We were lucky to catch up with Abby Pope recently and have shared our conversation below.

Abby, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

I knew early in my midwifery career that catching babies wasn’t sustainable long-term for the priorities I had in that season of life. My oldest daughter was young at the time, and the week I completed my Master’s program I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter- a wonderful surprise! But, I declined a job offer I thought was my dream job because of these circumstances. I knew I couldn’t care for a newborn, breastfeed, and be mentally and emotionally present raising my children while working the high-demand job I had been offered. A tenet of midwifery is respecting and honoring the natural process of birth, which often meant babies being born unhurried in the middle of the night, long hours on call, etc. I stepped away from midwifery for a time. I felt very unsure and confused during this time, but trusted God had a plan for my gifts. What I discovered in that absence was I adored babies, but what I deeply missed was caring for women. Over the next few years I honed what it might look like to care for women in another underserved area- similar to what midwives do for pregnant women looking to avoid overly medicalized pregnancy and birth- but also honored my role as a wife and mother. I’ve yet to meet a midwife who isn’t at least a bit of a misfit, so this is just how were built. What emerged was the lack of provider knowledge and access to female hormone replacement therapy and sexual healthcare and it’s intersection with mental healthcare. Now I view myself as a midwife for another part of the different spectrum in a women’s life- midlife.

I would not have done anything differently knowing what I know now. It was an imperfect process, but it was mine alone and I embrace the lessons. My advice for young professionals considering starting a practice: Bet on yourself. Take the risk. Figure it out as you go and find your helpers. Above all, the world needs your unique creativity and ideas.

Abby, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I became an RN in 2006 and started my career in pediatrics, specifically pediatric critical care. For the first 4yrs of the job I was not a mom, and once I became a mom my world and view of the job changed. I saw my child in every child in the ICU, making that work exceedingly difficult. This combined with a pregnancy and birth experience that left me disillusioned with the American obstetric system is what propelled me in to midwifery. I earned my Master’s degree in 2015 and became a nurse-midwife.

At my practice Emerald Women’s Hormone Health, we provide health services designed specifically for high-performing women who feel “off” despite doing all the right things. Our work blends evidence-based medicine with a deeply human approach — helping women reconnect to their bodies, their power, and their intuition.

We offer personalized hormone optimization, metabolic health programs, sexual wellness programs, mental health therapy, chiropractic care, and women-centered wellness experiences that moves women from burnout and dysregulation to clarity, vitality, and alignment. Each plan integrates advanced lab testing, root-cause protocols, lifestyle medicine, and nervous system regulation, so women can finally feel at home in their own bodies.

The problem we solve is disconnection — from self, from power, from community. Many of our clients come to us exhausted, overwhelmed, and dismissed by conventional medicine. They’re told everything looks “normal” even when they know something isn’t right. We bridge that gap between intuition and science, helping women find answers that actually make sense and lead to lasting change.

What sets Emerald apart is our luxury-level personalization and our belief that healing happens in community. Every service is designed to help women feel seen, supported, and in control of their health. We don’t chase symptoms; we build resilience. We don’t offer quick fixes; we cultivate transformation.

I’m most proud of helping women remember that they’re not broken, they just haven’t gotten the right support yet. Watching our clients reclaim their power, repair their relationships with their bodies, and build lives that feel peaceful and purposeful — that’s the greatest reward.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about Emerald, it’s that this is not just a clinic — it’s a reconnection. A space where modern medicine meets intuition, and where women are reminded that their health is the foundation for everything they want to create in life.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?

It was important to me that I start my business debt-free and having total ownership. I’ve always viewed hard work as a necessary part of the path: I worked as a full time pediatric ICU RN, traveling for 18 months of the program, with my husband and toddler, away from my support system, while attending graduate school full time. When I started my practice I treated it as my side-hustle, believing it would become my primary job. I kept my part time RN job in the evening, and worked at my practice during the day. This arrangement allowed me the finances to fund my business, but more importantly it allowed me to be comfortable taking the risk of starting a business.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love Daniel Priestley. I first saw him on Shark Tank, then years later on Diary of a CEO podcast. His book Key People of Influence was incredibly inspiring.

The first book I read when I hired my team was The Unstoppable Team by Liz Garvin. This book was my intro to leadership and provided great easy-to-follow steps for a newbie.

My Dad has been a great source of wise council when I’ve faced business decisions. He has owned several restaurants- which is MUCH harder work than medicine!- and is always there with loving guidance.

Above all my business coach, Carmen Stansberry, has been the single biggest impact on my entrepreneurial journey. She is a nurse practitioner who coaches women in medicine to know their worth and build practices that support the lives they desire unapologetically.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://emeraldhormone.com
• Instagram: emerald_womens_hormone_health, abbypope_aprn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldwomenshormonehealth
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-pope-737050215/

Image Credits

Marie White Photo