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Head nurse Leah Whitlam and practice manager Cristina Cozmescu first became partners of their own practice in 2018. By 2022 they were ready to expand their partnership and began exploring potential contenders for a second practice. Then, earlier this year, they signed as joint venture partners (JVPs) at Vets for Pets Leamington Spa – their second practice. Here, we find out how they have established the perfect partnership…
Leah was 24 years old when she signed at Vets for Pets Coventry Walsgrave. She was already working in the practice when the existing JVP decided to exit the business. At the time, she had never considered that business ownership would be a part of her future. She had also recently had her son.
Meanwhile, Cristina had started life in finance and had worked as a volunteer at a Romanian rescue, where she fulfilled her passion of working with animals. In 2012, she moved to the UK and began working at Vets for Pets Coventry Walsgrave as head receptionist, before becoming practice manager and assisting the previous JVP in running the business.
When the opportunity arose for Leah and Cristina to join forces and become partners at Coventry Walsgrave, they realised the great potential of the business and took the leap.
In the early days, they had a receptionist and a vet, and continued to work as head nurse and practice manager. “It was hard work at first,” said Leah, but now the practice has a strong team of 24, with a great reputation for their retention. She added: “We have people approach us asking if we have vacancies – that’s a great feeling.”
The practice also supports two graduate vets through the Vets for Pets graduate programme and has great room for growth and expansion to further build on its reputation and success. It was debt free within four years.
This success led the pair to seek out the chance to become JVPs at their second practice. Cristina said: “Leamington Spa was not our first choice, but it has fantastic potential, so we went for it.” They signed for their second practice in March 2023 – five years after signing for their first.
The pair were able to hire colleagues that had previously worked for them at Vets for Pets Coventry Walsgrave, offering them the chance to work for them at the Leamington Spa practice.
Gradually, they have appointed full-time, permanent vets and moved away from using locums.
They can already see business growth, with the client base having increased – thought to be due to the consistency the practice now has.
Multi-business ownership
Running two practices has had a positive impact on Leah and Cristina’s own work-life balance. Cristina said: “We have found we have more time now having the second practice. We have teams we can trust with the day to day; we have a practice manager at both practices.” Leah added: “We split our time with one of us being at each of the practices, ensuring the team has one of us to hand for anything they might need.”
Having the trust in their team at each of the practices means they can take a step back. But that’s not at the cost of their team’s own home life. “We offer a four-day working week and flexible working,” Leah said. “It’s incredibly important to us that our team has that great work-life balance – if they are happy, we are happy. Their success is our success.”
With a lead vet in each practice involved in clinical decisions, Leah and Cristina make sure the team is informed of these, as well as being given an explanation as to why it may have been made. This means the team feels supported and involved.
As to what makes the pair’s partnership so successful, Cristina said: “We think the same, have a great relationship and wouldn’t want to go through this experience with anyone else. It is hard work, but there are huge long-term benefits. It can be easy to spread yourself too thinly. Our partnership works because we have the same vision and mind.”
“We have found we have more time now having the second practice. We have teams we can trust with the day to day; we have a practice manager at both practices.”
Joint venture partnership
Cristina said: “We have the best of both worlds. I wouldn’t want to do this independently; we have the support of Vets for Pets if we need it.”
The pair also credit a lot of their success to their area relationship manager, whose support has been an important factor to their growth.
They’ve been able to build themselves a secure future and have the drive to continue their successes in an area they hadn’t thought was ever possible. Leah said: “We have both personally grown so much in the past five years.”
What’s next for Leah and Cristina? Watch this space…
Start your journey
If veterinary practice ownership is in your career plans, our unique model enables veterinary professionals the opportunity to become a business owner. Joint Venture Partnership is an affordable route to ownership and is the only model in the industry that gives you complete TRUE clinical freedom. You’re independent to make your own clinical and practice-based decisions and we have over 12 dedicated departments that support you in all aspects of business, setting you on the path for success.
To understand more about how our business model works, the financial investment, the help you will receive from teams of experts, and the type of business opportunity and locations available. Contact us partnerships@vets4pets.com or visit www.vets4petscareers.com/partnerships
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