Welcome to our “DVM + MBA Spotlight Series” series, where we’re hearing from veterinarians who’ve combined their passion for animals with serious business chops. From running multi-doctor practices to climbing corporate ladders, they’ve done it all—and now they’re sharing their secrets.
Dr. Christine Staten‘s dream of being a business owner was a guiding star from the start. A Tucson native, Christine always aspired to give back to her hometown and create jobs within her community.
After an earlier career as an OB-GYN technician, Christine found her true calling in animal care, leading her to the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation in 1999, she returned to Tucson to work alongside her family’s veterinarian, Dr. Page.
Together, they founded Adobe Veterinary Center, a mixed-animal clinic on Tucson’s east side. Within just three years, Christine became a co-owner and soon bought out the business, eventually expanding it into a thriving 11-doctor practice and a pet resort.
In 2023, Christine went back to school to earn an MBA from Louisiana State University. Today, in addition to leading her veterinary hospital, Dr. Staten runs a consulting business, Veterinary MBA, where she mentors and lectures on the business side of veterinary medicine. Using her learnings from the MBA program, she created a video library of workshops and masterclasses to help other private practice owners and inspire the next generation of veterinary entrepreneurs.
We sat down with Dr. Staten to discuss her journey, what it was like returning to school after 20 years of running her own hospital, and how formal business education has transformed her approach to practice management and leadership. We are sharing the conversation with Dr. Staten in her own words.
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial drive, which was the primary reason I was drawn to a career in veterinary medicine. I entered my first practice with a plan to become a co-owner within five years — a goal I achieved in just three.
When Covid-19 hit, I had to rethink how I was running my business. Before the pandemic, people needed management. In times of crisis, people need leadership.
Taking care of my employees became more crucial than ever. I dove into books on leadership and communication, trying to become better for my team.
Around that time, I started experiencing chronic neck and back pain from my work with large animals. When it became clear I’d have to cut back on patient care hours, I sort of hit a mid-career crisis. I started pondering the next phase of my veterinary life.
I felt there was another step I needed to take. I love leading and managing my practice, so I thought I should learn a little more about it. So, I decided to back up my 20 years of ownership experience with a formal business education.
I picked a virtual program because I was still seeing patients full time, four days a week, while also managing my practice. When deciding on a program, I spoke with others and learned about Louisiana State University’s offering. I looked at four other programs, but LSU stood out with its curriculum options and track choices, and it was affordable to me.
I had to take seven required courses and three elective courses. Having electives was great because I could choose topics like leadership communication that weren’t part of the core curriculum but were important to me. I also appreciated the flexibility. You could take courses consecutively, a couple simultaneously, or take a break when needed.
Receiving formal business education provided me with structure and pushed me to learn within a focused timeframe. That discipline was key for me.
If I had pursued an MBA straight out of school, I don’t think it would have had the same impact as it did after owning a practice for 20 years.
The majority of students in my group were not business owners. While I believe they gained valuable knowledge from the program, my experience was drastically different. Every class I took, and every paper I wrote, I related directly to my business.
I’m a time blocker. My calendar is always planned at least a week in advance, so I know exactly what I’ll be doing each hour. Being intentional about scheduling helped me balance my MBA studies without sacrificing time with my family.
“MBA helped me improve as a leader and learn how to put the right people in the right seats”
My course on organizational structure helped me realize that we needed more middle management in our practice. In the past, it seemed logical to promote our best or most skilled technicians. However, not everyone wants to be a manager, and I learned this the hard way when I ended up losing a great technician. This course taught me better interview techniques and how to put the right people in the right seats.
Another course I took was on leadership communication. We conducted self-assessments using personality tests weekly, and then, one time, I had to get an anonymous evaluation from my team members. The feedback I received was eye-opening. I recognized my weaknesses and how I could tweak my interactions to be more effective. It really pushed me to make some personal changes.
So now, all our team members and new hires take personality tests. Learning this in my MBA program showed me how crucial it is to understand different personality types. It helps us communicate better, play to everyone’s strengths, and grow together as a team. Each week, I’d learn something new that I could directly apply and see tangible improvements.
The program also provided deeper insights into practice finances and how to use data to make decisions. It also made me realize how crucial it is to understand tax benefits. Now I use a tax strategist, in addition to my CPA. Even though my practice was doing well before the MBA, I sometimes wonder if having this knowledge earlier would have accelerated my progress.
If you’re weak at something, have somebody else do it. Focus on what brings you joy, passion, and drive. It’s physically and mentally draining to handle tasks you don’t love.
For instance, I no longer handle human resources — I used to, but now I have an amazing HR manager who is phenomenal at hiring and training people. My CFO manages our finances far better than I ever did. We can’t do everything ourselves.
As practice owners, we’re usually big-picture thinkers, not detail-oriented. Identify your strengths and outsource the rest — whether to someone within the clinic or outside of it.
The course on family business and entrepreneurship helped me clarify my vision for my legacy going forward. With five children, and one just graduated from veterinary school, I’m now involving them in discussions about the future of the practice and what it will look like when I retire. Now, we have annual family council meetings specifically to discuss the practice’s future.
I have to have a generational succession. An MBA wasn’t about adding three letters to my credentials — I wanted to learn to improve myself and my practice for my daughter. So now I can compete in this corporate world while watching all my colleagues sell to veterinary consolidators. That was the motivation.
“An MBA is not a prerequisite for a successful practice”
Entrepreneurial drive is very important. If you don’t want to own a practice, you shouldn’t own a practice. It’s hard but also rewarding. Some veterinarians are so passionate about it that they push through and find it incredibly fulfilling. There are also those who end up in that position for different reasons and never really enjoy it.
I don’t believe everyone needs to pursue an MBA. Honestly, everything I learned in my MBA program could probably be picked up from YouTube. For me, it was more of a personal goal — I’ve always wanted to do it, and I found a program that fit my budget.
MBA is not a criterion for successful practice ownership. Most practice owners thrive without one. However, if you’re eager to learn more about business in a formalized, concentrated plan, pursuing an MBA can definitely be beneficial.
I know practice owners are thirsty for advice from a peer. I know I was. That’s why I launched Veterinary MBA, a business consulting firm where I’ve packed my years of practical experience and education into a library of on-demand masterclasses, workshops, and digital downloads to help fellow entrepreneurs be successful.
Before, I used to seek out other practice owners at conferences to learn from them. I was always on the receiving end of information. Now, I’ve transitioned to being a giver. It feels fulfilling — it fuels my passion for the profession and brings me joy to support other professionals.
In the end, my MBA paid off. Not in direct financial terms but in improving communication, enhancing our hospital culture, and gaining a clearer vision for my business’s future.
