Dr. Anastasia Gentles was frequently concerned at the emergency room when children were brought in with fevers and ear infections. When she looked into the medical histories of these children, she observed that they commonly got up these infections when the primary-care doctors at the schools they attended were off duty.
Dr. Gentles founded NightLight Pediatric, a pediatric urgent care center, with the assistance of a friend from her local church. According to Forbes, the hospital now has eight pediatric urgent care facilities, 130 employees, and a $11 million income.
This, however, is the inverse of the care center’s humble origins in 2007. The objective was to establish an alternative urgent care center with the best pool of health specialists committed to just caring for children.
Dr. Anastasia fostered the idea for her business for ten years while working in the emergency room at Texas Children’s Hospital. When the frustration of the cases given to her grew, she approached a friend, Zawadi Bryant, for assistance in starting the firm. According to feisty healthcare, she also received the support of another colleague, Connie Cazares, who assisted her in opening the first clinic in Sugarland, Texas.
Zawadi had no medical experience; she came from an industrial and engineering background and worked as a supply chain manager at Hewlett-Packard. She did, however, have extensive understanding of operations management, which influenced the choice to designate her Chief Executive Officer after co-founding NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care with Dr. Anastasia. Connie Cazares, on the other hand, worked as a senior medical assistant in the Houston region for Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates.
Dr. Anastasia began her career as a wildlife biologist before pursuing zoology courses. During her doctoral studies, she realized that zoology wasn’t a good fit for her and opted to pursue a medical degree, where she discovered a tremendous affection for children.
One of the challenges Nightlife had in its early phases, like any other business, was money. Dr. Anastasia, on the other hand, was convinced that the facility was designed to play a big role in its immediate community and would generate a profit quickly.
Unlike in the past, when long lines, high costs, and inconvenient appointment times with doctors were the norm at many pediatric clinics, the arrival of NightLight Pediatrics has largely altered how pediatric care is delivered in the Houston area. Patients are made to feel as if they are the highest priority.
NightLight Pediatrics opened its first branch three years after opening, and with the entrance of additional clients, developed a third branch; its growth has been constant since it was initially created in the early 2000s. The center’s revenue continued to rise in 2013, reaching $3.48 million in 2013, $4 million in 2014, and $5.9 million in 2015. It was later named one of Forbes’ 2017 Small Giants.
Dr. Anastasia attributes her success to two coworkers who moved from church members to business partners. According to the Houston Business Journal, the path had not been easy from the start, but their faith has maintained the company since its foundation.
