A vet clinic that’s part of the community
For Dr Tanya Caltabiano, her aim was always crystal clear: create a vet clinic the Kingston community would be proud of. In April 2021, with all the new business stresses, The Foreshore Vet opened its doors. And every day since then, Tanya and her dedicated team pour their energy into helping Canberra’s pets.
Tell us about your journey in business.
Having lived in Sydney for a few years, my husband and I moved to Canberra in 2020 with the idea of starting a vet clinic. It seemed a little ambitious at the time but about 12 months later, we opened The Foreshore Vet in April 2021 (during the height of COVID, no less). I’ve worked in some great clinics and I wanted to bring all of the positive elements of those clinics to TFV. I loved the idea of opening a clinic that would be part of the community, and hopefully we’ve managed to achieve that.
What are the key influences that have shaped your career?
I come from a family of self-starters and small business owners.
Both sets of grandparents came to Australia from Italy as immigrants – with the bags they were carrying and the shoes on their feet. They started with nothing and created successful businesses and an amazing – often crazy! – family.
My dad’s a farmer, and from him I learnt the value of hard work, and also staying positive when things don’t go your way.
And I’m lucky to have had my mentor, Dr Amanda Nott, on my TFV team from day one. Amanda was one of my first bosses after I graduated, and I absolutely couldn’t have done what I’ve done without her.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in your industry?
Women tend to make up the majority of the workers in the vet industry but traditionally only make up a small percentage of practice ownership. I’d love for there to be more female practice owners in Australia. The concept of practice ownership and management isn’t really taught at uni so for most female graduates, it probably doesn’t enter their minds that they can own and run their own clinic. If I can help in some way to show that it is possible for female vets, then that would be so satisfying.
What advice do you have for aspiring businesswomen?
Surround yourself with good people, first and foremost. Then back yourself.
And remember: everyone has imposter syndrome – it’s not just you!
How do you approach goal setting to achieve long-term success?
We work really hard on goal setting and further education. We encourage and have funds set aside for all our staff to attend conferences and for additional courses. We have monthly individual catch-ups and check-ins with staff, as well as team catch-ups.
We also have annual planning days where we set goals for the year, reflect on the past 12 months, and work on the clinic values.
What do you see as the most significant trends in your industry?
For us, it’s staff retention. It’s no secret that there’s a vet shortage in this country so my job is to create a workplace that is flexible and supportive for all my staff. The majority of my staff are either part-time or casual. That suits their lives and their family’s, and that’s my job to work around their needs.
How does your business contribute to the local community?
We’ve been embraced by the local Kingston community and that feels really great. We try and engage with the community as much as possible – through weekend walks, collaborating with local Kingston businesses, or hosting fundraisers for our charity partners.
To find out more about TFV or to book an appointment, visit theforeshorevet.com.au or call 6188 4255.
