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IACCGH honors trailblazers in 'Women Mean Business' event
Dr. Kim Tran, founder and owner of two thriving veterinary clinics was the event's keynote speaker.
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Somdatta Basu - Mon, 14, Apr 2025
- 08:39 EDT
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Past and present honorees of the Women Mean Business series gather with community leaders to celebrate a legacy of leadership and mentorship. / Bijay Dixit / IACCGH
HOUSTON, TX – The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH), in collaboration with long-time partner Shell USA, hosted its “Women Mean Business” event earlier this year, at the Junior League of Houston. The evening celebrated female leadership, entrepreneurial grit, and the enduring impact of community mentorship.
The conversation was moderated by Malisha Patel, senior vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Southwest and Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospitals, and current IACCGH president. “I hope her story and the lessons she shares will resonate with everyone in the room,” Patel said during her welcome remarks.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Kim Tran, founder and owner of two thriving veterinary clinics—offered a candid and compelling account of her path from student to veterinarian to business owner. The conversation uncovered the nuances, challenges, and emotional toll of private practice.
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Dr. Kim Tran shares her journey from student to veterinarian to successful business owner during a heartfelt keynote at the IACCGH Women Mean Business event. / Bijay Dixit / IACCGH“I did not always dream of becoming a vet,” said Dr. Tran. “But I knew I loved animals, medicine, and needed a job that would never be boring. Veterinary medicine checked all those boxes.”
“Did you ever consider joining a larger practice instead of starting your own?” asked Patel.
“I did,” Tran replied. “My first job was with a corporate clinic. I learned a lot—what to do, what not to do. But when the opportunity came to take over an existing practice, I thought—what if I don’t do it? I’ll always wonder.”
Tran described how her first clinic, Baxter & Cleo in Spring Branch, was acquired from a retiring vet, while her second location, Dexter & Evie near the medical center—was built from scratch. Each location, she noted, serves a distinct clientele. “One is proactive and long-standing. The other is younger, more reactive, financially constrained. But in both, the goal is the same: quality, compassion, and sustainability.”
Patel, drawing parallels with her own leadership experience in healthcare, pointed to the emotional complexity of medicine. “You mentioned that 80% of your job is customer service. What does that look like in veterinary care?”
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An insightful conversation unfolds between Dr. Kim Tran and Malisha Patel, IACCGH President and Senior VP/CEO at Memorial Hermann, highlighting the emotional and entrepreneurial layers of veterinary practice. / Bijay Dixit / IACCGH
“It’s like pediatrics,” said Tran. “The pet is the patient, but the client is the owner. We work at the intersection of medicine, money, and emotion. It’s not just treatment, it’s negotiation, empathy, and expectation management.”
From balancing patient outcomes with public perception, especially in the age of online reviews, to managing a team of technicians and doctors, Tran emphasized the mental load. “Some days you lose a patient, then face a negative Yelp review minutes later. You go from grief to customer service mode instantly. It’s exhausting.”
She credits her mentors, husband, and in-laws for offering guidance in both medicine and business. “Business was a foreign language to my family. My husband and his family made it a first language.”
When asked about funding her ventures, Tran acknowledged the support of SBA loans and her own frugality. “IKEA furniture, Facebook Marketplace deals, even buying used equipment from closing clinics. You do what you must.”
A particularly moving moment came when Tran spoke of the emotional highs and lows of the job—from removing 27 hair ties from a cat’s stomach to guiding families through end-of-life care. “What surprises me most,” she said, “is the human capacity for compassion. It always catches me off guard.”
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Dr. Kim Tran receives the “Women Mean Business” honor, surrounded by IACCGH Founding Secretary and Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia and IACCGH President Malisha Patel, commemorating her dedication to compassionate care and community-driven entrepreneurship. / Bijay Dixit / IACCGHIACCGH executive director Jagdip Ahluwalia thanked Shell USA for their continued support: “To have Shell as a long-term sponsor of the Chamber—they sponsor our Distinguished Lecture Series, and this Women Mean Business program—means a lot.”
Shell’s representative thanked Dr. Tran and Malisha, for such a heartfelt conversation. “These Pearls of Wisdom—when shared—have the power to change lives,” she said.
Past honorees of the Women Mean Business series were also recognized in a special segment, celebrating the legacy and diversity of leadership the program has nurtured over the years.
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