Ai powered, or AI distracted?

You don’t want to let anyone down. So you say yes to the extra appointment, answer the message after dinner, and put your own plans off until things settle down. And then you wonder why you’re exhausted. In this episode we're joined by Tracy Secombe, physiotherapist, business owner and creator of Soul Pleaser, about the connection between people pleasing, high achievement and burnout. We explore the warning signs that are easy to dismiss as normal adult life, the guilt that comes with setting boundaries, and an awkward trap for practice owners: being too exhausted to put the changes in place that would make you less exhausted. In this episode: The five stages of burnout, and recognising where you sit

What if the biggest obstacle to feeling better in your practice isn’t what’s happening around you, but the story you’re telling yourself about it? After a conference session on joy in veterinary practice took a decidedly joyless turn, Sam started thinking about why some people seem to stay stuck in frustration, worry or overwhelm, and how much control we actually have over our emotional default. In this episode, Sam unpacks the stories, rules and expectations that shape how we feel, behave and lead. He shares a simple three-part tool for changing your state in the moment, explains why “everything is broken” is rarely the full story, and reveals how his own need to be constantly progressing made it almost impossible for him to properly switch off. This isn’t about 'silver-lining' your challenges. It’s about responding to those realities without handing them control of your inner world. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to recognise your “home emotion”, including the ones that have become so familiar you barely notice them Why the story you repeat to yourself can become a self-reinforcing loop The triad of state, focus and language, and how changing any one of them can change how you feel Why you shouldn’t trust every thought you have How words like “always”, “everyone” and “nothing” make difficult situations feel even worse The emotional rules that can make happiness, progress and a good workplace almost impossible to achieve How expectations of employees, friends and partners create resentment Why removing the emotion can make difficult workplace conversations easier Three practical exercises for unpacking your stories and shifting your emotional state

Sam’s just back from the States and the big takeaway is this: the problems are exactly the same: mindset, money, leadership, marketing. Same challenges, different accent.One thing that stood out, though, is how quickly the conversation has shifted from “we’re flat out, don’t send us any more clients” to “how can we find, serve and keep the right ones?”That’s where this week’s guest comes in. Sam has unearthed a system that uses AI to dramatically increase both the number and the quality of Google reviews a practice receives. Not by gaming the system, but by removing all the friction that normally stops clients from leaving feedback.Leeor Meirovitz built this system, and he’s here to tell you all about why practices who are using it are reporting not only startling results in their reviews, but also happier teams, easier recruitment, and a noticeable lift in how the whole place feels.Somewhere in your practice right now there are clients who would happily tell the world how good you are. This episode is about making sure they do. Leeor’s work: X18 Agency After 15 years owning Practices and helping 257+ Veterinary Practice Owners, Sam's seen the same pattern: brilliant Vets grinding through long weeks, wondering why success still feels so far away. The answer isn't working harder. It's building a Practice that supports your life instead of consuming it.Visit acceleratepracticeacademy.com to discover how Practice Owners across Australia, the US, New Zealand, and Canada learn to enjoy their Medicine, their Business, AND Life again - without the sacrifice. You'll find free resources, real success stories, and ways to work with Sam directly.

Most people, when asked what share of the responsibility they carry for the happiness of their marriage, will say 50%. Shane Barker reckons that's the answer that ends partnerships. Because the moment you start keeping score, you're opening the door to resentment We wrap up our series on partnerships with Sam's business partner , Shane Barker, with a conversation about how to turn your business partnership into a relationship that multiplies, not just maintains: the habits that keep a partnership healthy, the failure points that show up long before anyone says the word "exit", and how to get out of a bad one without setting fire to your money and your reputation on the way through. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "never let anything fester" is the number one rule The cadence question: why monthly partner meetings are too far apart, and what Sam and Shane do instead Addition versus multiplier - why two good vets joining forces should produce ten times the output, not twice, and what has to be true for that to happen Zone of genius and swimming in your own lane: helpful words rather than helpful hands The three warning signs that a partner has already started planning their exit Why playing with a scoreboard guarantees resentment, and the 100% rule that replaces it When it can't be saved: what a good shareholders agreement does that a bad one doesn't, and why pragmatism beats principle every time

Most people choose a business partner the way they'd choose a dinner date: based on who's sitting in front of them right now. Sam's business partner Shane Barker reckons that's the trap. Use the marriage analogy again and it becomes obvious: who you dated, who you got engaged to, who you married in year one - that's not who you're living with fifteen years later. So the question isn't "are they great today?" The question is "can we evolve together?" In part two of this three-part series, Sam and Shane get practical about selection. Fourteen years in business together, hundreds of partnerships observed through coaching, and a previous career spent divorcing people for a living. They know what the early warning signs look like. They also hand over the actual tools they use to assess someone before a shareholders agreement goes anywhere near a lawyer. In this episode, you'll learn: The six human needs, and why sharing at least one of your top two with a partner predicts whether you'll agree on direction for the next decade Why significance as a primary driver is the one to watch, and what happens when two partners both have it The profiling tools worth running before you sign, and what each one actually tells you Why a good partner should be a reflection of your lacking components, not a copy of you The testing phase: how one multi-site owner trialled potential partners for years before offering equity Why "if you can't discuss the breakup at the start, don't do the deal", and what a sunset clause needs to cover Whether your best mate is ever a good candidate (short answer: proceed with caution)