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Let's Go Swimming

By Jim Nash posted 04-21-2018 08:58

  

I have previously introduced you to my border collie, Dash Nash and his sister Daphne. True to their nature, they love being outside and active. This is great, of course, except when it gets really hot here in Florida. They rarely stop moving and we worry about them overheating. We have to watch them closely and make sure they go inside, cool down and drink lots of water. If only we could get them to swim in the pool and cool off, they could enjoy being outside longer. After much effort and little success, we reached out to a friend, accomplished agility competitor and fellow VHMAer, Susan.

She encouraged us to keep at it and invited us to spend some time with her learning about agility and ‘swimming’! She shared a bunch of great ideas, kindly donated a life vest to our cause and let Saga and Queso show us what swimming is all about. We all had a wonderful time and after practicing at home, Dash jumped in the pool unassisted this past weekend. Thanks, Susan.

With March in the books, you are probably looking at Q1 results and making decisions on how to dial in operations for the next few months. Interestingly, this month’s Insiders’ Insights Survey focused on the Profit and Loss Statement. Based on the results it seems that many of our colleagues feel they are not really “numbers” people, however the profit and loss statement is a critical tool in a practice’s success and it requires a manager’s full attention. The same way Dash and Daphne need our care and attention to make sure they are safe while having fun in the Florida sun, our practices need the same watchful eye on their profitability to ensure their financial safety.  

So, for my friends who are apprehensive about tackling these financial challenges, the best advice is to roll up your sleeve and do it…dive in, get dirty, do it often, make comparisons and lose yourself in your review. This is information we need to be intimately familiar with to understand what our practices are doing well and what needs to improve.

The upcoming 2018 Regional Meeting, Mastering The Profit & Loss Statement, The Journey to Better Understanding, is an excellent option for those of you who need more training in this area.

I encourage you to reach out to your colleagues, like I reached out to Susan. If you have questions or are unsure about how to interpret the financial information in your practice, phone a friend. After all, this is the VHMA. We are an association based on relationships. It is the selfless sharing of ideas and support of one another that makes us different than any other association. It is the VHMA Life.

Whether you need help reading your financial reports, support with a challenging team member or dog training advice, we have a member with that expertise willing to share. Let’s go swimming!

Jim Nash, MHA, CVPM
VHMA President

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