In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss a common challenge in many vet practices, dealing…
Hire The Smile 21: Employee Goals to Improve Practice Performance
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss how to properly set attainable soft skill and…
Hire The Smile 20: Making Difficult Conversations Easier
Referencing Forbes article A Psychologist’s Secrets To Holding Tough Conversations by Kevin Kruse and the book Difficult Conversations: How To…
Using Feedback To Your Advantage
A feature story to our newest podcast episode, Hire The Smile, Episode 19: Using Feedback To Your Advantage…
Hire the Smile 18: A Practical Solution for Veterinary Burnout with Dr. Ivan Zakharenkov
In today’s episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline are joined by Dr. Ivan Zakharenkov to discuss further…
Hire The Smile 17: Fear Free Feedback
In today's episode with Dr Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline, the conversation surrounds articles that discuss how sandwiching…
Hire the Smile 16: Redefining Burnout
In today’s episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss burnout and reference the below podcast episode and…
Hire the Smile 15: Making Employee Performance Reviews Easy
In today’s episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss a topic close to both of their hearts, …
Top Business Books of 2020
I read nine great business books in 2020. I actually read about 30 business books, but many suffer…
Hire The Smile 13: Our 2021 Human Resource Wishlist
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss their Human Resources Wishlist for 2021 in lieu…
Hire The Smile Episode 12: Getting Ahead with Appreciation
In this episode, Dr Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss gratitude and appreciation and how it can help employees…
Guiding Principles for any Veterinary Practice; Business Lessons From “Letterkenny”
"A Ha" Moments I’m a real nerd when it comes to reading business books and articles in search…
Hire The Smile Episode 11: Developing Resiliency in Veterinary Medicine
In today's episode, Katie Ardeline and Dr. Mike Pownall talk about developing resiliency in veterinary medicine. They introduce…
Hire The Smile Episode 10: Responsible Leadership
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss articles surrounding responsible leadership. If you have any…
Hire the Smile 9: The Need for Employee Engagement for a Successful Veterinary Practice
In this episode, Dr Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss employee engagement and the value of surveying your…
Hire The Smile Episode 8: COVID-19
COVID is returning with a bit of a vengeance, the second wave is real. With that, the themes…
Hire The Smile Episode 7: Kathrin Siemer
I met Kathrin Siemer at one of our Oculus Summits in Europe around 8 or 9 years ago.…
Hire the Smile Episode 6: Begin With Trust; Your People Are The Top Priority
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss two articles pertaining to trust, empathy and caring…
Hire The Smile Episode 5: The Impact of Current External Factors On How We Manage
Welcome to episode 5 of Hire the Smile, the podcast where we discuss human resources for veterinarians. In…
Will Your Veterinary Practice Be Unionized Next?
In 2002, my wife and I opened our equine veterinarian practice. We were very purposeful in what we…
Hire The Smile Episode 4: Leadership Burnout
In this episode Dr Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss combatting leadership burnout, the Oxygen Mask Theory and…
What happens when? Second order thinking in the Veterinary Profession
Originally published in the Spring 2020 issue of Canadian Vet Practice Magazine. I have had a lifetime’s share…
Hire The Smile Episode 3: Management Truths & The Biggest Lie In HR
In this episode Dr Pownall and Katie Ardeline have a discussion surrounding these two articles: 4 Things My…
The Value of a Great Veterinary Brand
I was listening to the Bob Lefsetz podcast the other day. He is a long time thought leader…
Hire The Smile Episode 2 – Micromanagement and Trust
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline of Oculus Insights continue their bi-weekly conversations surrounding Human…
How Veterinarian Compensation Impacts Practice Culture
A conversation I have been having more and more often is how best to pay veterinarians. In North…
Hire The Smile – Conversations About Human Resources In Veterinary Practice
Join Dr Mike Pownall and Katie Adeline, of Oculus Insights, for their Human Resources series "Hire the Smile".…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 21: Life As An Entrepreneur
In this episode, Mike Pownall DVM MBA talks about his life as an entrepreneur. The format answers questions…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 20: People At Work
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline have their regular exchange surrounding Human Resources where they…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 19 – Veterinary Business Education
In this episode, Mike Pownall DVM MBA and Joop Loomans DVM PhD, both partners in Oculus Insights, discuss…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 18 – What We Are Learning About Telemedicine In Veterinary Medicine
In this episode, Dr Mike Pownall talks to Dr Scott Bainbridge of Dundas West Animal Hospital and Dr Saye Clement…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 17: Working From Home, Sick Leave & HR Wins And Fails
In this episode of the Veterinary Business Matters Podcast join Mike Pownall DVM, MBA and Katie Ardeline, CHRP…
The Value of Leading with Values & Purpose During the CV-19 Lockdown
Last week was a milestone of sorts for my veterinary practice. We are a three-location equine veterinary practice…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 16: Securing your Veterinary Practice from Digital Intruders
In today's episode, Dr Mike Pownall talks with Jesse Reiter, President and CEO of Reflex Integrated Inc., a…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 15: Melanie Barham DVM MBA
In this episode, Mike Pownall DVM MBA welcomes Melanie Barham DVM PMP MBA Candidate, a friend and colleague,…
Oculus COVID-19 Resilience Guide Episode 14: How To Prepare To Have Conversations With Your Staff
In this episode, Katie Ardeline and Sue Armstrong, of Oculus Insights, take the podcast on a Human Resources…
Oculus COVID-19 Veterinary Resilience Guide Episode 13: Compassionate Leadership with Colleen Best DVM, PhD
In this episode, Dr Mike Pownall had the opportunity to speak with Colleen Best, a colleague and previous…
Oculus COVID-19 Veterinary Resilience Guide Episode 12: Turning the Tables
In this episode, the tables are turned and Dr. Mike Pownall becomes the guest. Regular guest and Oculus…
Oculus COVID-19 Veterinary Resilience Guide Episode 11: Grief and Frustration with Katie Ardeline and Sue Armstrong
In this episode, Dr Mike Pownall, Katie Ardeline and Sue Armstrong discuss 2 articles, listed below, surrounding how…
Oculus COVID-19 Veterinary Resilience Guide Episode 10: Dr. Marie Holowaychuk – Coping With The Chaos Of COVID-19
In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall talks to Dr. Marie Holowaychuk. It is Dr. Holowaychuk's mission to increase…
Oculus COVID-19 Veterinary Resilience Guide Episode 9: Talking Telemedicine with Adam Little DVM
In this episode, I talk with Adam Little DVM about telemedicine in veterinary practices during this global pandemic. Dr.Adam…
Oculus COVID-19 Veterinary Resilience Guide Episode 8: Susie Elliot of Royal Canin
In this episode, I talk with Susie Elliot, Digital Sales Specialist with Royal Canin Canada. We talk about…
Picking the Right Battle in Times of Crisis
I just ended my MBA business education after an interesting two years. I was the only veterinarian in…
Confessions of a “Hugger” During Covid-19
Hello, my name is Sue and I am a “hugger”. When you meet me for the first and…
What I Have Learned Being a Leader of my Veterinary Practice During the Covid-19 Crisis
Being a good leader is tough in the best of times. With Covid-19 being a leader is terrifying.…
How to show leadership to your staff and your clients in times of extreme uncertainty
What to do when you don’t know what to do? At the moment the global Covid-19 outbreak urges…
The Effects of Coronavirus on Veterinary Practices
We are enveloped in a world where a new coronavirus, Covid-19, affects all of us. As veterinary professionals…
Can your Staff Save you from a Brutal Google Review?
Not too long ago my husband and I attended a veterinary business conference at a well-known resort North…
The Veterinary Decade in Review
We are a few days into a new decade and while a new decade is full of promise…
State of the European Veterinary Profession
Survey of the Veterinary Profession in Europe The Federation of Veterinarians in Europe did it again! After their…
Sell your practice now, or wait and make much more money later?
There is an incredible flurry of private equity corporations buying vet practices across all states. Every day there…
Vulnerability
The sound of the word makes my clients uncomfortable. It often represents weakness to them. For driven, perfection…
Set your employees up for success: focus on their strengths, not their weaknesses
I read a lot of business books and journals. Sometimes I read a well-reviewed book with eager anticipation…
Katie Ardeline BA, CHRL – Human Resources Specialist
In today's episode, I sit down with Katie Adeline to discuss a topic that is near and dear…
Bridging the Wide Divide Between Veterinarians and Industry Partners
I was at a veterinary continuing education event last week, but for the first time I was not…
Dr. Karen Bolten @thebusinessvet
In today's episode, I talk with a good friend, Dr. Karen Bolten. Today you'll hear as Karen shares…
The Perils of Penetration Pricing
There are three ways that veterinarians price their services and products; according to what the competition charges, or…
Another Giant is Waking Up in the Veterinary Practice Landscape
Nestlé knows how to grow volume and diversify services. We only have to look at their recent USD$7…
Practicing telemedicine: added value or increased risk for your practice
If you want to get a group of veterinarians in a heated discussion start talking about Telemedicine. I…
Is The Veterinary Profession Ready For The Next Generation of Veterinarians?
There are those dream professions that children talk about when they first start secondary school. Didn’t we all…