In every generation of nursing, there are clinicians who quietly follow the traditional path — and then there are those who expand what nursing can look like.
Shelbi Sloan is the latter.

As a Family Nurse Practitioner, entrepreneur, and founder of Sloan Aesthetics & Wellness, Shelbi represents a growing movement in healthcare: nurses who refuse to shrink themselves into outdated boxes and instead build careers rooted in autonomy, alignment, and impact.
Her story is not just about aesthetics, entrepreneurship, or advanced practice.
It’s about identity, resilience, and choosing yourself when the system doesn’t choose you first.
From High-Acuity Care to Holistic Impact
Shelbi’s foundation was built in one of the most demanding clinical environments — pediatric cardiovascular ICU — where precision, accountability, and emotional strength are non-negotiable.
Those early years didn’t just make her a strong clinician. They shaped her into a problem solver, an advocate, and eventually, an entrepreneur.
She later expanded her experience through travel nursing, gaining the adaptability and confidence that would later translate directly into business ownership and leadership.
For Shelbi, nursing was never “just a job.”
It was — and still is — a calling rooted in understanding the body, supporting patients through vulnerability, and creating long-term change in people’s lives.
The Turning Point: When Setback Becomes Strategy
In 2021, Shelbi experienced a professional setback early in her NP career that could have easily defined her trajectory.
Instead, it redirected it.
What once felt personal and devastating eventually became clarity. She realized she no longer wanted to shrink herself to fit environments that didn’t align with her values, vision, or potential.
That moment sparked a powerful internal shift:
- Stop internalizing rejection
- Start trusting self-judgment
- Build ownership instead of waiting for permission
And within a year, she stepped fully into entrepreneurship — running her own practice under her own LLC, controlling her schedule, clinical decisions, and business direction.
Redefining Success in Nursing

For Shelbi, success is no longer defined by:
- Titles
- Burnout
- Overwork
- External validation
Success now means:
✔ Alignment
✔ Financial freedom
✔ Time ownership
✔ Work that energizes instead of drains
She speaks openly about a truth many nurses feel but rarely say:
Nurses are conditioned to serve — not always to value themselves.
And that conditioning can lead to guilt around charging fairly, setting boundaries, or building wealth.
Her message is simple and powerful:
Being paid fairly doesn’t reduce compassion. It protects it.
Scope, Autonomy, and Owning Your Expertise




“Our mission is to deliver a luxury wellness experience that combines peptide therapy, hormone optimization, and natural aesthetic results—all with 5-star service that keeps our clients feeling their absolute best inside and out. At Sloan Aesthetics + Wellness, we are dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health, timeless beauty, and the confidence that comes with a truly elevated, concierge-level experience.”
As an independently practicing APRN, Shelbi is part of a national conversation about scope of practice and provider identity.
Her perspective is rooted in outcomes, not hierarchy.
Patient trust, ethical care, and clinical competence matter more than titles — and patients are increasingly seeking providers who deliver authentic, relationship-based care.
The Mindset Work Behind the Success
One of the most powerful parts of Shelbi’s journey is her commitment to internal growth.
Over the past several years, she has prioritized:
- Mental health investment
- Meditation and self-reflection
- Sobriety and lifestyle transformation
- Physical wellness optimization
- Boundary setting as a leadership skill
She describes wellness not as branding — but as lived experience.
That lived experience directly informs how she treats patients and builds her business model.
Coming Home: Purpose Over Prestige
After building her career in Scottsdale, Arizona — a major hub for aesthetics — life shifted when her grandfather became seriously ill.
Shelbi made the intentional decision to return home to Arkansas, bringing her business model with her and expanding care locally and virtually.
This pivot wasn’t just professional.
It was personal alignment.
Sometimes success means expansion.
Sometimes it means returning to what matters most.
Life Beyond the White Coat
Outside of practice and entrepreneurship, Shelbi prioritizes grounding through:

- Family time
- Movement and fitness
- Basketball (a return to a high-school passion)
- Travel and music experiences
- Nature and simplicity
- Time with her therapy-trained golden doodle, Louie
For her, longevity isn’t just about lifespan — it’s about quality of life and sustainable energy.
Advice for Nurses Feeling Stuck
If Shelbi could give one question to nurses who feel boxed in, it would be:
“What am I tolerating that I don’t actually have to?”
Her practical guidance:
- Start before you feel ready
- Seek mentorship early
- Think bigger than the lane you were trained for
- You do not need permission to build something aligned with your life
Looking Ahead: Building Legacy, Not Just Business

Through Sloan Aesthetics & Wellness and the Sloan Society, Shelbi is focused on:
- Holistic, ethical patient care
- Mentorship and training for providers
- Expanding access to wellness and aesthetic education
- Building community among clinicians and entrepreneurs
Her mission is bigger than a clinic.
It’s about expanding what is possible for nurses and providers everywhere.
The Message That Defines Her Story
If there is one sentence that captures Shelbi’s journey, it’s this:
“I didn’t need to be chosen — I needed to choose myself.”
And maybe that is the lesson for all of us in nursing.
You can care deeply for others
and build a life that feels aligned.
You can serve
and be well-compensated.
You can heal others
and refuse to abandon yourself.
Experience Personalized, Holistic Care with Sloan Aesthetics & Wellness

If you are ready to invest in feeling your best — inside and out — Sloan Aesthetics & Wellness offers a modern, ethical, and holistic approach to patient care.
Through evidence-based and patient-centered services, Sloan Aesthetics focuses on:
- Hormone optimization
- Peptide therapy
- GLP-1 therapies
- Holistic wellness optimization
- Aesthetic treatments focused on natural, long-lasting results
Built on the belief that confidence and health create ripple effects across every area of life, Sloan Aesthetics is designed to help patients live longer, healthier, more energized lives.
For Providers:
Shelbi also offers training, mentorship, and business education opportunities for nurses, NPs, PAs, physicians, and other clinicians ready to expand their skill sets and career pathways.
Follow Sloan Aesthetics + Wellness

Contact:
Call or text: 602.702.3253
107 PROGRESS WAY SUITE 501
BRYANT, ARKANSAS 72022
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