In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Dr. Janelle Hooper, a pediatric mental‑health nurse practitioner. Dr. Hooper shares a personal story about growing up in Southwest Atlanta and learning not to be a victim of circumstance, emphasizing that trauma can become a catalyst for growth. She discusses how everyone wrestles with insecurities—appearance, intelligence, education—and urges listeners not to let these hold them back. When asked for business advice, she stresses the importance of simply getting started: ideas remain ideas until acted upon, and the learning comes through taking the first steps. Reflecting on advice to her younger self, she recommends taking more risks to gain experience. She defines happiness as achieving a balanced allocation of time among family, food, travel, and work so that no aspect feels abandoned. The most influential book she cites is Synopsis of Psychiatry by Benjamin Sadock, which she uses to explain normal versus abnormal child development to patients and parents. Her favorite personal quote, from her late aunt, is “not everyone will be my friend,” a reminder to accept that you cannot please everyone and to find inner happiness. Finally, she provides her professional website, www.accesshope.care, as the place to find her services online.
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Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite makes the process of becoming a published bestselling author as simple as sipping your morning cup of coffee. You can learn more about Authors Unite at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Dr. Janelle Hooper. She's a pediatric mental health specialist, nurse practitioner working with children that struggle with mental health. So welcome to the show.
Thank you.
Of course. So we will, uh, we'll dive right in. The first question that I have for you is, what's the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Well, thank you, Tyler. I was thinking about that, and the most important thing I've learned is not to be a victim of your circumstance. I did grow up in humble beginnings in Southwest Atlanta, and I knew then at that point that I could either take that situation and make it a catalyst, or I could use that situation and be a victim of that. And so that's what I try to tell my patients when I'm talking to them and those specifically who have experienced any type of trauma or traumatic events in their lives, that they can take that and either use that to propel themselves further in life, or they can just kind of sit and sulk on the negative effects of that and kind of go through life still holding on to that. So I try to give them that message of don't allow that episode to take over your life and become a negative part of your future.
And what's the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
I think the most valuable thing is to realize that we all have insecurities. We all struggle with not being pretty enough, not being smart enough, not being educated enough. And it's just a matter of, again, not allowing those insecurities to prevent you from moving forward. We all something, and it's— if we use that to hold us back, it'll hold us back the rest of our lives.
And what's your best piece of overall business advice? You're not necessarily industry specific.
Um, I would I would say just to get started. We all have ideas and hopes and plans, and without any initiation or real actions, that's all they continue to be, is just continued plans and words. If you have an idea, act on it, take the first step, because you will learn stuff as you move through these steps of opening a business or opening your own practice. The learning experience will come with that, but the main thing is just to get started.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
I would definitely tell a younger Jenniel to take more risks. I was very conservative growing up and did not want to just jump out there and take any to take more risk in my young adult years. And I think that would have allowed me to not only learn more, but gain more experiences with life overall. So I would definitely recommend that to the youth, is to take more risk.
And in your opinion, what's the key to happiness?
I find that being happy means finding a balance between the things that you enjoy, if it's family, food, traveling, work, if you can find a balance where each of those are entertained and each of those are provided significant amount of time where it makes you happy and no one is felt or no one is left feeling abandoned, then I think that is the key to happiness. Finding that happy balance with all the things that you enjoy.
And what's the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
Well, recently I've been reading a lot of academic books with me being in school. And so the best book that I've read was Synopsis of Psychiatry by Benjamin Sadock. And I love that book and I still use because it not only identifies child psychiatry, but it goes into the early developmental stages of children. And I think that is the key to explaining what is normal versus abnormal to not only the patients but to the parents when I'm telling them and teaching them about mental health. When you can get to the root and patient is normal development that explains how the child has evolved into whatever they're struggling with in my office.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
I really like the quote that my late aunt told me years ago before she passed away, and I did not understand at the time, and it made more sense as I got older. But she told me, not everyone will be my friend. And initially, I was— I didn't know what she meant by that. But as you get older, you have to not only understand that you cannot please everyone, but you also have to be OK with that. And I think when people are OK with not pleasing everyone, they will begin to find inner happiness in themselves.
Thank you so much for coming on. The last question I have for you before we let you go is, where's the best place for people to find you online?
People can find me online on my website. It's www.accesshope— that's A-X-I-S-H-O-P-E—.care. C-A-R-E.
Awesome. Thank you so much again for coming on. We really appreciate it.
Thank you so much, Tyler Wagner Wagner.
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