As a Cuban-Cambodian immigrant whose father fought to ensure his family had a better life, Karla Paez, COO at Truecare Wellness, became familiar with compassion, sacrifice, and struggle at an early age. She spent her youth watching her father practice holistic medicine and acupuncture for animals and after relocating to Miami at the age of 12, Karla witnessed her father build a business from the ground up.
“My dad had to get his veterinary license here in the states. He is dyslexic, and I am too, and English is not our first language. So, he failed the test his first time and while he studied, he was painting, washing dishes, and doing anything he could to provide for us. Eventually he got his license and ended up opening his first clinic.”
Throughout high school Karla spent a lot of time helping her father; first as a Veterinary Technician and then at the front desk assisting with administrative duties for clients. After one year in college Karla joined the US Army and specialized in patient administration and in-patient medical records. And after seven years of service, she decided it was time to switch gears.
“I decided to separate from the service to start another chapter in my life and spend time with my son and life partner. I spent six months looking for a job and then a friend told me about an ad she saw on Facebook for a position at Dr. Careys office. I ended up going in and was hired a couple hours after I left.”
Dr. Carey was one year into FPC when Karla began her journey at Truecare Wellness as the practices new Program Director. She was eager to learn, contribute, and was passionate about identifying any areas she could help improve.
“The first six months I really had to learn FPC. I wanted to understand everything; like what does Dr. Carey do? What classes do we need? How can we make this better? I felt lost at first, but now everything is so clear, and it feels nice to see how much we’ve grown.”
Growth has always been key for Karla. She talked about how invested she is in the growth of each practice member and how she is inspired by the success of her team. She also mentioned a recent breakthrough her team experienced after consistent practice on one of FPC’s core concepts – role-playing.
“The discovery calls and learning to effectively communicate with our prospects was challenging for the team. It was hard because no one was really eager to role-play; but I really like challenging everyone to step out of their comfort zone. So, it’s gotten easier, and now I get asked – hey, can we role-play? And I love it.”
“We enjoy eating together,” Karla said as we talked about celebrations and bonding rituals. “We like finding new places to eat at and we also go to Dr. Carey’s house and shoot videos for our practice members while we cook. We love food.”
The team also bonds over birthdays, Top Golf, and donating to the Children’s Crisis Center. And Karla introduced the team to a volunteering opportunity for a nonprofit organization that hits close to home for her – Wreaths Across America.
“It’s at the military cemetery on Fort Bliss. We put a wreath on the tombstone of service members who have passed. I did it while I was in the army, and I wanted to continue doing it here with the team. It kind of puts you in a different mindset and its nice honoring all of our service members.”
Having the right mindset is high on Karla’s list of values. She explained that her favorite sessions during FPC’s quarterly events revolve around personal growth, and she often takes what she’s learned and provides daily reminders to her team about the importance of positivity.
“We have these talks about positivity and about trying to always focus on looking forward and moving ahead. I’m attracted to a positive mindset, and I am grateful for what I can do today. I always remind everyone about what Dr. Webb tells us and I say hey, don’t look in that rear view mirror.”
Karla credits Dr. Carey for opening her eyes to the possibilities in healthcare. She is devoted to living with intention and is fully invested in their overall mission.
“Dr. Cary is passionate about wanting to change people’s lifestyle and working with her has changed the way I look at healthcare. Our goal is to change at least one life a day. It’s an honor to be a part of the mission and the role I play in it is instrumental.”
Are you ready for your own success story?
If you are, I have good news! We can get you results like this. It won’t be easy, nor will it happen overnight, but I’ve seen it happen so many times that I can tell you that’s it’s possible.
You’ve got to be hungry, driven, up for the work, listen more than you talk, complete more than complain, implement plans more than you announce them, and show up daily with a beginners mind. If you’re ready, it’s time to get to work!
