Meet: Dr. Pinkey Patel
Founder of: The SnapBack
Tell us about your business:
The average time between delivery and the first postpartum follow up visit is six weeks. After six weeks of sedentary living and physical-mental changes, most women are cleared to return to normal activity. 9 months of creating life and readjusting organs, cannot be solved effectively in one 15 minute appointment after six weeks. Women deserve better healthcare and tools. The postpartum period with a newborn is easily one of the most daunting, and overwhelming times; having an app that provides multiple resources in one place, is perhaps the most vital thing in one's hospital bag. We can mitigate peeing on ourselves, pelvic floor separation, and we can reduce anxiety by being equipped with the right, science-backed, tools. The Snapback App presents state of the art intuitive technology created to cater to each individual mama + baby based on their delivery type (C-section or Vaginal, with degree of tearing in mind), physical/mental health, resources and circumstances! The app provides an individualized rehab experience that serves as an assistant to women navigating the whirlpool that is pregnancy/postpartum, at an affordable rate. The app serves as a comprehensive assistant that presents pertinent information to the mom at the most opportune time. Mother’s create life, we need to help save theirs.
What was the best piece of business advice you were given when you were starting out?
When you have a "crazy" idea, don't just tell anyone. Their response or lack of may make you second guess yourself and that idea could very well be buried. Be selective in who this is initially shared with (I learned this from Sara Blakely on a podcast with Guy Raz, I am slightly obsessed - ha!). They will either motivate you to pursue it or deflate the idea as a whole. Journal, manifest and strengthen your mindset.
Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when you were first starting out?
I wish I would have leaned into this one early on, but definitely that your first iteration is not going to be your best or last. You just have to jump off the cliff and accept that you will build the parachute as you come down! As a perfectionist, this took me longer to accept than I wanted! When you are so deeply committed to filling a gap in women's health, you accept nothing but the best, however this puts way too much pressure and is not realistic. It will always be a work in progress. You live and you learn, right?
Name the biggest overall lesson you've learned in running a business?
You don't need a fancy business degree to run a business. You just have to care the most and be willing to get up every time you fall down (because sis, you will fall down). That passion combined with relentless grit and mindset will carry you further than you ever imagined. Mindset is like a muscle, you have to flex it and strengthen it day after day, especially for an entrepreneur.
Does your culture influence your choices and decisions? If yes, how?
Absolutely. As a first generation immigrant and the first to graduate college in my own family, there was and will always be an inner fire to pursue more. My parents came here with $7 from India, without having an education or knowing English. Although they worked tirelessly to make a living for us, they still ensured I embodied my culture (I actually learned my native language before English since they were so strict!). In addition, although we lived in Oklahoma, we were immersed in culture. Being exposed to culture certainly has had a positive impact on my upbringing.
In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build your resolve?
I remind myself that if it is too comfortable, I am probably not pushing myself hard enough. Only when I have truly made myself go out of the box and be uncomfortable, have I acquired a new skillset that I could confidently apply later in life. The greatest lessons have been learned when I have overcome fear. But, each time I was in that "uncomfortable box" (whether this was singing in German at an all-state choir competition, competing in a bodybuilding competition or in a pageant for college scholarship money), I had self-doubt. However, I let myself sit in it and strengthen my mindset. Looking back, it all makes sense. All of those minor experiences are now calculated to this massive entrepreneurial journey. If it doesn't make me doubt myself, I am not working hard enough.
What tool, object, or ritual could you not live without in your workday?
The importance of my routine in the morning before my house wakes up is invaluable. Building this business during pregnancy, launching it 4 weeks before delivering my second baby and running it postpartum while going back to work full time in healthcare during a pandemic definitely shook this up, but I fought hard to bring my morning routine back. Waking up, thinking immediately what I am grateful for (my family, their health and my health), drinking 20-30 ounces of water, embracing the silence, not touching my phone and going straight for my workout exponentially sets the tone for my day, for the better. Strength training is one of the pillars that contributes to my mental health, cognitive performance and mindset. This alone time really sharpens my mind. It also provides me confidence to play offense in my inbox and shoot out cold requests, I may not have usually performed.
How do you balance your workload? What does self-care look like for you?
Self-care looks way different in my 30's with two kids versus in my 20's! The past few years have really allowed me to realize that self-care for me is truly setting aside time for me to give myself grace - however that looks. Reducing mom guilt that surrounds me with the whirlwind that is entrepreneurship is something I am constantly working on. In terms of balance - there really is no such thing. Some days, I am great mom, ultra present and at every activity and some days I am a great CEO/founder. These days look different for everyone in this journey, but I definitely know my babies are growing fast and allowing myself to embrace that family is a non-negotiable means that I often have to wake up at 4 AM or go to bed a little later.
Discover more:
https://thesnapback.com
@thesnapback_
Dr. Pinkey Patel - The SnapBack
