Once she was comfortable and excelling in her new role as a practice owner, Burzenski & Company, PC introduced Dr. Rivers to a supplemental avenue to expand her understanding and personal and professional growth through Strategic Growth Alliance (SGA). As a peer study group of veterinarians, SGA members delve into practice management to learn how to compare practice performance to peer and national benchmarks, increase revenue, capitalize on economic changes and new industry trends, control practice expenses and learn successful business practices from other members.
“SGA keeps me grounded and reminds me that I am not the sole survivor on an island in the middle of nowhere without anyone to discuss life experiences and future goals with,” says Dr. Rivers. “As a member, I also find that small business owners, in a world of corporate consolidation, need to find ways to stick together and continue to show young veterinarians that private practice ownership can be done and can be successful. It has become a passionate topic for me, and I enjoy sharing this compassion with other members of SGA at our bi-annual meetings.”
Since 2017, when Dr. Rivers took ownership of Somerset Veterinary Hospital, she has not only built a thriving practice, but also thanks to the staff at Burzenski &Company, and her involvement with SGA, has secured much-needed experience on the business side of running a veterinary practice. This has also helped her to set long and short-term goals for herself and her practice.
“I think what works the best for me is being motivated by setting and achieving goals, and filling my practice with people who are cut from the same cloth,” adds Dr. Rivers. “I have learned that culture is by far the most important component of a business. If you can foster a culture where people feel supported, believe in what they are doing on a daily basis, and love coming to work each day – patients and pet owners all benefit.”
