It Takes a Village: Who You Need in Your Corner When Opening a Practice
.5 CE Credit Hour / Veterinarians & Veterinary Technicians
Overview:
Opening a veterinary practice is an exciting milestone, but no one can do it alone. Success comes from surrounding yourself with the right team of advisers, mentors, and partners to help you navigate the challenges of ownership. In this session, we’ll explore the “village” every new practice owner needs to help them thrive, from financial and legal experts to operational support and trusted veterinary peers. You’ll gain insight into how to build your dream team, avoid common pitfalls, and set yourself up for long-term success.
Whether you’re actively preparing to open your own practice or just starting to
explore the idea, this webinar will provide you with practical strategies,
real-world examples, and inspiration to move forward with confidence. Join us
to learn who you need in your corner and how to make ownership not only
possible but also deeply rewarding.
This program is geared toward veterinarians and veterinary professionals at all
stages of their careers. The goal of this webinar is to offer practical
insight, suggestions, and motivation to help attendees think differently about
what’s possible in veterinary medicine. Whether you’re curious about ownership
or already on the path, you’ll leave with clarity, confidence, and actionable
next steps.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the key professional and personal partners essential for a successful practice launch.
- Recognize common challenges new practice owners face and the support systems that help overcome them.
- Develop an action plan to begin building their own “village” of resources and advisors.
Jennifer Bruns DVM, MPVM
Dr. Jennifer Bruns is a seasoned veterinary leader with over 20 years of experience guiding and supporting veterinarians and hospital teams toward excellence. As a trusted consultant, she has dedicated her career to coaching veterinary professionals on leadership, practice ownership, and effective hospital management. Known for her hands-on approach, Dr. Bruns has developed managers and leaders at all levels, empowering them to foster thriving, collaborative team cultures.
In her role within PetSmart Health Services, Dr. Bruns bridges the veterinary profession with organizational leadership, offering support and guidance across a network of hospitals. She shares her expertise with new practice owners, providing insights into practice operations, management, and strategies to promote both clinical and business success. Dr. Bruns is a sought-after speaker, presenting at conferences and veterinary schools on topics such as practice management, client communication, and leadership in veterinary medicine.
Beyond her professional roles, Dr. Bruns is dedicated to advancing veterinary education, having contributed to mentorship programs and served as a facilitator for student communication labs at UC Davis. Her commitment to the industry is grounded in her belief in empowering veterinarians with the tools and knowledge they need to achieve success and well-being in practice ownership and hospital leadership.
Dr. Bruns holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine from The University of California, Davis. She lives in Woodland, California.
Kelly Hopkins
Kelly Hopkins is known for her ability to blend strategy with people-centered leadership- with nearly 20 years of experience across industries including healthcare, veterinary services, fitness, transportation, and retail. Kelly has guided organizations through rapid growth, cultural evolution, and bold transformation.
Kelly starts with one simple belief: veterinarians deserve to lead care their way. As Senior Director of Franchise Sales & Business Development at PetSmart Veterinary Services, she champions an ownership model designed for today’s realities- reducing financial hurdles, accelerating timelines, and keeping doctors firmly in control of their medical decisions.
Kelly’s journey to this work was shaped by nearly two decades of building people and businesses across healthcare, fitness, and veterinary services. At Mars Inc., she helped lead cultural growth from 3,000 to 18,000 employees, co-founded a women’s leadership network that earned the President’s Award, and discovered her superpower as an executive coach: walking alongside leaders as they imagine — and achieve — their best lives.
Today, she brings that same coaching lens to veterinarians who are ready to take ownership of their future. Kelly believes now is the time for doctors to reclaim their independence, shape practice culture, and secure long-term financial freedom. Her focus is practical, people-focused, and authentic-built to remind veterinarians that ownership isn’t just possible, it’s powerful
This course is RACE-approved for .5 continuing education credits hours in jurisdictions that accept RACE-approval.
This activity is sponsored by PetSmart.
