Meet the Doctors of Artisan Chiropractic

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Raven Bradley & Dr. Jody Angel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Raven & Dr. Angel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The idea of going into business together came about while we were in our last year of Chiropractic school. We both had great work ethics when it came to studying and getting things done and had the same mindset about the type of practice we wanted. We both value work life balance and didn’t want to be a slave to the office and figured two heads were better than one. The biggest driving factor for us taking the leap into the world of business ownership was that we knew we both wanted to create a space that truly embodied the term “healthcare” as opposed to the Americanized approach of “sick-care”. Our common goal was to help people understand their body and what health means for each person by treating patients as a whole with conservative care, instead of masking symptoms. We knew that being on the same page in our approach to treating musculoskeletal disorders was a solid foundation to opening a practice together and that we would be able to figure out everything else as it came along.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
When we first decided on the name Artisan Chiropractic we knew that it embodied our beliefs and mission for the practice. The definition of Artisan is “a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.” We believe that each person’s health and treatment should be hand-crafted specifically for their needs. We also pride ourselves on patient education. More often than not, people do not truly understand medical terminology and dr. google can lead you to believe you have a world of things going wrong with your body. Our goal is to help our patients understand and feel comfortable taking control of their health.

We are definitely most proud of the fact that we were able to open our office and sustain a business amid a pandemic! While we had spent the previous year planning and dreaming for “someday,” we were not expecting to take the leap just yet. Despite the challenges, everything worked out for the best and we were able to fully pull it together in just a month.

It is crazy to think of how far we have come business-wise in the past 10 months. It has not been an easy process for us simply because our primary focus is our patients and to be great doctors, however we can’t avoid the management and administrative side, nor are we ready to hire a full time office manager. It has taken a lot of consultations with lawyers, accountants, business coaches, podcasts and Google/YouTube searches to learn to manage both sides of the practice. It is still difficult to balance and more often than not we operate on a 7 day work week as opposed to 5, but learning to prioritize tasks and delegate things to each other based on time and resources is becoming more natural for us to execute.

The biggest lesson that stands is that there is no room for ego when running a business or treating patients. We can never be arrogant enough to think we know it all.

If there was one thing we wanted the world to know about our brand and our story, it is that we don’t believe chiropractic care, nor health-care as a whole, has a one size fits all remedy! We are truly invested in our patient’s livelihoods and want them to be at their best whether that is performing better on the field, being able to get through a workday without pain or enjoying an afternoon running after the kids. We have worked hard to get to where we are in life and we believe our patients have worked just as hard and deserve to enjoy their lives without pain or dysfunction. Even if chiropractic care is not the solution to their ailment, we are committed to helping them understand what is going on with their body and getting them to the care that they need!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ha, well things have definitely changed a lot over the past year, so the best time ever for me is a quiet day with no obligations, playing with a cute English bulldog and a glass of wine. – Dr. Raven

(Dr. Raven) Fitness is a huge component of my life so I would definitely take someone to my three favorite boutique fitness studios, F45 Arts District (@f45_artsdistrict_htx), For The People indoor cycling studio (@forthepeoplehtx), and Lagree at The Studio FORM (@thestudioform). Guaranteed for a good time, good music, new friends who likely want to go for a drink or food after class.

If I am outdoors you’ll typically catch me at Hermann Park on the trail or taking a long stroll through the Houston Arboretum. We also have a great zoo and museum district so the Museum of Natural Science and Museum of Fine Arts are definitely worth exploring while visiting.

My top three favorite wine bars with light eats are Camerata at Paulie’s, 13 Celsius and Sixty Vines. If you need a good patio, great cocktail menu, good vibes and even better food Lucile’s, Taste Bar + Kitchen and Lost & Found are 1000% worth going to! And to top it off ice cream is always a good idea, so Milk & Sugar and Sweet Bribery are my go-to’s!

(Dr. Angel)

I am a big fan of craft beer and dogs so I would recommend Saint Arnold Beer Garden! They have a huge outdoor area that is dog friendly, has great food and delicious beers.

Check out Truck Yard for another dog friendly bar and restaurant with really cool décor that make great photos. They often have live music too.

Speaking of live music, I love White Oak Music Hall and The Continental Club.

Grab a coffee at Double Trouble Caffeine and Cocktails. They have great coffee and make adult beverages with it. Try the Betty Whizzle! Kaffeine Coffee Cafe is another favorite.

Stop by Space Montrose for unique gifts and shopping.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Our family and friends have all done their fair share of support and encouragement, both while in school and on this venture of entrepreneurship. Dr. Dannug of Healthpro Chiropractic and Acupuncture and Dr. Adam Stewart and Dr. Tanner Odom of Pioneer Chiropractic have all served as mentors within the profession, helping us to better serve our patients and growing as doctors. They also played a critical role in the development of opening our practice. Chiropractic school gives you very little insight as to what it looks like to own your own business, so being able to watch the growth of a newer practice as well as take notes from a more established office has been helpful in our first year of business.

Website: www.artisanchiropractic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisanchiropractic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=Artisan%20Chiropractic

Image Credits
Photographer: Dennis M. Walls Jr. @ddotwalls