VBJ First Opinions Podcast

For this episode of VBJ First Opinions, we are delighted to be joined by the CEO and founder of one of Europe’s fastest growing veterinary groups – Junko Sheehan from UNAVETS. In this podcast, Junko talks to editor James Westgate about the company’s three years of explosive growth and its exciting plans for the future. ___________________ 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗞𝗢 𝗜𝗢 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗘𝗛𝗔𝗡 Junko has more than 20 years experience in finance and corporate development, with more than $30 billion in M&A and capital raising transactions. Her previous experience includes work in the TMT investment groups of Bear Stearns, Morgan Stanley and UBS. Most recently, she has focused on the development of M&A and consolidation strategies and is currently CEO of UNAVETS. She is a Board Director of UNAVETS, OneVet, Banco de Sangue Animal, LuxVet Group, and JUX/Vetcelerator. She is also managing partner of Marconi Capital, an investment and advisory vehicle for her and her partners.

In this edition of the VBJ First Opinions podcast, editor James Westgate discusses technology and the way it has impacted on the UK veterinary sector – with a particular focus on how it helped transform the way veterinary professionals worked throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and how those changes may impact on the future of veterinary practice. On the line with him is Paul May, digital product manager at MWI Animal Health UK, provider of innovative animal health solutions to veterinary practices across the United Kingdom.

Welcome to the second part of “Bridging the Gap’ – a special two-part VBJ First Opinions podcast in association with the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS). Recorded as part of an ongoing initiative to highlight the benefits of SPVS membership for those just starting out on their careers, the first episode focused on some of the barriers to career progression and diversification that face young vets. This second instalment takes a look at some of the solutions and how SPVS can help vets at all stages in their careers across a range of issues – from EMS and emerging technologies to leadership and legals.

Welcome to the first part of a special VBJ First Opinions podcast in association with SPVS – the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons. As part of an ongoing initiative to highlight the benefits of SPVS membership for those just starting out on their careers, VBJ editor James Westgate hosted a panel discussion featuring three younger vets and three SPVS board members with decades of experience between them. Called “Bridging the Gap’, these ground-breaking discussions form a two-part podcast series. This first part focuses on some of the barriers to career progression and diversification that face young vets and how SPVS can help overcome them, while the second instalment goes on to look at some of the solutions and how SPVS can help vets at all stages in their careers across a range of issues – from EMS and emerging technologies to leadership and legals. We’d like to thank Leigh-Anne Brown, Ben Sweeney and Vicki Farbon from SPVS as well as Holly Sutton, Nat Morris and Alice Varney for their time and their input into a project we hope will help other young vets find their way in the wonderful world of veterinary business.

To promote the VMG-SPVS Virtual Congress (13-14 May 2021), VBJ sat down with chief executive officer at The Wildlife Trusts, Craig Bennett. Craig will be opening congress at 9am on 13 May, but spoke to James Westgate in advance of his appearance to offer a sneak preview of some of his key messages and themes.

Today, VBJ is delighted to be joined by Anthony Chadwick – a good friend of the publication and a well-known face across the UK veterinary profession, and beyond, through his work with The Webinar Vet. He’s a qualified veterinary surgeon, business owner, entrepreneur, and a man once described by VBJ’s James Westgate as “the veterinary sector’s own disruptor-in-chief”. Let’s hope he’s not going to be too disruptive today…

This episode of VBJ First Opinions sees VBJ editor James Westgate joined by David Babington, business development director for veterinary CPD provider Improve International. David was one of the co-founders of Improve back in 1998, and since that time he has seen a lot of change in the CPD sector – but probably nothing like he’s seen over the past year. David chats with James about all things CPD and, in particular, how his company has transitioned and pivoted over the last 12 months of the coronavirus pandemic.

First Opinions talks to Jamie Crittall – vet, practice owner, businessman and raconteur extraordinaire. James and Jamie discuss everything from live events and the latest tech, to telemedicine and Top Gun.

PetsApp is a digital platform that has already helped hundreds of practices increase client engagement and generate extra revenue. An app-based total telemedicine solution offering video consults, payment processing capabilities, role-based text chat and much more, PetsApp is truly transformative tech. Record numbers of UK practices are turning to telemedicine* due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions and innovative but intuitive tools such as PetsApp have been the key for many in making it happen. Listen to PetsApp CEO Thom Jenkins explain how this adaptable platform can provide a secure base for any practice to weather the current economic storm and build for a brighter future… – Thom Jenkins is a qualified vet and co-founder and CEO of PetsApp, a mobile-first veterinary telemedicine platform enabling veterinary clinics to offer text chat and video consultations to pet owners. He is chair of VetForum, an international series of B2B veterinary sector events and serves as an advisor to YLD – one of London’s fastest growing software engi­neering and design consultancies. * Wave 4 COVID-19 Veterinary Industry Tracker CM Research.

In the second episode of VBJ’s Lockdown Lowdown, Vet Dynamics director Alan Robinson offers tips for people trying to “instil order into the chaos” that coronavirus has cast our lives and businesses. Talking with VBJ editor James Westgate, Alan discusses what the results of various professional surveys say about the impact COVID-19 is having across the veterinary sector, how to ensure your practice remains healthy, and how to approach bringing staff back from furlough.

In the first of a new series, VBJ editor James Westgate talks to Onswitch founder Alison Lambert to discover how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the veterinary profession – and what practice owners can do in the short, medium and long term to ensure their businesses weather the storm. VBJ’s Lockdown Lowdown is primarily a video interview series, conducted via Zoom and posted to our Facebook and YouTube channels. Watch it at: https://youtu.be/vhCA3CKLK38 (YouTube) https://www.facebook.com/VBJMagazine/videos/225924025363279/ (Facebook)

Today we’re going to be talking sleep... or, rather, lack of it. Now, it’s a fact – and numerous surveys have backed this up – that most of us, with our busy modern lives, simply aren’t getting enough shut-eye. So we’re delighted to be joined by sleep expert, Dr Mike Farquhar. Dr Mike is a consultant in children’s sleep medicine at the Evelina London Children's Hospital, and he's here to talk about the problem of lack of sleep and, perhaps more importantly, what you can do about it. – Dr Mike Farquhar trained in general paediatrics, respiratory paediatrics and sleep medicine in Glasgow, Nottingham, Sydney and London, and took up his current post in 2012. He can be found on Twitter @DrMikeFarquhar, where he regularly tweets about sleep-related issues affecting children and young people, as well as the importance of acknowledging the impact of workplace fatigue, and more general sleep issues.

VBJ editor James Westgate caught up with BVA president Daniella Dos Santos at the recent 2020 SPVS Congress to talk about diversity, workforce retention, stronger regulation of pet travel and bovine TB, as well as her aims for her presidential year.

In 2017, StreetVet began as nothing more than an idea. Three years later, that idea has grown into what can only be described as a phenomenon. Now a registered charity, StreetVet operates out of 16 cities across the UK and has more than 600 volunteers who have provided vital veterinary care for the pets of homeless people in desperate need. Listen to founder Jade Statt describe how StreetVet has had a profound effect on the lives of everyone involved...

Gathering in the Vet Times podcast booth during London Vet Show 2019, VBJ editor James Westgate catches up with Ebony Escalona – founder of Vets: Stay, Go, Diversify – and popular veterinary journalist and broadcaster “Pete the Vet”. The group discusses online veterinary communities, the breaking of “social contracts”, the concept of offering staff unlimited paid holidays, and the importance of achieving a suitable work-life balance. – Ebony Escalona is a GP vet, vet-med educator, speaker and mentor. She is also founder of Vets: Stay, Go, Diversify (V:GSD), a global online support platform providing a free, independent and safe exchange of information between veterinary professionals, with the mission to support peer-to-peer career inspiration. Visit www.vsgd.co for further information on V:GSD and its work. Pete Wedderburn is a practising small animal vet and well-known journalist, writing and broadcasting about animal welfare and behaviour and pet health. Visit www.petethevet.com to read Pete's extensive series of 800+ blogs and articles, or to check out his regular radio podcast.

James Westgate is joined in the First Opinions studio by Alan Robinson, a qualified vet and, for many, the godfather of veterinary business. For the past two decades Alan’s consultancy, Vet Dynamics, has helped more than 1,000 independent practices become happier, healthier and more profitable places to work. Alan cares passionately about independent practice and believes it is these practices that are crucial for the health of the UK’s entire veterinary sector. Here Alan shares his rich catalogue of stories and explains why independent practice owners must stick together to thrive in an uncertain future…

James Westgate is joined in the First Opinions studio by James Andrews – a qualified veterinary surgeon and CEO of wearable pet tech firm, Felcana. James discusses developments in the world of wearable pet tech and the potential impact of telemedicine on the profession, before asking: where does the vet fit in..?  – James Andrews is a qualified vet who worked in small animal practice before working as a management consultant across various sectors; including mining, financial services and shipping. In 2015 James founded pioneering pet tech start-up Felcana [https://felcana.com], which helps owners listen to their pet while empowering vets with data, analysis and tools to treat disease more effectively.

In the first monthly VBJ podcast, editor James Westgate speaks to Liz Barton, creator of the Vetsnet resource hub and co-founder of the WellVet Weekend. A qualified vet with experience in mixed, referral and small animal practice, Liz speaks candidly about juggling work with a young family, diversifying her career and the need for more female leaders. It’s a fascinating story of one woman’s search for personal and professional fulfilment.