Why do so many good people struggle to work together? Often it's not a personality clash — it's that high performers don't understand what actually drives their own behavior, let alone anyone else's. In this episode, we break down what the Predictive Index really is: a behavioral assessment that reveals the innate drives behind why we act the way we do.

We dig into why a diverse team is such an asset once everyone understands each other's wiring, and how PI gives teams shared language for conflict resolution instead of guesswork. Understanding natural workstyles doesn't mean changing who someone is — it means knowing when a teammate is stretching outside their comfort zone and supporting them through it. The result is a stronger, more self-aware culture, built on a language everyone shares.

Thank you to PIMidlantic for sponsoring this episode! Want to take the Predictive Index Assessment? Click here!

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ, President of Encore Veterinary Consulting

Panelists:

• Melissa Mauldin, CVPM, SHRM-SCP, ACC, VP of Human Resources, Encore Vet Group
• Carol Hurst, LVT, CVPM, CVJ, CCFP, Consultant, Encore Veterinary Consulting
• Devin Whalen, Chief of Staff, Encore Vet Group

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

Brenda flies solo this episode to unpack the book, Unreasonable Hospitality through a veterinary lens, breaking down 7 recipes for creating standout experiences for your team and clients. From mise-en-place-style preparation before appointments to the small, intentional details that turn a single visit into years of loyalty, Brenda shares real practice examples, including a Southeast Texas team that anticipates doctors' needs before they even walk into the exam room, and a Medical Director whose handwritten notes kept client relationships personal even as his schedule got busier.

Along the way, Brenda covers why empathy matters in every interaction, what vet med can learn from the trust between a restaurant's front and back of house, how practice owners set the tone the way chefs and restaurateurs do, and why training your team well before service begins is the real secret ingredient.

Resources mentioned:

• Unreasonable Hospitality, written by Will Guidara

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

We've talked about what burnout looks like and why managers feel stuck in the middle. Part 3 is where we get to the part that actually matters: what do we do about it? Backed by the same VHMA research that sparked this series, we close out Beyond Burnout with a forward-looking conversation about what sustainable veterinary leadership actually looks like in 2026 and beyond.

From the simplest one-change-tomorrow answer (hint: let your team make more decisions) to what it takes to build a practice culture where managers can genuinely recover and grow, this episode is part practical and part permission slip. Veterinary medicine is a dysregulating field by nature — and when we get better at creating emotional safety at every level, everyone benefits. If you've made it through all three parts of this series, this one's the payoff.

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina

Panelists:

• Julie Squires, CCFP, CMLC, Rekindle Solutions
• Susie Crockett, CVPM, Director of Practice Management at Noah's Animal Hospitals
• Josh Vaisman, MAPPCP, CCFP, Founder and Lead Positive Change Agent, Flourish Veterinary Consulting

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

Practice managers are accountable for results they don't always have authority to control, caught between what their team needs and what leadership is asking for. It's a setup that breeds burnout — and according to a recent VHMA study, it's pushing nearly half of managers to consider walking away from their roles.

In Part 2 of our Beyond Burnout series, we dig into what it feels like to lead from the middle and what you can do about it. We cover why managers tend to report the lowest levels of wellbeing in any organization, how to maximize influence within the sphere you do control, and the fire-fighting trap: why some practices live in constant crisis mode and the one leadership behavior that keeps the cycle going. If you've ever felt like everything is urgent and all of it lands on you, this one's worth a listen.

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina

Panelists:

• Julie Squires, CCFP, CMLC, Rekindle Solutions
• Susie Crockett, CVPM, Director of Practice Management at Noah's Animal Hospitals
• Josh Vaisman, MAPPCP, CCFP, Founder and Lead Positive Change Agent, Flourish Veterinary Consulting

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

A recent VHMA study found that 48% of veterinary practice managers are considering leaving their role. That number should stop us in our tracks — but for many practices, the warning signs go unnoticed until it's too late.

In Part 1 of our Beyond Burnout series, we get into what burnout actually looks like in practice managers before they hit the wall. It doesn't always arrive as a dramatic breakdown. It shows up as cynicism creeping in, patience wearing thin, and a growing inability to be fully present — for your team or your family. We unpack the buildup of compassion fatigue, the loneliness of being "at the top," and why so many managers are burning out under the weight of expectations that no single person was ever meant to carry. If you're a practice manager, a leader, or someone who works alongside one — this episode is worth your time.

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina

Panelists:

• Julie Squires, CCFP, CMLC, Rekindle Solutions
• Susie Crockett, CVPM, Director of Practice Management at Noah's Animal Hospitals
• Josh Vaisman, MAPPCP, CCFP, Founder and Lead Positive Change Agent, Flourish Veterinary Consulting

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

Handing someone a skills checklist isn't mentorship. It's a starting point! In this episode, our panelists dig into why the veterinary profession has long conflated training with mentoring, and what it actually looks like to invest in someone's growth beyond the checklist.

From the value of having a mentor outside your direct chain of command, to why safe spaces to fail matter more than credentials, to the real cost of skipping mentorship altogether, this conversation challenges the way vet practices think about developing their people.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• AAHA Mentoring Guidelines

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ

Panelists:

• Dr. Tim Loonam, Chief Veterinary Officer at Encore Vet Group and Veterinarian at Grace Animal Hospital
• Dr. Dani Rabwin, Founder at Ready, Vet, Go!
• Melissa Mauldin, CVPM, SHRM-SCP, ACC, VP of HR at Encore Vet Group

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

AI is everywhere — but what does it actually look like in a veterinary clinic? In this episode, we get practical: where AI is genuinely saving time (we're talking hours per vet), how it's transforming medical records and reducing cognitive load, and what real-world experience with AI in lab equipment looks like.

We also tackle the risks — over-reliance, the fear that saved time just means more appointments (it shouldn't), and what to tell clients who worry AI is making medical decisions about their pet. Plus, we dig into AI medical scribes and how offloading documentation can actually strengthen your client relationships.

And the question everyone's navigating: how do you communicate AI use to clients in a way that's transparent and builds trust?

🎉 Special offer for FlightPlan listeners: Save $100 on registration to the Pawsitive Intelligence AI conference at pawsitiveintelligence.ai using code FLIGHTPLAN at checkout.

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ

Panelists:

• Gabriel Baldinucci, CEO of Pawsitive Holdings
• Dr. Andrew Ciccolini, Chief Veterinary Officer at SerenityVet

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting

Inconsistent PIMS codes don't just create an organizational headache — they undermine every financial, clinical, and operational decision that flows from your data. In this episode, we dig into what it actually costs your practice when everyone's coding differently, and why fixing it matters more than most teams realize.

From the classic dental coding dilemma (does that x-ray live under dentistry, radiology, or anesthesia?) to benchmarking chaos when practices aren't speaking the same language, our guests unpack the real downstream consequences — and share practical advice on where to start. Whether you're independent or part of a group, you don't have to overhaul everything at once. Clean, standardized data is what gives your team the clarity to make confident decisions at every level.

Host = Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ

Panelists:

• Nora Zarcone, VP, Sales and Revenue Growth at BitWerx
• Hannah Bates, Operations Support Specialist at Encore Vet Group
• Ben Spinks, Co-Owner & Managing Director at Tipp City Veterinary Hospital

Thank you to Purina for sponsoring today's episode!

Thanks for listening!

Website: https://encorevet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encoreveterinaryconsulting

Instagram: @encorevetconsulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/encore-veterinary-consulting