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NEW EFFICIENCY WORKSHOP – Wednesday August 5th
Learn more at: https://unchartedvet.com/smarter-simpler-faster-efficiency-in-the-summer-of-covid/

This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast….
“Help! Half of my team thinks COVID is no big deal. One person even thinks it's a hoax. The other half of the staff is really concerned. What do I do?” Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss break down the division across veterinary practices and talk about management options.

This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss talk about the hard truths of the COVID Summer, and the three things practices can do to adjust to the new reality.

We are supported by VitusVet!
VitusVet is on a mission to help front desk heroes with easy to use technology that reduces phone calls by 70% while boosting revenue. You’ll have more time to do what you love best – help clients and heal pets. The platform includes unlimited 2-way text and picture messaging, digital service and refill reminders, appointment scheduling, a branded practice app, monthly payment plans for clients and checkout tablets that work anywhere. It’s all included and integrates with most PIMS. Uncharted Listeners get 2 months free. Learn more at vitusvet.com/uncharted

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. Our next interview is with Dr. Mike Cao of Southern California! Enjoy!

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

I am the CEO of Irvine Valley Veterinary Hospital, located in Southern California. I graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012, with the goal of owning my practice within 5 years of graduation. Before I started on this veterinary journey, I was a mixed media artist. I have always had an interest in business. While in high school, I started my own apparel company with my own silkscreen designs. I graduated from UC Irvine in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, and eventually started my own graphic design company. There are more similarities than you think between running a veterinary practice and selling t-shirts. I live with Brittany Alfino, the manager of our practice (and a member of Uncharted), our 5 year old daughter Vivianna, and our 3 dogs: Sheeba, Molly, and Lola. We are expecting our second child later this year!

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

I have never followed the status quo, and wanted to find a group of people that challenged traditional thinking in order to help me differentiate my practice from other practices.

What is your current work related goal?

I am working hard to get us to be a 24/7 ER plus general practice in our new facility by the end of the year.

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

I allowed the staff to collaborate and make decisions on hospital policies and procedures without my input.

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

Look for reasons to say yes rather than look for reasons to say no.

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

There have been many, but I will go with the most recent. I did not plan well for the 2020 UVVC. I ended up having to work swing shifts throughout the entire conference. To be honest I wasn't sure if I would get much out of it. I came into the Leading With Your Voice workshop with Andy Roark a little late but posted my goal anyway. He ended up spending much of the session breaking down the problems and solutions with me so that I had a clear plan for how to approach our next staff meeting. You would not get this 1:1 interaction with the speaker at any other conference. It was invaluable, and it was not the only time I really felt heard at Uncharted.

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

I was a graphic designer. In many ways the communication and emotional intelligence required to be successful is similar. You have to understand your client's needs and wants, and translate that into a vision, and then translate that vision into something tangible.

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

WORKSHOP ALERT: Make Practice Faster, Easier, and Less Stressful! Learn more: unchartedvet.com/work-smarter-not…active-workshop/

This week on the Uncharted Vet Podcast: Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss go to the mail bag to help a technician who can't do anything without the doctor “fixing” it. What do you do when you work under a micromanager??? Let's get into this episode.

We are supported by VitusVet!
VitusVet is on a mission to help front desk heroes with easy to use technology that reduces phone calls by 70% while boosting revenue. You’ll have more time to do what you love best – help clients and heal pets. The platform includes unlimited 2-way text and picture messaging, digital service and refill reminders, appointment scheduling, a branded practice app, monthly payment plans for clients and checkout tablets that work anywhere. It’s all included and integrates with most PIMS. Uncharted Listeners get 2 months free. Learn more at vitusvet.com/uncharted

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's interview is with Amanda Schwarzwalder! Enjoy!

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

For the last 10 years, I have been the senior veterinary behavior technician and practice manager at The Behavior Clinic in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. I'm an RVT, Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner and Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behavior. As if that wasn't a mouthful, I will be taking my CVPM exam in the next 12 months! I have had a blessed career of always being in the right place at the right time – I've worked in general practice, done relief work, taught in veterinary nursing programs, and owned my own business.

I started lecturing at national veterinary conferences when I was all of 23 – I still can't believe someone gave me a mic and podium at that age! I still love to teach at conferences, travel, read, and garden. My husband and I live in Wooster, Ohio where we both grew up. We have 2 German Shorthaired Pointers – Brego & Moose and 4 cats – Bruce, Joe, Bentley, and Sylvester. No kids, but 4 crazy nieces who are always getting dropped off with us for some reason – we like to think it's because we're fun, but it may just be convenient.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

Having been part of professional organizations and management groups all my career, I was looking for something different and out of the box. I manage a stand-alone, brick and mortar, veterinary behavior facility with veterinarians and credentialed technicians – we were the first in the U.S. to use this model. Being first is scary, you get things right, you make mistakes. In looking at Uncharted, I saw a lot of other pioneers and people who weren't afraid to say “hey, this may work, it may not” as well as provide a word of encouragement. Ultimately, the culture of Uncharted and the focus on having a positive community was what really made the biggest impact. This is a group of helpers and people who thrive on building each other up.

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

I love the management group and the wellness group. Management is the obvious one, it's what I do, and what I'm passionate about. The discussions that come up are always timely, positive and I love that the solution isn't always terminating the employee, which is what you see in some other places. The focus is a lot more on business, culture, and support for our teams and each other. The wellness group has been a bit of a surprise. Members are able to talk openly about concerns without judgment and those who reply, genuinely listen, and care. There's meditation, yoga, and lots of positives that people share. It's nice to pop on mid-day and see the good things that someone shared about their day when you're feeling not that great about yours.

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

This is so tough! I still feel like a relative newbie to the group end there are SO many wonderful people. If I could only pick one, I'd have to say the infamous Stephanie Goss. Her laugh makes me smile every time I hear it! And anyone who can talk me off a ledge about bad employee behavior on a Friday night with her kids running around in the background just deserves a medal! Jamie Holms has to get a mention – again, fantastic sense of humor, great taste in art, and she is just an amazing human who checks in if you're having a bad day as if you've known her forever. The people are what makes Uncharted so special!

What is your current work related goal?

Achieving my CVPM. This has been a long time goal that I had even before becoming a VTS (Behavior). It's very exciting to see it all come together and to know that I'm 1 exam away from achieving it!

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

Beach glass collecting. There is something about wandering a pebbly beach, listening to the water move along the shoreline, and looking for tiny pieces of green, blue, white, or brown hidden in the pebbles or sand. It becomes almost entrancing and you begin to tune out all the other things banging around in your head, focusing your attention on the task at hand. It's also a lot of fun to see the other weather-beaten items like pieces of porcelain, tile, or brick. I started collecting my first time to Maine in the 1990s and ever since I am always looking if I'm near a body of water. You never know what you will find and now my husband is addicted as well – although there may be some competition involved now as to who finds the most unique pieces!

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

Is retirement a dream? Seriously, I would love to have an ownership stake in our practice. I love the challenge of figuring out what we're going to do next, how to surpass our client's needs and grow behavior services in our practice that support the veterinary community.

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