A New Year Brings Great Changes and a Renewed Commitment
Reading Time: 4 minutes
By Linda Kaplan, MHA
A few weeks ago, my neighbor went outside at 7:00 am to walk her dog. Across the street, she heard a ‘meow’ and saw a stray kitten searching for help. She crossed the street and scooped up the tiny cat to provide warmth and security. I soon received a ‘what to do?’ call… do I want it? Do I go to a shelter? Do I call my veterinarian?
Her daughter had moved home a few months earlier after graduating from college and had desperately wanted a cat. “No, no, no….no more pets,” as their elderly cat had passed away earlier in the year. Their dog was enough. But the universe had other plans. Within a matter of hours and after a thorough exam by their veterinarian, “Cosmo” was now part of their family.
I live in a semi-remote area of suburbia in southern California where coyotes are frequent visitors. It is truly amazing that the person who dumped the kitten, timed it as such that pet owners would be out and about, and the coyotes had retreated for the morning. One hour earlier, and Cosmo could have been breakfast for a local prairie wolf.
Normally, this would be a nice, simple story. But as this is the beginning of a new year, I feel compelled to share that this is actually a story of renewal. You see, my neighbor’s daughter is now relocating to Chicago for work. The kitten is too small and too young to travel. So, Cosmo is staying behind until he is old enough and strong enough to travel. And last week, as we exchanged holiday gifts with our dear friends, we were all deeply moved as we said goodbye to the kitten that would be boarded while they moved their daughter to the Windy City. But let me set the record straight… we were all sad about the kitten being boarded for a few nights, not the daughter moving. I mean we love her and we’re proud of her, but this 1.5 lb., 7-week-old ball of fur had six grownups in tears. It really was a sight to see.
In this industry, we live, breathe, and treasure the human-animal bond. We help specialty practices from coast to coast share their stories and tales about their incredible pet owners’ commitments to their pets. We promote the outstanding level of expertise, dedication, and compassion of veterinarians, technicians, and support staff to ensure the best possible outcomes. And although we here at BluePrints are not actually in the exam rooms with these amazing humans, we deeply share their purpose and passion. And just like any job, there are times we too can get complacent or tired – or deeply saddened by this work.
But Cosmo showing up out of nowhere and knocking us out, was a reminder to me of just how fortunate I am to work in an industry that understands the importance of each and every animal that crosses our path, even indirectly. We have been given the privilege and the responsibility to care for those without voices. And although I’ve always been passionate about animals, I now feel a renewed sense of purpose as we enter 2020.
It is with this deep commitment and appreciation that I share with you the changes we have made here at BluePrints to better serve the needs of our clients. Since 2007, we have operated as BluePrints Veterinary Marketing Group and have provided comprehensive marketing services for specialty/referral practices and industry partners large and small. In fact, we remain the only full service agency in the nation with such a niche. But, as the needs and challenges in the industry have evolved, so must we.
Commencing this month, we are launching a new Management Division that offers personalized business consulting for a variety of services that are critical to a specialty or referral practice’s success. Our founder, Robin Brogdon, MA, will oversee this new division and she has been named Chief Executive Officer of the agency.
Management services include:
- Client Experience Enhancement
- Expansion/Construction Planning
- Leadership Development
- Owner/Partner Coaching
- Practice Organizational Structure
- Primary Care DVM/Specialist Relationships
- Recruiting/Hiring Key Leaders
- Speaking/KOL Engagements
- Succession Planning & Exit Strategies
- Turn Around Expertise
I have been named President. My new role is to oversee all marketing-centric projects, including:
- Advertising (Display and online)
- Branding
- Copywriting
- Digital (Websites, SEO, Social Media, Blogs)
- Event Planning
- Graphic Design
- Marketing
- Media/Public Relations
- Photography/Videography
- Strategic Planning
- Tradeshow/Sponsorships
Together, with our amazing team of exceptional and talented designers, digital experts, copywriters, planners, and more, we are able to offer a new wealth of expertise to help our clients succeed, differentiate themselves, and tell their stories in today’s crowded and complicated marketplace. If you have any questions about our services or capabilities, please reach out to me at 949-756-8071 or linda@blueprintsvmg.com.
It is with deep humility and gratitude that I forge ahead with my new responsibilities. And a special thanks to a teeny tiny kitten that reignited my passion. I guess you could say that it was in the Cosmos…