Ryan Leech | First 100
In This Episode
In this episode of the Veterinary Innovation Podcast, Shawn Wilkie and Dr. Ivan Zak sit down with Ryan Leech — founder of First 100 Consulting, a growth consultant, recruiter, and host of The Bird Bath podcast — to unpack the conversations that dominated the biggest veterinary conferences this year. Affordability is becoming a real concern for pet owners. At the same time, veterinary salaries have climbed to new highs. Corporate groups are under pressure to grow margins and improve operational performance. Something has to give — but what?
With deep experience at organizations like Digitail and Galaxy Vets, Ryan shares his perspective on the affordability challenge and why it’s not as simple as blaming corporates for raising prices.
The conversation digs into the broader economics shaping the profession — the tension between making care affordable while compensation continues to rise, the shrinking middle segment of pet owners who feel squeezed, and the wave of major M&A activity that will likely shape 2026. They also explore whether a lower-cost, high-efficiency model is realistic in veterinary medicine — and why it’s much harder to execute than it sounds.
AI, telehealth, and new delivery models come up, but the core issue runs deeper: if we want care to be more accessible, are we willing to rethink how our clinics actually operate? This episode offers a grounded look at the road ahead — practical, direct, and focused on what the industry is really wrestling with right now.
Topics Discussed:
- The 2026 Industry Outlook
- The Affordability Crisis
- Rising Veterinary Salaries
- Corporate Consolidation and Margin Pressure
- Operational Efficiency vs. “Silver Bullets”