Practice finances: Bridging compassion and capital

Join Dr. Dani Rabwin and entrepreneur Martin Traub-Werner as they tackle a critical yet often overlooked aspect of veterinary medicine: financial literacy. Combining Traub-Werner 's data-driven, entrepreneurial approach with Rabwin’s empathetic, clinical perspective, they explore the financial intricacies of clinic operation. From navigating difficult conversations to managing revenue allocation, they discuss why understanding the numbers is essential for veterinarians and practice owners alike. With real-world examples and practical strategies, you’ll be empowered to approach the financial landscape with both confidence and compassion. 

This session originally was presented at AVMA’s 2025 Veterinary Leadership Conference.

Learning objectives:

• Examine the emotional dynamics in veterinary practice management, exploring how compassion and quality patient care intersect with financial health.
• Identify uncomfortable financial conversations that often arise in veterinary clinics, considering the perspectives of both associate veterinarians and the clinic owner.
• Gain a deeper understanding of the veterinarian's role in practice finances and learn strategies to balance clinical excellence with fiscal responsibility.

When Dani Rabwin was four years old, she wanted to be a trapeze artist or animal doctor. She decided against the circus, and today Dr. Dani Rabwin is a veterinarian, communication coach, and mentor. She is the founder of Ready, Vet, Go, a remote veterinary mentorship program and community that supports new and early-career veterinarians, and is intended to complement the clinical mentorship that practices provide to new associates. She earned her DVM from UC Davis in 2004 and completed an internship at Michigan Veterinary Specialists. She feels privileged to help veterinarians thrive in the profession she loves so much.

Martin Traub-Werner is an entrepreneur, business builder, and problem solver. He completed an undergraduate degree at York University in his hometown of Toronto, and a master’s degree in industrial and labor relations at Cornell University, where he spent much of his time learning about people management. He worked in human resources for Fortune 500 companies, and in 2013 he launched VetSuccess, the veterinary industry’s first business intelligence and data analytics company. After VetSuccess was acquired by Vetsource in 2018, he moved into an executive leadership role within the company. Since 2022, he has been serving as the CEO of VetBooks, a bookkeeping service for veterinary practices that he co-founded in 2017. He volunteers as a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs and loan reviewer at RISE Asset Development. He lives in British Columbia with his wife, two children, and a lovable Texas street dog named Austin.