Women in Business series presented by UMB Private Wealth Management
After a 20-year run working in the harried, often chaotic world of emergency medicine, Anne Morgan, an osteopathic physician who has worked at several metro hospitals, was deliberating about making some changes in her professional life. “It was a good run. It was different every day—and I liked that I could make an immediate impact with someone,” she says. “But being in the E.R. has never really been my passion.”
Morgan found her calling a few years ago in her early 40s when she suddenly began feeling “run down, drained and stressed. I chalked it up to night shifts, young kids, and trying to be everything to everyone.” She knew an inspiring physician skilled in integrative health and became her patient. “She helped me find my vitality again, which I had lost,” Morgan says. “And that awakened my passion to do the same thing for others.”
Instead of jumping right into it, Morgan took several years to learn the ins and outs of potentially running her own practice. “I’m not naturally a businessperson. I’ve always thought I could do it, but there was a lot of trepidation on my part—which translated into making sure I was prepared,” she says. “Even though I knew I wanted to run this practice, the slow road was better for me. I’m much more comfortable with it.”
She credits many of her peers for being her biggest champions. “I was tired of being an employee and being at the mercy of organizations—working holidays and weekends,” she says. “I gained empowerment from other women who were doing similar practices—and really getting inspiration from women-owned businesses in general—and realizing I could do it and I was capable.”
Morgan opened Thrive Once More last December inside Hollyday MedSpa + Aesthetics, where she is also the medical director. Her ideal clients? “Health seekers,” she says. “People who are striving to feel as good as they possibly can. They’re probably doing all the right things—exercise, eating healthfully—but perhaps there’s a piece missing as they age. The building blocks of my practice are bio-identical hormone replacement and thyroid optimization. People feel—shall we say—lackluster over time, which is usually attributed to stress, work, and life, but in reality, as we age, we have a hormonal decline. Things that gradually change over time and they don’t have to.”
Because of the pandemic, Morgan, who is a single mom of two girls, has been seeing a majority of her clients virtually over the last month, including some new patients. “Ideally, I’d like to meet people in person—for that personal connection. But the virtual visits are going well,” she says. She likens what she does to being in a partnership. “It’s a health journey. I want to know what your life looks like and where can you make changes and how can I help to achieve your goals.” One of her specialties is treating women suffering through perimenopause and menopause.
Even in the midst of this coronavirus culture, Morgan continues pulling shifts in metro emergency rooms. “It’s a duty and privilege to serve. I’m glad I’m not completely out of it,” she says. “Because if I was, I’d feel regretful that I wasn’t there to help out.”
Her friends and family have noticed—as she calls it—a transformation. “I feel I’ve blossomed. If you can find your groove, then that makes everything easier. And when you find your stride, it makes things a little brighter. At 48, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I’ve had absolute success helping people thrive once more— hence the name of my business.”