Andi Caron

Andi Caron is a family nurse practitioner based out of Petoskey, Michigan. Growing up, Andi was a star athlete and achieved multiple recognitions at her local high school. She also was an integral member of the Petoskey Steel Drum Band which has performed at many nationwide performances.

Andi attended Kirtland Community College where she obtained an Associates Degree in Nursing and then Ohio University where she obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. With a passion for helping others, she decided to pursue a career in the medical field. She eventually completed a Master’s degree with focus on Family Nurse Practitioner from Georgia Southwestern State University. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Andi has worked as a registered nurse for the last eight years. She has enjoyed a successful career at McLaren Hospital and Harborside Spine and Sports Center.

When she is not working, Andi enjoys spending time outdoors fishing, hiking, and exploring the beautiful state of Michigan.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

When I was working as a nurse, I saw the lack of healthcare that exists in the United States. I also had a desire to help people improve their overall health while preventing chronic illness.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical day starts at 6:30 in the morning. I spend time refilling people’s medications and reviewing test results, then I see about twelve to fifteen patients a day in an eight-hour shift. After that, I wrap up the day similar to how it started with refilling medications, reviewing tests and consults, and whatever else is sent my way.

How do you bring ideas to life?

The important thing is staying on task and using my support staff in the office in every way possible. They help me complete the tasks that are necessary to properly care for my patients.

What’s one trend that excites you?

In the medical field, we’re steering away from paper documents and transitioning into electronic files. It’s easier to track patient records, lab results, etc. when it’s all in one place.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Always being on time or twenty minutes early to everything. I think it’s important to take both your personal and professional responsibilities seriously as adhering to a schedule leads to productive habits.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be so hard on yourself because it will all work out. I always tell myself not to dwell on certain obstacles that may arise. I take every experience as a learning opportunity and do my best to move forward.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Facebook is better than Instagram. I find that it is a better platform to connect with friends and family members.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Be thorough. It’s important to never cut corners and always put your best foot forward. Many individuals say that success is just connections and luck, when really it is the result of hard work and discipline.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Being dependable and a hard worker. I live in Northern Michigan, so you tend to cross paths with everyone you meet in a professional environment. Because of that, it’s important to develop and keep relationships with people.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

When I first started my associate degree program, my significant other was being deployed to Afghanistan. I missed one day of class and was told that was a violation of the program rules. I was required to start over in the program which delayed me by over a year. Perseverance kept me going, so I was able to finish the program and still get my nursing degree.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I would have to say an app that provides health advice for everyday illnesses. It would be useful to have a reliable source of information that you can check in certain situations.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

Recently, I took a night out with girlfriends, just relaxing and enjoying life, which was a lot of fun.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

There’s an online medical resource called UpToDate that I literally live on all day and I use it as a resource to ensure that patients are being treated appropriately.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I like self-help books that make you reflect on yourself and how you can do better.

What is your favorite quote?

Live life to the fullest.

Key Learnings:

• The move towards digitalization is a positive trend because it makes keeping track of patient records and information easier
• Self-reflection is important
• Make patients the priority