Hi everyone, good evening. I'd like to thank the webinar vet and the veterary Management Group for inviting me to be part of this management series. So thank you very much to both.

Passion is one factor that unites all successful people in equal measure, or so the saying goes. It's true that our heart is often involved in our passion, but what when our passion is also our livelihood. And one that others rely on for their employment.

How do we also engage our head to achieve that desired and very necessary profitable business? Whenever I listen to or if I'm delivering an online talk, I really enjoy those that have associated positive images. So with that in mind, I've included several tonight.

Images associated with passion and profit. And although the subject matter might vary, the thing they share and have in common is inspirational. So an idea that started simply with a passion and turned out to be not only iconic, but extremely possible.

Start that again, but extremely profitable and possible. So if you do wonder, that is the link. It's an illustration of head and heart.

Let's start by looking at some definitions, and here's a couple that I found for passion. So a strong feeling or emotion or devotion to some activity, object, object or concept, and the Greeks actually asked, is passion a feeling? And we can meet there to suffer, to be acted on, to suffer a feeling of intense enthusiasm towards or compelling desire for someone or something.

If we flip that over to profit. The financial benefit realised when revenue generated from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs and taxes involved in sustaining the activity in question or, Let you read that second one. Has your energy and enthusiasm dipped a little here?

Me too. On the face of it, those two definitions would appear to be opposites, wouldn't they? Almost a heart versus head, and we need to work.

Hard to see the overlap between the two. But you know, if perhaps if we were to change the descriptive and simplify it, we could bring them closer together and change our perception and feelings towards them. What if we were to simplify the definition of profit as.

A valuable return. That works, doesn't it? Most of us would recognise the need for a valuable return in life, and a valuable return would seem to sit more easily with both our head and our heart.

So thought of as a valuable return, as something to achieve that allows all of us in practise to benefit in work and in life, it suddenly seems to take on a more positive connotation, doesn't it? In recent times, the BBA expressed concern over a survey that demonstrated that more than half of the practises that responded to it have below average profitability, and that 15% generated a negative value for net profit. Well that would confirm that some practises are struggling to be financially viable, and in some cases, sadly, unable to financially reward vets who have worked a lifetime and would like to retire.

Along with that disappointing thought, we do know that any business not achieving a profit cannot invest. Invest in people, invest in services and equipment, and if we can't invest in people and services, then we really can't provide our clients with what they need. And so growth and development is limited or it's just not possible.

And ultimately, the patients and their owners suffer. Until 2018, I was the co-owner of a small animal veterinary hospital, and it was often said to me by the clinical team, but you need to be interested in profit, Gillian, because you run the business. But we're not.

Interested in money, we're only interested in the clinical side, so we just want to treat the pet without financial restrictions and have a satisfied client. Being a business director, you might not understand the emotional side of that. Well, now, although I may not agree with every bit of that thinking, I do, after years of nursing and leading a practise team, absolutely do understand and relate to it.

And so my response to that once I put in the box of tissues and dried my eyes was, oh really? So, for a couple of minutes to dispel the notion of this cold-hearted, profit-driven woman that I am. I'd like to highlight some of my own early passions.

Without any sort of money. And then look at how a very career and ultimately practise ownership left to my having a, a better understanding and appreciating the need for financial success. And you know, actually, without being too go about it, the genuine joy of being part of a clinically excellent team and a profitable practise.

So I sometimes think of like a foundation of passion, but with that cushioning layer of profit on top. So here we go, the 4th rail bridge, goodness do I love that structure. Horses, Glasgow Rangers, Golden Cocker Spaniels, Jane Austen books, music.

Here are some of them, and you know if points were prizes, I would give a prize to anyone that could pop in the dialogue box, the name of the rider and the beautiful horse in this photo. You'd be giving away your age, obviously, but I would be impressed. But of all these passions as a youngster, without doubt, the one that affected my future career path the most was this one.

This was the BBC series that led directly to my wish to be a veterinary nurse. Now my parents cautioned against the idea of working with animals. It had limited career prospects at that at that time.

The salary was poor, the hours were long. I was setting my higher soon and wouldn't they be wasted if I didn't go to university. It's official, I thought, my parents are mad.

I would live on love, and I would achieve that by hand feeding dogs. I would save all animals, I would hand feed sick dogs in kennels and put blankets over them, whilst giving them a cuddle, I would be a veterin nurse. Now in those days to find a student nursing position in Scotland was almost impossible.

So my first job on leaving school was as a typist for Standard Life, and I earned around 90 pounds a week. All the while I was writing to practises throughout Scotland until finally a small animal practise in Edinburgh gave me a job. Well, they didn't actually have a job title, but probably the closest would be General Dogg's body, and my salary dropped to 30 pounds a week, but money was unimportant to me.

I would walk to work instead of taking the bus, and I'd be able to pay rent because I wouldn't socialise ever again. It's fine. I'll hand feed dogs and I'll put blankets over them.

6 months later. One of the vets at the practise, knowing my passion to be a VM, drew my attention to an advert in the Scotsman for a student nurse at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, and so with passion, I applied for the position. I'll see here I'd be forever grateful to Fiona and for our friendship in the many years since.

I'll digress here a little with some humour as I was waiting to be interviewed at the Dick vet. I was thinking that with so many applicants for this position, how would I stand out? Fairly sure that one of the questions asked would be, why did I want this job?

And also fairly sure most people would answer, I love animals, I just want to work with animals. I decided I wouldn't say that. So when the question was asked, the unbelievable words, I'm just in this for the money, was my reply.

But 6 weeks later, I was in my green and white striped dress, hand feeding animals and putting blankets over them, result. Thinking back on that now, I must have been wise beyond my years enlightened you could say. But joking aside.

Some degree of passion is surely essential for us to truly enjoy what we do, and a big part of ensuring that we're feeling fulfilled in our lives. There are several studies that suggest people are more willing to accept lower salaries for a more meaningful work, . And that applies across a diversity of culture and occupational context.

But having said that, as you would probably think anyway that most of these studies are from. Developed countries My thought is, but why would we? Our jobs are meaningful, high up there with the most meaningful, you could argue.

Our profession is one of meaning, but also one which has the opportunity to be financially rewarding too, and why wouldn't we want that? If we are part of the veterinary leadership team. Isn't it our moral and certainly professional obligation to strive to make that business a profitable one, not only for ourselves, our families, but for the people who work alongside us, whose livelihood depends on the practise who hopefully, trusting us to make sound, consistent decisions that lead to their place of work being a successful one.

This sense of and, and I think it is, it's almost a guilt thing that we have as a profession that we associate making a good living with, with shame or guilt, and I, I, I think it's best placed. I would love for us to drop that. I'm actually going on a wee rant here, but as you can tell, I'm passionate about it.

That we recognise our worth and that of the team that we work with day in and day out, highly talented, dedicated, caring, compassionate, kind, funny, and committed people in practise, people who deserve to be rewarded for all that they do and all that they are. Thank you, it is fabulous, but it's not always enough. Anyway, for myself, many blankets were put over many dogs and cats and hundreds of cuddles given.

My career moved to head RVN lecturer, working for veterinary healthcare companies, deputy programme leader for Scotland's first veterinary nursing degree until finally, in March 1999 when it became legal for non-vets to own a veterinary practise, I became a co-founder of a small animal practise situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Or Glasgow and Edinburgh, whichever you prefer. This was Ayrton, my cat, and animal soul mate.

I cannot tell you or find the words to describe how passionate I was about this cat. He went everywhere with me to work on the front seat of my car, waited outside while I shopped. Went to friends for dinner.

You get the picture. I adored him. And this.

The start of a new practise. Was going to provide the profit to keep him in cat pouches. I won't say which ones.

6 years later, my partner and I were part of a design team and project managed the building of a new veterinary hospital. This man, Ayrton Senna, a Formula One world champion, I thought him equally as impressed as a as a human being in terms of values, beliefs, and compassion towards others, particularly the education of poorer children in Brazil. So he was the passion behind the naming of my cat and shares in the honour of the name of the new hospital.

Our desire was that this practise was going to provide a professional opportunity and the chance to profit for everyone who worked within it. Just to see here actually that when the hospital opened in 2006, we had lost my beloved Ayrton, Hemangiosarcoma and a 6 year old cat. Who knew?

So we changed the name to Ayrton in memory of him and Senna, a passion for both. Passion motivates and drives us, doesn't it? Drives us to want to improve, to be better, to do better, to keep moving forward, to keep growing, to be the best possible version of ourselves.

And that passion can be anything, architecture, music, climbing, art, sport, really anything. But the reality is to go along with all that sheer wonderfulness is. We do need to be financially successful in business, and although it's healthcare, it is a business, and the aim of any business surely must be to make a profit.

Passion and profit involve our head and heart, and together they enable us to have an enduring strength. If we achieve, work towards and achieve a profitable practise, then I've noted here. With a wonderful arle another passion.

Just some of the benefits for everyone. Improve staff retention. Increase productivity in general through the practise.

The team are more engaged, there's more profitability. There's a stronger practise brand and reputation, and when you have that for sure, more people want to work beside you to be associated with you. And if you have quality colleagues who want to join your business.

Instead of someone else's, then they just add to that success. You have an increased morale amongst the work team and . Reduced absenteeism and I've just said already said the business is more profitable.

Now there are many areas that we can address and actions that we can take to tighten and to streamline our businesses to be less chaotic, smoother and working, and create a happier environment, one that's more efficient and it's running, and therefore more profitable. So I've noted a few here that you might want to consider. In aiding your own profit in practise.

The world is ever changing, isn't it? And so profits or financial success are better based on professional fees. And that we're charging realistically, appropriately and not a markup on medications, retail or foods.

We can work out what the running costs are of the business and what decide what profit ideally we would wish to make. And from those calculations, what our professional fees should ideally be set at. Hopefully, most of us would already consider where we're going to source and buy our materials from equipment and resources.

In terms of equipment though. If it won't be used in a way that ensures it's going to pay for itself in an acceptable time frame, and you would need to decide what you feel that acceptable time frame is, but if we say 3 to 5 years, 3 years really, or if it doesn't offer a new service for the practise and it's not going to generate revenue or add to profit, then I would suggest don't buy it. It's a kind of bugbear of mine actually.

Make sure that the stock on the shelves reflects the accurate figures given to us by our business management systems. If when you query your BMS reports and they accurately tell you that the practise sells 10 metican 32 mLs. Every day, then keep 10 or 1132 mL meal on the shelf.

Don't keep 20 or 30. And to make those people who do over order on a constant basis, make them accountable. It is time consuming, but it's the easiest and most helpful thing in the world to print out and create a stock booklet that is user friendly.

It helps all of us to not overstock, and when we're busy and we're under pressure and with in the absence of a system, it can be a very easy thing to do. This is the one Well, people in general, focusing on people and investing in people, for me personally, has been the one that has given the most profit, streamlining the team. So I focused quite a bit on that actually, but to consider the structure of the team, the setup of that team, by that I mean to utilise the skill sets that we have wisely.

So I appreciate the qualification, the experience and the skills that an individual person has, and when utilised to their full potential, the valuable contribution that they can make to the success of that business. So the correct role, doing the correct task, appropriate for the level of ability and competence. And ensuring that the right person is doing the right job and in an efficient and resource supported way.

By that, I mean that vets carry out veterinary work that only they can do. So surgery and diagnostics, RVNs are enable them to undertake the enormous range of tasks that they qualify to do, and animal care assistants support RVNs and vets in the day to day running tasks which are really often considered menial, but try operating without them. They are absolutely essential to the smooth running of a practise.

And if ever one of the animal care assistants were in the practise. Jeez, do we notice the absence. In reception, so to have trained, qualified, highly skilled receptionists, perhaps from a customer care background, to be a stronger face and voice representing the business effectively and professionally, as good as RVNs can be, they're not, we're not, I would suggest for the majority, interested in in customer care as a focus.

So it is such a good idea to employ a colleague who is so really streamlining things, making sure the practise is not employing additional staff that are not needed if we're utilising the entire vet and support team appropriately. Maybe better to bring it home if we consider for a minute the question of salaries. So our biggest expenditure and practise now, please don't start throwing bus at the computer screen.

Salaries can vary considerably through the UK, so from different types of practise, areas of the country, individual skills and knowledge, and so I've given quite a a wide range here. But are we employing a veterinary surgeon at a cost of 40, 60? To 40 to 60,000 to perform tasks that a competent RVN can carry out at a cost of 24 to 33, and are we employing an RVN to carry out tasks that capable support staff, So receptionists and animal care assistants, and nursing assistants are more than competent to do.

So animal husbandry, laundry, cleaning, packing and sterilising of instrumentation, lab work, stocking up, and on and on and on, at a cost of 18 to 20. That tends to make sense, doesn't it? So often the need for an additional vet can be negated due to using the enormous skill set of RVNs and likewise, the need for an additional RVN if any nursing assistants or animal care assistants are being utilised to their full potential.

But And I see this often apart from the financial aspect of this. The very real financial benefit of this is the very real positive of people developing and growing confidence and skill which undoubtedly adds to a sense of professional confidence and a wish to stay in a job that they find challenging and fulfilling, and one where they are used to. Well, one where they're used to their full potential and have carried out years of study to be able to do.

And at a time, which has been some time now, in our profession where recruitment and retention are so problematic, wouldn't that be desirable. Consider that animal care assistants, especially those with an HNC and HND in animal care, they are more than capable of carrying out many tasks usually performed by people who are overqualified. So Registered veterinary nurses, cleaning instruments, doing laundry, reception, animal husbandry, laboratory work, stocking up consumables again and on and on.

Wouldn't our RBNs be more fulfilled and profitable? In carrying out veterinary tasks under the direction of a veterinary surgeon, or to be in a consulting room with clients. And generally growing and developing themselves.

Also, you know, there are many young people that perhaps. Either can't or don't want to be veterinary nurses, but they do want to work with animals and to do that in a veterinary setting. And so maybe a bigger consideration for us is that we need to be encouraging young people.

Or not so young people into this profession, it can only be a good thing. We do need to respect and grow. Individuals, colleagues and practise because If individuals aren't growing, then certainly neither will our business.

So I think we agree people make practises and contribute hugely to the success and profitability of that practise, profitability of that practise. So how would we best achieve team harmony? And performing performance at work.

Well, we want to reduce the so often chaotic and pressurised working of a general practise, we would want to create a foundation of trust and respect with people. We'd want to develop a positive leadership in our interactions with others, so be kind, be considerate, be respectful to everyone, regardless of their role in that practise. Everybody, everybody has got something, important to offer and something they can teach.

Take personal responsibility so that we better support those around us. And I've just said again, respect our colleagues. Now that's simple, sounds simple, but that simple yet solid mix of actions or traits helps people to bond, trust and develop good working relationships.

And our communications with those around us to be open, honest, direct, have difficult conversations. What's the worst that can happen? Address any issues that there may be generally in the practise or with individual team members quickly before they become bigger than they need to be.

And sometimes when they become too big, they can be a lot more difficult to resolve than if we had just faced them at the beginning. It is uncomfortable to have these conversations. I don't think any of us enjoy it, but .

We should always be striving for that. Positive outcome. So to keep an equilibrium through the team and to recognise the individual and collective strengths within our team and to use them, encourage contribution, growth and development with those that we work alongside.

I'm just gonna flip forward here onto another nice hopefully positive image and it's linked to creating a positive physical environment. That's a lovely photo of her drama. So this beautiful library building in New York is on my must visit list.

I haven't got there yet, but but soon, or I said library museum. Forgive me for that one. So, but continuing with the human aspect, and I'm sure you would agree that a profitable and successful, successful business is that mix of good leadership.

And management, together with the positive and continued contribution of a whole team that are engaged, happy, or at least content, skilled and committed. So there's another significant aspect that is so often overlooked, which is odd really because it's one that is hugely impactful on human emotion and us having a a positive sense of wellbeing, and that's our physical working environments. People need to feel comfortable in their physical work work settings to produce their best work.

As leaders and managers, we're focused on the team and the business being successful, but we need to also examine and reflect. Are we providing an environment, practically and mentally healthy, that can aid the success? We spend so much of our lives at work, don't we?

And to find and and another aspect to find and retain good people, as I said earlier, and that's been topical for quite some time for us now, but creating an environment that empowers people with the right physical space to work, to think, . To collaborate naturally, it doesn't encourage people and talented colleagues to join us and again contribute to the success of our business. And our job in the veterinary profession, the very nature of it, the emotional investment, the hours, the time pressure, consistent that we work under, I think we often do feel tired, don't we?

But if we can build an environment that would be a comfortable and positive space that promotes well-being. Our tiredness might not be due to our surround due to our surroundings. Now, you might be asking why I'm choosing to focus on this subject in a talk on passion and profit.

Well, I genuinely believe that our surroundings directly affect how we feel about our jobs, and that affects greatly our performance. So you can take that to conclusion. If we are comfortable and happy in our surroundings, as well as our colleagues in the terms and conditions of employment.

And we're comfortable in where and how we're working, then our performance is improved. And if the team's performance is improved, then so is the performance of the business. And if it's being led and managed well, then ultimately, so is the profit.

So in addition to the fundamentals I mentioned earlier, so fees, stock, purchases, people development, investment and clinical working, but the physical environment. Is part of that people investment, development and well-being. It does all tie together, and parts are all equally important, I would suggest.

But you know, for many, when discussions take place on the physical working environment and the significant impact on a team's well-being, satisfaction, performance, or business performance, well, the thought often is, well, if we can't build something new and expensive, then there is nothing we can do. But we don't need to spend a million pounds on a new practise or an extended practise. We can make an enormous difference to people by doing or spending very little.

I can feel some doubt coming through the screen here. No, really, we can, we can. So the International Well Building Institute.

That snappy IWBITM certified by Green Business certification is the first standard that focuses on human health and wellbeing into design, into design and buildings and the working that goes on inside of buildings and the well building standard looks at seven concepts of of our buildings, so, and there they are there, so air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, mind. So, Even if you don't have immediate plans or a budget to build a new practise, extend the building that you currently work in, or you wouldn't wish to become a well certified, we can still utilise simple principles to help create a healthy environment for our teams. So I decided to just look at each of those.

And, and to think about what are the, the simple and yet effective things that we could quite quickly implement in practise. So if we think about air, the quality of air within our practises, which can have a significant impact on teams' health. In fact, trying to think of the name of it now, bear with me, .

Yeah, research carried out by the World Green Building Council recorded that there was an 11% increase in productivity from a team as a result of fresh air being able to come into their environment. 11% just by getting fresh air. So I thought, well, how can we do that?

We can do it, right? I know we could open a window. So we can open windows, not expensive, not time consuming, and you could see in our current climate, particularly useful, and responsible to do, .

We could develop green cleaning protocols because one of the things they also found was an increase in productivity if there were reduced, pollutants in the practise. So to develop green cleaning protocols, and the team might love to do that, keep the practise in places clutter-free. I hear some laughter now.

Maintaining the temperature, a healthy, comfortable one, add some office plants, not a lot. Water, so our brains are, are they 72, 73% water, . And we know that if we drink more, so we sleep better, we have better energy levels, our focus is better, we have a clarity of mind or so we're told, and as alongside our awareness and alertness has improved.

So if you think about it, if we just introduced, a water cooler, just the first thing that came to mind, well there you are, you know, we're providing good water that could have all of those benefits for our team, nourishment, . We know that seeing you are what you eat, but it, but that also applies in our workplaces, not just at home. So if we're looking for our teens to feel energised and focused, we could encourage eating nutritious, balanced diets at work and creating this kind of healthy food culture.

I know I have spoken to quite a lot of practises actually impressive that already provide fresh fruit and vegetables in the staff room. And have a limited access to processed foods and they label foods for any food allergies that there may be in the team. I was so impressed by that, such a simple thing to do, but yeah, well.

We can improve access to to more hand washing facilities, and we can help foster a mindful eating, a way of eating, so creating dedicated and dedicated eating spaces. Light, this is a big one for me, especially in Scotland in the winter. Oh, it's heavy, it's heavy, driving to work in the dark morning, coming home in the dark morning if you didn't have any natural light.

But there was a study conducted by the Department of Design at Cornell showed that employees who were within 10 ft of a window had an 84% decrease in headaches and eye strain. 84% by 10 ft from a window. So we can, we can consider adding skylights if we've got more of a budget.

We could think about controlling glare. We could absolutely maximise natural lighting, move furniture, move big bulky things that stop full light coming in, . We could think to replace flickering lights and apart from that being a benefit for light, I think also if something is broken for a while and not attended to, that can certainly affect morale.

Moving on to fitness, well, I think we are in the vetting profession. We're incredibly fortunate. Because our jobs and practise are naturally good for movement and covering quite a bit of ground during the day, don't we?

So even in smaller practises we can cover really a fair amount of walking during the day. But because exercise increases blood flow, and we get a boost of energy and alertness which, It definitely does, if you, if you just think about yourselves for a minute there. When you're moving and you're You, you do, you do feel more energetic and more alert, so this sharpens our concentration and decision making skills.

So a few ways that we could encourage movement at work, we could open stairways or Make our stairways open and accessible to everybody. We can offer shower facilities. We could have storage for bikes if people wanted to, to encourage our people to cycle to work.

We can have adjustable height workstations and space within the building. Not everybody does have this, I appreciate, but if you did to make space, create space within the building that there could be physical activity. Comfort We can do this one so easily.

So if we make sure that the staff room or the offices should be places of comfort, so we can use chairs that can lessen muscle fatigue and increase productivity. And ultimately reduced potentially musculoskeletal disorders occurring, which are most frequently cite cause causes of lost time at work. So a few ways to create a distraction free but comfortable environment.

We can offer different height workstations. We can provide, our teams with different areas to work during the day or so that they can move different parts of the building to do different tasks during the day. We can look to with the use of soundproofing and flooring.

We can limit sound from building systems and create quieter zones. We can create breakout areas, so hot desking. I know that's not so common in veterinary practise, but we could, we can create informal meeting areas and that people can be more sociable in spaces to collaborate.

And then this last one mind. So the global impact of a biophilic design, and I wasn't actually sure all that that entailed, but again it was another study that showed that people at work, That had access to natural features or natural features included within the work, reported a 15%. Increased level of overall wellbeing.

No, it just wouldn't take much to fill a trolley full of natural plants from a local private garden centre, would it? Now, also, if the design of the practise can be created or altered that we could create a comfortable social space. We could probably relatively quickly see improvements in concentration, collaboration and creativity within our teams.

We can make the most of our emotional health with very, very simple introductions or improvements. I've mentioned plants quite a lot, but they make such a difference and making spaces where the team can get together each day, 2 or 3 times a day to relax, laugh, and bond. I don't know if many people would be lucky enough to have it, but I did look for a practise that actually had a rooftop patio and and a staff garden, how lovely was that.

But bottom line is, by offering our teams areas to recharge and think about comfort, we can so easily improve our working environments. The research from these studies show how workplace design positively influences our health, our well-being, employee satisfaction, employee performance, and so ultimately, that's business performance. It's a very worthwhile investment.

So if you are about to start designing a practise or extending. Then what a great opportunity to consider through the building, natural lighting, materials that will reduce and cushion sound. And lower stress and anxiety, and to invest in quality materials that will need long term minimum maintenance and repair, all of the disruption that that can cause, but all of the cost as well that that can create.

And the absolute feel good that in 10 years' time you have a work environment that won't feel dated and tired, and in return neither will the team at the end of their day. So for communal areas to feel really comfy with lovely comfortable furnishings with good equipment well maintained. Quite excited for you.

It's interesting that as a profession, we often associate the making of a profit with an attached feeling of guilt. So here's my final offering on why profit is so essential in our profession. Think of it as you will.

But based on many years working in a variety of settings and types of practises. I concluded that a financially successful business or not directly affects our personal and collective sense of worth as part of the veterinary team. And that this in turn affects our personal self-esteem and self-confidence, which ultimately impacts on our levels of stress and our general sense of wellbeing.

And it does contribute greatly as to whether we have a feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction with our lives. A lack of financial reward for the job that we do and all of the implications of that. So lifestyle, recognition, our perception of the profession that we're part of, and don't forget that our perception and sense of worth will absolutely be translated to our clients and does affect their view of how the profession is perceived.

And if we take that to conclusion, it's value as a profession to society at large, and isn't that a powerful thought? So I'll leave you with two thoughts, a photo of the beautiful red rum, and this from BVA. It is vital that vet new practises have a sustainable, profitable future, so that they can care for and protect the health and welfare of animals.

I love that. And then finally, Oh look, we're back to where we started on the current day. Perhaps future generations yet to be inspired, will inherit a wisdom of their passion, being the foundation.

But that their passion, together with business profit, can bring about a desired, healthy, happy, fulfilling, and profitable career. Thank you.