"Don't hold back—embrace what you're passionate about," advises Justine Lee, DVM, co-founder and CEO of VETgirl. This innovative online platform delivers clinically relevant, hands-on continuing education for veterinary professionals via podcasts, webinars, videos, and blogs. As the world's only board-certified veterinary specialist in both critical care and toxicology, Lee's passion has fueled a dynamic career and personal life. Beyond leading VETgirl, she works part-time in emergency care, cherishes time as a wife and mother, shines as an award-winning speaker, and authored two hilarious pet books: It's a Dog's Life...But It's Your Mat and It's a Cat World…You Just Live in It.
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The spark for VETgirl ignited in 2003 during a high-stress period at Cornell, when Lee craved flexible learning. Though not initially entrepreneurial, she partnered with Garret Pachtinger, DVM—a tech-savvy colleague from her University of Pennsylvania residency—in 2012. "Finding the right partner turned our vision into reality," she shares. They bootstrapped with $10,000 each and equity.
Married at 40, Lee eagerly pursued motherhood alongside her ventures. After several pregnancies and losses, they opted against IVF due to age-related challenges.
Justine Lee and her son
Meanwhile, VETgirl flourished. Lee's vision: empower vets with 'time ownership'—learning during commutes or workouts. Shifting from access billing after three years, they launched free podcasts, now downloaded over 2 million times across 170 countries.
At 43, motherhood arrived miraculously—"God's crazy timing," she calls it—with her son's birth in November 2016.
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Motherhood hasn't hindered her. "My husband is incredibly supportive of my career and my two stay-at-home mom days," she says. VETgirl thrives, recently adding a Head of Happiness to combat compassion fatigue in vets.
Lee's advice for women entrepreneurs: Leverage online tools like social media; launch imperfectly and iterate; prioritize self-care. "We often over-rationalize great ideas," she notes. "Small business ownership can unlock the freedom for true work-life balance."
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This article originally appeared in the Summer 2019 issue of LadiesBelle I/O magazine. PHOTO COURTESY OF LESLIE PLESSER
