We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonathan Block, DVM and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started West Delray Veterinary and went on to expand into opening Mindful Veterinary Care with the intention to create veterinary business model where the focus is on investing in a really positive, nurturing, fun, enjoyable and engaging workplace. The culture is what creates that foundation that drives the organic growth of the business. What I mean by this is, I truly believe that if the team feels supported, is well cared for and enthusiastic about the work and the company mission, then this will translate into better results. In the veterinary space, this means that we are delivering better patient care, better client service, and we are getting more satisfaction out of the work. Everybody benefits- The clients, the patients, and the team!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
West Delray Veterinary and Mindful Veterinary Care are primary care small animal, integrative veterinary practices. We practice general small animal medicine and surgery. We also offer integrative therapies like acupuncture, herbal and nutritional medicine and physical rehabilitation. Our approach to medicine is very tailored to the individual needs of the patients and clients. I often say that, “Medicine is not a one size fits all practice.” What I mean by this is, every patient has their own unique set if circumstances. And every client (pet parent) has their own set of philosophical beliefs on how they want to approach their animal’s care. Our integrative approach enables us to meet the needs of a wider variety patients and clients and helps us develop wellness and treatment plans the resonate well with the doctor and the client.

Prior to opening up West Delray Veterinary in early 2020, I was living and practicing in New York City for nine years. This chapter of my me early professional career was very meaningful and impactful. Living and working in New York City was such a positive experience personally and professionally. However, a couple of years after my daughter was born in 2017, we decided that it was best for our family to return to South Florida to open up West Delray Vet. This leap into business ownership and becoming an entrepreneur was one of the best decisions I ever made. Yes, I have experienced the anticipated challenges of starting up and running a business from the ground up. However, the satisfaction that I experience from leading a wonderful team and performing very important and meaningful work that I believe in significantly outweighs the challenges that I experience. I tend to believe that all challenges are there for a reason, and this is what we learn the most from, so they all have some beneficial upside to them. I love a quote by John Lennon, “There are no problems, only solutions.”

I am deeply passionate about providing unparalleled veterinary care to my patients, unwavering and consistently excellent customer service to my clients, and doing so in a nurturing, clean, modern environment. The other motivating part of my business is being able to provide a really positive, nurturing and fulfilling workplace culture for my team.
It is such an honor to go the office everyday and make positive, life long connections with clients and make positive and meaningful impacts on the lives of animals and people.
I am also so grateful to be able to lead an amazing team of dedication pet care professionals, at all levels. I get so much satisfaction out of seeing the team do the work that they do with smiles on their faces and enthusiasm in their strides.

The culture and mission that we have set out to accomplish I have summarized in the term, “Mindful Medicine”, and that is where the brand Mindful Veterinary Care was born, which I opened up in March, 2023. I’m so excited to see where that brand will go!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love eating great food, art, music and culture. My live and work in the Delray Beach and Boca Raton areas. The places I love to eat and hang out at are Akira Back and Ember Grille at The Ray Hotel, Brulee, and the rooftop lounge and restaurant at Restoration Hardware in West Palm Beach. I love a good art walk at The Arts Warehouse in downtown Delray, where my very talented wife, Jill Hotchkiss (shameless plug), is a resident artist. I also love a night out in Miami- Joe’s Stone Crabs or Blue Ribbon Sushi and a good Miami Heat game during the season!

I’m passionate about nature, health and wellness. You can often find me running, biking, and gathering for sunrise yoga on Delray Beach with Pedro Luna and the Delray Beach yoga community on Sunday mornings!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As a veterinarian, there has been a long, hard and fulfilling academic commitment to get into the profession. After we get into the professional practice, there is a lot of mentorship and professional engagement with colleagues that help shape the direction of your practice. With this in mind, I would love to thank my friends and family for supporting me through the many rigorous academic years to break into the field. I would also like to thank my professional circles- classmates, professors, early mentors and colleagues along the way. Every relationship is significant in its own way.

Website: www.westdelrayvet.com; www.mindfulveterinary.com

Instagram: @westdelrayvet; @mindfulvetcare

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-block-21b10b32/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/westdelrayvet/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindfulvetcare/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westdelrayvet; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085497794709

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/west-delray-veterinary-delray-beach; https://www.yelp.com/biz/mindful-veterinary-care-lake-worth;

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@westdelrayveterinary3267

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.