The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast

350 - HOF - Can You Maximize Efficiency And Provide High Quality, Low-Stress Care? Jul 09, 2025

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Starting a new veterinary practice is an exciting and rare opportunity to build something truly your own. In this Hall of Fame episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss take on a powerful listener question: How can you maximize efficiency and still provide high quality low stress veterinary care? The conversation quickly turns into a masterclass on designing practice culture, client experience, and team expectations from the ground up. This episode has become one of the most cited and shared episodes in Uncharted history. It’s packed with wisdom for practice owners, managers, and veterinary leaders seeking to create something meaningful, not just replicating what already exists.

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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349 - Training Your CSR To Handle Price Shoppers Jul 02, 2025

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When you're running a veterinary practice, especially a mobile or specialty service, one challenge is almost guaranteed to show up at your front desk: price shoppers. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Maria Pirita tackle the nuanced topic of how to train your client service representative (CSR) to handle pricing conversations with confidence, professionalism, and compassion. This episode is packed with practical coaching advice, actionable training steps, and a hearty reminder that your team shouldn't feel pressured to apologize for the cost of care. Whether you're a new practice owner or a seasoned leader, this episode breaks down what to say, what not to say, and how to support your CSR in delivering a clear, value-based message to every caller. Let’s explore the mindset and tools your team needs to turn awkward price questions into trust-building moments with potential clients.

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Maria to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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348 - Supporting a Lead Tech Who Won’t Ask for Help Jun 25, 2025

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What do you do when a lead technician is silently drowning, and no matter how many times you offer help, they won’t take your hand? In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss tackle a deeply familiar challenge: supporting veterinary technicians who are struggling, especially when they won’t open up about what’s really going on. This episode is a must-listen for any veterinary leader grappling with how to balance compassion and accountability. With both humor and heart, Andy and Stephanie unpack what to do when your rockstar team member hits a wall without telling you why. Let’s get into this episode!

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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347 - Leadership Failed Me Jun 18, 2025

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What do you do when you're promoted, unsupported, and then demoted? That’s the raw question tackled by Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss in this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast. In veterinary medicine, leadership failure can feel deeply personal, especially when it looks like a promotion followed by radio silence and eventual disappointment. This episode dives into what it means to be set up to fail in leadership, how to recover emotionally, and how to turn that painful experience into fuel for future growth. If you’ve ever felt let down by leadership or struggled to find your way after a professional blow, this conversation is for you.

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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346 - Help! My Practice Manager is Not Medically Trained Jun 11, 2025

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Veterinary clinics are evolving and so are the people leading them. In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Maria Pirita take on a deceptively simple mailbag question: “Non-medically trained practice manager?” It sparks a deep dive into one of the profession’s biggest shifts, the rise of the non-medical practice manager and the new dynamics of clinic leadership. From breaking down the growing divide between medicine and operations to offering hard-won insights from Maria’s own journey as a manager without a medical background, this episode explores how veterinary teams can rethink leadership for the better. Let's get into this episode!

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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345 - When The Team Goes Rogue Jun 04, 2025

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What do you do when your team is great on paper, skilled, kind, even gets along well, but when things get busy, the plan collapses and everyone starts freelancing? In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss tackle a leadership scenario that’s as frustrating as it is familiar: what to do when the team keeps going rogue. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Why won’t they just follow the plan?” this episode is for you. Let’s unpack what’s really going on and walk through what you as a leader can do to bring alignment, structure, and calm back to your practice. Let's get into this episode!

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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344 - Veterinary Leadership Through Fresh Eyes May 28, 2025

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Dr. Andy Roark sits down with Anthony Pierlioni, VP of the Turtle Room and Manager of Training & Facilitation at VCA, to talk about his book, Veterinary Leadership Through Fresh Eyes. This heartfelt, candid conversation offers fresh insight into veterinary leadership from someone who took the long road to management, bringing empathy, emotional intelligence, and a social worker’s mindset into the veterinary world. Whether you’re new to veterinary practice management or mentoring the next generation of leaders, this episode delivers powerful reminders about how to lead with heart and hold accountability with compassion. Let's get into this episode!

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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343 - My Boss is the Practice Bully May 21, 2025

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Is your boss the reason morale is low and turnover is high? In this episode of the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, hosts Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss unpack a heartbreaking mailbag letter from a veterinary practice manager stuck in a toxic situation. The letter details an emotionally draining reality: a practice owner whose yelling, micromanagement, and disparaging gossip have left the team completely demoralized. If you’re facing a similar dynamic with a practice bully, you’re not alone. Stephanie and Andy offer practical guidance and powerful mindset shifts to help veterinary leaders navigate workplace toxicity, especially when the bad behavior comes from the top.

Do you have something that you would love Andy and Stephanie to discuss on the podcast? If so, send us a message through the mailbag! Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

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Join Dr. Andy Roark for Office Hours at the Uncharted Veterinary Community!

Office Hours

Inside the Uncharted Veterinary Community, Dr. Andy Roark hosts Office Hours where veterinary leaders can bring real-world challenges and get practical guidance from someone who understands the realities of practice life. These sessions give veterinarians, practice managers, and team leaders a chance to ask questions, workshop difficult situations, and gain perspective on issues like team dynamics, communication, burnout, and clinic operations. Instead of navigating leadership challenges alone, members get direct access to Andy’s insight along with the support of a community of veterinary professionals working through many of the same challenges.

342 - Management Wants to Silence Us May 14, 2025

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In this episode Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss respond to a mailbag letter about a sensitive workplace issue: management silencing employees. What happens when team members are told not to express emotions, especially when they’re feeling overwhelmed by clients or coworkers? With heart, humor, and unflinching honesty, Andy and Stephanie dive into the philosophical, emotional, and tactical layers of this challenge. From espresso mishaps to kung-fu chiropractor visits (yes, really), they set the stage for a deep conversation on venting, psychological safety, and leadership’s role in workplace culture. Let’s get into this episode!

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