Commentary
If you’re working to develop or sustain business relationships, you’ll likely draw some inspiration or perspective from this piece about Jim Niekamp, former Midmark sales and marketing executive, whom some animal health pros will recognize. His philosophy of “Owning the Relationship” has been shared worldwide. It’s about going beyond a standard business relationship to genuinely support a customer’s success.
Source: Repertoire, January 2026. Link. For sales representatives <and the marketers that support them>, the lesson is clear: find the pain points, observe the workflow, and understand what truly matters to the customer. Then, craft a story that makes them see your product or service as the solution they didn’t realize they needed. By doing so, reps become trusted consultants, not just vendors, and customers become advocates.
None of us are successful because of ourselves. We’re successful because there’s a lot of other people that want us to be successful. Your job in life is to make as many people successful as possible, and you’ll be surprised at how hard they’ll work to make sure you are.”
INSIGHTS: For veterinary teams, understanding what truly matters to the customer and matching solutions for their animals is a key component to providing a spectrum of care. Consider thinking about your services to craft the right story for each owner and patient.
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