From law to lapdogs - Matthew needs your support !
It often takes a leap of faith to start your own business. Even more so if you’re coming from a professional career into an industry where you’re still learning the ropes.
That’s exactly what Matthew Dunne did when he left South West law firm Foot Anstey and started up Local Vets. Now he’s about to take on his next big challenge: raising money on Crowdcube.
Local Vets is a finalist in Crowd10 South West - an initiative to support ten regional businesses to launch funding campaigns during June, and we spoke to Matthew to find out more.
Despite the name Local Vets, you won’t find Matthew giving your pets a once over at their annual health check, and he has no plans to re-train as a vet.
Local Vets is a pet care community which only locally owned and run vets practices can join. Where some vets practices are being taken over by larger national veterinary groups, any practice which joins Local Vets guarantees to focus on keeping local pet owners happy and their pets healthy.
Matthew told us he was inspired to make a move from law to the veterinary world after meeting his partner, Sara, who is a vet in a family owned practice in Exeter: “I see first hand how hard our local vets practices work to keep our pets healthy and I knew I wanted to find a way to support them in the face of ever increasing competition from bigger businesses.” Living with two dogs and three cats has no doubt provided Matthew with the opportunity for some market research too!
Matthew believes vet clinics run by the vets who own them are really able to get to know you and your pets. “It’s reassuring to be able to take your pet to the vets and see a friendly face both behind the reception and in the consult room. Many of us are keen to support the independent local businesses which are so valuable in our communities, so it should be the same when choosing and using a vet.”
In the first few weeks since launching Local Vets, Matthew has begun working with fantastic independent vets in the South West. The plan is to develop Local Vets into a nationally recognised brand, and that’s why the business is now seeking funding. Turning to Crowdcube was a natural fit for Local Vets as it gives friends, family, clients and supporters the opportunity to own a share of the business.
For anyone interested in supporting Matthew, visit here https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/local-vets/pitches/bkPxkq
