Advice From 2024 August and Year-End Startup Grant Winner: Holiatry Health & Wellness

May 4th 2026

We reached out to our August 2024 and Year-End Startup Grant Winner, asking her to share the business lessons she’s learned.

Shelby Pope answered the call! Below are the answers she gave us.  Please give it a quick read. We’re sure there are some nuggets of wisdom you can apply to your business.

 

	We’d like to reintroduce you to Shelby Pope, founder of Holiatry Health & Wellness, our August 2024 and Year-End Startup Grant winner.

What advice would you give to a new business owner in your industry?

If you build it, they will come — but be prepared for when they do. In a patient-centered healthcare model, word spreads quickly when people feel genuinely seen and cared for. We hit the ground running much faster than anticipated, and it taught me that vision must be paired with operational readiness. Even if you are starting small, have your systems, workflows, and support structure in place early. Growth can happen suddenly, and preparation allows you to serve well instead of scrambling.

What was the most important lesson you’ve learned in your business?

That everything is figure-out-able. Truly. There have been many moments where I faced decisions I had never navigated before — from business operations to leadership and scaling a new practice. Instead of waiting until I felt completely confident, I learned to take the next right step, ask questions, and adapt along the way. Entrepreneurship requires resilience more than perfection, and the willingness to learn in real time has been one of the most valuable lessons of this journey.

What part of your industry was the hardest for you to overcome? How did you do it?

The hardest part has been overcoming imposter syndrome. Transitioning from traditional healthcare settings to founding and leading my own clinic required a significant internal shift. Even with advanced training and experience, stepping into full ownership came with moments of self-doubt simply because it was new and self-directed. I overcame this by staying grounded in my mission — providing personalized, preventative care to my community — and by focusing on patient impact rather than self-criticism. Over time, consistency, patient trust, and measurable outcomes replaced doubt with confidence.