Meet Colleen Roman

We had the good fortune of connecting with Colleen Roman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Colleen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting AnimALL wasn’t a sudden leap, it was the natural next step after years of listening closely to what pets and their people were quietly telling me.

I have spent my career in the clinical trenches, first as a registered veterinary technician and later as a veterinarian, and I kept seeing the same pattern. People love their pets deeply, but life is busy. Appointments are hard to get, transportation can be a challenge, and for many animals, especially cats, seniors, and exotic pets, the car ride and clinic environment are not just “stressful,” they can be genuinely destabilizing. I kept thinking, we are asking patients to be brave in a place that is not built for them, and then we label the fear as “behavior” instead of what it really is, stress.

My thought process was rooted in one question: What if I could bring excellent veterinary care to the patient where they feel most comfortable?

Mobile medicine removes a major obstacle, and it changes the entire experience. Pets stay in their safe space. Families do not have to rearrange their entire day to get help. I can see the environment, the routines, the diet setup, the litterbox location, the rabbit enclosure, the bird’s cage placement, the subtle things that are impossible to assess from inside an exam room. That gives me better medical information, and it allows me to practice in a way that is more personalized, more humane, and more effective.

Education is also a huge part of why I built AnimALL. I am not interested in quick, transactional medicine. I want clients to leave a visit understanding what we saw, why it matters, and what they can do at home to prevent problems before they become emergencies. That is especially important for exotic pets, who are masters at hiding illness and often suffer quietly until things are advanced. In-home visits give me the time and context to teach in a way that actually sticks, and that translates into healthier pets.

Most importantly, I started this business because I believe it fills a real need in the community. North Metro Atlanta is growing quickly, and veterinary care is stretched thin. Mobile veterinary service is not just a convenience, it is access. It helps pets who might otherwise miss preventive care. It supports busy families. It reduces fear for anxious patients. It creates a safer, more controlled experience for exotics. It is a meaningful way to meet people where they are, literally, and to raise the standard of care by making it easier to receive. I did not start a business to simply own a business. I built AnimALL because I bring wanted to bring back relationship-based veterinary care, the kind where my clients feel seen, their questions are welcome, and their pet is treated like family.

What should our readers know about your business?
AnimALL Mobile Veterinary Service is my answer to a problem I saw over and over again, families who deeply love their pets, but struggle to access care in a way that is timely, calm, and realistic for their lives. We provide elite, compassionate, personalized veterinary care in the home for dogs, cats, and exotic pets, with wellness and minor illness as our core focus. The goal is simple, remove barriers, reduce fear, and build long-term relationships that keep pets healthier.

What truly sets AnimALL apart is the experience. Mobile care is not just “a vet who shows up,” it is a completely different kind of medicine. I get to walk into the pet’s real world. I can see what they eat, how they live, where they hide, what stresses them, and what resources they do or do not have. That context makes my medicine better, and it makes my education more useful. Clients are not getting a rushed list of instructions, they are getting a plan that fits their household, their schedule, and their specific animal.

I am also Fear Free focused, meaning I prioritize gentle, low-stress handling and a calmer approach to care. That matters for every patient, but it is especially important for cats, seniors, and exotic pets. Exotics are masters at hiding illness, and they can decline quickly if stress is high. I am proud that AnimALL can be a safer, more controlled option for those patients and for the families who love them.

If there is one thing I am most proud of, it is the relationships. I wanted to bring back relationship-based veterinary care, aka the “family doctor” feeling. That is not a tagline, it is how I practice. Education is woven into every visit, because informed clients make confident decisions, and confident decisions save lives.

How I got here was a long road, and it was not easy. I like to tell people I took the “scenic route” instead of the highway. I took a non-traditional path; after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology, I did not have the confidence to become a veterinarian right away, but that was the dream. I started as a registered veterinary nurse after obtaining my associate’s degree in veterinary technology, where I worked in small animal and exotic practices and learned how hospitals run from the ground up for almost 7 years. Then I went back to school to become a doctor, knowing I could do more for my clients by stepping into the role of medical decision-maker, advocate, and educator. That layered experience shaped everything about how I built AnimALL. I am not only thinking like a doctor, but I am also thinking like a nurse, a teacher, a leader, and a business owner, all at once.
Building a business is humbling. The clinical part is only one piece. You must learn systems, pricing, scheduling, inventory, marketing, boundaries, and how to protect your time so you can sustain the work. One of the biggest challenges was accepting that you can care deeply without doing everything. The way I overcame that was by getting very clear on my mission, creating strong processes, and staying consistent. I also learned that you cannot build trust in a community by trying to be everything to everyone. You build it by doing a few things exceptionally well, then showing up again and again.

The lessons I have learned are the ones I now share with every client and every colleague. Calm is powerful. Consistency matters. Education is medicine. Preventive care is not “extra,” it is what protects families from crisis and protects pets from suffering.

What I want the world to know about my brand and story is this, AnimALL is built on heart and precision. I do this work because I believe veterinary care should be more accessible, more personal, and more kind, without sacrificing medical excellence. I believe pets deserve a doctor who sees them as individuals, and I believe families deserve to feel supported, not judged. When you invite me into your home, you are not just getting a service, you are gaining a partner in your pet’s life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Honestly, I would show them the parts of Atlanta you will not find on TripAdvisor or Google, the places that capture the real heartbeat of Georgia just outside the city. North Metro has this charming, welcoming energy that pulls people in, small downtowns, patios, local shops, river days, and the kind of community spaces where you actually feel like you belong.

I would start in Suwanee, where we live, at Town Center. It is such a fun experience, especially during one of the town’s festivals like Suwanee Fest, browsing local vendors, crafts, and food, and just soaking up that hometown energy. We would grab lunch or dinner at Tequila Mama or Two Cities Pizza, then I would introduce them to local craft beer at StillFire Brewing, which always feels like a true neighborhood hangout.

From there, I would build the week around the “best of our pockets”, a night in Downtown Duluth for the walkable vibe and great food, a day in Roswell for the historic charm, and a little time up toward Cumming for that North Georgia feel. One day would be dedicated to the Chattahoochee River, tubing, relaxing, and soaking up sunshine. It is one of those simple, perfect Georgia days that makes you forget emails exist.

In the evenings, we would head to Alpharetta for shopping and dinner, especially around Avalon, and if the timing is right, we would catch an Avalon Nights Live event. It is such an easy way to have a “best night ever” without needing anything fancy, just music, lights, and good company.

And because I am an animal lover, I would absolutely take them to North Georgia Wildlife Park to feed the capybaras, then make a stop at one of the adorable local wineries nearby to make it a full day.

If we made it into the city for one day, I would take them to Little Five Points for a burger at The Vortex, then walk next door to Junkman’s Daughter and Psycho Sisters for some fun, quirky shopping, because every great trip needs at least one “only-in-Atlanta” moment.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without a doubt, my biggest shoutout goes to my husband.

People see the highlight reel, the degrees, the title, the business, the “overnight success” that never actually happens overnight. What they do not always see is the person who quietly carried the weight with me, day after day, for years. My husband has never given up on my dreams, even in the seasons when the path was long, exhausting, and full of sacrifice. He believed in me when I was running on fumes, when I was studying late, when I was stretched thin between school, life, and work, and when it would have been easier to settle for something smaller.

He supported me through veterinary school, through the growing pains of building a career, and through the real life moments that happen in between. He is the steady voice that reminds me who I am when things get loud, and the calm presence that keeps our home grounded when my world is moving fast. He has celebrated the wins, but more importantly, he has stayed strong in the hard parts, the parts that take grit and patience and love.

And the most meaningful part of my story, the center of it all, is our son. He is our miracle baby, and he is two years old now. Becoming a mom reshaped my definition of success in the best way. It made me more focused, more intentional, and more protective of building a life that is aligned with my values. Watching my husband become a father has been one of the greatest gifts of my life, the way he shows up with tenderness, strength, and steady devotion, it is the kind of love that changes a family.

If I am being honest, AnimALL exists because I had someone at home who made it possible for me to keep going. My husband deserves credit not just for cheering me on, but for being the kind of partner who helped carry the dream when it was heavy. I would not be where I am without him, and I am deeply grateful for the life we have built together.

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