We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Khin aka Priscilla Rode. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Khin aka Priscilla below.

Khin aka Priscilla , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Taking a risk has never been a challenge for me. Ever since I could remember, making a profit from either bought goods or making crafts to sell such as beaded rings or necklaces.

Investing in yourself is a risk most people don’t take, but that’s not the case for me. I have had four businesses in total which two of them are still running smoothly.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have loved animals since I was a child. I started my first veterinary job right after high school in 2004 as a veterinary receptionist/kennel assistant. I later moved onto becoming a veterinary technician with many years of hands on training.

I was and am still very fond of Internal Medicine. I was very fascinated with ultrasonography and decided to go to human ultrasound school in 2007.

After enrolling in school and living on my own, I had discovered I was pregnant and continued with my studies and graduated in 2009 and obtained my Diagnostic Medical Sonography Certificate.

Being a single mom at that time was challenging and I went back to veterinary medicine to earn a living. I struggled to earn trust from fellow veterinarians and co-workers to hopefully start imagining cats and dogs, boy was that a wake up call. It seemed no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t gain trust. Even though I had a substantial amount of knowledge of taking great images, it was not enough at every turn. Eventually, I obtained training from a board certified internist and learned how to ultrasound cats and dogs. Yes! Success finally in 2012.

I continued to work day in and day out to support my son as a single mother. I started to feel that I needed to somehow relieve stress and was drawn to metaphysical shops. I became a Reiki Practitioner in 2014 and started my first business. I didn’t have all the resources I have now to fully be a Reiki Healer while still working in the Veterinary Industry.

I then decided to start a grooming business and went to grooming school while pregnant with my second child and earned my grooming certificate in 2016. Business number 2! That lasted about 1 year as I suffered from back pain and postpartum depression. It was too strenuous for my body so I had to stop.

I then relocated to a suburban neighborhood with my two kids and husband and decided to open a small metaphysical shop at a massage school that my husband had graduated from.

It was business number 3! It was a wonderful little shop and I was pregnant with my third child. My son was born in 2019 right in time for Covid.

I had to close my shop and go back to work in the veterinary field. But fortunately till this day I still have my metaphysical business. I sell crystals large to small, crystal jewelry handmade by myself and incense. I sell at the Malibu Farmers Market every Sunday.

I’m very much into the science of medicine and spirituality. I feel there needs to be a balance. My business is The Crystal Balance LLC. Couldn’t have picked a better name.

Finally, my best friend Tara Ghormley moved right down the street from me and I worked with her at a veterinary specialty hospital for a short period of time. We both worked our daily jobs and never fail to celebrate our birthdays or holidays together. So, in 2022, I proposed a business idea that I have been thinking of for a long time. She was excited and I couldn’t believe how it was happening so fast.

We started VIM of SoCal. Veterinary Internal Medicine of Southern California. I never thought we would come together to create this but in my heart and soul I feel that Tara was supposed to be in my life not only as my best friend but as my business partner and mentor. We strive to provide the best Internal medicine services which include ultrasounds, endoscopy, consulting etc. It may have taken 13 years to do ultrasounds on cats and dogs but It was well worth the wait. 19 years in veterinary medicine has lead me up to this new and exciting journey while totally being an entrepreneur at the same time.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I first met my business partner in 2011 while working as an Internal medicine veterinary technician at a specialty hospital in Los Angeles. My partner was in her residency and we became very close friends. Till this day we both joke how far we have come and how much older we are.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have had multiple businesses. I have never given up on being my own boss even as a mother of three, one being autistic and going through postpartum depression and still continuing education. I obtained my associates of arts with business fundamentals in 2021.

Contact Info:

• Website: Vimofsocal.com
• Instagram: Vimofsocal