Life & Work with Cory Erb of Anthem

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cory Erb.

Cory, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have a mind for puzzles. As a kid, I loved jigsaw puzzles, the Rubik’s cube, and more importantly, observing the biggest puzzle of all–human nature. I studied psychology in college and considered becoming a therapist. Every person felt like a unique puzzle to understand and help make whole again. As I moved towards graduate studies, I felt a pull towards medicine, and I might have become a psychiatrist. However, after some job shadowing and soul searching, I discovered that the best fit for me was in veterinary medicine. There was such a variety of puzzles to solve, both with the patients, and also with the veterinary system. Before ever going to veterinary school, I quickly discovered systemic problems that were causing a mental health crisis in veterinary medicine. And so it became a career goal of mine to not only help pets, but to help the teams that care for those pets.
In veterinary school I developed a concept for reducing stress for veterinary teams, and then I competed with this concept at the VetPrep Idea competition for student entrepreneurs. I placed third in the country, and then wrote my senior thesis paper on strategies for creating wellness for veterinary teams. Since graduating, I have developed a software system to implement these ideas, and it is still in early testing stages.
In the meantime, I am currently working at Animal Health Services in Cave Creek. I am a general practitioner for dogs and cats, and I love it!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Veterinary school is very challenging. There were times that I thought I would never get in, and then when I got in I thought I would definitely fail out, and when I graduated I thought I would never be able to pay off the debt (I still worry about that).
Then, the challenges of making a business idea into a reality were difficult in a whole different way. It is the entrepreneur’s paradox that you need a working product to gain any investors, but you need investors to make a product. I pitched to many investors and industry leaders, who all said encouraging things, but the conversation did not go very far. Fortunately, with the advancements in AI, I have been able to develop the product at a lower cost and am finally in a place to begin testing.
And on a personal level, one of the greatest challenges is work-life balance. I have 4 young children. I really want to spend all of my time with them. It’s just one of those ironic jokes that the universe plays on us that we have to work hard (which takes us away from our kids) so that we can spend time with them. Between kids, and working full time as a vet, I get most of my software development done between 11pm-2am.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Animal Health Services, quality care is our priority. We are among only 15% of clinics nationwide accredited by AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association), which evaluates over 900 standards of veterinary excellence. I actively pursue continuing education and hold certifications in ultrasound, advanced radiographic techniques, dentistry, and advanced CPR and life support.

Community involvement is also a core value for us. We engage with our local chamber of commerce, host free educational classes for pet owners, and collaborate with the local animal shelter to extend care to pets in need.

What were you like growing up?
I was a fun-loving kid, but also quiet and insecure. I grew up facing challenging family circumstances—my father passed away when I was young, and later my mother’s remarriage ended in divorce. These hardships led me to observe people closely, and I think that’s where my early desire to become a therapist came from: I wanted to help others going through struggles like mine.

Thankfully, I also had support. My mother was always encouraging, reminding me that I could do anything. Growing up in a small town in northern Arizona, I had opportunities to try almost everything—I starred in school plays, was first chair trumpet in band, and served as student body president. College was more humbling; I failed a few classes and realized how much harder things were outside my small town. But I didn’t quit. I took two years to serve as a missionary in Mexico, which gave me a broader perspective, deeper compassion, and a stronger work ethic. When I returned, I rebuilt my academic record and was accepted into veterinary school.

Life has brought many changes since then. Today, as a non-technical founder of a tech startup, I still face steep learning curves. But my past experiences remind me that I can overcome challenges and accomplish whatever I set my mind to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ahsvet.com/site/veterinarians-cave-creek/dr-cory-erb
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-erb-62914847