Tyler

We invite you to take a peek into part of what makes the Uncharted Veterinary Community so unique: our members! We sat down to interview some of the amazing people who have joined us on our amazing journey since the first conference in 2017. This week, the spotlight is on Jenn Galvin, a practice owner and manager in Arizona! Enjoy!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm an introverted spreadsheet nerd at heart that geeks out on reading, painting, D&D, video games and my pets when I'm not at work. I started working in the veterinary industry in 1998 as a kennel attendant and haven't looked back. Though I loved the technician work I was doing, the business side of vet med was super interesting to me. I attended Northern Arizona University to obtain my business degree and started managing various clinics after graduating.

In 2012 I joined forces with the bad-ass veterinarian you all know, Erika Cartwright, to open Advanced Animal Care. I'm a bit of a jack of all trades and can be found all over my clinic helping with blood draws, fixing technology, counseling team members, and of course working the numbers. I am obsessed with beagles, staff engagement and satisfaction, the client experience, and finding ways for employees to earn a higher living wage. I love teaching and mentoring others – it fills my cup!

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

Uncharted found me, but I didn't realize at the time how much I needed it. I stayed after a lecture that Andy gave in San Diego and we got to shoot the sh*t for a little while. I got a phone call from him a few weeks later asking if I'd like to be a part of something awesome. I was not disappointed, was 100% in then and I'm 100% in now. Back when Uncharted was founded I was looking for connections. The first conference I attended I hunted down a few members of UVC that I just knew would be awesome to have as mentors, advice-givers, and friends. Those connections have only gotten stronger as time has passed.

What are your 2 favorite groups in the Uncharted Workplace community and why?

Practice Owners and Management. Practice Owners Group is a great place to go when I need to get advice from people in similar situations (I mean, how many times can you call Bruce Francke a week before he blocks your number?). I always feel accepted, validated, and I know that I am not alone. I love the Management Group because I get to nerd out with other practice managers and help them solve issues which makes me feel pretty great.

Who is one of your favorite people you’ve met through Uncharted and why?

There are SO many people that I could talk about. If I have to choose my most favorite is Stephanie “Gives the Best Hugs” Goss. She has become my “phone a friend” when I need anything management/spreadsheet related. She's great at talking me off ledges, making me feel like our brand of crazy is normal, encouraging me and supporting me to be the best leader I can be. Stephanie has become one of my closest friends in my personal life and I just can't imagine her not in it. Though there are a ton more – honorable mentions would be Jamie Holms for knowing when I'm not my normal self and need help, Mike Falconer for letting me stalk him at the first UVC and being a reliable source of advice, Tracy Sands for helping me feel not alone, Bruce Francke for helping me continue to take over the world, and last but certainly not least, Saye Clement for having my back – always!

What is your current work related goal?

Surviving the current COVID times and finding another associate are high on the to-do list. Ongoing goals are always prioritizing my awesome staff and making them feel appreciated, challenged, and engaged.

What is your favorite hobby and how did you discover it? Would you recommend it to others?

Painting for sure and in all forms. Paint by number? Check! Pour a bunch of random paint on a canvas? Check! Paint miniature D&D figures? Check! Paint a rock? Check!

I would recommend everyone try it at least once. It can be an awesome, creative outlet and help focus your mind into almost a meditation. Plus you get to display your awesome artwork on the wall or send it to friends and relatives when you forget to buy them a gift!

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted?

Speaking. I have mentored some managers before but I never thought I knew enough to speak and do workshop presentations, and I was quite afraid to try it for the first time. Boy, was I wrong and I'm so glad that Andy convinced me to do it. I LOVE teaching people and have so much to share. I have found in our amazing community WE ALL DO. It's truly awesome to discover what each of us knows.

What is one thing you believe all veterinary professionals can do right now to make Vet Med even better?

If I'm being honest? Pay your people more – pay them what they are worth. If you aren't in charge of that, ask about being paid what you're worth. I love Vet Med, it's such a cool place to be where we get to do incredible work every day. We've dug ourselves in a bit of a hole as far as paying the bad-ass folks that work in the industry enough and it's high time that changed.

Tell us a story of how another Uncharted Member has helped you.

I was struggling so much with the recent loss of my dog. She was my very first beagle and lived to be fourteen. I had to euthanize her back in June and it felt like my soul was broken (it still feels that way most of the time). With the stress of COVID and being short-staffed I was not in a good place and Jamie, who is so observant, noticed that I was not my normal self on Workplace. She immediately reached out and talked to me about what I could do to be in a better place and we came up with a plan together. I felt really alone before I talked to her. Jamie was my hero that day (and a lot of other ones too).

Have you ever worked outside of the veterinary field? What was it like?

I have volunteered for senior care facilities, the Boys and Girls Club, and have done some camp art activities for kids. I like helping people (if you didn't already notice), so it was really a nice way for me to feel like I was making a difference.

Where is one place in the world you would love to see?

I have always wanted to see a rocket launch. Is that weird? I really want to stay in those glass igloos they have in Alaska where you can watch the Northern Lights from your bed.

Do you have a dream for your career? What is it?

Maybe this is super lame, but I'm sort of living my dream already. I want to be a practice owner that makes a difference in client's and their pet's lives while running a profitable practice with happy employees. It's super challenging and the work never stops. I also want to occasionally speak at conferences so I can inspire others to do the same if that's their thing.

Is there anything we haven’t asked you about that you would like to talk about?

I'm stubborn. It's my worst trait. I don't like to ask for help and time and time again I have to relearn that lesson. Asking for help doesn't mean you aren't capable or weak.

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Jenn by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com and registering to become a member!

This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss discuss the looming disaster that is the school year 2020. Have you talked to your boss/team about what's going to happen yet?

Workshop TONIGHT: Finding Your Voice – unchartedvet.com/finding-your-voice/

GSD Conference: unchartedvet.com/gsd-2020/

We invite you to take a peek into part of what makes the Uncharted Veterinary Community so unique: our members! We sat down to interview some of the amazing people who have joined us on our amazing journey since the first conference in 2017. This week, the spotlight is on Dr. Michael Miller (aka The Harry Potter Vet), a small animal veterinarian from Illinois! Enjoy!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Currently I am a veterinarian and part-owner of a four location small animal general practice in the far southwest suburbs of Chicago. In addition to dogs and cats, I enjoy seeing exotic pets — especially reptiles, so I started a turtle program at my hospital for injured wild turtles rescued from roadways. As a fun side project, I created a blog and social media alter ego “Harry Potter Vet” where I use comparisons between veterinary medicine and the wizarding world to try to discover the magic in vet med. My newest adventure is fatherhood with two boys under 2 years old at home.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

When I attended the very first Uncharted Veterinary Conference, I was at a crucial crossroads of my career. I had recently become a co-owner of my practice and found myself unprepared for the challenges of ownership. A few pieces I had written had been shared by the DrAndyRoark.com page, so I was also curious to see if my writing would lead to other opportunities. On top of all of this, I had just suffered a herniated disc requiring spine surgery, which made me re-evaluate my career trajectory and question what I really wanted to do in vet med if I was faced with further physical limitations in the future.

What are your 2 favorite groups in the Uncharted Workplace community and why?

As a new parent trying to figure out the balance of being a father and a practice owner, I enjoy the Vet Med Parents group. Whether it's just sharing cute kid pictures or commiserating about the stresses of parenthood, I really enjoy the insights in that group.

My other favorite is the Social Media group. I work on my hospital's social media as well as my personal brand, and I find advice here that helps with both. Uncharted is full of very smart and influential veterinary social media powerhouses who are willing to share their knowledge here to help everyone else.

What is your current work related goal?

My current work goal is to figure out the balance between my work life and my family life with two young sons at home. I was once told by a mentor early in my career that becoming a doctor meant giving up a life outside of the hospital. I am proud that my Uncharted tribe provides me with inspiration that my career can be what I want it to be, and that I can figure out that balance because I see the examples of others who have achieved it.

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted?

Uncharted provided the inspiration to follow my passion project of starting my Harry Potter Vet blog and creating something more magical than I had ever imagined. When I signed up for that first conference, I had no idea it would lead to that. Uncharted allowed me to explore my creative side which resulted in some amazing opportunities. I went from the guy who felt like hiding in the back of the room at that first conference because I didn't feel important enough to even talk to the veterinary superstars in the room, to getting invited to be a guest on Andy Roark's podcast! I never thought I would add ‘podcast interviewee' to my list of career achievements, and now I've done four!

What is one thing you believe all veterinary professionals can do right now to make Vet Med even better?

I truly believe there is magic in veterinary medicine if you look for it. Losing that perspective is very easy when everything seems to be going wrong, but you can always find positives in vet med if you're looking for them. Enjoy the magic when you find it, and share it with others to help them see it too.

Tell us a story of how another Uncharted Member has helped you.

I will always remember the final day of my first Uncharted Veterinary Conference. I had a plan going into that day of what I was going to take back to my practice, and then it completely changed after I had a groundbreaking conversation when I sat at a table with Saye Clement, Tyler Grogan, and Stephanie Goss. I opened up about what I was really concerned about without worrying about how they would judge my views. I received honest and constructive advice in a way that motivated me to really work toward my goals for my practice and myself. That Sunday conversation eventually led to so many good things over the past 3 years: starting my blog to create my personal brand, establishing core values for my hospital, increasing the profitability of my practice, and ultimately cultivating even more opportunities to feel fulfilled in veterinary medicine.

Where is one place in the world you would love to see?

When this pandemic ends, I want to see Greenville, South Carolina again! There's something special about that place that feels magical every time I visit. Oh, and I have to go get my selfie with the tortoise at the zoo since that's my Uncharted tradition.

Is there anything we haven’t asked you about that you would like to talk about?

One of the most memorable Uncharted moments I remember is Andy Roark's keynote address about the Wizard of Oz. He encouraged the audience to realize that even successful veterinary wizards are just ordinary people behind a curtain who have the same struggles everyone else has. We shouldn't be intimidated by someone else's success. We are all human. We all struggle. We all can overcome those struggles to find magic, and there is enough magic for everyone.

I think my experiences with Uncharted have exposed another nuance to the wizard analogy. Like Harry Potter, the members of the Uncharted tribe have their own magic even if they don't realize it yet. This community is basically Hogwarts, allowing you to discover the magic you already have and training you how to use it.

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Michael by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com and registering to become a member!

Learn To Speak To Groups From Dr. Andy Roark! NEW WORKSHOP AUGUST 19th. Learn more: unchartedvet.com/finding-your-voice/

Is your vet practice special? Is it really? Why would anyone come to your clinic instead of the 4 others ones that are within 5 miles of you? That's what we're getting into on this episode. We're going to talk about WHY your practice is special, what differentiates you, what your brand is, what makes you stand out, AND how to get your staff to buy into that uniqueness so it shines for the world to see.

We invite you to take a peek into part of what makes the Uncharted Veterinary Community so unique: our members! We sat down to interview some of the amazing people who have joined us on our amazing journey since the first conference in 2017. This week, the spotlight is on Dr. Jackie Luckstone! Enjoy!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian at 6 or 7 years old. I fell in love with horses first, and knew then that I wanted to work with animals as my career. In high school, I started working for a vet in my town as an assistant, cleaning cages and walking dogs, and eventually worked my way up to become a technician. Fast forward through vet school and I've now been practicing as a small animal vet for 11 years – I still can't believe it has been that long!

I'm at the point now where I am pretty comfortable with the medical side of things, but want to learn and grow in the management aspects of the field. I have been a managing veterinarian at my practice for the last few years, which brings new challenges every day – especially in the new COVID era. Outside of veterinary medicine, I enjoy photography, crafting, baking and I'm starting to dabble in gardening now.

What is one thing you believe all veterinary professionals can do right now to make Vet Med even better?

Look closely at your mindset. I have been unhappy in veterinary medicine at times, and in earlier years, I thought it was just my current job, my current boss, my current area, my current fill-in-the-blank circumstance. But even when I changed jobs, those same negative thoughts and feelings came with me. It made a huge difference when I realized I had a choice in how I reacted to certain people or situations. I could choose to let those things bother me, or I could choose not to.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

When I found Uncharted, I was sort of at a crossroads in my career. I was fairly new to being a manager, which was stressful and surprisingly, very lonely! I couldn't refer to the textbook on how to run a veterinary hospital like I could with a weird eye problem or a funky-looking x-ray. I watched several of Andy's videos that talked about issues in practice I was currently dealing with and realized, actually, I was not alone. I also needed a shift in my own personal mindset. I was bogged down by stress, frustration and just general negative thought patterns. I knew, for my own mental health and to lead my team by example, that I needed to change that. Uncharted has been the most positive and supportive group of people I could ever have joined – no matter how sensitive, awkward or difficult my issue is – there is no fear of judgment or harsh criticism.

What is your current work-related goal?

My current ongoing project is managing the huge influx of patients, how we are scheduling, how we continue to provide the best and most efficient patient care under curbside circumstances and make sure we are taking care of our team at the same time.

What are your 2 favorite groups in the Uncharted Workplace community and why?

It is hard to choose only two! I would say, VetMed Pet Parents – I am no longer a rational, logically-thinking vet when it comes to my own pets, so it is nice to just be a “regular” dog mom sometimes. Management would be my other favorite group as I always get great ideas or learn the most about my practice there.

What is your favorite hobby and how did you discover it? Would you recommend it to others?

One of my favorite hobbies is crafting. I've always enjoyed doing little art projects here and there since I was younger. I've done sewing, crocheting, cross-stitch, coloring, painting (paint by numbers are really fun!), paper crafts, card-making… Thanks to the invention of the internet, there is no limit to the types of things you can create just by watching a video and teaching yourself. I find I use the science part of my brain so much at work, that it is nice to engage the artistic side when I'm at home – it's very relaxing!

Where is one place in the world you would love to see?

Going to the Netherlands when the tulips are blooming is on my bucket list. One of my favorite things to do is take photos of flowers… I would be in heaven!

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted?

I signed up to do a Mic Drop this year at the Uncharted conference. I never would have thought I'd work up the courage to speak in front of a large group of people, but Uncharted has taught me that my personal experience is valuable and has the ability to help others in our field. It is also about being part of a special community – it is less nerve-wracking to think about getting up in front of a group you know is going to support you and your message whole-heartedly.

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Jackie by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com and registering to become a member!