When the Stars Align: Knowing If the Time is Right to Sell Your Practice

Deciding when to sell a veterinary practice is one of the most significant and emotional decisions an owner will make. Yet many veterinarians wait for the “perfect” moment — a myth that often prevents them from recognizing when opportunity is truly at its peak. In this session, Win Lippincott, Chief Strategist and Partner at Ackerman Group, explores how three key forces must align for a sale to make sense: practice performance, broader market conditions, and an owner's personal readiness.

Attendees will learn to distinguish between what actually matters in a buyer’s eyes and what doesn’t — including why trends and stability outweigh perfection. We’ll examine how to gauge the external market using real-world indicators from the veterinary industry and wider economy, and how an owner’s personal goals, timeline, and day-to-day role factor into a successful transition. The goal: to help practice owners make informed, confident decisions rather than reactive or emotional ones.

• 1.Identify the three core dimensions that determine optimal timing for a practice sale.
• 2.Differentiate between performance metrics that truly affect marketability/valuation and those that do not.
• 3.Interpret key economic and veterinary-industry indicators that signal market strength.
• 4.Assess personal and professional readiness for ownership transition.