SUMMARY: “Don’t shoot for minimization or maximization. Shoot for optimization!” So says our expert and co-founder of Inventory Ally, Emmitt Nantz, on this episode of Inventory Nation. Host Nicole Clausen welcomes this leader in the field of veterinary operations improvements to explain why Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) is currently a high priority and how systems have evolved to increase efficiencies. In particular this conversation highlights the power of harnessing predictive data analyti...

When it comes to managing Cost of Goods Sold, it’s critical to have a strategy for tracking and reducing expenditures – which is why our Veterinary Care Logistics community always has lots of questions on the topic! It’s also why we’re all about COGS on this episode of Inventory Nation when Host Nicole Clausen shares her step-by-step approach to securing your clinic’s all-important bottom line. We’re looking at how to define your clinic’s operational profile and understand the best practices ...

How did our host, Nicole Clausen, come to be a thought leader for veterinary practices nationwide? On this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast she shares with us her origin story and lessons learned on her professional journey from logistical overwhelm to veterinary clinic management mastery. We are learning about the “aha” moments and highly successful systems Nicole developed through trial and error, along with roadblocks we can all expect to encounter along the way. You’ll hear about N...

What is it about “back to school” season? It just feels like a great time to start fresh! And if you’re a veterinary inventory manager, that probably means taking control of unnecessary guesswork – and stress! Nicole Clausen, host of The Inventory Nation Podcast, gets us started with a strategy for reliably managing reorder points. You’ll learn about tried-and-true methods for keeping your inventory operation running smoothly, with some help from things like reorder tags, bins, or shelf...

SUMMARY:  There it is: The dreaded “payment due in full at time of service” sign at your front desk. For many pet owners it can make the difference between seeking treatment and walking away. Sad, uncomfortable conversations about the financial bottom line are a huge cause of burnout for care providers, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Our special guest on this episode of Inventory Nation is sharing a systematic approach to tailoring a clear, flexible financial strategy that fits your...

On this jam-packed episode of Inventory Nation our Host Nicole Clausen is reminding us why we do what we do and how to answer that all-important question: Am I doing a good job? You’ll learn why it’s important to establish a baseline and how to put in place objective measures to assess the health and functionality of our inventory management systems. We don’t want to wear rose-colored glasses, for sure, but inventory managers also tend to be super-hard on themselves, which doesn’t help...

Here’s a scenario you may have experienced (and stressed over): Your DVMs seem to want ALL the options on the shelves and right NOW! On this episode of Inventory Nation our host, Nicole Clausen, shares a systematic framework to help you navigate what’s already in stock, massage the flow of products and create ordering procedures to accommodate (but not over-provide for) the demands of your practice. For many care providers, an understandable (but unnecessary and unhelpful) scarcity mindset...

We’ve all experienced it – those unpredictable surges in demand that come out of nowhere and throw us totally off our game. On this episode of Inventory Nation, Host Nicole Clausen walks us through this unsettling scenario. More importantly, she’s giving us a methodical approach to figuring out why these spikes happen and how (with a little planning) we can stay ahead of the curve. Given how hard we work to keep our systems running smoothly and everything readily available for our teams –...

Do you have an inventory management hero? Or maybe you’re the unsung hero? This episode of Inventory Nation introduces something brand new from Vet Care Logistics: Inventory Manager Appreciation Day, which this year takes place on June 7th and will also mark the opening of nominations for Inventory Manager of the Year! So stay tuned for accolades as well as exciting gifts for our honorees! Host Nicole Clausen is also giving us the run-down on her Top Tips for keeping your inventory systems...

Overwhelmed? Confused?  Sometimes even waking up at night with inventory anxiety? Nicole Clausen, host of the Inventory Nation Podcast, well remembers having exactly those feelings when she was just starting out – and wishing she had a comprehensive resource. That’s why she has created a new inventory ecosystem methodology – the program she wishes she’d had access to back in the day! This episode introduces the Inventory System Deep Dive, a lifetime playbook for you and your inventory....

Time flies! On this special episode of Inventory Nation, Host Nicole Clausen is celebrating six years of serving her favorite people – us! When she started Veterinary Care Logistics in 2017, it was out of a strong desire to help the many inventory managers who feel overwhelmed or beaten down by their job descriptions. Having once been there herself, Nicole knows well the behaviors and assumptions that have been normalized when it comes to inventory managers and what their jobs entail. And she...

Change is never easy and – especially in a fast-paced clinic environment where so many variables pop up every single day – it can even be destabilizing. That’s why Host Nicole Clausen is devoting this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast to Five Simple Steps to reduce the fear factor when it comes to adopting new systems or processes.  She walks us through practical approaches that will smooth transitions and promote buy-in from team members all along the way. So grab a notepad and hear...

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Penny-wise and pound-foolish. Either of these adages apply perfectly to the topic at hand on this episode of Inventory Nation. Dr. Lauren Forsythe – a controlled substances expert and Pharmacy Service Head at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital – highlights for Host Nicole Clausen how risk mitigation can prevent costly regulatory compliance issues before they start. Their conversation focuses on why it’s important to...

Help! Have you ever gone from feeling in total command of your inventory to … what?? The wheels suddenly seem to have come off the bus, thanks to an unexpected rush or a crush of back orders. Don’t worry! Host Nicole Clausen has your back and is devoting this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast to managing through – practically and emotionally – when things start to fall apart. And, by the way, inventory snafus happen to everyone – so no beating yourself up! You’ll come away from this...

Ever wondered how to showcase the value you bring as an inventory manager? Or wanted to truly shine during a salary negotiation or on your latest resume? Host Nicole Clausen devotes this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast to giving you strategies to demonstrate – in very concrete ways – the huge benefits this work bring to to veterinary practices. And there’s nothing squishy about it since metrics are of course at the heart of great inventory management! You’ll learn how to quantify...

SUMMARY:  Passion is at the heart of every great romance and it’s no different went it comes to Host Nicole Clausen’s ongoing affair with all things inventory management! This episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast offers you a front-row seat on what it feels like to Fall In Love With Your Inventory! Returning with her first podcast of 2023 (and since the loss of her beloved Tank), Nicole jumps right into the nuts and bolts of putting systems in place – not just in order to get a handle on...

Rock star inventory managers  are made – not born! That’s the message from Host Nicole Clausen, who on this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast shares the personal story of her vision for an independent vet consulting business and how she made it happen. All the transformational tools and strategies she offers clinics around the country didn’t materialize overnight. As Nicole describes (starting with Part I of this two-part series), her journey included figuring out her niche, claiming...

On this episode of Inventory Nation we’re invited to join Host Nicole Clausen for an intimate look at her journey from a childhood passion for marine biology and furry animals to the happy accident that brought her into the world of veterinary medicine. It’s a community she has loved for all kinds of reasons right from the start, but it was her introduction to the “puzzle” that is inventory management that brought together all the things at which Nicole excels: Building relationships,...

We all know controlled substances are to be handled with care, but Host Nicole Clausen’s guest on this episode of Inventory Nation drives home just how critical it is to mitigate risk – before a breach of compliance occurs! Jack Teitelman, a 26-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), has seen first-hand the fall-out for veterinary registrants who fail to put adequate systems in place and it’s not pretty. Your program doesn’t have to be perfect, but it must demonstrate seriousness...

On this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast we’re learning about how to take a strategic look at everything on our ledgers, from COGs to employee expenses to the shortfalls too many practices experience as a result of underpricing common procedures like basic exams. Host Nicole Clausen asks Lindsey to share thoughts on how practices can keep competitive with online pharmacies and which reports and other data to generate, follow and track – not once in a blue moon but on a regular basis!...

On this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast we hear first-hand from Host Nicole Clausen’s very happy guest how she established a practice that feels liberating, nourishing and reflective of her values. Dr. Eve Harrison runs a Los Angeles-based Concierge Vet practice that enables her to give the highest level of care to the clients who are the best fit at a wage that feels like fair compensation. She shares her journey from burnout and frustration to self-empowerment through boundaries and...

Welcome back to The Inventory Nation Podcast and a special episode showcasing incredible changes Host Nicole Clausen’s guest was able to implement after becoming a Veterinary Care Logistics Certified Veterinary Inventory Professional. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, isolated or at a loss for how to put the right systems in place, you’re not alone. As you’ll hear in this lively conversation, Shelly Chadwick has been there – but since completing the CVIP course she has dramatically reduced...

How much time should inventory management take? The short answer is: It depends! Every situation involves variability and nuance, but there’s one thing that pretty much all of us have in common: We have to start somewhere! We also have to understand that getting the right system in place requires time, patience and, very often, some help. The most important thing is establishing a clear endpoint – checklists and procedures that, once in place, will make every function flow more smoothly and...

Host Nicole Clausen is drilling down on her Top Five Tasks for mastering your inventory management. She covers everything from regulatory compliance to negotiating with vendors, offering up great insights and tips to keep you on track. You’ll come away with new checklists to smooth your process, thoughts about the importance of creating boundaries with sales reps and ideas to help you get your team onboard “The Price Is Right”-style! So revel in your inventory management role, says Nicole,...