Can you truly have work-life balance in veterinary medicine—or is it an impossible myth? What does sustainable success actually look like for practice owners, leaders, and veterinarians trying to grow without burning out?

Join host Dr. Gershon Alaluf and guest Dr. Christine Staten, DVM, MBA, large-animal veterinarian, founder of Adobe Veterinary Center, and creator of Veterinary MBA, for an honest, energizing, and practical conversation about ownership, leadership, and purpose.

After 20 years of running her own clinic and returning to earn an MBA in her 50s, Dr. Staten brings candid lessons on growth, humility, and how “balance” often comes from letting go of perfection.

🎧 What you'll discover:

– Why “work-life balance” is a misleading goal (and what to pursue instead)

– How burnout transforms into purpose when leaders learn to delegate

– Lessons from building a two-location, 10-doctor practice in rural Arizona

– The power of psychological safety and team-driven culture in vet medicine

– Why mentorship is really about confidence—not competence

– Financial myths of ownership and how to build true legacy freedom

🐾 Who will love this episode:

– Veterinarians & veterinary students

– Practice owners & aspiring owners

– Veterinary educators and leadership coaches

– Animal care professionals seeking sustainability

– Anyone re-evaluating success, fulfillment, and purpose in their work

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro | The myth of work-life balance and finding sustainable growth

02:00 – Meet Dr. Christine Staten | From OB-GYN dreams to large-animal practice owner

07:00 – Why veterinary ownership offered freedom and family stability

13:00 – Path to partnership | Taking over Adobe Veterinary Center and scaling sustainably

19:00 – Vision, values & strategic planning | Rebuilding culture from the ground up

25:00 – Psychological safety | How honesty and mistakes build trust

31:00 – Biggest ownership regrets | From control to collaboration

38:00 – Earning an MBA at 50 | Leadership, emotional intelligence, and growth

43:00 – The creation of Veterinary MBA | Teaching what she wished she’d known

50:00 – Ownership myths | Freedom, finances, and risk realities

1:04:00 – Opening a free childcare center | Redefining legacy and culture

1:06:00 – Mentorship and confidence | What new grads need most

1:08:00 – Why “balance” is overrated | Fulfillment, not perfection

1:14:00 – Future of vet med | Collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose

🔔 Stay Connected:

– Like this video if you found value in this discussion!

– Drop your questions or share your veterinary stories in the comments.

– Subscribe & hit the bell icon to never miss an episode.

📚 Resources Mentioned:

– Veterinary-MBA.com – Business education & resources for veterinary professionals

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📸 Follow us: @Pacific.Lens.Studios

📥 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

Ep. 46

#VeterinaryLeadership #WorkLifeBalance #IrreplaceableTruths