Healing healthcare

Liberation through collaboration

The system’s sick. The people inside it are running on fumes. Dr. Carlo A. Riolo, DVM, has walked through the fire — spending nearly 20 years leading teams through burnout, breakdowns, and brokenness — and came out the other side with a blueprint. Not a pep talk. A plan. To help practices not just survive — but finally breathe again.

The system’s sick. The people inside it are running on fumes. Dr. Carlo A. Riolo, DVM, has walked through the fire — spending nearly 20 years leading teams through burnout, breakdowns, and brokenness — and came out the other side with a blueprint.
Not a pep talk. A plan. To help practices not just survive — but finally breathe again

360° SNAPSHOT

Forged on the front lines.


Built to last.

He’s derailed the delusions that keep professionals stuck and silently suffering — not with motivational quotes, but with a blowtorch, a battle plan, and the quiet conviction of someone who’s been to the brink, felt the fracture, and forged a new path forward.

He’s derailed the delusions that keep professionals stuck and silently suffering — not with motivational quotes, but with a blowtorch, a battle plan, and the quiet conviction of someone who’s been to the brink, felt the fracture, and forged a new path forward.

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Putting out fires


without burning out your team

Most healthcare teams are stuck in crisis mode — reacting, rushing, barely holding it together. 

  No systems. No oxygen. No off switch.

The Collaborative Process™ is the

antidote.

Born inside a 24/7 emergency vet clinic

Where decisions are life-or-death, and dysfunction isn’t just frustrating — it’s dangerous.

A people-first system

Helps leaders create order out of chaos — and prioritize team care as much as patient care.

Focused on perpetual growth

Not a quick fix — a repeatable framework that fosters individual responsibility and structured problem solving.

Calming the chaos

If you’re white-knuckling payroll, playing therapist to your staff, or one bad hire away from walking out — this is the reset button you’ve been waiting for.

Flip the Script Responsive
If you center image can't
fix the system, flip the script

Change starts on the ground

Carlo tried to reform the system from the inside. But

the real shift didn’t come from top-down mandates

— it came from the people on the ground.

Not a flowery presentation

The Collaborative Process™ is a rescue mission for clinics and

teams on the edge. An end-to-end framework for building high-

performing teams inside high-pressure environments.

The last call before the cliff.

No fluff. No theory. No sugarcoating. Just sharp tools, scar

tissue, and proven routines that free you from the spiral.

The system may be broken — but your team

doesn’t have to break with it. 

This And a whole new way to run a healthcare practice

that actually works for the humans doing the work.

Change starts on the ground

Carlo tried to reform the system from the inside. But the real shift didn’t come from top-down mandates it came from the people on the ground.

Not a flowery presentation

The Collaborative Process™ is a rescue mission for clinics and teams on the edge. An end-to-end framework for building high-performing teams inside high-pressure environments.

The system may be broken — but your team doesn’t have to break with it. 

This And a whole new way to run a healthcare practice that actually works for the humans doing the work.

The last call before the cliff.

No fluff. No theory. No sugarcoating. Just sharp tools, scar tissue, and proven routines that free you from the spiral.

Meet Carlo

A Problem Solver,

Not a Bunny Hugger

Carlo entered vet school at 19 — among the youngest to be accepted into 


Michigan State’s doctoral program. He didn’t waste time. From day one, he 


saw the cracks in the healthcare system: chronic exhaustion cycles,


relentless daily demands, and a culture that chewed people up and spit 


them out.


He didn’t wait for permission to change it. He built something better.


The journey wasn’t smooth. Carlo faced resistance, personal loss, and more 


than one moment that nearly broke him, including multiple stress-induced 


health scares — but the blueprint emerged under pressure.


Over a decade, he transformed a struggling emergency clinic into one of the

largest urgent care vet centers in the Midwest — growing from 10 to 70+


full-time staff and creating a culture of growth through collaboration, 


defined by trust, support, and shared purpose.


That quest became The Collaborative Process™ — not just a better


workflow, but a better to work together.


Today, Carlo lives in Wisconsin with his wife and three kids. He continues to


evolve TCP and bring it to healthcare facilities that are ready to run with 


the pack — and stop chasing their tails.

Carlo entered vet school at 19 — among

the youngest to be accepted into 


Michigan State’s doctoral program. He

didn’t waste time. From day one, he 


saw the cracks in the healthcare system: chronic exhaustion cycles,


relentless daily demands, and a culture

that chewed people up and spit


them out.


He didn’t wait for permission to change it.

He built something better.


The journey wasn’t smooth. Carlo faced resistance, personal loss, and more 


than one moment that nearly broke him, including multiple stress-induced


health scares — but the blueprint emerged under pressure.


Over a decade, he transformed a

struggling emergency clinic into one of the
largest urgent care vet centers in the Midwest — growing from 10 to 70+


full-time staff and creating a culture of growth through collaboration, 


defined by trust, support, and shared purpose.


That quest became The Collaborative Process™ — not just a better 


workflow, but a better way to work

together.


Today, Carlo lives in Wisconsin with his

wife and three kids. He continues to


evolve TCP and bring it to healthcare facilities that are ready to run with 


the pack — and stop chasing their tails.

Meet Carlo

A Problem Solver,

Not a Bunny Hugger

Carlo entered vet school at 19 — among the youngest to be accepted into 
Michigan State’s doctoral program. He didn’t waste time. From day one, he 
saw the cracks in the healthcare system: chronic exhaustion cycles, 
relentless daily demands, and a culture that chewed people up and spit 
them out.


He didn’t wait for permission to change it. He built something better.


The journey wasn’t smooth. Carlo faced resistance, personal loss, and more 
than one moment that nearly broke him, including multiple stress-induced 
health scares — but the blueprint emerged under pressure.


Over a decade, he transformed a struggling emergency clinic into one of the
largest urgent care vet centers in the Midwest — growing from 10 to 70+


full-time staff and creating a culture of growth through collaboration, 
defined by trust, support, and shared purpose.


That quest became The Collaborative Process™ — not just a better 
workflow, but a better way to work together.


Today, Carlo lives in Wisconsin with his wife and three kids. He continues to 
evolve TCP and bring it to healthcare facilities that are ready to run with 


the pack — and stop chasing their tails.

Carlo entered vet school at 19 — among

the youngest to be accepted into 


Michigan State’s doctoral program. He

didn’t waste time. From day one, he 


saw the cracks in the healthcare system: chronic exhaustion cycles, relentless daily demands, and a culture that chewed people up and spit them out.


He didn’t wait for permission to change it.

He built something better.
The journey wasn’t smooth. Carlo faced resistance, personal loss, and more 
than one moment that nearly broke him, including multiple stress-induced health scares — but the blueprint emerged under pressure.

Over a decade, he transformed a struggling emergency clinic into one of the
largest urgent care vet centers in the Midwest — growing from 10 to 70+ full-time staff and creating a culture of growth through collaboration, defined by trust, support, and shared purpose.

That quest became The Collaborative Process™ — not just a better 
workflow, but a better way to work together.


Today, Carlo lives in Wisconsin with his

wife and three kids. He continues to evolve TCP and bring it to healthcare facilities that are ready to run with
the pack — and stop chasing their tails.

SUCCESS STORIES

Testimonials from


the Trenches

From the top of the org chart to the treatment floor, hear from those who’ve implemented Carlo’s system for perpetual growth — rooted in individual responsibility and structured problem-solving.

Employee Testimonials

Embracing Change with Clear Knowledge Systems

"Carlo always says, 'The only thing that stays the same is change'—and he really lives by it. The clarity I get from the knowledge database makes it easy to look up anything I need, fast. If a process changes, Carlo ensures it's updated in Asana and accessible right away."

Alexis N.

Current Employee

100%

Process updates
accessible
immediately

Leadership That Actually Listens and Adapts

"In all the jobs I've had, Carlo is the only leader who genuinely asks for feedback—and uses it. Most places say they want input, but Carlo actually listens and adapts. His way of embracing change encourages all of us to look for ways to improve rather than stay stuck in outdated habits."

Anne J.

Current Employee

95%

Feedback actively
implemented

Turning Challenges into Learning Opportunities

"I had a rough moment once involving a stray pet and no clear process—but Carlo made sure my concerns were heard. He turned that awkward experience into a learning opportunity and implemented a solution right away. It's empowering to see issues actually get fixed."

Hailey G.

Current Employee

100%

Issues resolved
and solutions
implemented

Empowerment Through Voice and Development

"Transformed both my personal and professional life in the right direction. Empowers employees to have a voice in all aspects of the business. Encourages continuous growth and development, personally and professionally. Equips employees with valuable tools and resources for success."

Morgan W.

Current Employee

100%

Employee voice
in all business
aspects

TCP: A Cornerstone for Success and Clarity

"The TCP has become a cornerstone in both my work and personal life. Since its implementation, training success, skill development, clarity, and overall confidence have noticeably improved within just weeks. It also simplifies tracking individual progress, making it easier to identify areas where support is needed."

Jo

Current Employee

85%

Confidence boost
within weeks

Revolutionary Knowledge Database System

"The Knowledge Database is unlike anything I've seen in vet med—offering instant access to answers without the hassle of searching through binders or tracking down team members. Easily searchable, it streamlines protocols, policies, and procedures, saving time and effort."

Adrianne R.

Current Employee

90%

Time saved with
instant access

Constant Contact and Faster Solutions

"The Collaborative Process has made my work life easier by keeping me in constant contact with my team, addressing concerns before they escalate. It also ensures faster turnaround on operational solutions."

Trevor W.

Current Employee

75%

Faster solution
turnaround time

Refined Process for Complete Development

"Refined through years of trial and error, the Collaborative Process ensures thorough onboarding for new employees while supporting the ongoing growth of current team members."

Rebecca E.

Current Employee

92%

Onboarding
success rate

Every Voice Heard and Valued Equally

"The Collaborative Process offers an inclusive and efficient platform where communication, integration, and improvement are always a priority. Unlike many workplaces, TCP ensures every voice is heard and valued equally."

Taylor A.

Current Employee

100%

Inclusive voice
platform

Transformative Personal and Professional Growth

"The TCP process had a profound impact on me. When I started at PAW, my personal life was chaotic, and I struggled with self-worth. TCP helped me set boundaries, process my emotions, and build confidence. It even gave me the courage to apply for the SRM position."

Jill C.

Current Employee

200%

Personal growth
transformation
Scroll Animation (Responsive Fix)
Carlo’s not chasing status.
He’s carrying the flame —
and partnering with the
brave.The ones done playing
martyr. Done being divisive.
Done pretending it’s fine.
Carlo’s not chasing
status. He’s carrying
the flame —
and partnering with the
brave.The ones done
playing martyr. Done
being divisive. Done
pretending it’s fine.

JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY

The path toward

transformation

This didn’t start as a business plan. It started as survival. It was discovered by pulling back the gauze and treating the real cause, not just the symptoms.
What began as one team’s turning point became a ripple effect across many. Here’s how it unfolded.

GOAT Timeline
Career Day 1987
At five years old, Carlo declared he wanted to be a veterinarian. For Career Day, his mother wrote "DVM" on a white button-down shirt. Family and teachers reinforced the idea, and soon, every interaction with an animal felt like a step toward that future. After earning his degree, his mother framed that same shirt as a graduation gift, a fulfillment of his childhood dream.
4th of July 1990
As a child, Carlo recognized the importance of being intentional with his actions, and identifying barriers to completing a plan. He devised the “Fourth of July Rule” where if he did not complete his summer break goals by the 4th, whether it be building a fort or beating a game, then it would not get done for the remainder of the summer. This guiding principle of intentionality became the foundational deadline of his life, and future business career.
3 Stages of Life 1994
At 12, Carlo's paternal grandfather introduced him to Learning, Earning, and Yearning—a philosophy of education, career, and enjoying life’s rewards. This ancestral advice lead Carlo down a path to fast-track his education, finish vet school at 23, and plan for early retirement to fully embrace his "yearning" phase.
First Job 1996
At 14, Carlo started as a dishwasher at a country club, where he learned efficiency, teamwork, and structured processes. Watching how a kitchen functioned reinforced the idea that process drives success. Carlo witnessed what he called "a clean plate to clean plate process." Learning how integrated systems, supply chains, and labor were all involved to make them dirty in their own unique way, but in the end would impact the customer experience.
Cheating Success 1998
At 16, Carlo was caught helping classmates on a test. When caught, he remembered his father's words: "You can be anything in this world, but don't be a liar". In the face of peer pressure, after admitting the truth to the professor, Carlo was granted a re-test which ironically improved his final score. The lesson? Integrity outweighs short-term gains.
NIAF Scholarship & Italy Trip 1999
At 17, Carlo won a National Italian-American Foundation scholarship to Italy. A key moment came when he learned of an ancient ruin named Mercati di Traiano, or Trajan's market. Once an ancient shopping mall, Carlo reoriented his view on business and legacy. It reinforced the idea that industries evolve even when they appear static. He came to realize that it is our collective responsibility to contribute to the success of those who come after us.
High School Graduate 2000
As part of the "Class of 2000," Carlo grew up hearing they were responsible for changing the world. While many classmates were uncertain about their paths, Carlo was laser-focused on making an impactful contribution to the veterinary industry, ready to push boundaries and challenge norms.
Accepted into Vet School 2001
At 19, Carlo became a "two-year wonder," completing vet school prerequisites in half the time. This milestone reinforced his belief that systems - including education and business - can be optimized by focusing on a desired outcome.
Vet School Starts 2002
Carlo entered vet school excited but was quickly exposed to divisiveness, abandonment, and lack of systemic support. This experience planted the seed for his future mission to create a more sustainable environment for veterinary professionals.
Death and Possession 2003
Three months into vet school, Carlo's maternal grandparents passed away, forcing him to navigate intense grief while managing academic pressure. He came to realize that life should not be defined by possessions; rather we must accept that the only thing that stays the same is that everything changes - the foundation of perpetual growth.
Internal Medicine 2005
Carlo's first experience in clinical rotations as a veterinary student. Startled, he was shown complete abandonment by the university, when a clinician singled him out because of his gleeful and cavalier personality. This experience reinforced that the veterinary industry required systemic change but that change must start on the individual level. Carlo decided "if you can't change the game, change the player as they go through the game"
Vet School Ends + First Vet Job 2006
Graduating at 23, Carlo entered a clinic riddled with inefficiencies-poor management, mismanaged inventory, and high burnout. Seeing these flaws firsthand, he became determined to build a better, more efficient veterinary workplace.
New State + Job + Getting Married 2008
At 26, Carlo got married and moved to North Central Wisconsin, and assumed the responsibility of after-hours and emergency care for an entire region. The experience honed his problem-solving skills but also revealed deep flaws in the industry-pushing him toward sustainable workflows and efficiency of process.
Carlo Becomes a Dad 2012
Like most young parents, reevaluating one’s path often comes with the new addition to the family. Carlo begins to revisit his intentionality by creating a vision for his family's future.
The Night It All Changed 2013
By 2013, when a critically traumatized dog needed emergency surgery, Carlo was forced to face the challenge alone. The moment solidified his suspicions that the system wasn't just broken - it was built to leave veterinary professionals overworked and abandoned. Carlo decided it was time to burn the system down by embracing the abandonment of the status quo.
Purchase of PAW Health + Son Born 2015
At 33, Carlo became both a business owner and welcomed a new baby. He purchased a struggling emergency clinic while his wife was pregnant, welcoming their son a month before. Juggling business and family, he built a structured, sustainable model focused on efficiency and support.
Mentorship Program 2016
Carlo financed a 5 year mentorship initiative at Michigan State University to recruit and train future veterinary leaders. The success of this system led Carlo to form the PAW HEALTH FOUNDATION, a nonprofit organization focused on providing direct financial support to veterinary professionals interested in ELM--entrepreneurship, leadership and mentorship.
Industry Overview 2016
One night, Carlo sketched out the industry's biggest failures- burnout, financial instability, and inefficiency. This became the blueprint for a new business model-"the only goal is to create a system of perpetual growth for both the individual and the industry. "The only goal is to create a system of perpetual growth-for both the individual and the business.”
EOS Strategic Planning 2017
While EOS taught the “leadership team" how to have deliberate meetings, he quickly saw that traditional frameworks do not support real-world application to the employee-level. Carlo knew creating a system for bidirectional collaboration was the future of all business.
Full Time Strategic Planner 2018
Carlo’s hired business strategist became so convinced of PAW Health's potential that he joined full-time. In a pivotal moment, he asked: “Is this as big as I think it is?” Carlo knew then-this was about more than one clinic; it was about transforming an industry.
After Action Review 2018
In 2018, while seeking a system of bidirectional communication, a military debrief method, fostering blameless problem-solving. In the first session a planned discussion on seven issues uncovered over 40 opportunities for individual and systemic growth, proving that bidirectional communication with staff and administration was instrumental to the growth of both parties.
5:15 Review 2019
In 2019, in an attempt to engage a staff-level collaborative tool, Carlo launched the 5:15 report. While weekly check-ins proved difficult in a high-pressure environment, the system laid the foundation for structured feedback loops. This reinforced the need to evolve the communication loops to function more efficiently in high stakes and fast paced environments.
First Student Karanveer 2019
In 2019, Carlo met Karanveer when, "a teacher was looking for a student and a student was looking for a teacher." The bright young talent from India needed guidance in the States, at the same time Carlo was ready to accept the challenge of a life-long learner. An embodiment of helping those who come after us.
New Building + New Baby 2020
By 2020, PAW Health had outgrown its original space, and expansion was necessary-then expanding from 1,800 to 11,000 square feet. At the same time, his youngest daughter was born. With a growing family and business, PAW Health rapidly grew from serving 5,000 to over 17,000 patients annually.
3 New Graduates 2020
In 2020, Carlo hired three new graduates from Michigan State University, proving that early mentorship creates stronger veterinarians. It reinforced his belief that training future leaders before they enter the industry is key to lasting change. Without his first student, Karanveer, he would have abandoned recruitment efforts.
COVID Pandemic 2020
While other clinics turned away patients during the pandemic, PAW Health remained fully operational. Carlo's uniquely developed triage model made curbside service easy to implement. With his wife's doctorate in veterinary medicine and masters in public health, she was able to implement CDC protocols while treating more patients than ever. While the industry struggled, PAW Health scaled up operations like never before.
Kona’s Trauma 2020
Kona's survival foundationally established Carlo's drive for bidirectional collaboration in an environment of actual life or death. With all systems running hot, it provided the pathway to solidify the ethos which birthed The Collaborative Process.
Peak Pandemic + Mask Policy 2021
Nearing 75 employees, the greatest challenge of peak pandemic was protecting staff against the public's hostility. When a client berated an employee, Carlo stepped in, openly chastising them for behavior in front of other clients, removed them from the building, and had law enforcement finish the job. His team later said, "We've never worked somewhere leadership truly stood up for us."
The Collaborative Process 2022
After years of trying failed strategic models and refining an internal process, Carlo implemented the first crude structure of The Collaborative Process. By the end of 2022, TCP began turning the tides on a staff overrun by the plights of the pandemic by aiming the team towards collaborative leadership and self-betterment.
Strategic Partnership + TCP Launch 2024
Recognizing a need to focus full time on collaboration within the business, Carlo vetted 39 corporate partners before choosing Alliance Animal Health which agreed to handle only administrative tasks while keeping PAW Health's philosophy and medical decisions intact. This partnership allowed Carlo to focus entirely on front-end operations and scaling TCP as a sustainable model for the industry.
Staff Burn-off - Cultural Reset 2024
Following AAH partnership, by the middle of 2024, Carlo experienced the start of his third staff-burn off since moving to the area in 2008. Some staff feared instability, but Carlo predicted it differently: "Why worry about those who leave if they were never truly committed to building sustainable service for the community? We will be better once they are out of our way."
Launch of TCP 2025
Following the burn-off staff departures, by the start of 2025, Carlo was proved right when the remaining supported staff was more aligned with collaboration and building a future for the community. Not only was this proof to never fear loss, but the shift marked a new era for a team built on collaboration. Carlo's system was built for perpetual growth and proved itself to not only weather the storm, but establish itself as the future of business strategy. Carlo launched TCP as a stand-alone business and intellectual property.
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System intro

The pitch

About Carlo

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System intro

The pitch

About Carlo

Contact

System intro

The pitch

About Carlo

Contact

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