Smarter Vet Financial Podcast

13 episodes scanned. 76% of ad slots promote the show's own products.

Recent Episodes

1. Leadership vs. Management: How Veterinary Owners Build Stronger Teams with Brianne Spiersch

   Oct 30, 2026

   Executive coach and Ignite With Purpose founder Brianne Spiersch joins host Tom Seeko to discuss the difference between managing tasks and leading people in veterinary practices. They cover why owners often become bottlenecks, her "4 D's of delegation" framework for matching autonomy to a task, and how regular, short check-ins and direct accountability conversations build team confidence. The episode closes with advice on starting small with one minimum viable habit.

2. Episode 215 - Are All Your Assets Really Diversified?

   Oct 23, 2026

   CJ Burnett and Tom Seeko, owners of Florida Veterinary Advisors, discuss why owning more investments does not necessarily mean a portfolio is diversified. They cover correlation between assets, concentration in index funds such as the S&P 500, and the three types of diversification they use (investment, tax, and liquidity), plus guaranteed versus non-guaranteed assets. The episode also addresses protection, growth, and predictability as parts of a financial plan that should work together.

3. Episode 214 - How Much Return Does Your Financial Plan Actually Need?

   Oct 16, 2026

   Hosts Tom Ceco and CJ Burnett, co-founders of Florida Veterinary Advisors, argue that the financial plan's reliance on investment returns is a common misconception. They explain the difference between wanting and needing higher returns and contrast accumulation and distribution phases. They emphasize controllable factors such as savings rate, cash flow, risk management, and stress-testing the plan.

4. Episode 213 - Your Estate Plan Is Done. But Does It Actually Work With Your Financial Plan?

   Oct 9, 2026

   CJ Burnett and Tom Seeko, owners of Florida Veterinary Advisors, discuss why an estate plan is more than a will or trust and must be coordinated with beneficiaries, account titling, business interests, and life insurance. They cover common gaps they see among veterinary professionals, such as outdated documents, uncoordinated accounts, practice ownership succession, and assumptions that tax law will not change. The episode closes with three action steps: review beneficiaries and asset ownership, confirm trust and account coordination, and schedule a joint review with an advisor and estate planning attorney.

5. Episode 212 - The Financial Cost of Waiting

   Oct 2, 2026

   Tom Seco and CJ Burnett, co-owners of Florida Veterinary Advisors, discuss the hidden financial costs of delaying important decisions. Using real-world examples—including a scenario where a veterinarian who waits five years to save loses $760,827 in retirement wealth—they explore common reasons veterinarians postpone action: student loans, home purchases, practice ownership, retirement planning, and insurance coverage. The episode emphasizes that waiting must be intentional by design, not driven by fear or lack of clarity, and explores how delaying decisions on savings, disability insurance, life insurance, and succession planning can drastically impact long-term wealth.

6. From Veterinarian to Entrepreneur with Dr. John Younker

   Sep 25, 2026

   Dr. John Younker, DVM, MBA, shares his journey from emergency veterinarian to successful practice owner and entrepreneur. He discusses building and scaling multiple veterinary clinics from startup to a successful exit in 2024, emphasizing the importance of systems, leadership, and financial literacy for veterinarians considering ownership. The conversation covers the transition from clinician to CEO, the critical role of people management, and lessons learned from building a $6.7M revenue practice before selling to a corporate group.

7. Episode 211 - Who Protects the Practice When the Owner Can’t Work?

   Sep 18, 2026

   Tom Seeko and CJ Burnett, co-founders of Florida Veterinary Advisors, discuss three critical types of disability insurance protection for veterinary practice owners: Individual Disability Insurance (IDI), Business Overhead Expense (BOE) Insurance, and Business Buyout (BBO) Insurance. They explain how each coverage works, common gaps in existing policies, and why practice owners often overlook these protections despite significant personal and business financial risks. The episode emphasizes that disability planning extends beyond personal income replacement to protecting practice operations, employee retention, and business valuation.

8. Episode 210 - Your Income Went Up. Why Doesn’t It Feel Like It?

   Sep 11, 2026

   CJ Burnett and Tom Seeko, co-hosts and owners of Florida Veterinary Advisors, discuss why veterinarians earning significantly more income over the past decade still feel financially stuck. They explore the 'Gross Income Trap,' explaining the difference between gross and spendable income, the impact of lifestyle creep, and how to be intentional with cash flow. The episode covers multiple income streams available to veterinarians (base salary, production bonuses, signing bonuses, relief work, and practice distributions) and provides actionable strategies for creating financial flexibility.

9. Episode 209 - When Is It Actually Okay to Spend More Money?

   Sep 4, 2026

   Tom Seeko and CJ Burnett, co-founders of Florida Veterinary Advisors, discuss lifestyle creep, spending intentionality, and when it makes sense for veterinarians to spend more money despite earning good income. The episode explores the hidden costs of convenience, the emotional relationship with money, and provides a framework for balancing protection, savings, debt management, and long-term goals before increasing discretionary spending.

10. Dr. Ivan Zak on The Burnout Triggers Every Vet Should Know

    Aug 28, 2026

    Dr. Ivan Zak, veterinarian, entrepreneur, and founder of Galaxy Vets, discusses burnout in veterinary medicine with host Tom Seeko. Drawing from his MBA thesis and personal experience with burnout, Dr. Zak outlines six organizational triggers of burnout—lack of control, community breakdown, insufficient reward, unfairness, conflict of values, and work overload—and shares how implementing these frameworks in his urgent care hospital network has reduced burnout and improved culture. The conversation covers leadership philosophy, the importance of an ownership mindset among team members, and how AI and operational optimization will reshape veterinary practices.