VMG

What is not cool? New World Screwworm. What is very cool? The USDA’s New World Screwworm Confirmed Detections dashboard. The dashboard provides a snapshot of active and inactive detections in the United States, including confirmed detections in Texas and New Mexico. Most confirmed cases have been in cattle, but detections have also been reported in […]

“I’ve never experienced anything like Congress” –VMG Member Dr. Manuel Lima, Flora Family Vet  VMG Congress: Where VMG magic comes to life What do you get when you put hundreds of proudly independent veterinary practice owners in a room with leading thinkers about veterinary economics, leadership, and innovation? You get the 2026 Congress of the Veterinary Management Groups!  Ev…

Have you ever mapped your clients? If you haven’t, you are not alone, but it is a great time to get on board. While it can sound like something that requires extensive resources or specialized expertise, it is becoming more accessible than ever.  Interestingly, when I talk with practices about mapping their clients, most have never done it. This may be because it simply has not […]

In her work as a Senior Data Engineer for VMG, the quality of the data being used is always top of mind for Jennifer Akers. That’s because Akers wants the end users — VMG members — to be able to make the best decisions possible from the work she does. “Think about it like this,” she says, “if you put the wrong numbers into a calculator, the math will be wrong, and you will get the wrong answer.” …

With AI-powered digital scanning systems and hematology analyzers, Dr. Pedraza delivers rapid answers and better surgical outcomes.

When Dr. Marty Greer started Veterinary Village in Wisconsin 43 years ago, she thought one practice was all she could manage. But encouragement from colleagues challenged her thinking: why stop at one? The answer, she realized, was figuring out how to maintain control while expanding. That mindset shift became the foundation of her multi-practice success. […]

Every so often I hear someone say, “I raise my prices, and my clients still pay whatever I charge.” My first reaction? It must be nice. My next question? How do you know? Just because clients are paying whatever one charges doesn’t mean there isn’t a sinking pit feeling in the stomach or a rush of thoughts flying through the brain about price increases. But hey, maybe they do know. Maybe they hav…

Access to curated, high-impact and affordable continuing education (CE) and professional development programs is a key benefit of your VMG membership. Each year, the VMG Professional Development team offers a range of courses in topics ranging from surgical skills to finance to leadership, specifically for VMG members and their staff. With 28 successful programs in […]

Benchmarking your independent veterinary practice’s performance against peer practices is a powerful business management tool. Comparing your practice to others that are similar helps you answer key strategic and operational questions: What should I start doing, stop doing, or do more or less of to help my practice thrive? VMG members have access to benchmarking […]

How will you leave your mark on the veterinary profession when you retire? As an independent veterinary practice owner, you can leave a legacy that reaches into the future by selling your thriving practice to another independent owner. Whether you sell to an associate who knows your practice and clients well or to an outsider […]

Understanding the Rural Veterinary Landscape Bringing a new associate into any independent veterinary practice requires balancing each candidate’s clinical skills, personal qualities, and business sense with the practice’s culture and needs. Finding the right new associate for a rural veterinary practice can be even harder. In addition to fitting in with the practice, they also need to fit into c…

Independent veterinary practices have unique strengths that corporate practices cannot match. Yet it is clear that corporate competition remains a challenge. What opportunities can the independent veterinary medicine segment as a whole embrace to continue competing successfully into the future?  Members of the VMG team recently published a SWOT analysis (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats…

VMG members are, by definition, believers in the power of independent veterinary practice ownership. But it can be hard to put a finger on exactly where that power lies, particularly in comparison to the many different types of corporate practices. Summarizing one aspect of a more extensive review in our recently published paper, this post […]

Why it’s important for independent veterinary clinics to check the pulse of both industry-specific and overall economic consumer trends.

Owning your own veterinary practice is incredibly rewarding, yet it can also be challenging and sometimes isolating. Have you ever wished for a dedicated, trusted team of peers with whom you can brainstorm and share ideas, and who provide one another with general support? As a VMG member, you gain all of that, and much […]

Every day, veterinarians and clients make life-changing decisions for the animals in our care. Making the best decisions for those patients requires developing and maintaining positive relationships based on transparency and trust.1,2 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Code of Ethics requires that veterinarians uphold standards of behavior and professionalism, including treating a…

Hi there! Me again. I am excited to dive into this second post of Getting Geospatial with Charlotte, and one I am particularly excited about: understanding your market area and the people who make it thrive – your clients! Independent veterinary practices deserve every opportunity to succeed, and one truth I come back to often is this: your doors stay open because of your clients. And your client…

With the knowledge gained from her VMG Study Group, and a heart that has always been passionate about veterinary care, Dr. Michelle Mills is elevating pet health in the communities she serves.

Empowering every team member to work at the top of their credentials and abilities begins with thoughtful and appropriate delegation. Effective delegation not only enhances practice efficiency, it also improves patient care and boosts team morale.1,2 As critical as delegation is to practice efficiency, many leaders find it difficult to master. If you struggle to […]

Hi everyone! I’m Charlotte McKay, VMG’s senior economist and I am excited to introduce my new blog segment, Getting Geospatial with Charlotte. Who am I? I am an economist, a geographer, and a data scientist. I often say I was a geographer first. Not only was it my first degree, but I used it all the time at work and still do. Whether taking a canoe ride to GPS a duck blind, creating a map for mil…