Ep 259: How to Mentor Without Burning Out (or Going Broke) with Dr. Christine Staten

In this episode of So You’re a Vet, Now What?, Dr. Moriah McCauley welcomes back Dr. Christine Staten—veterinarian, longtime practice owner, and founder of Veterinary MBA—to share the evolution of her mentorship model at Adobe Veterinary Center in Tucson, Arizona.Dr. Staten opens up about the hard lessons she learned after losing five new grads in a row, and how that wake-up call from her clients sparked a complete overhaul of their onboarding and mentorship approach. From SOP binders to salary safety nets, Dr. Staten lays out the nuts and bolts of how they now set up every new graduate for long-term success—both clinically and financially.This episode is a must-listen for private practice owners feeling behind on the “mentorship buzz,” as well as new grads trying to figure out what mentorship actually looks like (and what questions to ask to get it).Episode Outline[00:00] – The Case for Private Practice and Mentorship[00:05] – Mentorship Missteps and the Client Wake-Up Call[00:07] – Turning One-Year Stints into Long-Term Careers[00:09] – Letting Techs Lead the Hiring Process[00:11] – Redefining Job Ads and Setting Expectations[00:13] – Creating a Culture of Teaching and Growth[00:15] – From Mindset Shift to Written Mentorship Plan[00:17] – Weekly Check-ins, Smart Goals, and Flexibility[00:20] – Salary Safety Nets, Production Pay, and ROI[00:23] – What New Grads Need to Ask (but Don’t Know Yet)[00:25] – The Trap of Rigid Mentorship Plans[00:28] – Final Advice to Practice Owners and New GradsEpisode LinksLearn more about Adobe Veterinary Center: https://adobevetcenter.comExplore Veterinary MBA: https://www.veterinary-mba.com/ Follow Dr. Christine Staten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-christine-staten-030bb168/ See more from Dr. Moriah McCauley: https://www.instagram.com/dr.moriah.mccauleyConnect with Dr. Moriah McCauley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moriah-mccauleyEnjoyed the episode?Leave us a review on whatever platform you’re listening on—it helps more vets find this community and keeps the conversation going.Mentioned in this episode:So You're a Vet, Now What? - The CourseAre you a new or recent veterinary graduate? If so, Dr. Dave’s course, ‘So You’re a Vet… Now What?’ has been put together specifically for you. The course focuses on non-clinical skills. This is not as dull as it sounds. In fact, almost every career problem that people face is due to not having well-developed, non-clinical skills. These are skills like client communication, so you have great relationships with clients. Emotional intelligence, so you've got great relationships with your teammates. Effective negotiation skills, so you can get paid what you are worth. Management of imposter syndrome, so you can have confidence in your abilities. And, how to build formidable resilience, so...