Safi Chand is a veterinarian and the owner of New Market Animal Hospital in New Market, Maryland. He has dedicated his life to learning all there is to know about small animal veterinary practices and how to keep your pets healthy. With lots of experience in fast-paced animal emergency departments, Safi has developed skills in many different techniques and prides himself on keeping up to date with new and developing procedures.
Dr. Chand has practiced emergency medicine and surgery for more than 10 years. He graduated from Canada and a few years later decided to further upgrade his skills in ER medicine and surgery in 2005. In 2006, he completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine with a major in emergency medicine and surgery at Southern Massachusetts Emergency and Referral in Massachusetts.
He worked with the largest Cardiology and internal medicine group (CVCA and AVIM) in Maryland as an ER clinician for 4 years. Dr. Chand wanted to be a veterinarian having grown up with German Shepherds. His areas of interest are internal medicine, cardiology, surgery, radiology, soft tissue, and select orthopedic procedures. When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, kids, and their zoo consisting of 2 cats and fish. He also enjoys reading, traveling, and horseback riding.
Thanks for joining us! Let’s start with getting to know who Safi Chand is. And what are you doing these days?
Hello, thanks for having me. Safi was a boy with great love for animals, particularly German Shepherds. I have always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. I have dedicated my life to learning all there is to know about small animal veterinary practices and how to keep pets healthy.
For this reason, I have specialized in internal medicine and veterinary cardiology as well as performing surgery, radiology examination, soft tissue procedures, and certain orthopedic treatments with expert precision. With lots of dedication in the fast-paced animal emergency department, I have developed skills in many different techniques and pride myself on keeping up-to-date with new and developing procedures.
Back in 2005, I graduated from Canada and later furthered my expertise with a specialization in ER medicine and surgery. The following year I had the unique opportunity to finish a 12-month internship in small animal medicine with a specialty in emergency medicine and surgery at Southern Massachusetts Emergency and Referral. I was later honored as an ER clinician for four years at CVCA and AVIM, which is Maryland’s largest Cardiology and internal medicine group.
These days I am actively looking forward to adding more services at New Market Animal Hospital so that animals get a holistic experience of well-being.
What made you decide to become an entrepreneur?
There are so many reasons why I decided not to have a nine-to-five lifestyle for myself. I have always cherished people working passionately to build their own businesses and never giving up on their dreams.
Perhaps the biggest reason I became self-employed and founded my own veterinary hospital is that I found it difficult and frankly unnatural for myself to work for someone else according to their rules. I always had some great ideas to set up a wellness center for animals like never before, and I knew it would be challenging to find someone with the same passion and a place with aligned career goals. Even for New Market Animal Hospital I never compromise on anything and it’s not a money-making venture for me.
I love to discover new information or study the latest veterinary research and treatment procedures. My job and my clinic are not just a career for me, it’s my life and the purpose of my existence.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
Being the principal of New Market Animal Hospital, I am responsible for making critical business-wide decisions and managing across-the-board operations for my clinic. I believe the top three skills that made a huge difference in creating my successful trajectory as an entrepreneur and helped me succeed in this role are:
Clear Communication
I try to communicate with my staff and fellow veterinarians using easy-to-understand and concise language. I always make sure to effectively communicate with my patients’ caregivers. This helps maintain morale and a healthy environment under my guidance.
Open-Mindedness
I am always open to untried opinions and innovative medical procedures. I have established a progressive culture in New Market Animal Hospital where I genuinely care about novel ideas for bringing the best medical facilities for the animals.
Growth Mindset
I welcome obstacles with a growth mindset as learning opportunities and I encourage the staff to develop their growth mindsets.
You sound quite passionate about your work; why? Is there a story behind it?
Not a single story but a natural and God-given love for animals. I was born this way. Ever since I remember I cared for ailing animals, particularly pets. I had 2 German Shepherds at my home and they are the best part of my childhood memories. I lost one of them to a car accident and the absence of emergency treatment when I was 14. I still feel the pain of that loss and it became the purpose of my life to try to ensure that nobody ever suffers from such pain due to inadequate emergency care.
How do you separate New Market Animal Hospital from your competitors?
I think the biggest thing that sets New Market Animal Hospital apart is our focus on care and concern for ailing animals. We have a team of qualified veterinarians and caregiving staff that share the same love for animals like me. It provides us with a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges that any veterinary clinic faces.
We are truly passionate about what we do and we genuinely want to see our four-legged patients pain-free. New Market Animal Hospital is not about making a quick buck – it is about ensuring wellness and improving the lives of animals across Maryland and beyond.
What was the biggest problem you encountered starting your hospital and how did you overcome it?
I was a veterinarian by profession and I had no idea about the financial matters of a business. It was very challenging to handle all numbers and tax-related matters. Luckily, I found an experienced and trustworthy accountant to manage things for me.
How do you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your work?
Apart from my eternal love for animals, it all comes down to building a seamless process for the business to operate properly. When I started, I found it really hard to keep up with all of the administrative tasks, seeing patients, and performing medical procedures. Building out a process has enabled me to stay on top of it. Time management comes with experience and now I can safely say I know how to manage everything efficiently.
What’s the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is seeing my patients pain-free. My work is never boring. I enjoy every bit of it.
What is your definition of success?
I believe that success is not a destination, it is found within the journey, the path that you take daily. Life is full of ups and downs. The highs can be amazingly high, and the lows can be pretty low. For me, success comes in celebrating every small victory that comes along the path to following your dream.
Thank you so much for this truly amazing interview!
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