Vet Launch

John Younker, DVM, MBA
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship

As veterinarians, we are trained to handle the most complex problems in medicine and surgery. So why is it that the moment we look at a business items that we feel like we’re back in first-year anatomy? The truth is, the same brain that understands medicine can understand business concepts. If you are a clinic owner, a medical director, practice manager, an aspiring owner, or even a lead tech looking to understand the mechanics of how a practice actually runs, you’re in the right place. Every week, we’re going to tackle a new topic in the business of veterinary medicine.

  1. 1d ago

    Workers' Comp and Business Insurance for Veterinarians | Ep 15

    On the Vet Launch Podcast, Dr. John Younker interviews Rod Finnegan of VetInsure about essential insurance for starting and growing a veterinary clinic, with a focus on workers’ comp and business insurance. Rod shares a client story where increasing employee dishonesty coverage prevented a major shortfall after a practice administrator change led to $80,000–$90,000 in theft. They outline insurance needs across a startup timeline, including general liability for leased space, builder’s risk during buildout, business owner policies as equipment arrives, and when to add workers’ comp. Rod explains workers’ comp basics, state differences, class codes, payroll-based pricing, audits, billing options, claims impact, experience modifiers, and how 1099 relief vets are treated. They also discuss executive risk like employment practices liability, real estate ownership considerations, animal bailee coverage, cyber insurance risks and statistics, and why vet-specialized independent brokers and umbrellas matter. CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction02:03 Dodging a Bullet03:24 The $80,000 Employee Theft Story08:17 Required Insurance to Open10:09 Buildout and Loan Protections11:34 When to Add a Business Owner Policy13:02 Workers' Comp Basics and Rates17:19 Billing, Audits and Renewals18:52 Claims Impact on Premiums21:11 Pay Out of Pocket or File?24:16 1099 Relief Vets and Audits26:14 How Often to Shop Insurance28:40 Employment Lawsuits and Executive Risk30:54 Owning the Building and Liability34:14 Animal Bailee and Lost Pets37:21 Cyber Insurance Reality Check41:33 Broker vs Direct and the Vet Niche44:22 Umbrellas and Personal Protection46:43 Final Advice: Don't PanicROD FINNEGAN AND VETINSUREInsurance and consulting built specifically for veterinary hospitals.https://vetinsure.comhttps://vetinsure.com/contactVet Launch is a podcast for veterinarians who own or are about to own an independent practice. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.Educational only, not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Insurance requirements vary by state. Talk to a licensed agent about your own practice.#VetMed #VeterinaryPractice #PracticeOwnership

  2. Jul 14

    When can I start to pay myself in a veterinary startup? | Ep. 14

    When can I start to pay myself in a veterinary startup? In this episode, I walk through a break-even analysis, the simple financial model that answers this question with a real number: about 9 patients per day in our example model. Most veterinary founders go months without a paycheck and have no idea when that ends. I've lived it. In this episode, I give you a mathematical framework that turns that anxiety into a number you can count patients toward, using a real-world startup model built with Professor Jeff Sanford at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. What you'll learn: break-even analysis explained with a simple lemonade stand, fixed vs. variable costs, how to calculate startup payroll and rent, contribution margin, the break-even math ($441K in fixed costs = about $604K in revenue = 9 patients a day), and how many patients per day it takes to pay yourself $100K, $250K, or $500K. Want a copy of the break-even spreadsheet? Follow the show and DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn at VetLaunch and I'll send it to you. Episodes mentioned: Episode 3 (The Anatomy of a Veterinary Startup Loan), Episode 4 (How to Find a Location for Your Veterinary Startup), Episodes 12 and 13 (How to Read a P&L and overhead costs). Break-even model courtesy of Jeff Sanford, MBA (UGA College of Veterinary Medicine) and Dr. John Younker, DVM, MBA. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Run this analysis with your own costs and consult your accountant or financial advisor.

  3. Jun 30

    Why This $3.2M Vet Practice Still Loses Money (How to Fix a Bad P&L) | Ep. 13

    What separates a vet practice that clears $600K a year from one losing money on the same revenue? It's not what you'd think. John Younker, DVM, MBA sits down with Professor Jeff Sanford, MBA of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine to break down two real veterinary practice P&Ls, line by line. Same size. Same type of clinic. Wildly different outcomes. One we call "Sad Times." The other, "Good Times." Professor Sanford's has analyzed well over 1,000 veterinary practices, and in this episode he shows you exactly where the money leaks out and how to plug it, using one simple framework: the 20/40/15 rule. Here's the gut punch. The "Sad Times" clinic does $3.2M in revenue and still loses money. Cost of goods running near 29%. Payroll at 53% with underutilized doctors and too many bodies on the schedule. Overhead creeping up everywhere, including a $100K professional fees line that made Jeff's jaw drop. This owner should be clearing $600K a year. Instead they're in the red. Then we flip to "Good Times," a $3.7M practice that does it right: monthly financials, weekly KPI meetings, COGS near 22%, payroll near 36%, and roughly $783K in EBITDA. Same effort. Completely different result. The difference is discipline. In this episode you'll learn: The 20/40/15 benchmark that tells you in 30 seconds if your practice is healthy Why COGS is the expense you have the MOST control over (and how to fix it in 90 days) The inventory behaviors quietly inflating your drug spendWhy discounting is "the cigarette smoking of the vet world" How to spot overhead creep, renegotiate fees, and catch fraud before it costs you The DVM-to-CEO transition that stalls most practices around $3M New to reading a P&L? Start with Episode 12, where John walks through the basics: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4RN4iceccRrw4IdxPWAgg7?si=YMWRysSmRwqcJtDyiDudAA 🎧 Subscribe for more practical finance for veterinary practice owners. No jargon, no MBA required. CHAPTERS 00:00 Tale of Two P&Ls01:11 Podcast Intro and Guest03:46 P&L Buckets Explained05:56 Benchmarks and Percentages09:28 Sad Times Practice Setup11:22 Revenue Trends Breakdown12:53 COGS Deep Dive16:26 Inventory and Pricing Fixes26:22 Payroll Problems and Capacity33:12 Owner Pay and DVM to CEO38:44 Overhead Next Steps38:53 Overhead Expense Creep40:28 Big Overhead Outliers41:30 Professional Fees Shock45:19 Negotiating Bank Fees47:34 Rent Fixed Costs48:17 Expense Discipline Fraud49:01 EBITDA Explained49:46 Why EBITDA Is Negative52:42 Depreciation Passive Income55:49 Sad Times Recap57:18 Good Times Systems59:03 Good Times COGS01:01:04 Payroll Utilization Wins01:04:27 Overhead Normalization01:06:42 Good Times EBITDA Gap01:08:00 Owner Playbook Wrap

  4. Jun 17

    Episode 12: How to Read a Veterinary Practice Profit & Loss Statement (P&L)

    How to Read a Veterinary Practice Profit & Loss Statement (P&L): Benchmarks, EBITDA, and Monthly DecisionsJohn Younker, DVM, MBA explains how veterinary practice owners can read and use a profit and loss (P&L) statement to make better business decisions. He uses an analogy comparing it to a car’s speedometer with profit at the bottom, revenue pushing up and expenses pulling down. He clarifies why profit on a P&L won’t match cash in the bank due to debt principal payments and capital expenses, and notes cash flow statements and balance sheets cover those areas. He breaks P&L rows into four expense groups—COGS, payroll, overhead, and other expenses—then defines EBITDA and how it’s used for performance comparisons and practice valuation. He recommends getting the P&L by the 15th monthly, reviewing it with a practice manager, and tracking six key numbers with benchmarks: revenue, COGS (20–23%), total payroll (≤40%), staff payroll (14–20%), overhead (~15%), and EBITDA (20–25%).00:00 Financial Literacy Wakeup01:25 P&L as Dashboard02:37 Profit vs Cash03:36 P&L Layout Benchmarks04:45 Expense Groups Overview05:02 COGS Explained06:01 Payroll and Owner Pay06:31 Overhead and EBITDA08:20 Other Expenses Net Income09:29 Monthly Review System10:25 Six Numbers to Track11:44 The 20 40 15 Rule12:30 Revenue Trend Checks13:04 COGS Control Levers14:46 Total Payroll Ceiling15:15 Staff Payroll Fixes16:58 Associate Pay Hiring19:38 Overhead Fixed Costs20:37 EBITDA vs Net Income22:25 Benchmarks and Tradeoffs23:32 TLDR Checklist26:35 Wrap Up Next Steps

  5. May 28

    Episode 11: Business Entity & Tax Strategy for Veterinarians

    Business Entities & Tax Strategy for Veterinary Practice OwnersDr. John Younker continues his Vet Launch Podcast conversation with Ruben Cruz of Crulliance Accounting on business entities and tax structures for veterinary practice owners, explaining how entity choice affects liability protection and taxes. They compare sole proprietorships, LLCs, S corps, partnerships, and why C corps are uncommon, including when to make an S corp election to potentially reduce payroll taxes and the importance of setting reasonable compensation to avoid IRS reclassification and penalties. They cover using payroll providers, paying quarterly estimated taxes, and tax planning over multiple years. The episode explains depreciation, Section 179/bonus depreciation, and when accelerating deductions makes sense, plus cost segregation studies for owned commercial property and why real estate is often held in a separate LLC. They discuss legitimate strategies like the Augusta rule and hiring children, warn against running personal expenses through the business, and emphasize coordination between a CPA and financial advisor.00:00 Welcome Back And Agenda01:58 What Is A Business Entity03:31 Entity Types Explained06:51 When To Elect S Corp11:07 Costly Entity Mistakes12:21 Planning For Sale And Real Estate14:49 Reasonable Compensation Rules19:14 Payroll Setup Best Practices21:56 Quarterly Estimated Taxes25:24 Depreciation And Section 17928:02 CapEx Vs OpEx And Cash Flow30:42 Depreciation Timing Strategy33:26 Cost Segregation Basics36:26 Augusta Rule Explained37:54 Hiring Your Kids Legally40:36 Personal Expenses Warning44:25 Social Media Tax Myths47:01 CPA and Advisor Alignment52:00 Day One Setup Blueprint54:40 TLDR Entity and Tax Recap59:49 Final Takeaways and Outro

  6. May 19

    Episode 10: How to Choose an Accountant for Your Veterinary Practice

    How to Choose an Accountant for Your Veterinary Practice (Vet Launch Podcast Ep. 10) Dr. John Younker interviews Ruben Cruz, CPA and founder of Cruliance (https://crulliance.com/), about choosing the right accountant for veterinary practice owners and startups. They explain key accounting roles (bookkeeper, CPA, tax strategist, managerial accountant, enrolled agent), why accurate bookkeeping matters, and why vets often should not do books in-house due to rework and poor data. They recommend interviewing 2–3 firms at least three months before opening, often choosing a veterinary specialist over a generalist, and clarify that remote firms can still handle state compliance. They outline what "proactive" accounting looks like, interview questions and red flags, common pricing models (hourly, fixed-fee, value-based), and onboarding expectations. They discuss simplifying cash flow with electronic payments, maintaining three months of reserves, paying yourself via payroll or distributions based on entity setup, using standardized chart of accounts for benchmarking, and receiving monthly P&Ls by the 15th. 00:00 Who Should Do the Books 00:59 Vet Financial Scorecard Basics 01:18 Episode Intro and Roadmap 02:58 Accounting Roles Explained 05:56 Bookkeeping Setup Choices 08:50 Owner Time vs Outsourcing 09:53 When to Hire an Accountant 10:46 Specialist vs Generalist 12:21 Do You Need Local 14:19 Proactive Accountant Defined 16:12 Interview Red Flags 17:06 Billing Models in 2026 18:56 Onboarding New vs Switch 20:54 Monthly Reporting Rhythm 22:04 Simplify Payments 23:17 Credit Card Workflow 26:16 Accounts and Reserves 27:51 Owner Pay Mechanics 30:12 Financial Statements Basics 31:59 Monthly P&L Cadence 34:44 Benchmarking Chart Accounts 37:32 AI in Accounting 39:44 Choosing the Right Accountant 40:55 TLDR Key Takeaways

  7. May 5

    Episode 9: How to Choose a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO)

    Veterinary GPOs Explained: Discounts vs Rebates, Membership Fees, Vendor Alignment & Real Savings (with Vetcelerator CEO Drew Bartholomew)On the Vet Launch Podcast, host Dr. John Younker interviews Drew Bartholomew, CEO of Vetcelerator , to explain how veterinary group purchasing organizations (GPOs) work and how independent practices can choose and use them effectively. They compare GPOs and break down the three core value mechanisms—membership fees, rebates, and upfront discounts—emphasizing that vendor alignment (matching a GPO to what’s already on your shelf) determines whether savings are realized. Bartholomew explains why rebates can fail in day-to-day workflow because true net pricing isn’t visible at ordering, cites a VHMA survey showing many practices don’t know their savings, and estimates potential savings from $0 to about $2,000 per month per doctor. They discuss stacking GPOs, “primary” status, contractual terms and clean exits, adjacent services (study groups, coaching, marketing, etc), Vetcove’s role in reducing search costs, and key takeaways on standardizing formularies and avoiding duplicate products.00:00 How GPOs Work01:08 Podcast Intro and Guest02:49 Drew Background and Vetcelerator04:01 GPO Basics and Supplier Power06:09 GPO + Costco Model Explained07:41 Fees Rebates and Discounts09:40 Why Discounts Beat Rebates13:36 Measuring Savings and Deals16:48 Typical Savings and Membership Fees19:28 P&L Levers and COGS Focus23:27 How GPOs Choose Vendors26:49 Exclusivity And Primary29:06 Stacking Multiple GPOs31:07 Choosing The Right GPO32:25 Formulary Tradeoffs Framework36:56 Value Add Beyond Discounts39:49 Vetcove Price Aggregators43:38 Direct To Clinic Shift45:30 Exiting And Reviewing Contracts47:15 TLDR And Final Takeaways

  8. Apr 27

    Episode 8: How To Negotiate Lab Agreements

    How to Negotiate Lab Agreements: This is the episode that your sales rep would prefer you not listen to...Dr. John Younker breaks down how multi-year veterinary diagnostic lab agreements work and argues they function more like debt instruments than simple equipment deals, driven by minimum purchase commitments, exclusivity clauses, equipment “rental” structures, breach/acceleration penalties, and personal guarantees. He explains the vendors’ recurring-revenue business model and why their margins create negotiating room, then outlines how to evaluate offers by calculating net monthly obligation and benchmarking minimums against typical diagnostic spend (about 15–18% of gross revenue). He flags major risk clauses like price escalators, auto-renewal, and confidentiality, and recommends negotiating through a group purchasing organization for significantly better per-test pricing, gathering competing proposals from major vendors, using objective criteria and walkaway leverage, aiming for downside protection on minimums, pushing for hard price caps, and removing auto-renewal.00:00 Why Lab Deals Feel Secret03:07 Lab Contracts Are Debt04:45 Vendor Business Model Math09:19 Five Common Contract Mechanisms09:42 Minimums And Exclusivity12:08 Equipment And Breach Penalties16:58 Personal Guarantee Explained19:46 How to Compare Offers with Math23:06 Hidden Risk Clauses24:33 Negotiation Strategy Basics24:40 GPOs And Competitive Bids34:46 Key Asks Price Caps Renewals37:35 Why Savings Raise Value39:17 TLDR Summary and Share

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About

As veterinarians, we are trained to handle the most complex problems in medicine and surgery. So why is it that the moment we look at a business items that we feel like we’re back in first-year anatomy? The truth is, the same brain that understands medicine can understand business concepts. If you are a clinic owner, a medical director, practice manager, an aspiring owner, or even a lead tech looking to understand the mechanics of how a practice actually runs, you’re in the right place. Every week, we’re going to tackle a new topic in the business of veterinary medicine.

Information

  • Creator
    John Younker, DVM, MBA
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © John Younker, DVM, MBA
  • Show Website
    Vet Launch

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