams, and focus on culture, communication, and retention strategies that actually keep employees loyal long term. If you’re struggling with staff retention, leadership stress, or fear of losing great team members to competitors, this episode delivers practical, level-headed guidance to help you protect your practice and lead confidently through the challenge. Let’s get into this episode! Regional Leaders Summit 2026 Leading multiple clinics comes with bigger pressure and tougher decisions. The Uncharted Regional Leaders Summit 2026 is a working virtual summit for veterinary regional and multi-site leaders who want practical tools, real solutions, and peer collaboration, not lectures. Save 20% with code REGION and register now: https://community.unchartedvet.com/uncharted-regional-leaders-summit-2026 Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    24 min

  4. FEB 11

    385 - When Veterinary Leaders Become the Shock Absorbers

    What happens when the people meant to lead and support the team slowly become the emotional shock absorbers for the entire hospital? In clinics everywhere, practice managers and medical directors step in to help because they care. A team member is overwhelmed, conflict pops up, a client is upset, and leadership jumps in to fix it. At first, it feels supportive. But over time, every problem starts landing on the same shoulders. Team members stop solving issues themselves, accountability gets delayed, and leaders find themselves emotionally exhausted, constantly putting out fires instead of leading strategically. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Maria Pirita, CVPM sits down with Suzanne Thomas, LVTg, CVTg, regional leader and educator behind Leading Veterinary Teams, to unpack how good leaders unintentionally create systems where everything escalates to them, and how that cycle leads straight to burnout. Let's get into this episode! Regional Leaders Summit 2026 Managing across multiple clinics is complex, and the stakes keep getting higher. The Uncharted Regional Leaders Summit 2026 is a hands-on virtual event for veterinary regional and multi-site leaders who want practical strategies, real conversations, and solutions they can put to work immediately. Use code REGION to save 20% and reserve your spot: https://community.unchartedvet.com/uncharted-regional-leaders-summit-2026 Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    21 min

  5. FEB 4

    384 - Help! My Clinic Has the Winter Blues

    The veterinary clinic winter blues are real, and many practice leaders quietly struggle when team morale dips even though nothing seems obviously wrong. In this Uncharted Veterinary Podcast mailbag episode, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss tackle what happens when teams feel heavy, drained, and stuck in what one manager brilliantly called “wet sock energy.” No drama, no major conflict, just collective exhaustion. In this episode, they explore how leaders can support veterinary teams through seasonal burnout without becoming the overly cheerful camp counselor everyone secretly wants to avoid. Let's get into this episode! Regional Leaders Summit 2026 Leading multiple clinics comes with bigger pressure and tougher decisions. The Uncharted Regional Leaders Summit 2026 is a working virtual summit for veterinary regional and multi-site leaders who want practical tools, real solutions, and peer collaboration, not lectures. Save 20% with code REGION and register now: https://community.unchartedvet.com/uncharted-regional-leaders-summit-2026 DiSC Decoded Cohort Struggling to lead or communicate with your team effectively? DiSC® Decoded is a four-part virtual cohort that gives veterinary leaders practical tools to coach better, handle conflict, and build stronger teams. Register now: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/courses/disc-decoded-how-to-lead-coach-and-connect Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    24 min

  6. JAN 28

    383 - When the Side Hustle Spills into the Clinic

    What happens when a team member’s side hustle starts spilling into your clinic? In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss unpack a real scenario where a technician’s pet-sitting business blurs professional boundaries, leaving leaders stuck between being supportive and protecting the practice. You’ll learn how to respond without overreacting, how to set clear expectations when no policy exists, and how to create boundaries that protect your team, your clients, and your clinic moving forward. Are you leading across multiple clinics and feeling the weight of bigger decisions, higher expectations, and less room for mistakes? The Uncharted Regional Leaders Summit 2026 is designed specifically for veterinary regional leaders, directors, and multi-site managers who want practical leadership tools, real-world problem solving, and meaningful peer connection. This is not a lecture-heavy conference. It is an immersive, working virtual summit focused on communication, accountability, and leading people through complexity at scale. Save 20% on registration with code: REGION Learn more and register here: https://community.unchartedvet.com/uncharted-regional-leaders-summit-2026 Struggling to connect, coach, or lead your team with confidence? DiSC® Decoded: How to Lead, Coach, and Connect is a four-part virtual cohort built for veterinary leaders who want practical communication tools that actually work in real clinic life. In this interactive program, you’ll learn how to decode your own leadership style, recognize and flex to others on your team, handle conflict without drama, and give feedback that lands, all with actionable takeaways you can use the very next day. Whether you’re a new manager or a seasoned leader aiming to build a high-performing culture, this cohort will give you clarity, confidence, and connection you’ve been missing. Register now and transform the way you lead. https://learn.unchartedvet.com/courses/disc-decoded-how-to-lead-coach-and-connect Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    22 min

  7. JAN 21

    382 - My Clinic's Visits Are Dropping...But We're Still Swamped

    Veterinary visits are dropping, the schedule has open slots, and yet your team still feels completely swamped. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Maria Pirita break down what to do when declining advance bookings signal long-term risk, but your team does not see a problem because walk-ins keep the day busy. They explore why this disconnect happens, how leaders can avoid panic without becoming passive, and the practical steps practice managers and owners can take to stabilize the schedule, rebuild team buy-in, and protect patient care before the problem grows. Let's get into this episode! The Uncharted Practice Owner Summit at NAVC SkillShop is a two-day, highly interactive leadership experience designed exclusively for veterinary practice owners who want to move from constant problem-solving to proactive, strategic ownership. Through various workshops, you will focus on the real challenges you face as an owner, from leading people and improving efficiency to building systems that support long-term success. This immersive event includes 16 RACE-approved CE hours, foundational self-paced learning, and in-person collaboration with peers who understand the realities of practice ownership. Register now to invest in clarity, confidence, and the future of your veterinary practice. Uncharted Practice Owner Summit: https://navc.com/skillshop/uncharted-practice-owner-summit/ Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    20 min

  8. JAN 14

    381 - My Team is Quiet Quitting

    Your team is showing up, doing the job, and following the rules, but the energy is gone, the spark is missing, and it feels like everyone is just clocking in and clocking out. In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss unpack a mailbag question from a practice manager facing quiet quitting in their veterinary team, not through laziness or rule-breaking, but through disengagement that is harder to name and even harder to fix. They explore why quiet quitting is often a signal, not a failure, how compassion and accountability can exist at the same time, and why leaders cannot pep-talk or punish their way back to engagement. This conversation dives into purpose, connection, and what has quietly shifted in veterinary medicine, especially as practices grow or change ownership, and offers practical ways leaders can rebuild trust, meaning, and momentum without pushing people further away. Veterinary leadership is heavier than it used to be, expectations are higher, teams are more complex, and the old playbooks are not working anymore. That is exactly why Uncharted 2026 at VMX exists. This is not another conference about doing more with less or pushing harder through burnout. It is a space designed for real conversations, practical leadership tools, and honest connection with people who actually understand what it means to lead in veterinary medicine right now. If you are craving clarity, energy, and strategies you can take straight back to your clinic, the 2026 Uncharted Veterinary Conference is where it starts. If you want to dive deep into communications DiSC Decoded Cohort is now open for registration and the first session starts February 11th, 2026. This is a guided, hands-on experience that helps veterinary leaders understand behavior, communication, and motivation, not just in theory, but in the real moments that matter most. From managing conflict and disengagement to coaching without awkwardness, DiSC Decoded gives you the language and tools to lead people with confidence instead of frustration. If you are ready to stop guessing, stop carrying everything alone, and start leading with intention, this is your invitation. Upcoming events: https://learn.unchartedvet.com/pages/events All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

    24 min
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4.8
out of 5
135 Ratings

About

The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast is for veterinary professionals who want to ace the tough parts of practice that happen daily but don't get discussed. We'll cover topics like how to manage workplace conflict, take exceptional care of pets and people, convince pet owners to follow your advice, have difficult money conversations, survive toxic co-workers and much more. If you want to up your communication, efficiency, management, or marketing skills so you can get more success and enjoyment from your career, then this is the podcast for you!

Information

  • Creator
    Uncharted Veterinary Community
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    400
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast

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