While the world was shut down in 2020 due to a pandemic, Elly Armah and Carolyn Coleman had an idea to start their own clinic. The two nurse practitioners rolled up their sleeves and got to work to turn the dream into reality.
They overcame several challenges. One was finding a building and a contractor within their budget. In addition, they needed to find a collaborating physician for the clinic. They were turned down several times due to risk before one finally agreed.
The pair self-funded the startup of the clinic, and Premiere Family Practice opened its doors in the spring of 2021 in Jonesboro.
PFP accepts patients ages 2 and up. They offer routine general medical exams, annual wellness checkups, employee drug screenings, sports physicals, and more.
The two Northeast Arkansas natives have over 30 years of healthcare experience between them. Coleman is an APRN and FNP-C. Armah is an APRN and FNP-BC. But they were new to business.
Upon a recommendation from their lawyer, Armah and Coleman reached out to the local Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center for guidance on how to grow their new practice.
Through the center at Arkansas State University, they received information about managing a business, including marketing strategy assistance.
When asked about their experience working with the ASBTDC, Armah said, “They were thorough, held our hand through the process, and very informative.”
Advice that they would give someone looking to start a business is to have a plan and don’t give up. They also said, “Don’t quit your day job until the business can support you.”
To learn more about Premiere Family Practice, visit their website, premierefamilypractice.com.