Last week, I sat in a room filled with current and aspiring Veterinary practice owners. These were people actively building or preparing to build practices of their own. It was energizing to witness so many entrepreneurial veterinarians taking concrete steps to preserve independence in a profession that often feels like it is slipping away.
I have written before about the decline in private ownership and the forces pulling our profession toward consolidation. But spending time with this group offered a fresh perspective. When you gather practice owners and future owners in one place, something powerful happens. You see momentum. You see possibility.
The veterinarians I met were not discouraged by how far consolidation has come. They were focused on how far independent medicine can still go. They were thinking boldly, building intentionally, and betting on themselves.
Here are a few takeaways from that experience and why I believe the future of independent practice is brighter than it looks from the outside.
Personal Shift
In most of my conversations with students and early-career veterinarians, a common theme emerges. Corporate offers often feel too good to pass up, especially when facing student loan debt and the pressure to find financial stability quickly. The salary, signing bonuses, and benefits create a compelling short-term solution, even if it does not align with long-term goals.
When I speak to Veterinary students about practice ownership, the turnout is usually modest. At first glance, this might seem like a lack of interest. But what I have come to realize is that the ownership conversation often begins later. The veterinarians who are stepping into ownership now are not the ones who raised their hands in school. They are the ones who took the corporate job, gained experience, and then began to crave something more.
The event I attended gave me the chance to engage with those exact individuals. These veterinarians already have the confidence to practice high-quality medicine. Now, they are ready to take the next step. Some are driven by frustration with corporate systems. Others are chasing a vision they have held for years. Regardless of the reason, it was inspiring to see the entrepreneurial mindset gaining traction.
This experience pushed me to rethink my message. Instead of focusing on the decline of ownership, I need to highlight what independent practice brings. Career satisfaction, creative freedom, and wealth-building potential are not abstract ideas. They are the lived reality of those who have taken the leap. If we want to inspire more veterinarians to follow that path, we need to lead with what is possible.
Corporate Burnout and the Rising Interest in Vision-Led Practices
While I did not connect with every attendee, several key takeaways stood out from the panel discussions I listened to. Many of the veterinarians who had already taken the leap into ownership shared similar stories. Some had worked in corporate environments. Others were associates at independently owned practices where they believed they were on a path to partnership, only to learn the practice had been sold to a corporation.
To be clear, I do not believe corporations inherently provide poor medical care. That is not the reason most veterinarians leave. The deeper issue seems to be cultural. When a large firm steps in, the identity of the practice can shift. For some, that shift leads to a disconnect between their personal values and the direction of the business. Once the Veterinary voice becomes diluted, loyalty begins to erode, and a desire for something more starts to take root.
Over and over, I heard panelists and attendees speak about wanting to lead with purpose. They were seeking the freedom to build practices around their own philosophies of care. The common thread was a desire to create something deeply personal—a business guided not just by margin, but by mission.
The Education Gap and How to Close It
One of the biggest barriers to practice ownership is the belief that you need a formal business education before you can take the leap. In reality, what many veterinarians lack is not intelligence or drive. It is exposure to the right tools and the right team.
A key theme throughout the conference was the importance of building your startup team. Not your internal clinic team of CSRs, CVTs, and DVMs, but your business team. This includes distributors, contractors, attorneys, CPAs, consultants, and your banker. As veterinarians, we are trusted to provide medical expertise to our clients. But when we step into the role of entrepreneur, we become the client, and we need to rely on the expertise of others to build a solid foundation.
I would be lying if I said I had every detail figured out on my own. I have fallen into the same trap of trying to solve everything myself, overanalyzing decisions and delaying action in the pursuit of perfection. But I have learned that asking for help and assembling a network of professionals is not a weakness. It is often the reason startups succeed.
The good news is that access to business education is better than ever. Conferences, workshops, online courses, mentorship programs, and ownership-focused communities now exist specifically to support veterinarians through startup or acquisition. The gap is no longer about availability. It is about the willingness to engage and the courage to begin.
If you have even the slightest interest in ownership, I encourage you to take that first step. Attend an event. Purchase a course. Have the conversation. The resources are there. It simply takes the decision to commit.
A Call to Step Forward
Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience last week. If practice ownership has ever crossed your mind, even as a passing thought, I encourage you to explore it further. Start by educating yourself or talking with fellow practice owners about the realities, both the challenges and the rewards.
Beginning the process can feel overwhelming. There is no easy path to ownership. But the payoff, both personally and financially, can be transformative. There are people and resources ready to support you. Whether you are buying an existing practice or building from scratch, the right team can help make the process more manageable.
Even with experience in multiple partnerships, a de novo startup underway, and an MBA, I walked away from the conference with new insights and ideas. The learning never stops. And neither should the effort to build something that aligns with your values.
Now is the time to consider what your next step could look like. Independent practice is not just a business model. It is a cornerstone of our profession. Without it, I fear we risk losing the soul of Veterinary medicine.
Let’s work together to preserve it. Let’s build something better.