Some client relationships are just different.
From the very first conversation with David Hodges, it was obvious that Stellar Vets wasn't going to be an ordinary practice – and that working with them wasn't going to be an ordinary engagement.
Five years on, with David having achieved the sale of his practice three years ahead of schedule, it feels like the right moment to tell the full story of what we built together.
Where it all began
When we began working with Stellar Vets in Littlehampton, David had a clear vision: leverage technology to build a lean business, demonstrate its value beyond any doubt, and find an ethical owner for it before his 63rd birthday.
That kind of clarity of purpose is rare and it shaped everything we did together.
The centre of Stellar's universe was Best Buddy Unlimited™, their health plan.
David's philosophy was straightforward: provide outstanding preventive care at outstanding value, sign up as many clients as possible and make the plan so embedded in the practice's culture that it became inseparable from Stellar's identity.
Our job was to make sure every pet owner in Littlehampton heard about it.
Everything,
everywhere, all at once
We've written before about what made Stellar's 2024 VMA Practice Marketing Award entry so special – and the Oscars-inspired framing still makes us smile. But the story didn't end there.
The marketing push behind Best Buddy Unlimited™ was relentless and creative in equal measure.
Bollard covers around Littlehampton.
Pet feeding mats.
Consulting table mats.
Pin badges.
Email signatures.
Door drops.
Food bags.
Prescription bags.
Car stickers.
On-hold messaging.
Posters in the consult rooms, in reception, on the windows and in the local Post Office.
David even took matters into his own hands – literally – with a guerrilla campaign jet washing Best Buddy Unlimited™ messaging into the streets of Littlehampton.
The results speak for themselves. Over 1,300 pets on plan, representing 45% penetration of active clients. Over 880 Google reviews with a five-star average. Over £1.3m in annual turnover with 33% of this being subscriptions. Generated with just 2.5 vets.
Those are extraordinary numbers by any measure. In the context of an 5 year old practice in a modest-sized coastal town, they're remarkable.
The investor deck
As David's planned exit moved from a long-term goal to an imminent reality, the work shifted.
The challenge was no longer just communicating Stellar's value to clients, but to potential buyers.
We crafted an investor deck that’s one of the best things we’ve ever created.
Its task was a daunting one: to capture not just what Stellar had achieved, but why those achievements were so hard to replicate. Half a decade of hard work and half a lifetime of clinical and business knowledge had gone into producing those numbers. The deck had to make that clear.
And it worked.
Stellar attracted four expressions of interest, allowing David to be selective about who to proceed with. Two preferred buyers entered detailed negotiations – giving the practice crucial leverage throughout the process. The quality of the detail aid was specifically noted at the outset of both conversations.
Eventually, Stellar became one of the founding members of VetThing – the most exciting new entrant to our industry in years. David achieved a very attractive multiple on an impressive EBITDA.
The exit he had always planned for arrived on his terms.
What this means
We're still working with David, and the story of Stellar continues as part of something new and ambitious.
The veterinary industry talks a lot about building practices with value.
What Stellar actually did – methodically, over five years, with a crystal clear plan – is one of the best examples of that we’ve seen in action.
A unique clinical model, an extraordinary health plan, a team that clients love, a digital presence that reflects all of it, and a marketing strategy that tied it all together.
That's what the numbers represent. And that's what made the sale not just possible, but exceptional.
We couldn't be prouder of what we built together. On to the next chapter.
Hear from our client
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"Wow, now here is a team who knows their stuff. Fantastic to work with they totally "get" the pet - owner - vet dynamic and have both theoretical ideas and practical plans to exploit it for the benefit of the practice.
My sales have gone through the roof, my customer service reviews have increased in number and in quality 5 stars all the way. And my health care plans are flying off the shelves. They really are the care plan gurus.
Brilliant service, very responsive, very professional can not recommend highly enough. Great work"
Dr David Hodges
Stellar Vets
Vet practice marketing
To us it's personal
If you’re eager to improve your practice’s marketing but you’re unsure where to start, I’m taking on new clients for the next quarter! Book an initial discovery below!
