Veterinary Business Consulting
Take your practice from surviving to thriving
It’s nearly impossible to find the time to work on growing your medical practice while maintaining the high quality of clinical care your clients deserve.
Resolve competing priorities to regain balance, sharpen vision, and grow.
Lockhart Consulting acts as a trusted mentor, providing the guidance, structure, and support you need to improve patient care, client care, and staff care.
We help you remove the operational issues from your overburdened shoulders so that you can focus on practicing medicine.
Strategic planning to grow your practice
Choosing the right service to meet client needs
Investing in the right equipment for your practice
Staff retention
Team building for increased communication and efficiency
Expanding staff opportunities and benefits
Improving staff training
Increasing revenue and profit
Maintaining your client base while growing your practice
Reducing waste and inefficiency
Preserving and Growing Your Business
When a problem becomes too big, and you don’t have the time to address it, that’s when you need help. Lockhart Consulting has the expertise and dedication to help you grow and keep your practice on the cutting edge of veterinary medicine.
training
Client Service
Your front desk personnel needs to be adequately trained to keep services moving, doctors informed, phones answered, emergencies handled, while presenting a friendly, empathic, and caring environment for clients and patients.
environment
Human Resource Management
Managing a staff is much more than simply following federal and state employment laws. To run an effective practice, doctors, nurse technicians, and front desk services need to be working together seamlessly. Adequate training and cross-training, clearly defined protocols, and effective leadership are all necessary for a positive work environment, an efficiently run practice, and excellent patient care.
budget
Finances
Creating concrete budgets and benchmarks will help you work towards your financial goals for the practice. Understanding what is driving your numbers, and how you can increase return on investment, will allow you to reach goals—whether it’s growing your revenue or working towards an exit strategy.
leadership
Operations
A strong leadership team, orchestrated by a Practice Manager who you can trust. With your team running day-to-day operations and helping you expand the business, you can focus on the medicine.
the people have spoken
Our Clients See Results
Revenue and profit growth
Increased efficiency
Modernized procedures and equipment
Enhanced client and patient experience
Expanded opportunities for staff development, growth and retention
“Shirley operates at a level of integrity and empathy that is unmatched.”
— Keith Delaney, CPA, CMA, MBA, CVA. Santora CPA Group
“Shirley is able to generate engagement & promote the development & retention of a cohesive staff.”
— Jeffrey Bowersox, DVM. DACVO
“No one is better qualified to help manage and organize your practice.”
— Mark Cofone, VMD, DACVS
Learn From Shirley In Person
Shirley has spent more than 30 years building hospitals, leading teams, and solving the operational challenges practice owners face every day.
She brings those lessons to conferences, association meetings, and leadership events across the country.
Upcoming Talk
Working Culture:
Team Ethics, Values,
and Having That Difficult
Conversation
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Red Bank, New Jersey
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Speaking Topics
- ✓ Practice Operations
- ✓ Leadership & Culture
- ✓ Profitability
- ✓ Team Accountability
- ✓ Practice Growth
- ✓ Ethical Leadership
Book Shirley For
- ✓ Veterinary Conferences
- ✓ VMA Meetings
- ✓ Leadership Retreats
- ✓ Practice Manager Events
Bring practical veterinary
insights to your next event.
You have Options to Grow your Practice and your Bottom Line
We take into account your goals, current business operations, and figure out what’s right for your practice.
Adding a new service
Client base analysis
Competitor analysis
Staffing and square-footage requirements
Associated costs and financing options
Updating technology
Strategic planning for costly technology updates
Film radiology to digital radiology
Efficient options for your Human Resources needs.
Automated appointment reminders
Automated client text messages
Transition to electronic files
Adjusting hours and fees
Evaluating elective surgeries and procedure bookings
Evaluating how appointments are captured
Evaluating fee structure
Evaluating staffing needs
Improving staff development
Evaluating staff trainings
Improving teamwork and communication
Enhancing career advancement opportunities
Offering benefits
Lockhart Services
Together we formulate a plan to accomplish all of your goals
Typical Engagement
Financial review and analysis
Fee evaluation and analysis
Operations management review and analysis
Human Resource Management
Staff review and analysis
Departmental procedures
Client services protocols
Inventory procedures
Pharmacy procedures review
Hospital protocols
6 - 12 month engagement
On-Site Visits
Initial assessment
Follow-ups
Video calls
Unlimited phone calls
Fee Overview
Clear, predictable investment and exactly what’s included—so you can plan with confidence and stay focused on medicine.
Value Delivered
Outcomes you can measure: what I’ll help you accomplish, fix, and avoid—backed by KPI tracking and disciplined execution.
What to Expect
My process—from discovery to implementation—is built to lighten your workload and drive strategic growth.
The Experience Behind the Advice
30
Years of Real-World Practice Management Experience
100+
Employees Scaled
on Growing Teams
on Growing Teams
$18M
Revenue Growth
from $0 to $18 Million
from $0 to $18 Million
about
Lockhart Consulting
Shirley Lockhart is an experienced veterinary management professional and consultant. During her 30 year career span, she has been instrumental in both the creation and growth of two veterinary hospitals.
Shirley and her furry best friend, Sandy.
Newark Animal Hospital
In 1990, Shirley began her career at a small general veterinary practice where she managed the day-to-day activities of running a clinic. Shirley performed everything from training the client services staff to managing payroll and budget. She was instrumental in helping the practice incorporate part-time specialty medicine, after hours emergency services and an internship program.
After ten years of being part of the management and growth at this practice Shirley then moved into a new venture, helping to develop and create a new Specialty Hospital.
Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware
Shirley helped build this hospital from the ground up. From the beginning they offered a variety of services, including Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Radiology and limited Emergency medicine. They later added Dentistry, Oncology, Physical Rehabilitation, Dermatology and Ophthalmology.
Shirley was influential in expanding the VSCD’s offerings. She helped them to grow from a limited hours emergency service to a 24/7, 365-day a year department with two criticialists and 7 ER doctors. She grew numerous other departments from one Specialist to two or three, including Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Ophthalmology. The hospital was also able to purchase state-of-the-art radiology equipment including ultrasound, digital x-ray, and a CT scan machine.
To grow the referral base of general practice veterinarians, as well as the client base, Shirley developed an accredited continuing education program. The program consisted of a variety of medical topics and included a full-day yearly program designed specifically for the practice management and leadership.
While enhancing the center’s growth, Shirley also efficiently managed a staff of over 100 people.
She was also instrumental in the sale of the practice to a large International corporation.
On the Cutting Edge of Veterinary Management
During her career Shirley continued to expand her knowledge base by earning an associate degree in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and a Master’s in Business Administration.
Shirley regularly attends Veterinary Conferences to keep herself on the forefront of Veterinary Management. She was also active in organizing and leading a regional practice managers group that brought together practice managers from multiple specialty and emergency hospitals to share the latest information and best practices.
commitment, quality, honesty
Our Promise to Our Clients
Contact
Tell Me About Your
Veterinary Practice
FAQs
What does Lockhart Veterinary Consulting do?
I partner with independent veterinary practice owners, medical directors, and practice managers to optimize their operations, finances, and team culture. I remove the day-to-day administrative burdens from your shoulders so you can focus on practicing medicine and providing high-quality patient care.
Who typically works with Lockhart Veterinary Consulting?
I work primarily with general companion animal practices, emergency clinics, and specialty hospitals seeking to move from "just surviving" to thriving. Whether you are looking to scale, improve staff retention, increase profit margins, modernize workflows, or prepare your business for a future exit or succession, my consulting is customized to your stage of practice.
What does a typical consulting engagement look like with Lockhart Veterinary Consulting?
Most partnerships are structured over a 6- to 12-month period. A standard engagement starts with a thorough operational and financial diagnostic, followed by on-site hospital visits, video strategy meetings, and continuous phone support to oversee implementation, track metrics, and keep changes on track.
Can Lockhart veterinary consulting assist with long-term strategic planning or equipment investments?
Yes. I perform market feasibility studies, competitor analyses, and financial modeling to help you decide when to add specialty services, transition equipment (such as upgrading to digital radiography or advanced diagnostics), expand your facility footprint, or adjust operating hours.
What operational areas can lockhart veterinary consulting help us improve?
My consulting addresses four main pillars of veterinary practice performance: hospital operations and workflow, financial management and profitability, human resources and team building, and client experience. Before we get started, I’ll meet with you to discuss your practice’s specific bottlenecks in these areas.
Is Shirley available for speaking engagements or leadership workshops?
Yes! I regularly speaks at veterinary conferences, veterinary medical association (VMA) meetings, leadership retreats, and practice manager forums across the country. Key topics include veterinary practice culture, team accountability, profitability, ethical leadership, and navigating difficult conversations.