Veterinary visionary: Dr. Courtney Knott’s path to owning her own clinic

In a spacious, sunlight-bathed office on the northwest side of Omaha, Nebraska, a 7-month-old brindle mixed-breed terrier paws at the edge of a piece of freshly cleaned tile. He’s relaxed, curious. The ceilings are high, leaving room enough for tall windows that pour in natural light from the clear Midwest skies behind them.

Behind the counter is Christy, the animal clinic’s head receptionist, whose wry but inviting smile has been greeting animals and their humans for more than 20 years. Behind her, on a small whiteboard, the word Welcome is followed by the marker-written names of the rest of the day’s expected animal visitors to the top-rated full-service veterinary clinic: Henry, Hadley, Blue, Saber, Zoey, Melissa, Sophie, Chi Kala Kala.

Patient Henry, a brindle Staffy, waits as his human schedules their next visit at Omaha Animal Medical Group in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Omaha Animal Medical Group is the culmination of Dr. Courtney Knott’s lifelong dream — one worth every twist and turn on the unconventional route she took to make it happen. There were re-routes and setbacks. There was doubt and support. But she kept moving, pulling together the knowledge, experience, financial expertise and capital, and client base to pursue her own veterinary practice.

“I didn’t take a traditional path to get here, that’s for sure,” she laughs. Her brown eyes are intense and determined; her laugh kind and confident. “But I kept following my gut and, well, here I am.”

A unique path to veterinary medicine

Courtney grew up in Missouri Valley, Iowa, a small town in the Loess Hills about 25 miles north of Omaha. Even as a young, knee-scraped girl with tangled hair, she loved animals and nature, spending every spare moment outside exploring with her German Shorthair, Ike. When she tamed and adopted a feral kitten during her adventures, her parents knew they had no choice, and Herb the kitten became the family housecat.

Math and science came naturally to a young and curious Courtney. After high school graduation, she packed up her parents’ Chevy Blazer and made the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Ames to study mathematics at Iowa State University. A love for helping people led her to teaching, and in 1999, she became a math teacher at Davis County High School in south-central Iowa. Although she loved the school community and her students, after two years, she had a strong feeling: It wasn’t the right fit.

When a colleague suggested she try her hand at working as an actuary — using math to assess financial risk for organizations — she followed her curiosity and love for problem-solving. But after four years, Courtney felt that familiar restlessness again. “I knew a few things at this point,” she says. “I wasn’t made for sitting in a cubicle and punching on a calculator all day, and I hadn’t found it yet. So I dug deep and thought about what I truly love.” The answer? Math, science, people, and animals.

In 2005, at 28 years old, Courtney enrolled in veterinary school at Iowa State University.

From late bloomer to life saver

Even though she was a nontraditional student — Courtney even calls herself a bit of a late bloomer — she knew she was on the right path. “It just felt right,” she says. “It pulled together everything I love, everything I’m passionate about, you know?” 

Fresh out of school, she spent a few years at a mixed animal practice near the Iowa-Missouri border, gaining experience working with both pets and livestock, before returning home to the Omaha area in 2012 to take the overnight shift at an emergency clinic. The high-stakes, life-or-death situations she encountered were formative, sharpening her surgical skills while at the same time establishing a deep undercurrent of trust and empathy with animal patients as well as their owners. The memories from this time are vivid, including one involving a yellow labrador retriever suffering from relentless vomiting and in dire need of emergency surgery. “When I opened him up, I realized he had swallowed an entire rabbit,” Dr. Knott recalls. “The pelt was lodged right where the stomach empties into the intestinal tract. Time was everything. We had to act fast to remove the blockage as quickly as we possibly could.” The labrador’s swift recovery and the gratitude from his owners left a lasting impact on Dr. Knott.

“Knowing you kept someone’s lifelong companion alive — that’s a big deal,” she reflects. 

Seizing the opportunity of a lifetime

In June of 2023, a veterinary hospital in West Omaha came up for sale, and Dr. Knott knew it was destiny. “It just felt right — the timing, the location, the space, the team, the opportunity — it felt like the right move,” she says. Her gut hadn’t led her astray yet, and she wasn’t about to stop following it now. “If there was a way to get the pieces to fall in place, I was going to figure it out.”

But to really figure it out, math-minded Dr. Knott needed to pencil it out. That’s when she enlisted the help and financial expertise of Mike Schommer, Vice President of Commercial Loans at Union Bank & Trust. His approach (and that of UBT’s Commercial Lending team and leadership) is one centered on providing thorough and tailored financial support for businesses — especially at critical times like this one.

It was a hectic time for the Knott family: Dr. Knott was working long hours; her husband Jim was juggling a busy schedule as a high school principal; their children, Jackson and Kendall, had an endless array of middle school activities. Mike stepped in with a careful combination of expertise, experience, and service.

“He truly understood how much we had going on,” says Dr. Knott. “Mike did everything in his power to make things easier for us.” Together, they meticulously reviewed the financials: revenue projections, expenses and operating costs, and overall cashflows to pinpoint a numbers-based look at the opportunity’s risk and reward. They covered all the bases — from budget needs immediately after acquisition to long-term financial planning and future growth — right there at the Knotts’ dining room table. Dr. Knott remained focused and diligent, but doubt started to creep in. 

“I vividly remember the moment I realized my dream could actually become a reality,” says Dr. Knott. “I was expressing some lingering doubt. Mike paused, looked at me, and said, ‘The numbers are sound. With your clientele and these projections, you can absolutely do this.’”

It was a pivotal moment. “When you’re making a decision that’s going to drastically change your life, it’s so important to have someone on your side that not only believes in you, but does the things necessary to make it happen.”

Mike’s approach is one that reflects across UBT’s team: diligent, collaborative, personal. He is one of several commercial bankers with substantial depth and experience in healthcare, one of UBT’s niche specialties. Mike, like many UBT bankers, has formed decades-long relationships with many of his clients, including Dr. Knott. He even brings his dog Cooper to the animal clinic.

“You see bank signs around town and think they’re all the same,” says Dr. Knott. “But when I see a UBT sign, it means something different to me. It’s not just a bank, it’s helping people make their dreams come true — and that’s what it did for me.”

Compassionate care and family balance

At Omaha Animal Medical Group, Dr. Knott leads with a compassionate approach to animal care. “Going to the vet is scary for a lot of pets, and they’re less frightened when you meet them at their level,” Dr. Knott explains. And she means it literally.

On the ground and in the moment: Dr. Knott tenderly cares for an Australian Shepherd.

“She’s on the ground with the animals so much, she should probably invest in some knee pads,” jokes head receptionist Christy. 

While she’s certainly living out her dream, Dr. Knott is the first to admit the challenges of owning her own business. “I had a hunch it was going to be lonely, but I didn’t fully understand the isolation that comes with decision-making and putting everything behind what you’re doing,” she says. To cope with the stress, she found an unexpected source of comfort. “I joked to a friend who runs a local cat shelter that I needed an emotional support animal here to help with the stress, and now we have Georgie.” Fondly known as the CCO (Chief Cat Officer), Georgie ensures everyone stays on task by sitting at teammates’ feet.

Dr. Knott and office cat Georgie find comfort and companionship amid the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Dr. Knott often feels stretched thin as she balances the demands of running her own clinic with the challenges of family life. It’s a tightrope walk that leaves her feeling exhausted — a sentiment echoed by countless women entrepreneurs who juggle business ownership with parenting. Even so, she’s proud to be showing her kids exactly what it looks like to chase your dreams. “It gets a little messy at times,” she says, “but we all pull together to make it work.”

Inspiring the next generation

Her influence extends beyond her own children. “Women in the veterinary field reach out to me, saying how much I’ve inspired them. It surprises me every time, but the more I hear it, the more I start to believe it.”

She straightens her shoulders, exhales a deep, thoughtful sigh, and lets a smile break through. “It’s a big decision to make, especially when you have so many things going on in your life already. But you just commit, face each day’s challenges, and improve with every step.” 

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