We were lucky to catch up with Sydney Pokard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sydney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

I have been in the veterinary field for over 20 years and have been a veterinarian for the last 9 years. I have worked as an associate veterinarian and then relief veterinarian in over 30 practices in Southern California before opening my first start-up practice, Fauna Veterinary Collective. My vision for Fauna is a clinic that is very different from the industry standard in so many ways. 1. We are an open-concept clinic, meaning your pet will never be “taken to the back”. You are able to be with your pet the entire duration of the appointment and can even stay to watch surgery if you choose. This is the biggest difference from industry standard and makes a huge difference in the connection you can have with the pet and pet owner. 2. Our clinic is aesthetically beautiful and does not feel like a traditional hospital. When you walk into Fauna you feel like you are walking into spa. 3. We see ALL species. A big focus of the practice is to see non-traditional animals like rabbits, hamsters, snakes, lizards, birds, fish, and more! 4. Our team comes first. We are a team centered business that provides a living wage and the treatment of our staff first above all.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started in the veterinary field at 16 years old, knowing that I wanted to become a veterinarian since I was 4 years old. I am currently a small animal and exotics veterinarian practicing in Southern California. After graduating from WesternU in 2016, I went straight into private practice working with small animals, exotics, and wildlife, as well as joining the team at two local zoos. After almost 6 years at the practice, I decided to venture out on my own providing relief veterinary services to exotic animal hospitals and ER´s around the area, and wildlife rehabilitation centers internationally. I am currently working on my board certification (ABVP) in exotic companion mammals and just transitioned to practice ownership. Starting my own practice has been a dream of mine for as long as I have wanted to be a veterinarian. I started Fauna Veterinary Collective because of my love for all species & because I wanted to create something unique. My vision is so beyond the traditional standards of veterinary medicine. My focus for Fauna is to have a place where the people & pets love to be.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I started a personal brand on Instagram about 4 years ago after going to a talk about the importance of building a brand. Like many others, I was nervous initially to put myself out there. I started to just post the cool animals I got to work with and videos of different procedures I was doing. So many people and veterinary professionals were interested in seeing these things and my platform grew. I started to have pet owners seek me out after seeing some of my content and many of them became long-term clients. Growing my personal brand was a huge factor that helped my business brand as well. It was a seamless transition into the business brand and I truly don’t think it would be as successful if I did not put the time and investment 4 years ago. My advice for anyone just starting to build the social media presence for themselves or their business is to just do it! Everyone is nervous in the beginning and no one thinks you are embarrassing. We are our own worst critics, so just put yourself out there, have a clear brand message, and start posting!

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

When I knew I was getting close to wanting to open a practice, I started saving everything I could. My goal was to get a business loan and have the funds necessary for that, rather than fund the entire business myself. I also knew I could do this myself, without a partner or investor. I did just that. I saved around 10% of what I needed for a total loan amount, I made sure I did not have any credit card debt or big purchases, and I was approved. I think it is also really important to show others that you can do this without having millions saved. You can achieve your dream by doing it yourself, it just takes a lot of hard work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.faunavetcollective.com
• Instagram: @doctorsydney_dvm @faunavetcollective
• Other: TikTok: @doctorsydney_dvm @faunavetcollective

Image Credits

Myself (Sydney Pokard) took all photos