Meet Charlotte Frank: Veterinarian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlotte Frank and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlotte, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The idea for Paws 4 Shots was actually brought to me by a colleague and close friend in the industry. She used to take her dog to a doggy daycare to keep him occupied whilst she worked long hours. She saw an opportunity to bring mandatory vet care (vaccines and flea preventatives) directly to the doggy daycares of San Diego, and there are many! At the time I had been working for Petco at their vaccine clinics for a decade. I felt that I knew exactly how to take that model to the next level and turn a vaccine clinic into a high end preventative pet care clinic. The timing was terrible though! I had 2 young daughters, one only an infant, at the time but I realized that this was a niche that needed to be filled. If I didn’t do it, someone else would and I did not want to lose the opportunity and watch someone else run with this idea. And so Paws 4 Shots was born! Being your own boss is always appealing but there was a bit more to it than that for me. I enjoyed working at vaccine clinics immensely but saw so many ways in which I could improve the model and the care. The opportunity to create something new and great and mine made it an easy decision to pursue business ownership. 

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Paws 4 Shots is a variation on a very successful business mode, the vaccination clinic. It began as a “high end” vaccination clinic and became a preventative pet care clinic with the addition of services beyond vaccines. I started with the concept of the low cost vaccination clinic and took the level of care to that of a highly rated full service hospital (with only a limited set of services though). We introduced the use of cloud based medical software system increasing efficiency and eliminating the use of paper significantly, We work with an online pharmacy to offer ALL of the preventative medications a client may want, and not just one or two brands. Our level of customer service is something that I believe sets up apart. We work closely with our doggy daycares and the relationships with our mutual clients mean a great deal to us. It’s never easy starting something new, and there have been plenty of growing pains along the way, but we are in a place now that suits us and the needs of our clients. The trick to success in my opinion is the ability to adapt and to do it whenever indicated. We have made changes over the years in an effort to operate more efficiently and provide the very best care in a novel setting. My staff and I have been together for a long time and working together is always fun. We love what we do, we love working with the daycares that we visit, and we truly care for the pets in our charge and the people who love for them!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite place to stay in San Diego would be the San Diego Marriott Marquis on the Marina by Seaport Village. The breakfast buffet and dinner menu at Marina Kitchen are amazing. The Makers Mark milkshake on the dessert menu is a must! They also have a terrific bar for an after dinner drink. My favorite spot for a nightcap though would be Top of the Hyatt next door. My favorite place for a run is along the marina down to the airport and around Harbor Island. I love the view of downtown from Harbor Island. My favorite “date night” spot is Morton’s. Taking the ferry to Coronado and lunching at Peohe’s would definitely make the list as would a walk around Balboa Park and lunch at Prado. The San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park are places that I have spent a great deal of time at over the years with my girls and I couldn’t recommend them both more to anyone visiting San Diego with or without kids. A family favorite would be a weekend trip to Disneyland and California Adventure with a stay at the Disneyland Hotel. I’m not really a beach person (too crowded for my taste) but if I had to pick a beach it would probably be La Jolla Shores. To round out that list is a day in Temecula wine country. Avensole Winery is my favorite spot for lunch and a tasting but my very favorite winery would be Chapin.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My staff deserves ALL the credit! I have the most amazing team who have been with me for years. We are more than colleagues, more than friends even, we are a family! Special shout out also to Deborah Bell for her many years of friendship and for bringing me the idea in the first place. Additional shout out to Julia Reyes, my clinic manager, who all of our clients know and love. She is my right hand and we wouldn’t be what we are without her!

Website: www.paws4shots.com
Instagram: @paws4shots
Facebook: Paws 4 Shots and more