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What is so costly about a veterinary practice that new veterinarians can't just start their own? Why would they need to buy one? There is certainly some benef

What is so costly about a veterinary practice that new veterinarians can't just start their own? Why would they need to buy one? There is certainly some benefit to working for some one for a while, and maybe eventually buying out an established practice... but if they want too much for it, just start your own?

selectodude 5d ago
Dogs use the same x-ray machines that people do.
randerson 5d ago
If you start your own veterinary practice, and eventually build up a steady stream of happy customers, then sooner or later the PE firms will come knocking on your door, too. Imagine you're drowning in student debt and worrying about keeping your business afloat, when someone offers you $5M, and says you'll still get to work with animals, which you love, while they take care of the financial and business side, which you didn't enjoy. It's a no brainer for most people.
- bitmasher9 5d ago
  No way. I think most people realize “they are offering me $5M because they know they’ll make a good profit on this business. That means it’s worth more.”
  - my123 5d ago
    It's worth more with business practices that the current owner wouldn't be willing to do.
  - DaedalusII 5d ago
    it is worth more, but you have to do 100% of the work to get 25% more upside. Or take $5m and get no more upside and 70% less work. The "work" here is dealing with regulations, insurance companies, administration, payments, and accounting, not actually looking after dogs the PE model is often to provide a competent regtech/administration core and then plug heaps of regulated businesses into it and centralise all the admin imagine opening a vet in SF in 1950 in a cheap shoplot and people just paid you with hard cash or cheques in person, you wrote receipts with a biro, and filed taxes once or twice a year on a few sheets of paper... compared to now
  - throwaway13337 5d ago
    I think that's true to an extent. And, especially successful people, often would rather be their own boss for less money than to be a corporate cog. Having the freedom to make ethical judgements yourself and build local community is a real luxury. We are, mostly, just social animals that want to build our status by helping each other out in the end. Two things, I think, might make the decision for them, in spite of that: - The money is actually more than their business could be projected to make alone. This is because the PE firm isn't just buying the single practice but every practice in the area to kill competition. Get that captive market and you can charge more. - The personal ownership freedom can be already lost on these independent people if they feel they are already tied down too much. I know this is especially the case in small medical offices where insurance and regulation can over-rule them. Feeling like you don't have control in this way can cause a lot of depression (tangent but look up how we condition mice in order to test treatments of antidepressants on them). At that point, the monied exit starts looking like a better option. That's how cynicism can win out. And we all lose.
  - randerson 5d ago
    Indeed. But remember a PE firm has economies of scale because they own many vet practices. They can negotiate better rates with suppliers than you can, and better payment terms. Maybe they even own some of those suppliers. They can divide their advertising costs by all the practices they own, whereas you can't. Even if you were willing to be as ruthless as a PE firm, raising your prices and sacking half your staff, and even if you were somehow an expert in financial engineering and business optimization, you still won't make the business as profitable as they can.
bitmasher9 5d ago
* Most small brick & motor businesses do not turn a profit in their first 2 years. So you’ll need a significant amount of runway, in a business where raising capital isn’t guaranteed. * There’s probably more cost in medical supply, equipment, and certification than you’d expect. There’s standards for security of the medications. * Most veterinary clinics have staff. That’s payroll expenses. * Any new business will need marketing. You’ll probably want a large sign/billboard, a decent website, and social media. * Just leasing office space and furnishing it is surprisingly expensive.

selectodude 5d ago

Dogs use the same x-ray machines that people do.

randerson 5d ago

If you start your own veterinary practice, and eventually build up a steady stream of happy customers, then sooner or later the PE firms will come knocking on your door, too. Imagine you're drowning in student debt and worrying about keeping your business afloat, when someone offers you $5M, and says you'll still get to work with animals, which you love, while they take care of the financial and business side, which you didn't enjoy. It's a no brainer for most people.

bitmasher9 5d ago
No way. I think most people realize “they are offering me $5M because they know they’ll make a good profit on this business. That means it’s worth more.”
- my123 5d ago
  It's worth more with business practices that the current owner wouldn't be willing to do.
- DaedalusII 5d ago
  it is worth more, but you have to do 100% of the work to get 25% more upside. Or take $5m and get no more upside and 70% less work. The "work" here is dealing with regulations, insurance companies, administration, payments, and accounting, not actually looking after dogs the PE model is often to provide a competent regtech/administration core and then plug heaps of regulated businesses into it and centralise all the admin imagine opening a vet in SF in 1950 in a cheap shoplot and people just paid you with hard cash or cheques in person, you wrote receipts with a biro, and filed taxes once or twice a year on a few sheets of paper... compared to now
- throwaway13337 5d ago
  I think that's true to an extent. And, especially successful people, often would rather be their own boss for less money than to be a corporate cog. Having the freedom to make ethical judgements yourself and build local community is a real luxury. We are, mostly, just social animals that want to build our status by helping each other out in the end. Two things, I think, might make the decision for them, in spite of that: - The money is actually more than their business could be projected to make alone. This is because the PE firm isn't just buying the single practice but every practice in the area to kill competition. Get that captive market and you can charge more. - The personal ownership freedom can be already lost on these independent people if they feel they are already tied down too much. I know this is especially the case in small medical offices where insurance and regulation can over-rule them. Feeling like you don't have control in this way can cause a lot of depression (tangent but look up how we condition mice in order to test treatments of antidepressants on them). At that point, the monied exit starts looking like a better option. That's how cynicism can win out. And we all lose.
- randerson 5d ago
  Indeed. But remember a PE firm has economies of scale because they own many vet practices. They can negotiate better rates with suppliers than you can, and better payment terms. Maybe they even own some of those suppliers. They can divide their advertising costs by all the practices they own, whereas you can't. Even if you were willing to be as ruthless as a PE firm, raising your prices and sacking half your staff, and even if you were somehow an expert in financial engineering and business optimization, you still won't make the business as profitable as they can.

bitmasher9 5d ago

* Most small brick & motor businesses do not turn a profit in their first 2 years. So you’ll need a significant amount of runway, in a business where raising capital isn’t guaranteed. * There’s probably more cost in medical supply, equipment, and certification than you’d expect. There’s standards for security of the medications. * Most veterinary clinics have staff. That’s payroll expenses. * Any new business will need marketing. You’ll probably want a large sign/billboard, a decent website, and social media. * Just leasing office space and furnishing it is surprisingly expensive.