Shawn Blankenship is a driven entrepreneur and healthcare leader based in Charleston, West Virginia. He grew up in a single-parent home in Huntington. After graduating high school in 1988, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. There, he learned discipline and teamwork while maintaining ship engines.
After an honorable discharge, Shawn pursued nursing. He balanced 12-hour hospital shifts with night classes. In 2011, he graduated with honors and served as class president at St. Mary’s Nursing School. Two years later, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marshall University. In 2015, he completed a Master of Science in Nursing at Chamberlain School of Nursing, graduating with distinction as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
In March 2018, Shawn founded Holistic, Inc., a medical practice that blends primary care and counseling. As Medical Director and lead practitioner, he built a lean team and a patient-centered model. His clinic offers quick, focused visits and personalized plans. Within a year, patient follow-up rates rose by 40%. Shawn attributes this growth to clear goals and consistent service.
He applies entrepreneurial strategies to healthcare. He sets daily targets on index cards. He reviews lab results by noon and walks each hallway. He posts new policies online to keep patients informed. “Hard work is oxygen,” he says. His method turns small steps into lasting results.
Outside the clinic, Shawn volunteers twice a month at a local battered women’s shelter. He provides free check-ups and health education. He lives with his wife, Julie, and daughter, Clara, who is studying therapy. On weekends, he rehabs small rental properties and plays golf.
Shawn’s journey shows how discipline, clear goals, and community focus can create business success. He continues to grow Holistic, Inc. and inspire others to blend purpose with profit.
Q&A with Shawn Blankenship on Discipline, Balance, and the Long Road to Success
You’ve had a long and unconventional journey. How do you define success today?
For me, success means growth with purpose. It’s not about titles or money. It’s when the work I do matches the values I live by. That includes providing real care to my patients, being present for my family, and staying aligned with my faith and goals. I also measure success in terms of consistency. If I’m still walking my talk five years from now, I’ll call that a win.
Your story started in Huntington and took you through the Navy. How did that part of your life shape your outlook?
The Navy was where I learned that discipline outlasts talent. I didn’t always feel like the smartest guy in the room, but I could outlast almost anyone. I worked in the engine rooms—dirty, loud, nonstop pressure. That structure stayed with me. Today, I still wake up early, still write my goals on index cards, and still do routine tasks like checking labs before noon. It may not sound glamorous, but it’s how I’ve moved forward.
You’ve worked through nursing school while holding hospital jobs. What motivated you during that phase?
I had no backup plan. No safety net. I paid for school with overtime. I’d finish a shift, change clothes in the parking lot, and head straight to class. When you’re tired and no one’s watching, that’s when your habits take over. I made it manageable by breaking it into small, clear goals—pass this test, attend that lab, review that lecture. I didn’t aim to be perfect. I just didn’t stop.
What role does goal-setting play in your daily life now?
It’s everything. I still use index cards—three to five items a day. “Walk the hallways.” “Follow up on patient labs.” “Talk to one new patient about their stress levels.” Small actions, but they compound. Long-term goals are great, but I’ve seen too many people stall out because they didn’t break them down. Goals are my guardrails. They keep me from drifting.
Holistic, Inc. is your own practice. What’s been the biggest challenge in building it?
Learning to say no. When you run a practice, everything wants your attention—patients, staff, paperwork, vendors. Early on, I was saying yes to everything. That led to 14-hour days and burnout. I had to create systems and learn to delegate. I started posting clinic policies online so patients knew what to expect. I trained my staff to make more decisions without me. Letting go of control was hard, but necessary.
How do you balance your work with family and personal life?
You can’t fake balance—it shows up in your energy and attitude. I’ve been married since 1997, and we’ve raised a daughter who’s now in graduate school. My wife and I rehab rental properties on weekends. It gives us time together away from the clinic. We talk a lot about the business, about life, about faith. That time keeps me grounded. I also run or play golf when I can. If you’re burned out, your patients feel it. So I protect that balance as much as I can.
You volunteer at a battered women’s shelter. What drew you to that work?
During school, there were months when I couldn’t afford gas or books. I had coworkers who gave me rides or covered my shifts. That support carried me. So now, I do my part. I offer check-ups, vaccines, and just listen. These women often haven’t seen a doctor in years. Volunteering reminds me why I got into healthcare in the first place—to serve, not just to work.
A lot of people are struggling to define success for themselves. What advice would you give?
Start small and get honest. Write down one goal for tomorrow. Do it. Then do it again. Don’t chase what looks good on paper. Success that isn’t built on your own values won’t last. Also, embrace routine. Success isn’t always exciting—it’s usually pretty repetitive. But that repetition builds trust in yourself. And trust becomes momentum.
You’ve mentioned fear of failure, especially with your family. How do you manage that fear?
I feel it every morning. But I don’t let it decide for me. I lean on my faith, my lists, my family. I’ve learned that fear is quieter when you’re already in motion. If you wait to feel fearless, you’ll be waiting forever. Start scared, start unsure—but just start. That’s what separates the dreamers from the doers.
Final question—what keeps you going, day after day?
A simple idea: What you believe is what you become. I keep that above my door. If I believe I’m capable of growth, I keep showing up—even when it’s hard, even when I fail. Success isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about being willing to keep figuring it out. Every single day.