Boss Mama CEO Story: Finding Purpose Through Passion

Adrian is another one of those amazing entrepreneurs who turned a personal struggle into a purpose, and she is absolutely thriving.

It’s one thing to start a business before babies, but starting one after, in my opinion, is a whole different ballgame. There are so many more things to juggle, and somehow, Adrian is making it happen. Not only has she found her purpose, but she’s also found her passion in helping other women thrive through some of life’s most difficult seasons.

Perimenopause and menopause have not exactly been mainstream topics by any stretch of the imagination. But now more than ever, women are talking about them, sharing their experiences, and, most importantly, standing up and speaking their truths. And that openness is helping other women realize they aren’t alone in what they’re experiencing.

It’s not only important for women to talk about these things; it’s also important that we have medical providers who understand the menopause journey. Not just medically, but personally. Providers who get it because they’ve lived it.

Adrian is creating a space where women feel heard, validated, and supported, and where they can find solutions that actually work.

Like Adrian, I’m also a lover of dolphins! 🐬 As a kid, I always thought I’d grow up to be a marine biologist. Ha!

Adrian has SO much to share, and I can’t wait for you to read her story below. Be sure to follow her on social media and show this mama some love! 💕

YOUR STORY

Tell us who you are!

My name is Adrian Thompson and I’m the owner of Vida Women’s Health.

We love a good origin story, but first, give us your short + sweet intro!

I’m Adrian Thompson, PA-C, MSCP, founder of Vida Women’s Health, a specialty medical practice focused on perimenopause, menopause, weight management, sexual health, and midlife women’s health. I help women feel informed, supported, and empowered through evidence-based, personalized care during a stage of life that is often overlooked or dismissed.

Every boss mama has a ‘day one.’ What was yours?

Vida Women’s Health officially launched in 2024 after I saw a major gap in care for women in midlife. After more than 20 years in clinical practice, I kept hearing the same stories from women: they felt exhausted, dismissed, confused by changing hormones, frustrated by weight changes, struggling with sleep, mood, libido, and brain fog, and they didn’t know where to turn.

I wanted to create a medical practice where women had time to tell their full story, ask questions, and receive thoughtful, evidence-based care. I started Vida Women’s Health as a virtual specialty practice serving women in Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland, and Oklahoma, with a focus on perimenopause, menopause, sexual health, metabolic health, and survivorship care.

It began with a deep desire to build the kind of practice I wished more women had access to: one that listens, educates, validates, and gives women real options.

Which came first—the business or the babies? Tell us how your family + business journeys intersected.

My business journey began after I started my family. I’m a mom of two teenage boys, and becoming a business owner at this stage of life has been both challenging and incredibly meaningful. In many ways, launching Vida Women’s Health during midlife has allowed me to connect even more deeply with the women I serve because I understand how full, demanding, and complex this season can be.

We know it’s a wild ride—tell us how you’ve balanced building your dream biz while raising your crew. The good, the tough, the real.

Building a business while raising a family has been a mix of excitement, humility, exhaustion, and growth. The highs have been incredible, getting to care for women in a deeper way, speaking in the community, building referral relationships, and hearing patients say they finally feel heard.

The hurdles are real, too. As a solo business owner and clinician, I wear every hat: provider, marketer, admin, operations manager, speaker, bookkeeper, and problem-solver. Balancing patient care, business growth, family life, and my own health can be a lot.

But I also think motherhood has made me a better business owner. It has taught me resilience, flexibility, patience, and how to keep going even when things are messy. I want my kids to see that it’s never too late to build something meaningful, take a risk, and create work that aligns with your values.

What’s one obstacle you’ve overcome or a fun fact?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve overcome is learning how to step into the identity of being both a clinician and a business owner. Clinical training teaches you how to care for patients, but it does not teach you how to build a brand, manage operations, market your services, handle finances, or grow a company from scratch.

A fun fact: I’m originally from Oklahoma, I’m a scuba diver, and I’m happiest near the ocean, dolphins and whales are my spirit animals. I also love lifting weights, gardening, house plants, and spending time with my two sons and our dogs, Olive and Reggie.

YOUR BUSINESS

Tell us your superpower—what’s your product, service, or special offering?

I provide specialty medical care for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, weight changes, sexual health concerns, and other midlife health transitions. Through Vida Women’s Health, I offer personalized medical visits, hormone therapy when appropriate, medical weight management, sexual health support, survivorship care, and education so women can better understand what is happening in their bodies and feel more like themselves again.

What’s the magic that sets you apart?

Vida Women’s Health is built around listening, education, and evidence-based care. So many women come to me after being told their symptoms are “normal,” “just stress,” or something they simply have to live with. I created this practice to give women more time, more nuance, and more support than they often receive in traditional healthcare settings. What sets my business apart is the combination of medical expertise, real-life understanding, and a whole-person approach. I focus not only on hormones, but also on metabolic health, sleep, mood, strength, sexual health, and long-term wellness. My goal is for every patient to feel heard, validated, and equipped with a clear plan.

Spill the tea — any big milestones, press shoutouts, or launches on the horizon? 

A big milestone has been growing Vida Women’s Health from an idea into a specialty practice serving women across Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland, and Oklahoma. One of the most exciting recent honors was being asked to participate in a Fireside Chat at the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Summit 2026. That opportunity felt especially meaningful because it brought together two things I care deeply about: women’s health and women in business. I was able to share education around perimenopause, menopause, and midlife health with a room full of women leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals, many of whom are navigating the same life stage while building careers, businesses, and families.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue expanding community education, speaking opportunities, and collaborations with local wellness providers. Vida Women’s Health is also moving toward a hybrid model, offering both virtual care and in-person opportunities to better support women in midlife.

Give us a Day in the Life of being both Mom and CEO!

Most mornings start with feeding the dogs, drinking my coffee, and waking up my youngest son. I make breakfast for both of my boys, one of whom has Type 1 diabetes and eats the same breakfast every morning to help keep his blood sugars steady for the school day. Then I look over my schedule and get ready for whatever the day holds. Depending on the day, I may be seeing patients, responding to patient portal messages, networking, working on referrals, or preparing for, or giving, a community talk or collaboration.

Midday is usually a mix of patient care and business-owner tasks. That might mean seeing patients, charting, following up on prescriptions, creating patient education materials, answering emails, working on marketing, networking with other providers, or handling the many behind-the-scenes operations that come with running a medical practice.

Afternoons and evenings often shift back into mom mode: driving, dinner, dogs, homework reminders, family logistics, and attending whatever sports are currently in season. Both of my boys play multiple sports, often on different teams at the same time, so there are a lot of games and practices in our schedule. I also try to squeeze in a workout or some quiet time when I can.

Then, like many mom business owners, I often circle back to work after everyone is settled, finishing notes, sending or replying to emails, planning content, or catching up on the business side of things.

Some weeks feel organized and energizing. Other weeks feel like controlled chaos. But I try to remind myself that building a business and raising a family are both long games. I don’t have to do it perfectly, I just have to keep showing up with purpose, flexibility, and a lot of grace.

Work-life balance is hard, and I try to remind myself often to be present, especially with my family whenever possible. In 10 years, I don’t want to look back and feel like I wasn’t there for them.

ADVICE FOR MOMPRENEURS

What’s the single best piece of advice or favorite tool you’d share with other mamas building their businesses?

My advice would be: don’t wait until everything feels perfectly organized, polished, or figured out to start. You will learn so much by taking the next step, even if it feels messy.

Also, find people who understand both motherhood and entrepreneurship. You need women around you who can celebrate the wins, normalize the hard days, and remind you that you are not failing just because it feels overwhelming sometimes.

What’s been your biggest challenge juggling motherhood and running a business?

The hardest part has been feeling like there is always someone or something that needs more from me. As a mom, a clinician, and a business owner, there is always another message to answer, another task to finish, another patient to support, another game to attend, another family need to meet.

It can feel like I’m constantly switching hats and never fully caught up. The mental load is probably the hardest part, holding the needs of my family, my patients, and my business all at the same time.

What’s your approach to balancing business and family? We love the real, unfiltered stories!

My approach is less about perfect balance and more about being intentional with the season I’m in. Some days my business needs more of me. Other days my family needs more of me. And sometimes everyone needs me at once.

I try to stay flexible, prioritize what truly matters, and give myself permission to let some things be “good enough.” I also try to be present where I am, even though that is not always easy. When I’m with my family, I try to put work down. When I’m with patients, I try to be fully present for them. It’s not perfect, but I’m learning that balance is not a fixed destination — it’s something I keep recalibrating.

Looking back, what’s something you wish you had known before starting your business?

I wish I had known how much of entrepreneurship is emotional stamina. I expected the logistics to be hard, the systems, the finances, the marketing, the operations, but I did not fully understand how much mindset and resilience it would take.

Starting a business brings up so much: fear, self-doubt, comparison, uncertainty, and the pressure to make the “right” decision when there often isn’t one clear answer. I wish I had known that feeling scared or overwhelmed does not mean you are doing it wrong. It just means you are building something new.

What tool, resource, or habit has completely changed the game for you?

Community has changed the game for me. Being around other women business owners, entrepreneurs, and wellness providers has helped me feel less alone and has opened doors I could not have planned on my own.

A practical habit that has helped is trying to map out my week ahead of time and identify the few things that truly have to get done. As a solo business owner, the to-do list is endless, so I have had to learn to focus on the next right step instead of trying to do everything at once.

What mindset shifts have helped you keep going during hard seasons?

One big mindset shift has been learning that slow growth is still growth. Not every season is about scaling quickly or doing more. Sometimes the win is staying consistent, serving the people in front of you well, and continuing to build the foundation.

I’ve also had to remind myself that I don’t have to have it all figured out to be qualified to keep going. I can be both a work in progress and still be building something meaningful.

What words of encouragement would you give a Mom tempted to give up on her business dream?

I would tell her: take a breath before you decide it’s over. Sometimes you don’t need to quit, you just need rest, support, a different strategy, or permission to move more slowly.

Building a business while raising a family is incredibly hard, and if you’re tired, that doesn’t mean you’re not meant for it. It means you’re human. Your dream may need to evolve, simplify, or take a different shape, but that does not mean it has to disappear.

If the dream still matters to you, keep taking the next small step. You don’t have to do it perfectly, and you don’t have to do it alone.

Community is the consistent theme I keep seeing in these features. So many women, like Adrian, share that one of the greatest resources you can have in business is your community, whatever that looks like for you.

For Adrian, it was a community of other women in business. As entrepreneurs, the journey can feel incredibly lonely at times. But when you surround yourself with women who are navigating similar challenges, celebrating similar wins, and simply get it, you start to feel a little less alone.

And honestly, sometimes that feeling alone is one of the most motivating things you can have in your corner.

If you’re still looking for your community, come check out the exclusive Boss Mama CEO Community over on Facebook! We’d love to have you join us.

I’d love to feature more Boss Mamas like Adrian. If you know someone who deserves the spotlight, please reach out and send me their info at ashley@bossmamaceo.com or via my contact page here. And hey, if that’s you, I love a little self-brag too! Send me your details so we can shine the spotlight on you as well.

Here’s to all the incredible Moms juggling a million things—keep shining bright, cheering each other on, and building the life you love!

Ashley

Friendly Note: I’m simply sharing my journey, experiences, and lessons learned as a Mom in business. This isn’t legal, financial, or professional advice. Always check with a qualified pro for guidance tailored to you.