From Giraffes & Gerbils to Industry Leader: Micah Kohles

From Small Town Nebraska to Veterinary Leadership: Dr. Micah Kohles' Inspiring Journey

Join us in this episode of Vet Life Reimagined as we delve into the fascinating career of Dr. Micah Kohles. Starting off in a small town in Nebraska, Dr. Kohles has built an impressive veterinary career that spans clinical practice, exotic animal care, industry leadership, and even founding veterinary practices.  Learn about the growing role of exotic pets, the importance of engaging with your local community, and why veterinarians must be part of pet health innovation. Tune in for honest and inspiring conversations that remind us of the many ways we can make an impact in veterinary medicine.

Episode on YouTube

Transcript

Micah Koles: [00:00:00] He had a mantra and it was doing the right things in the right way, at the right time for the right reasons with the right people.

Megan Sprinkle: Welcome to Vet Life Reimagined. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to build a veterinary career that blends clinical practice, exotic animal care, industry leadership, and even building new practices from the ground up. This episode is for you, Dr. Michael Kohles joins us today to share his veterinary journey from small town Nebraska to vet med leadership roles that span from practices owner to pet industry.

Dr. Micah was the veterinarian as Oxbow was a growing company, and he's currently on the board of directors for the World Pet Association. You'll hear how he turned a love of wildlife into a diverse veterinary career. The truth about working in industry and why we must keep veterinarians at the table of pet health innovation. Plus, we'll talk about the growing role of exotic pets in practice, different opportunities in the pet industry, [00:01:00] and the value of engaging in your local community. It's a very honest, inspiring conversation that reminds us how many ways we can make an impact. So let's get to the conversation with Dr.

Micah Kohles.

 When did you know you were interested in veterinary medicine?

Micah Koles: Well, first of all, thanks for having me. , second of all, super impressed with what you're doing. I, I think you're bringing a voice to veterinary medicine that a lot of us need and don't always know. So I, I applaud your efforts and you taking the time to, to, to put together this podcast and, and hope it continues to be successful.

So, You know, I was kind of a late bloomer , to be honest with you. So I, I went to the University of Nebraska, thought I wanted to be a human doctor and, and majored in biology all the way up to, let's see, it was towards the end of my second semester, my junior year, and I just, I.

Kind of had this epiphany. I was an EMT and I was working in the emergency room, and I'm like, man, like, you know, people, you know, aren't always honest with how they feel. And you know, they complain a lot and you have to deal with insurance. And I'm like, maybe I don't wanna work with, with humans. And so it was just kind of this pivotal night [00:02:00] getting home and it's like, well, I love medicine.

I love science. Wow. I, I grew up with animals. Let's explore that. So for me it was, it was really late. I remember applying to vet school and I'm like, list all the hours that you have. And I had like 40 hours and my friends were like, 2000. And I'm like, man, there's no chance. But, uh, I, I couldn't be more fortunate that I made that pivot.

And it's just been an amazing journey of a career thus far.   

Megan Sprinkle: So you said you grew up with animals, so do you mind sharing just a little bit about, how you were growing up and your relationship with animals that may have kind of affected your path in the future? 

Micah Koles: Yeah. And so, I'm not totally different, but this is another good example.

You know, we, we had the proverbial dog. We had the proverbial cat, and you know, they were awesome. I grew up in a great little small town of a hundred people called Holland, Nebraska, right outside of Lincoln. It was the kind of town where you left in the morning and you ran around all day with your friends, and you got home at eight o'clock at night, dirty and scraped up, and your mom and dad never worried about you.

You know, my connection to animals was not only through our dog and our cat, but it was [00:03:00] more connected through. The ecosystems and the environment around me. And so I was really fortunate. I grew up with fairly hippie-ish parents and so being ingrained in nature was just part of our lifestyle. You know, it was three or four nights a week we were going on a walk out in nature and out in the woods.

And I remember my dad, you know, explained to me what feces was and I'm like, dad, it's just poop. And he is like, no, no, it's feces and it's animals. And so it was just all of those little ecosystem discoveries for me. That I, I love the dog and the cat, but for me it was wildlife and it was seeing the migrations of, of waterfowl and, and the movements of different species depending on what mother Nature was doing or what, you know, their behaviors were driving.

And so that's really what kind of intrigued me to then pivot to veterinary medicine. And what kind of led me into a zoo and wildlife pathway to start, uh, even though I again, uh, kind of moved away from that as my career has gone on. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. So you, you started to get into the o other question that I love to ask, and that is, as you were getting into vet school, did [00:04:00] you have an idea of what you might do afterwards as your career?

And did that change at all? 

Micah Koles: Yeah, so you know, when I went to vet school, I actually applied, I think the year I applied, I was maybe the third or the fourth alternate. And it, in those days, Nebraska had a contract with K State, so only 25 students got in and, and I kind of applied with the mindset of, hey, like you just aren't ready.

You know, you may have the curriculums checked, but you don't have the experience. And I had this amazing. Nine month long West Coast Road trip with hiking planned out. And you know, lo and behold, I think it was the first part of August, I got a letter saying, Hey, you know, you're the third or fourth alternate, there's a spot for you.

And I had this amazing feeling of exuberance and excitement and like, just pure disappointment of like, I had this amazing road trip planned out, but ended up going to K State, you know, had an amazing experience and really went down there. Really without any clue where I wanted to do, I wanted to be a veterinarian.

I thought, and you know, early on I kind of got intrigued with, equine medicine. We had had a really amazing professor there named Dr. Earl [00:05:00] Gaughan, who just is one of those just guys that just exudes excitement and passionate about what he does. And so I kind of was drawn to that. And then, you know, putting cards on the table, I followed a girl that I kind of liked to wildlife rounds and I'm like, wow, like raptors and, you know, all kinds of different wildlife species, which kind of brought me back to those roots. , and then a gentleman named Dr. Jim Carpenter. He's kind of the godfather of exotic animal medicine for those of that are out there.

I just really connected with him. And I ended up being a work study for him and did a lot of work for him over the years and, you know, that really kind of then expanded my interest in zoological and wildlife medicine. and then, you know, didn't want to do an internship or residency much to his disappointment, which he still reminds me of today.

But, um, went to Kenya for six weeks in vet school, did some different, rotations at different zoos and. Then I'm like, man, zoo world. Like everybody wants to go there and the pays not that great and there's not that many jobs. And so then I'm like, get into private practice. Right? Get some experience.

So went out to Denver, was [00:06:00] an eight doctor, small animal, exotic practice, great first practice. You know, just the kind of practice where you're a new grad. You think you know what you're doing, but you have no clue. I remember like doing my first cat spay and I'm all nervous, right? And I'm strumming the dispensary ligament, which doesn't exist in a cat.

And then bam, there's the ovary. And I'm like, holy beep, right? And my technician's like, what are you worried about? All bleeding stops eventually. And then I'm like, is that good or bad? You know? But, um, I was just in a perfect environment where I got to see exotics with support. We had amazing technicians.

And you know, real quickly, lemme get on a soapbox. You know, what veterinary technicians do or nurses in our profession is so undervalued and so under spoken about, right? Like, there's very few good veterinarians out there that don't have multiple amazing technicians underneath of them. And I, I wish that section of our profession got more attention, more appreciation 'cause they really deserve it.

Um, I don't know how long you want this conversation to go, but I mean that, that, so [00:07:00] then I was in Denver and it was like, man, this is great, but just. Something was missing. And when we had our first child move back to Lincoln and worked at the Lincoln Children's Zoo, and then I had just the amazing opportunity to, to join a company called Oxbow Animal Health at that stage in the game.

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, no, you linked it for me. 'cause I wasn't quite sure how that all linked together, so that was perfect. Yes. Well I was, 

Micah Koles: I was at the zoo in Lincoln and in private practice and. I had actually gotten back and got into Master's in public administration just thinking I wanted to be a zoo director. And so, kind of was going on that pathway and just something kind of felt like it was missing.

And I'm like, man, what haven't I tried? Let's try industry. And, you know, Oxbow was a young, emerging, family owned, entrepreneurial driven company. John Miller was the owner I had known his daughter in, in undergrad. And, you know, he was kind of growing up at that stage in the game and he is like, Hey, we need a vet.

And he's like, I don't really know what I need you to do, but I know I need a vet. And so what do I have to lose? And, um, probably one of the most amazing and best decisions I ever single ever made, just because I was able to say, Hey, [00:08:00] veterinarian, but I'm gonna learn about quality assurance and product development and innovation and marketing.

And, you know, that also led me to the pathway of beginning to do a lot of lecturing and a lot of speaking, which is something I knew I had a passion for, but I, I didn't really know what. That passion I could do with it. yeah. Just led to an amazing 20 year run. Yeah. 

Megan Sprinkle: So, and we connected on this too, 'cause I still remember Oxbow one, I, I grew up with rabbits and so I used a lot of the products, uh, for my young age.

But going into vet school, like I remember we had oxbow reps come to vet school and talk with our zoo club and stuff like that. So. Just understanding a little bit more about Oxbow. I, I am kind of like, oh, you know, I really haven't stopped to think more about this company. Did that start in Nebraska? Do you?

It did, yeah. Yeah. John Miller. 

Micah Koles: John Miller was, a farmer by trade and he had a passion for growing hay, and he's like, man, Hay is becoming a commodity. How do I do something different with something I'm passionate about? Like I want to do it better than anybody [00:09:00] else. And it was right at the time where rabbits and Guinea pigs were becoming more of an ingrained part of our families, and that human animal bond was connecting.

And veterinarians were like, Hey, I got rabbits walking in the door and I don't really know what to feed 'em. And so. John really was at the perfect time, of bringing high quality nutritionally correct products by partnering with veterinarians because he is a farmer. He's like, I didn't, I didn't know. but he got the right people on board.

And then, you know, it's little cliche to say, but you know, he had a mantra and it was doing the right things in the right way at the right time for the right reasons with the right people. And to his credit, I just had an open house at my brand new vet clinic and he, he and his wife Pat, drove down, surprised me.

That's the kind of people they are, but he never wavered from that. You know, and so that's just what allowed Oxbow to become the company that it, it was. so yeah, it was just an amazing journey to try so many different things that I. I don't know how else I would've had that opportunity being able to stay in Nebraska, but yet connect to, to network of colleagues domestically, internationally.

And you know how veterinary medicine is, it's like every [00:10:00] person knows another person and they've all got their specialties, but above all, they just mostly love being veterinarians and they love connecting you with other people. 

Megan Sprinkle: Now. Because again, I can relate to about understanding all aspects of the industry side of things I think is really helpful to have just this robust understanding of all the parts that affect our patient care.

And you know, it comes down to it thinking back on having industry roles. And this is, this has been a little bit. A while ago. Uh, not to make you sound old, that's not what I mean, but I'm curious the evolution of the veterinary role in industry, how it was perceived. do you mind commenting on that just a little bit?

'cause I'm kind of curious your perspective there. 

Micah Koles: Yeah. I think number one, I think it's a great question. Number two, I, I think it is ever emerging and emerging at an accelerating pace. You know, when, when I joined industry. I didn't know anybody and frankly I didn't know anything, right? But I was kind of throwing in as like, Hey, build [00:11:00] a quality assurance program for us.

Like help us better connect to the vets, which we already were. How do we bring more science to our brand? And so for me it was just kind of like, Hey, I've got great people around me. I've got a great marketing guy, great sales person, and just let's throw stuff on the wall and kind of see what works. and I think that that was really successful for Oxbow because we didn't try to sugarcoat it.

We didn't try to say, Hey, we're gonna slap endorsed by veterinarians on the label, but we're not gonna back it up. Right? If we're gonna talk the talk, we're gonna walk the walk. And, and I think for me, that's what differentiated us. And for me it was even an epiphany. And, you know, my experience with veterinarians and industry.

Probably wasn't that positive because I always felt like, hey, they're walking in the door, they're throwing science at me, and then they're trying to pressure me into selling their drug. Or you know, this company taught my nutrition class at K State and gave me free food. And so I recommended that company for five years.

'cause I didn't know any better. Right. And I'm not saying that's bad. That's good marketing. But I, I think it [00:12:00] gave me a little bit of a jaded perspective of kind of leveraging and taking advantage of the DVM. And so for Oxbow, I had that in the back of my head and I knew what our brand stood for and for, it really allowed me to kind of reallocate how I felt like veterinarians should be framed in the industry.

And I think you continue to see the emergence of that, where it's not just a marketing ploy, it's like, Hey, we we're really gonna back our products in science. We're gonna do the research, we're gonna validate the efficacy, we're gonna. Stand behind if there's a recall, and we're gonna try to do things right. Now,

I think the consumer has a lot to do with driving that and demanding that, which is good. But I think companies have also realized the power of science is really powerful and sometimes it's not the short term transactional play. But if you're really in it for a long-term brand that's really consumer focused and animal centric, that's the right way to do it.

, so I don't know if I definitively answered your question there. but I think veterinarians continue and need to play more of a pivotal role for companies that are willing to do it the right way, , and really put the science behind it. [00:13:00] Let's be clear. We also live in a world of a lot of private equity and corporatization where it's like.

How do we take advantage of a brand and leverage it and then turn around and, you know, pivot and sell it in a couple of years? That's unfortunately a reality of the market we live in as well. But I'm excited by seeing more brands recognize the power of veterinarians. Truly engaging with those veterinarians.

And sometimes that's to the point of having a veterinarian on board. Sometimes it's, an advisory council or it's an advisory panel or you know, a group of veterinarians that are kind of the sounding board or reference place for them. And I applaud companies that are kind of willing to pull back the sheets and say, here's, here's who we are.

Help us be better. Help us validate, you know, these claims because you and I both know you stand in 80 foot of pet food at a pet food aisle. There's a good huge percentage of that that's just marketing baloney and fluff and whatever else gets the consumer to buy the products, not really the science of what's best for the animal.

Megan Sprinkle: And that comes to that wonderful role that the veterinarian does have. And I agree that [00:14:00] I have seen more and more companies understand the value of the veterinarian. Sometimes They don't fully understand it, but they understand that there is a, a part there and then the veterinarian can get in there.

Yes. Whether it's, like you said, whether it's advisory board, 'cause maybe not all companies can afford a full-time veterinarian, but we can have some really exciting impact. Yeah. With. Well collaborating with these industries. 'cause they also bring expertise in certain areas that we don't. But it is with the combination that makes the magic and I, I think, can ultimately enhance what we can offer pets in the long run.

Micah Koles: Well and, and the client education piece is a key component of that. You know, we talk about veterinarians, but again, let's bring up the unsung heroes. Let's bring up the veterinary technicians and veterinary nurses. And you know, while I love the engagement you're seeing, it's a little brutal as a practice owner because.

You're seeing these technicians get pulled into industry having great jobs and great benefits, which I love for them, but it's like, I still need somebody to work with me in the practice. But you know, [00:15:00] that consumer interface is huge as well. I mean, consumers want more information, and that's a great thing because the more educated they are, the more empowered they are to hopefully make the right decision for their pets.

And so I applaud that angle of it too, is like, you're right, veterinarians may not be, I'm not a nutritionist, right? I'm not out there on the production floor. So it's that commingling. Of kind of all of those expertise, but for companies that really engage in saying, Hey, this is a veterinarian or a veterinary technician, they're trained and educated to think about what's best for the animal and educate the consumer.

How do we hybridize that and kind of pull that all in line with the products that we're trying to put into the marketplace? 

Megan Sprinkle: I love this and I, I, we'll probably circle back, but I wanted to also highlight the exotics side of things too. 'cause it, it sounds like you were able to at least continue to have this as a part of your practice and, part of your career for a while.

Yeah. What have you kinda seen and noticed about the. Side of exotic care when it comes to veterinary medicine and how it's kind [00:16:00] of evolved, especially with, specifically your interests. 

Micah Koles: Yeah. And, and, and I, that's a fun topic. I get to talk about that a lot. You know, not only when I was with Oxbow, now that I'm not with Oxbow, but I'm still in that world.

Is that a, you're, you're looking at a section of our pet ownership that's really only existed for. What the last 25, 30. 35 years, right before that, if you owned a rabbit, you were probably going to eat it or turn it into a hat, right? That's probably 'cause all those were production animals, right, wrong or otherwise.

So it's kind of a cool little micro study because the human animal bond with these exotic companion mammals is fairly new compared to dogs and cats. And so. What you've seen is this, I want something different. Dogs and cats are fine, right? But I want something unique. But yet we're trying to catch up with nutrition because most of the nutrition research that's out there is in the production world, right?

And we're thinking production is big and fat quick. Well, that's not the lifestyle of a companion rabbit sitting on the couch, you know, watching Seinfeld with us. And so you're seeing this emergence of new information around longevity and quality of life that's being driven [00:17:00] by the consumer that has this emergent human animal bond.

I mean, rabbits are the third most commonly owned pet in the United States. And then rabbits, Guinea pigs, all of the exotic companion mammals, ownership numbers are growing at a faster rate than any other category. Now, they're never gonna hit the dog and cat numbers, right? But I think that's super cool because A, we get to see different trends.

B, it's a whole new opportunity for veterinarians. I think the last A VMA study said that only about 18 to 20% of veterinary practices see exotics. Well, you and I both know most of those are dabbler. They don't really wanna see 'em. There's just nowhere else to go. And so when I go talk to vet schools, you know I'm gonna be at Auburn and Tuskegee here in a couple weeks.

Like I always remind students like, you don't have to be an exotics expert, but medicine is medicine. And if you can see rabbits and Guinea pigs and chinchillas, and then even the whole extra reptiles in avian. That's no different than doing chiropractic or doing orthopedic surgery. It's a specialization, it's a differentiation.

Right. And you know, for me, I love [00:18:00] fat dogs who need their teeth cleaned. Right? Perfect as a veterinary practice owner, I don't mind crabby cats. Right? But that kind of gets old. So with exotics, you never know what's gonna walk in the door, right? So it just diversifies up that day, diversifies up your revenue stream.

And for me, as a veterinarian. It forced me to stop taking things for granted. I would walk into an exam room, there's a big dog, it's overweight. I'd do a quick five minute exam, and I'm out the door. And I remember thinking like I didn't do a good physical exam. I didn't get a good history, right? With exotics, if you do that, you're gonna miss something.

Right? So exotics is kind of this check and balance for me as a practitioner to really stay focused on clinical history and you know, getting a good physical exam and being good at my diagnostics plus. They have a rabbit and I'm willing to see their rabbit. Every rabbit owner knows 20 other rabbit owners and most of them have dogs and cats as well.

So it's just a great way to grow your clientele. and it's not going away. You know, people love something different. And we're talking about exotic companion mammals. We talk about reptiles and amphibians. [00:19:00] We talk about avian. You know, I've got a couple of good friends that do a large percentage of fish medicine.

What, like koi medicine? Yeah, so it's just, again, a great way to diversify medicine as medicine, but it kind of keeps you focused on thinking about what's new, what's different, what's unique, so on and so forth. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. Well first of all, I did not realize I was an early adopter as a child, that I was an early rabbit pet owner.

Uh uh, but, uh, no, that, that is really interesting we talked a little bit about this in our pre-call that a lot of people at some point in their veterinary journey, said I wanted to be a zoo vet, or wildlife or something. Yeah. So if it gives you that little bit of opportunity to continue your interest in different species, I think that's really cool to keep you personally engaged in what you do every day.

but yeah, I, you know, a business builder, an opportunity to. keep the whole staff encouraged because I, I know it may be some vet techs would love to be able to do some [00:20:00] exotics work Yeah. You got back to you, you find a good vet tech that can support you in those exotics. It's really important.

Yeah. So, you've done so much so you've. You've stayed in practice, you're doing exotics, you've worked with Oxbow on and off. You've also done a lot of teaching as well. So what interest you into the education side of things? I know you did that, everything from Oxbow where you went and talked to vet schools and things like that, but then actually working with a university.

Micah Koles: Yeah, so you know, early on at Oxbow, I mean one of the things when I became a veterinarian is I really learned early on that if you don't engage with the. The client, and if you don't take the time to educate them, many times they're gonna leave. Uncertain of what happened or, or where did their money go, or I don't really understand what's wrong with my pet, but I just spent $600.

Right. And that's frustrating for them and and disappointing. And so I learned early on that I have to spend the time to educate. I have to spend the time to talk to them because I want them engaged in the decision. I want them knowing [00:21:00] what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, and how I'm spending their money.

Right. And so then when I joined Oxbow, which was truly all about educating the owner, like. It was easy for me because it's like if I help the owner understand whether the owner is a pet owner or a veterinarian, if I help them understand what is natural for the animal and how the animal physiologically works, the product they choose to feed is gonna be easy.

 Right? You know, and so I would go into hospitals and, and veterinary schools and not talk about products, just talk about the animal. And so that was really what worked well for Oxbow. And it wasn't that it was like this concerted decision, it was just kind of this natural evolution of understanding.

Like if I stay focused on what's right for the animal, and I educate the consumer about that, they're gonna make probably the right decision at the end of the road anyway. so that was kind of the pathway for me and for Oxbow, it was just kind of a natural connection. It really just fit with the brand and it was kind of like, it wasn't like forced.

It was just the way that we knew we wanted and needed to [00:22:00] do it. And then it fit naturally for me because I love talking to consumers. I love educating, and it, it was this perfect connection. 

Megan Sprinkle: So throughout this whole time, were you still in practice? 

Micah Koles: Yeah. So when I joined Oxbow, I was full-time, uh, in clinical practice and still taking care of the zoo, but I just, I knew I needed something different.

And John Miller was really great because I said to him like, John, if I'm gonna be out lecturing at veterinary schools, right, and I'm gonna be in the booth talking about exotics, I gotta be doing it right because I remember sitting in lectures with a guy talking about doing this surgery that he probably hasn't done in 10 years.

And it just, that never sat well with me. And so John was really good. I said, Hey, let's, let's just start with three days a week. I'm still gonna practice 'cause I want to stay connected. And, you know, all the way up until the point that, you know, we sold oxbow and then when I later left Oxbow, I was still practicing, you know, usually only two or three days a month.

But it just really kept me grounded. In the reality of what's going on in the [00:23:00] reality of the world and connected to the consumer. 

Megan Sprinkle: Okay? Now you, you also. Founded several different veterinary hospitals, correct? 

Micah Koles: Yeah. Yeah, I have. Yep. 

Megan Sprinkle: You're, it's very hard to go through your, um, CV because there's so many things that overlap.

Yeah. So feel free to help me kind of smooth this through. Yeah. 

Micah Koles: So, you know, as I was practicing while I worked at Oxbow and I was working at a practices or doing relief work, I'm like. Kind of why am I working for other people? Like I had a passion for culture building, I had a passion for building teams and engaging people.

And I'm like, why don't I just buy a practice? And I remember my wife saying like, what did, what are you talking about? Like, why would you want to do that? And I just said, well, I'm gonna keep practicing. You know, eventually, at some point in time, I mean, I didn't know at that stage in the game that we were gonna sell oxbow, but I knew eventually I wouldn't be there.

So I bought one practice, uh, had a couple of great partners, uh, and then that turned into four practices. Kind of just on its own. And then there was this [00:24:00] pivot point of like, I love my wife, I love my family. Like I can't do all of these things. Lemme back up. I can, but I wasn't doing things well, right? It was just constant running, but just not doing things the right way.

And so when selling out to my partners, but I did buy the one practice in Hickman, which is south of Lincoln where I grew up. and again, amazing story, you know, just a practice where I was able to bring in people that, you know, when you meet those people during your journey that you're like. I don't know where or how, but at some point in time I wanna work with you again a couple of people that worked for me, worked at my original practice when I moved back from Colorado and it was like a decade later, I'm like.

You're just special. Like you're the person I can trust when you answer the phone, you could be having the crappiest day in the world and you put on that voice and you make every consumer and client feel like They're your only focus. And so I was just able to pull those people together, which is really nice because when you're out and you're an industry and you're traveling and you're not in the practice every day, you gotta have the right team, right?

and so. That [00:25:00] was that practice. We just moved into our brand new building, which is super exciting. Had our open house, so we went from 1400 square feet to 5,000 square feet. a brand new facility, which is exciting. and just to add more juice to the, to the slushie. I, I'm gonna open another one here, south of Lincoln or South of Omaha.

 cause I, I love connecting with small communities. You know, veterinary practices are really. They're stakeholders in small communities, and I think there's pros and cons to the corporatization of veterinary medicine. I don't wanna say it's all bad, even though we've seen horror stories, I've also seen some corporations do a good job.

I think the true innate history and what is the best for veterinary medicine is privately owned practices. And so I want to kind of expand that as far as I possibly can, in my local area. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, I love talking to veterinarians who speak to that being so ingrained into the community with their practice.

And I'll be honest, I don't know much about Nebraska, so do you you mind sharing a little bit about either the community and what you like about it and [00:26:00] maybe some interesting things that you've done that you think maybe would be value adds to other people as they kind of learn how to do this too? 

Micah Koles: Yeah, you know, I'm born and raised in Nebraska, so I'm a little bit jaded, but I've been super fortunate, like I said, through my career, not only 'cause I had parents that were like, we're gonna go explore, but you know, in veterinary medicine I was a scma delicate, so I wanted to get out.

And then, you know, after veterinary medicine, I've always been a big believer in organized veterinary medicine and then in oxbow allowed me. But you know, you meet all kinds of cool people, but there is something unique to Nebraska and it is rooted in the human beings that live here. Like it really is like, you know, there's the Midwest way of life and there's the Midwest people and you know, people talk about it, but man, Megan, like I've been all over the world and there's amazing people everywhere.

But when you just talk about salt of the earth, hardworking, the general good of all, looking out for other people, doing what's right, kind of back to John Miller's mantra, they're here. I mean, and, and that's the thing for me that when I was in Denver, it was great. I got to ski, I [00:27:00] got a mountain bike. Just, it wasn't the same people.

Lots of good people. And so I just, I love the seasons. I love being outside and you know, it's just a great place to raise a family. I mean, it's simple to put. , and so that's kind of why we ended up back here. My wife's from Iowa, which is. Not quite as good as Nebraska, but it's pretty close. Um, hopefully she hears this.

Um, but it's just a great place and a lot of good human beings. And again, you know, just looking out for each other and, and doing things kind of for the right reasons at the right time. So that's why it's always kept me grounded, you know, again, I've been, I'm lucky to go to some amazing places, but coming back here just reminds me that at the end of the day, it's about family, it's about friends, it's about the home you come to.

And the older I get, the more I love just coming home and, you know, you know, feeling, sitting on the couch, relaxing with family. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, you mentioned open house. So is that, do you have those kind of things with the community ever? The open houses? Any ways you kind of engage? 

Micah Koles: Yeah, a hundred percent. You know, this was kind of a unique situation 'cause we were moving into a brand new practice, [00:28:00] uh, Hickman, the town we're in is only about 1500 people.

It's, it's a kind of a bedroom community of Lincoln. but what you find, and this is when I, I describe Hickman, where I grew up. You know, it's this town where in Coles pulls an old rusted out El Camino, and then there's a brand new Cadillac Escalade. But it's this amazing co-mingling, and I can say this of redneck farmer Nebraskans and you know, Southern Lincoln yuppies, but they co-mingle and they interact and it's just this.

Cool blending and hybridization of people that all have the same root passion and that's the care for their pets. And so, um, that's what I love about that community. Lincoln's a great town, but I love being on the outside where you get a little more of the ag base. Uh, one of my veterinarian, I've got two great veterinarians, Dr.

Michelle Pardy, who I graduated from high school with undergrad and vet school with, which is pretty crazy. and then Dr. Katie Roth, who graduated from Iowa State, she does some equine work. So we just got a really great team and try to stay rooted in the community. 

Megan Sprinkle: Oh wow. So, you know, one of the hot [00:29:00] topics right now is access to care and getting out into, more of the rural areas Is that something that you see as well and, and how do you shape your business model to, yes. I mean, you've been successful, you're opening up multiple practices, you're, you're getting newer facilities. How do you kind of address that hot topic. 

Micah Koles: Yeah, I think there's a couple of things that I think are essential to that.

Number one is not getting too big for your britches, right? Just 'cause you got a new building and you got all the bells and the whistles. Doesn't change the fact that you need to serve all consumers. And one of the things that I've always told veterinary students and I had to learn early on, right?

As a young new grad, you make some bad choices. You don't think through things. But I've always remind people, is it, it's not our job to decide for consumers It's our job to give them every single option and let them know that we're gonna support them whichever direction they choose. And so I've really tried to keep my staff rooted in that, that hey, you may have a client walk in and they may be dressed in a way that you're like, they can't afford [00:30:00] anything.

That's not our job. Our job is to educate them about every option that we can offer them, or every option we can give them. I love to refer. I love, you know, the punt is what I say, because if it's a chance for a better experience and a better outcome. Everybody wins. But if I'm not giving them every option and letting them know that I'm gonna support them in every option, I, I'm doing them a great big disservice.

And I, I do think that's one thing that is, we've seen prices skyrocket and we've seen that happen. I think that's getting lost. And you know, imagine being a young family and you take your furry pet in there and it's your furry child and you're like, Hey, either spend five grand or your animal's gonna die.

And I hear those conversations all the time, and that's brutal. Like, yeah, that may be gold standard, but you gotta talk to 'em about the other options and educate them and help them to decide. but to kind of circle back to your question, so we serve, probably eight or 10 small communities. And so my goal is just to make sure that they know that we're there, and that we try to get to them as best we possibly can.

And sometimes that's with ours. Sometimes that's with house calls. [00:31:00] But then also, like Dr. Roth who I mentioned, she's from an even smaller town called Desler. They have no veterinary medicine. So this was her idea. She's gonna go down there one day a month and she's gonna do a little clinic at the fairgrounds.

Now let's be clear, it's not gonna be this amazing profit center for us. That's not what I'm after. She wants to engage in that community. She wants to bring those services to that community because there's a need. And at the end of the day, you do those things, it's gonna make sense and it's gonna figure itself out financially for the practice long term.

Plus, I see her just brimming with pride of being able to go back to her community and serve them. And then that's that whole work life balance and that engagement piece that we're we're struggling with in veterinary medicine right now. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. so glad I, I asked. I've only been to Omaha, and I'm sure that is not the best representation of the entire state.

So, uh, 

Micah Koles: Omaha's a great town, but it, it's as big city as we can get. Um, but I, you know, for those people who haven't been to Nebraska, shame on you, but I'll forgive you. Um, it doesn't look that amazing or [00:32:00] that sexy, uh, but there is so much here. And I love the slogan that our tourist committee came up "Nebraska: t's not for everybody" because it's not. But there are places like the Sandhills, if you ever get the chance, the Sandhills of Western Nebraska, like you can stand on these bluffs and look over these natural Fred Rivers and you know, I always joke that it's like there's probably been 50 people standing here and half of them were Native Americans.

Right. There's just an anatural grounding to it and a history to it that I think gets lost with everybody who lives on the coasts. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. All right. So we're gonna send a bunch of people your way to their vacation. 

Micah Koles: Yeah. Come down. 

Megan Sprinkle: Awesome. well, earlier you mentioned your interest around organizations or organized medicine, and so you have several different organizations you've been a part of.

yeah. And, and so do you mind speaking to that maybe one that. I, I do definitely wanna come back to the WPA, but, some of the other ones, the PET care Trust board of directors, the PET Advocacy Network. Yes. So there several different [00:33:00] ones. Share a bit about those. 

Micah Koles: Yeah, I think for me it started in vet school.

Like I saw the power of organized veterinary medicine. I saw the power of just organization and structure around wherever your emphasis and your priority were. So, like I said, I was fortunate to be elected as SAVMA delegate. Really got connected to the A VMA and just saw the power of that voice, right?

And so as I moved through my career, I always believed in engaging in, in groups that were doing and bettering and pushing and evolving sections of our, profession. So A VMA is obviously kind of the light bearer for the entire profession, but as you know, and I hope most veterinarians know, there are so many subsets and categories, you know, whether it's the surgeons or the internal medicine, or even for me being the, you know, the exotics guy.

The Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the Reptile Amphibian Association, Zoo vets, like these amazing groups of individuals that are ridiculously passionate about what they're doing. And not only are they consolidating around maintaining what's best practice, holding everybody to a standard, because there's always gonna be those that are pushing [00:34:00] a lower standard and we need to get 'em out of the way.

But also, how do we push the evolution of the organization and that profession? So for me, association of exotic mammal veterinarians was a key one because it was obviously a key partner for Oxbow, and so I was fortunate to get involved there and eventually be president, which mostly has a lot to do with organizing the conference, right?

Where veterinarians can, you know, VMX is a great conference, Western is a great conference, but for those that really want to dial in on a topic, you know, going to a conference like A EMV or AAV. Really allows 'em to get into those tracks that are very specific. And you know, Megan, there's a lot more exotic only practices in the United States than most people realize.

and so that's kind of why I wanted to dig into those organizations is (A), I felt like I could provide a voice, a perspective, and I just love being a part of pushing forward, a part of evolving a part of. Kind of challenging the status quo, and moving our, our organization and our profession forward because there's a lot of threats.

You know, there's a lot of challenges, whether it's regulatory or animal welfare organizations who think they're doing what's [00:35:00] right, but they're playing on people's, you know, passions and emotions, but not on logic. Like there's a lot of challenges and threats to veterinary medicine and a lot of misinformation.

But consumers buy into it and they get distracted and they get confused. And so that's why I believe so much in organized veterinary medicine is to continue to push us forward and hold us accountable.

You know, I mean, I was fortunate to be on the board of veterinary medicine and surgery for the state of Nebraska. Um, we have to hold veterinary medicine to a high degree because if we don't, we can begin to erode everything that so many of us work so hard for. 

Megan Sprinkle: And the other thing that I have found too.

Is you start to meet other people that are also passionate about moving things forward and making a difference. Hundred percent. So in your, working with these different organizations, have you seen that too? Is just networking and, and surrounding yourself with those individuals, 

Micah Koles: so many amazing people.

Right. And you know, I think for me, I found that invigorating because it made [00:36:00] me want to be better. It's like, I think I'm doing okay and then I'm like, oh my gosh. I met Dr. Kimba Marshall and I met Dr. Doug Mader, and I met Dr. Dan Johnson. You know, I meet all these other people that, like when I first started, I'm like reading their textbooks, right?

I remember this super early lecture. I got invited to speak in, in actually in Tasmania as part of an Australian conference, and I was lecturing on Rabbit Nutrition. And in the front row with this amazing human being. Her name's Dr. Frances Harcourt-Brown. She's literally the fairy godmother of rabbit medicine.

And I'm standing there, this redneck Nebraskan about ready to give a lecture and she wrote the book and she's sitting in the front row. So like, I'm trying not to pee my pants. As I'm standing there, Megan, and, and I give this lecture, which is probably fairly average, and she comes up to me afterwards and she, and, and she's English, sweetest human being ever.

She's like. It was a really nice lecture. Here's a few areas that you might, you know, I would love to give you some more information on, like, but it was this amazing compassion and support, but what did she [00:37:00] also do? She challenged me to be better. You know, so that's what I've just found with so many people as I've gone through this profession and you know, even though I'm not currently full-time in industry.

So many of these people have become my friends. They've become, you know, people that we may talk veterinary medicine or we may just talk about what's going on in their lives and, and that's a common theme in veterinary medicine as a whole. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, absolutely. I think this is something we kind of shared as well is as more veterinarians get into industry roles, a lot of times it may be you are the only veterinarian in that organization and all the more reasons to get involved so that you have your network and stay in touch on the veterinary side because no one quite understands it, like another veterinarian or, or ve even veterinary technician, right?

Correct. But I, I think that's. An additional add is like, get involved and make sure that you're, you're keeping those connections to keep yourself mentally strong. 

Micah Koles: Yeah, and I think, you know, again, we talk so much about veterinarians, [00:38:00] it's veterinary nurses and veterinary technicians, you know, and even that I've gotten more connected in the vet industry, in the pet industry.

It's just other people in the industry as a whole. You know, like we love to give salespeople a hard time, but there's some amazing salespeople that have been in the veterinary industry for years and years and years. And they may not be veterinarians by degree, but they're veterinarians by their heart and they're veterinarians by what they've learned and kind of developed over time.

And you know, some of those people have an amazing journey as well. And you know, they're part of our profession even though they don't have the DVM or the VMD or whatever degree behind their name. 

Megan Sprinkle: And just building that community, of understanding. And, and this is perfect segue 'cause I did want, like I said, I wanted to come back to the World Pet Association, WPA and that is there, it's just a whole nother world, on the pet industry side sometimes.

So being able to, in a very open, curious way, ask your sales rep, help me better understand how this works. Like even if it is like, this part has to be marketing because we have to, I mean, the product [00:39:00] is, is great, but if the pet owner doesn't buy it, it doesn't ever get into the bowl. Right? Right. So there's like a whole network of different things that you have to understand and.

When you are nice to each other and open and you're communicating, they can give you some light into that side of things. Yes. And they can advocate for you if you have a, some feedback, for example. Yeah. I, I think it, it's just so important to keep those. lines of communication flowing instead of having this wall of like, that's industry.

This is veterinary medicine, and we shall not cross the line. which is really neat when someone. Mentioned you and that I should interview you. I saw that you were on the board of directors for the WPA and for those who aren't, uh, knowledgeable about that, that's a really big organization on the pet industry side of things.

Do you mind sharing how you got involved and just kind of your experience with being able to kind of straddle both sides? 

Micah Koles: Yeah. So, you know, being in industry on the [00:40:00] pet side, you know, Oxbow was a veterinary endorsed brand, but most of our products were consumer focused and consumer driven, whether it was mass or e-commerce or whatever.

Right. And so I was going to SuperZoo and I was going to Global and just representing our brand there. And so I, I quickly saw an opportunity where there's some education going. But not nearly enough. And so, you know, I'm not very shy if you haven't figured that out already. And so I just saw this opportunity where I can bring information and certainly some of it was like, Hey, this is my job at Oxbow.

But also there's just a need, right? So many consumers are feel still feeding measly mixes and seed base mixes because they just don't know any different. And so. I offered to lecture and got connected with Super Zoo and started lecturing out there at their conference every year. And then I saw the opportunity of like, wow, I'm one of maybe one or two vets that lecture every year.

And you walk the Super Zoo trade floor, which is insane. I mean, it's makes VMX look small and there's hardly any veterinarians around here like. Why is there such a gap? Why is there such a disconnect? Like we're tying to the same [00:41:00] consumer, you know, there's a lot of veterinarians that are doing it the right way.

There's a lot of pet companies that are trying to do away, there's certainly some that aren't, right, but yet, why is there such a disconnect? And so that's what made me kind of say like, how can I, I. As one guy, I'm not gonna fix this problem, but how can I get better connected to the pet industry? And so that's how I kind of started to connect through lecturing.

Then got connected with WPA and some early board members there, and was, and was fortunate to get appointed and then onto the executive board. And so it's been an amazing journey because it's opened my eyes to the pet industry. Which is, is unique, but yet also very, very different. Right. but it's also made it crystal clear that we're not always gonna agree and we're not always gonna play in the same

sandbox, but there is a lot of roadway that we're, we're both living on, we're both driving. How do we get better alignment, better support. and so we're starting to do some of those things. You know, you mentioned Pet care trust. Uh, it's a really, really cool board pet advocacy network. You know, both organizations that I was fortunate to serve on as part of WPA, but Pet Care Trust has [00:42:00] pets in the classroom.

It's an entire program around how do we get pets into classrooms for children to have that pet interaction. Maybe they don't have it at home, but to help them understand how you care for. Pet advocacy network, which is the kind of the lobbying advocacy arm of the pet industry. Like I said, you know, veterinarians are getting beat up by animal welfare.

My goodness, the pet industry is getting even more killed by animal welfare. You know, just crazy people that don't get it. Right. And so, there's so many of those, again, good organizations trying to do the right thing in the right way, and I want to consolidate that. We don't need to be doing the same thing in vet and the same thing in pet.

And we're not even talking, we're not sharing dollars, we're not sharing ideas. And again, we may not align on everything. There's a lot of things that we have similar goals and outlines on. Let's at least work together where we can and man, like we've done a few things, but we're just scratching the tip of the iceberg, uh, with the opportunity.

Megan Sprinkle: Totally agree. So I just got back from Global and I did get to present on a, a couple of different sessions, [00:43:00] and the one where I presented at the actual global, uh, learning series it was very well attended.

I had a line of people who wanted to talk to me afterwards, and I, I don't think this is just because I was a riveting speaker. I think they were so excited to see someone with my credentials. That were there, like you're a veterinarian, you're a nutritionist, you're talking to us. This is so exciting. Like they want to to talk with us.

They want us to be part of it. And I think that's so encouraging I, I want people to know that, so I'm gonna shout it from the rooftop just a little bit because again, I, I think we have more of that opportunity, like you said, to work together. 

Micah Koles: Yeah. 

Megan Sprinkle: And again, the more that we can work together, we share our different perspectives and Our backgrounds, our knowledge, the better we can make things. ultimately everything from getting better products to educating clients better. 'cause we're all kind of working together for the same, the same goal. [00:44:00] 

Micah Koles: Totally. And you know, and I, I've been fortunate to lecture to, to vets, to vet students, whatever, you know, the veterinarians are, are a key stakeholder, but what we have to remember is that, you know, technicians and assistants, and, you know, groomers, they're all animal health professionals.

I, I just spoke at a conference on groomers in Atlanta and I love talking to groomers. One, there's gonna be more shades of hair color and more tattoos in that room than any other place. But these are people that are just passionate about animals and they're not sitting in my lecture. 'cause they have to, they actually want to learn.

And to your point, Megan, it's like you're a vet and you're willing to come talk to us as groomers. And I'm like, hell yeah. Why wouldn't I be? But they're used to kind of getting the cold shoulder, kind of feeling like the, you know, the redheaded stepchild of the animal health world. But at the end of the day, I always tell him.

I see pets once or twice a year. You see 'em eight or six or eight times a year. Like you can identify more disease than I am. So let's empower them, let's educate them, let's bring them to the table. Especially as we continue to get more in this world of, of telemedicine and the [00:45:00] disconnect, and owners not wanting to bring their pets into the clinic.

We gotta get better at getting our hands on 'em or touching 'em, and it's not gonna just be veterinarians. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. Uh, funny that you said that, 'cause I was in one of those learning sessions and they talked about the statistics of where people go to for advice for their pets. And that pet, store owner is really riding up in the ranks of where pet owners are going to ask questions about their pets.

And so all the more reasons to build a good line of communication with that audience because they are gonna be a. They already are a very big part of that pet ecosystem. Yeah. And the, the more that we can align, maybe the more that they'll feel comfortable sending them to us, you know, when we really need it.

And like all those things that kind of come with it. And you're right, the people that were coming up to talk to me afterwards, their backgrounds were so diverse. I had the small mom and pop, store owner that came up to me. [00:46:00] Journalist, you know? Yeah. People from that were. Making products that we're curious.

So I mean, it's, it is just kind of neat. All the different backgrounds that are really excited to all work together. And so, yeah. Yeah, I, it just makes me very excited and I, I just want, again, to let the veterinary side know how many opportunities, one, if you feel really strongly about something, in a nice way, go and talk about it.

Go meet them where they are, ask questions. Yes. Share your thoughts about it. For those that are, are wanting side projects to do, go join advisory panels, all these kind of things that can allow you to expand your reach and your interests. 

Micah Koles: Yeah. And, and you go where they are is something you just said.

And I think that's so important. Like, you know. You and I are fortunate to have an amazing degree, and with that degree comes credentials and it comes respect, which should, should be earned. But we also shouldn't take advantage of that, right? Like, you know, we need to go where these people [00:47:00] are. We need to understand that like as a professional, and if we want to be leaders of the industry and we wanna be out in healthcare professionals, we can't just sit in our practices, on our chairs and expect everybody to come to us, right?

Go to those grooming shops, go to those pet stores and say, hey. I'm a local veterinarian. I'd love to work with you. Can I come in and do a lunch and learn and you know, if for no other reason you're gonna provide better education. And frankly because some vets only think this way, it's gonna be better for your bottom line eventually as well.

And then the pet's gonna benefit right in the middle of that. And so that's something I, I really push my vets to do is get involved in the community, go out and, and meet with people. And you know, because there's a lot of people looking for information and either they don't feel comfortable going to the vet or they don't know the power of that relationship.

And it just, it just makes us miss opportunities. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, absolutely. Well, is there anything else that you feel like we, we kind of missed that you wanna kind of wrap up one last time? 

Micah Koles: we've covered a lot of ground.

I mean, I, I think. You know, one of the things I would say, and, and this is [00:48:00] something that I, I think we need to pay attention to. I, I talk to a lot of veterinarians and one of the things I'm hearing more and more of that is just so disheartening for me is they're like, Hey, you know, my kids said they wanted to be a veterinarian.

I told 'em, you don't want to do that, and I'm just. You know, you hear it once or twice and you're like, okay, whatever. Right. But when you're starting to hear it a lot by people that you know are good veterinarians, it's disheartening to me. And I, I think, you know, that we have to continue to kind of ask the question of why are vets saying that?

And, you know, you know, there's a lot of challenges to veterinary medicine, but, we can't stop having great people come into the industry because they're afraid of it or they're uncertain about it. You know, we're continuing to see more and more for-profit veterinary schools, which can be done right.

But also leads to a lot of veterinarians that probably shouldn't have gotten into vet school in the first place, graduating with a huge amount of debt. Right. But I just, I think we have to continue to challenge the A VMA and other large organizations to continue to dive into. What is changing in the culture of veterinary medicine?

You know, [00:49:00] we're aware of the compassion fatigue and, you know, the, the just disgusting rates of suicide and the challenges of the worklife balance and all of those deserve attention. But I think we also have to continue to challenge ourselves to say, how do we continue to be a profession people want to become a part of?

And I feel like that's changing a little bit and that just kind of scares me because far too often when those changes, those patterns begin to emerge. You're kind of already missing a little bit of that tipping point, if that makes sense. And so I really hope that as veterinarians, we continue to ask the question like, why are good veterinarians saying that?

Why are they saying to themselves like, I have a seven yearold little girl, and she says she wants to be a vet. And I'm like, that's amazing. I can't wait for you to be a veterinarian. But yet I ask a lot of vets and I hear them say like, no, don't be a veterinarian. You don't wanna do that. I wanna make sure that we're attacking that and understanding that, because very quickly that could change the overall ecosystem, in not a positive way.

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. Well, so we, we end really well on that point. [00:50:00] What ultimately keeps you engaged? What ultimately. Keeps you excited about being in veterinary medicine? 

Micah Koles: You know it, it's easy to say it's the pets, but for me it's probably the people . To be honest with you, and you know, I don't know that I've really thought about that until you just kind of said it.

Like nothing's better than laying on the floor, making out with a golden retriever puppy. Like, don't get me wrong, but to be able to be a part of a pet owner's journey and to be there in a time of need. You know, I remember the first time I euthanized a pet that I had seen as a puppy and going through that entire life's journey and knowing that that pet owner trusted me and valued my input and relied on me, and that, frankly, I didn't take advantage of that, right?

Is such a powerful experience and it's, it's super emotional. You know what I mean? And so for me, being able to help pet owners have the human animal bond, which there's nothing [00:51:00] better, right? You know, humans are great, but we can all be jerks and butt heads. Pets for the most part. Yeah. Some cats are buttheads and they're good at it, right?

But most pets, all they want is a place to sleep and food and water. I mean, we should all live our lives through the lens of a golden retriever. Like, can you imagine like if we acted like golden retrievers and woke up, how much better our world would be? But for me, it's being able to help pet owners, to be able to educate them, to support them, to not make them feel dumb because they don't know, to give 'em a, a, a safe space where they can ask a question and not feel stupid.

Or not be taken advantage of it. It's the people and then it's the people in the industry because there's just so many good people really, really working hard. And you know, I want those people to continue to push back on the bad corporations, the corporations that are doing crap for no other reason that they can pretend like they care about the pet owner.

They care about the bottom line and there's more and more of those companies too, and I want to attack them and beat them down, because that's not what we should be doing. We should be putting the pet owner [00:52:00] first and then putting the pet in conjunction with the pet owner. That should be our only priority.

Sorry, like, give me a podium. That was a little overboard. 

Megan Sprinkle: No, no, that's good. And, and you know, back to what you said, I didn't really think about it until you asked the question. Yeah. Sometimes it helps just to check in and say, what am I grateful for? It's like, you know, those moments of why am I still here?

And I think that's, that's important. That can help us, us, as on an individual level for sure. 

Micah Koles: Yeah, 

Megan Sprinkle: I hope you enjoyed this fascinating veterinary story. We can make an impact in so many places. Check out the show notes for lots of resources. Please make sure you are subscribed on your podcast app. Subscribe on the YouTube channel and follow me on LinkedIn where I hang out the most. You can contact me on LinkedIn on the website@vetlifereimagine.com.

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