Our values mean everything to us. They shape our culture, way of working and vision for the future. As we grow, with our expansion across Ireland and Europe, raising awareness of our values is crucial.
Here, VetPartners Ireland managing director Gavin McCoubrey shares his experience….
FIVE years ago, the practice I co-founded joined the VetPartners family.
Having founded Tameside Vets in Greater Manchester, then grown our own chain of veterinary clinics, we had no intention of joining a larger group and the ones we did meet reaffirmed our view we wanted to remain independent.
Then we met Jo Malone from VetPartners and everything changed. Jo explained the values that she and VetPartners stood for and her vision for the profession.
From an organisational perspective, the culture revolved around the importance of teamwork, the value of collaborative working and the personal and professional development of team members.
They resonated so strongly that we knew immediately that VetPartners was easily our preferred and only choice of safe home for our practice.
We were though very proud of what we had built and hugely protective of our team but Jo also acknowledged that no two practices are the same, reassuring us that she wanted to embrace this independent spirit.
We had positioned ourselves at the heart of the community but by VetPartners recognising the uniqueness of our veterinary teams and the local community, it helped us to ensure we preserved our legacy, brand and most importantly our culture , which was at the centre of what we did and how we operated.
Providing us with the benefits of their infrastructure to run our business and allowing us autonomy over decisions we made meant we could continue with the highest level of patient care we looked to provide.
We were supremely confident that by joining the VetPartners family we had guaranteed a secure home for our practices and our people. Five years later, we have been proved correct.
I left VetPartners only so I could return home to Ireland with my young family. I was accepted onto the executive MBA course at Queens University Belfast and upon enrolment, when we were asked to engage a business mentor, someone we respected and aspired to, I was honoured when Jo agreed. 
Having nothing but a total positive experience in every single dealing I had no hesitation, whatsoever, when the opportunity arose to rejoin the VetPartners family this year, thus coming full circle.
Every single step of the journey with VetPartners was positive and, now, as managing director of VetPartners Ireland, my role is to share their ethos.
I find this so easy and natural as I believe in my heart that I am persuading someone to make the right decision. I do this by relaying my personal story of experiencing first-hand what it meant for all my team to be part of the VetPartners family and it creates a very powerful narrative.
I know from my own personal experience what it means being part of the VetPartners family but I also know great things in business are never achieved by one person, but by creating a team.
VetPartners’ strategy of prioritising investment in people, surgeries, facilities, equipment and latest technology to build and develop the best veterinary centres in Ireland means we can create an environment where teams can enjoy happy, rewarding careers whilst providing outstanding veterinary care.
Our culture will not only motivate but will also help us retain great teams, giving us a truly sustainable competitive advantage. By consistently doing the right thing and sticking to our shared values, incorporating ethical behaviours throughout our organisation, this integrity will not only enhance our reputation, it will help our organisation grow and engender loyalty.
As a transformational leader, I believe in empowering all team members to act upon our values and culture. For me, culture is an essential part of our organisation’s health and ultimate success.
From my time in practice, the the extent to which all team members felt valued directly affected the degree to which clients themselves felt valued, and this directly impacted business success. People don’t care about what you know until they know that you care.
My role is to articulate our vision of an exciting future for the veterinary profession and my ambition is to make VetPartners the veterinary group of choice on this island.
For media enquiries, please contact Amanda Little, VetPartners PR and Communications Director. Email amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk