For most people, our pets are not just animals – they are family members. That’s why quality animal care is so important for our furry (and feathery!) friends. The community of Clayton, NC is home to a brand new quality veterinary office, thanks to Dr. Rob Feola and his business Aardvark Animal Hospital. Aardvark Animal Hospital is a 24-hour emergency care center - complete with large, comfortable kennels - and features a wide variety of services including animal care and grooming.
Opening his own animal care business has been a dream of Dr. Rob Feola for at least the past 20 years - since he became a Veterinarian. He knew he wanted to be a Vet back in high school, and began taking steps to achieve this goal when he entered college. He became a Vet Tech, and continued his education at NC State, where he received his Doctorate. In his professional life, he has worked in several practices and even owned his own veterinary practice, but Aardvark Animal Hospital will be his first start-up animal care center.
When Dr. Feola was ready to start the process of building his own veterinary practice from scratch, he began to look at his financing options. Through a referral from his builder, he was introduced to Business Development Officer Michael Byers. Michael was able to put together a great SBA 7(a) loan package, and the deal closed successfully in 2017 - with construction completed in 2018.
Dr. Feola had this to say about his experience working with Michael Byers:
Michael was very attentive. He walked me through the entire SBA loan process - which was tedious at times – but the result was great. It’s clear that Michael is very knowledgeable about SBA products, which made me feel great about our partnership. He was cordial, friendly, outgoing, and of course very helpful all along the way. Hands-down, I would recommend Michael Byers and FNB to anyone that is looking for an SBA loan, and a bank to do business with.
Aardvark Animal Hospital's state of the art facility opened in 2018. We are very excited to see where the future takes Dr. Feola, and we wish him success as his business continues to grow!
