Dr. Jaime Cho and Her Unicorn: Building a Veterinary Clinic That Heals More Than Pets

Turning a bakery into a veterinary clinic in the middle of a global pandemic might sound like a wild idea—but for Dr. Jaime Cho, it was the beginning of a bold new chapter. As the founder of Peach Paws Animal Hospital, Dr. Cho took on every element of the transformation herself—from architectural design to accounting—with one mission in mind: to create a veterinary practice that serves both animals and the people who care for them.

“I want to run my business differently. I want to be for our team.”

Like many in the veterinary field, Dr. Cho experienced firsthand the mental and emotional toll of a system that left dedicated professionals feeling burnt out. She envisioned a workplace with true work-life balance, team cohesion, and emotional sustainability.

Culture First, Always

One of Dr. Cho’s core leadership philosophies is intentional culture-building. From regular one-on-one meetings to thoughtful hiring based on character and chemistry, she prioritizes the long game over short-term staffing fixes.

At Peach Paws, team members enjoy protected administrative time, uninterrupted lunches, and even boundaries around time off—a rarity in veterinary medicine. These decisions, though they may sacrifice some immediate revenue, have paid off in the form of staff retention, patient satisfaction, and long-term business growth.

Weekly team lunches, holiday parties, and social outings are more than perks—they're part of Dr. Cho’s recipe for cultivating a supportive, values-aligned workplace. It’s no wonder her team refers to Peach Paws as a “unicorn of a clinic.”

Rooted in Community

Serving her own neighborhood was another driving force behind Peach Paws. For Dr. Cho, veterinary care is about more than just the animals—it’s about the people who love them.

“One of my favorite things is to connect with people. These are relationships we are building.”

New client visits are given extra time not just for medical histories but for real conversations. Her approach fosters trust, education, and a true partnership with pet owners—one that reflects the heart of community-based medicine.

Leading the Way for the Next Generation

As a woman of color and a self-taught business owner, Dr. Cho is deeply aware of the importance of mentorship—especially in an industry where practice ownership has historically been dominated by men.

“Many, many years ago vet school was predominantly men. Now, it's more like 70% women. Interestingly, even with more women vets, practice owners are predominantly men because they got more mentorship. Especially as a woman of color, I want to encourage women in this way because I didn't get anyone to really show me the ropes.”

Now, she’s paying it forward by mentoring young women aspiring to open their own clinics, hoping to ease the path for the next generation of veterinary leaders.

A visionary entrepreneur, a community builder, and a change-maker in animal care, Dr. Jaime Cho is building something rare and deeply meaningful. A unicorn, indeed.